Whoever takes the 450 class overall for Round 4 of the 2014 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship on Saturday at the High Point National in Mt. Morris, PA wins the championship.
Well, that's only if history repeats the last six years of results.
High Point has turned into an indicator of sorts of who stands tall at the end of the season. The last six winners of High Point have also won the Motocross Championship and with a quarter of the 2014 season in the books, the race to the final podium is already taking shape.
Expect some intense action on Saturday as riders fight for valuable points heading into the first of two extended breaks. The Top 4 riders are beginning to ride away from the rest of the field and they also represent the only ones thus far to step on the podium.
Weston Peick inching closer to Top 5
In both classes, MotoSport riders have a real opportunity to move up several spots in the championship standings. Weston Peick's five Top 10 Motos this year have him in seventh-place just a point behind Malcolm Stewart and 12 points behind fifth-place Brett Metcalfe.
Jason Anderson can get in Top 3 with a win
Jason Anderson, riding for the MotoSport-sponsored Rockstar Energy KTM Team in the 250 class, is in eighth-place, but only 12 points separate him from the third-place Christophe Pourcel. Anderson, the current 250 Supercross champ, has ridden well all season with the only hiccup in Moto 2 from Round 1 when he crashed and finished in 31st giving him a 10th place overall.
Jimmy Albertson will be back for Round 5
Jimmy Albertson's streak of five straight Top 20 Motos came to an end in Moto 2 last week when he finished in 32nd place. However, Albertson's Motocross season is more consistent compared to this year's Supercross effort. Unfortunately, Albertson is planning to sit out for High Point thanks to a DNF from his sprinter van. Look for more details in the next Albertson Bros. series.
Joey Savatgy, who also rides for the MotoSport sponsored Rockstar Energy KTM team, appears to be in racing shape after missing Round 1 because of injury. He grabbed 12th overall last week after taking 20th overall in Round 2, his first race of the season. Davi Millsaps is expected to join the 450 class after the break for Round 5.
Joey Savatgy has put injuries behind him
Rounding out the rest, rookie Ken Roczen looks for his third straight win and add some distance between his Red Bull KTM teammate Ryan Dungey. Only 12 points separate the two who also represent the only first and second place finishers of the year. Trey Canard, who took third-place twice to open the season, finished fourth to a surging James Stewart last week. Stewart is now in third place, just a point ahead of Canard, and despite only one Moto win of the year, is second in laps led.
In the 250 class, Jeremy Martin's hot streak ended in Moto 2 after a crash resulted in a sixth-place overall. His five straight Moto wins however give him a commanding lead in the Championship standings with 140. Cooper Webb, who started the season with four straight second place Moto finishes, is in second place with 114.
Moto 1 for Motocross Round 4 starts at 12 p.m. (EST) on Saturday at High Point Raceway. Moto 2 starts at 2 p.m. (EST). Buy tickets online or at the raceway, Taylortown Road in Mt. Morris, PA.
2014 Motocross Season Standings
450 Class Standings
- Ken Roczen (141)
- Ryan Dungey (129)
- James Stewart (111)
- Trey Canard (110)
- Brett Metcalfe (89)
- Malcolm Stewart (78)
- Weston Peick (77) - MotoSport rider
- Josh Grant (74)
- Jake Weimer (74)
- Chad Reed (61)
250 Class Standings
- Jeremy Martin (140)
- Cooper Webb (114)
- Christophe Pourcel (93)
- Blake Baggett (91)
- Justin Bogle (90)
- Jessy Nelson (85)
- Marvin Musquin (82)
- Jason Anderson (81) - MotoSport rider
- Justin Hill (65)
- Matt Bisceglia (63)
