Motocross

Cianciarulo takes maiden 450 class win as Hampshire tops 250 class at RedBud II

Posted:

Tuesday, September 8th, 2020

12:41 PM

The doubleheader at RedBudMX presented two days of perfect racing weather. Photo: Align Media

The first-ever Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship doubleheader was completed at Michigan‰Ûªs world-renowned RedBud MX for the fifth round of the 2020 season.

The Circle K RedBud II National kicked off America‰Ûªs Labor Day holiday with perfect racing weather that led into an afternoon of thrilling, bar banging action in both classes. Monster Energy Kawasaki‰Ûªs premier class rookie Adam Cianciarulo emerged victorious to stand atop the podium for the first time in his 450 Class career. In the 250 Class, RJ Hampshire put together two consistent motos to capture his first victory of the season and second of his career.

The opening 450 Class moto saw Cianciarulo launch out of the gate to emerge with the Motosport.com holeshot, followed by championship leader Zach Osborne and Marvin Musquin. Cianciarulo quickly set the pace up front with Osborne in tow, while defending champion Eli Tomac found his way around Musquin for third before the end of the opening lap.

The top three riders continued to pace one another out front, keeping each other within striking distance as they gave it everything they had around the rough and rutted RedBud circuit. With two minutes remaining in the moto, Tomac saw an opportunity and struck by drag racing Osborne into a corner to take second. As Tomac put his head down in an attempt to track down his teammate, the battle behind him raged as Musquin muscled his way by Osborne for third.

Adam Cianciarulo took home his first-ever 450 Class victory (1-3). Photo: Align Media

Cianciarulo withstood the pressure and Tomac‰Ûªs late race charge to capture the moto win, the first of his 450 Class career. Tomac finished just 1.9 seconds behind in second, while Musquin held on to take third. Osborne finished fourth.

As the gate dropped on the final 450 Class moto it was Cianciarulo who took his second Motosport.com holeshot of the afternoon with JGR/Yoshimura/Suzuki Racing‰Ûªs Joey Savatgy and Osborne in tow. Musquin was just behind the lead group and took advantage of a mistake by Savatgy early in the race to inherit third place.

Cianciarulo continued his opening moto form by using the clear track to his advantage to open a small lead over Osborne. Musquin, who was third, became under attack and soon surrendered the spot to Blake Baggett. Just when Cianciarulo looked to have things in control, he collided with a lapped rider when their lines intersected and found himself on the ground. The mistake by Cianciarulo moved Osborne to the race lead, Baggett to second and he was able to remount third.

An impressive ride by Blake Baggett saw him take the Moto 2 win and second overall (6-1). Photo: Align Media

Osborne‰Ûªs lead began to diminish with a hard charging Baggett approaching. With seven minutes remaining in the moto, Baggett went to work and used every inch of the track to pass Osborne for the number one spot. His pace would prove too much for his competition as he went on to win his first moto of the season by 13.8 seconds over Osborne. Cianciarulo held on to finish third.

The 3-1 moto scores gave Cianciarulo his first-career overall win in the premier class, which came in just his fifth attempt. Baggett‰Ûªs second moto win carried him to second (6-1) and Osborne completed the podium in third (4-2).

Championship point leader Zach Osborne was third (4-2) on the day, extending his lead. Photo: Align Media

‰ÛÏIt‰Ûªs been a long time since I‰Ûªve won and you start to miss that winning feeling,‰Û

RJ Hampshire's consistency carried him to his second career 250 Class victory (2-3). Photo: Align Media

The first 250 Class moto saw Ty Masterpool grab his second Motosport.com holeshot of the season, just edging out teammate Shane McElrath and RJ Hampshire. While McElrath and Hampshire battled for position in the opening turns, championship point leader Jeremy Martin was credited with ninth at the completion of the opening lap and Dylan Ferrandis was back in 13th.

Similar to the opening moto during the RedBud I National on Friday, Masterpool opened a comfortable lead early as the riders behind him duked it out for the second and third. Just as Hampshire mounted another charge on McElrath and took control of second, Masterpool tucked the front end in a corner, allowing Hampshire to inherit the lead and Australian Jett Lawrence to move into a podium position in third.

Drama ensued behind the leaders as Ferrandis charged down the inside of Martin with an aggressive move that saw both riders hit the ground after their lines came together. Both riders would lose several positions with Ferrandis remounting quickest.

While Hampshire pushed the pace out front, McElrath and Lawrence kept the leader within striking distance as the moto began winding down. With two laps remaining, Hampshire made a costly mistake as he shot off of the track, allowing McElrath to slip back by and into the lead. The top three were separated by just bike lengths entering the final lap, but it was McElrath who held on to take his first moto victory of the season by 1.3 seconds over Hampshire. Lawrence rounded out the podium for a career-best third. Ferrandis charged up to fifth, while Martin could only manage 11th following the incident with Ferrandis.

As the field emerged from the first turn to start Moto 2 it was once again Masterpool who emerged to sweep both Motosport.com holeshots on the day ahead of Martin and Hampshire. Just like the first moto, Masterpool quickly sprinted out front, while his Yamaha teammate Ferrandis got off to another slow start outside of the top-10.

Dylan Ferrandis once again was forced to battle through the field, earning second overall (5-2). Photo: Align Media

Masterpool demonstrated once again his speed early in the race, maintaining a comfortable cushion over Martin. As riders started to settle into their pace, Martin began to chip away at Masterpool‰Ûªs lead and eventually found himself on the youngster‰Ûªs rear wheel before making the pass stick leading up to the famed Larocco‰Ûªs Leap. Hampshire was just behind in third.

With a clear track ahead, Martin consistently laid down fast laps to pull away from the 40-rider field. The early race leader Masterpool made a mistake and tipped over, which ultimately allowed Hampshire to take second and moved Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki‰Ûªs Mitchell Harrison into third. Harrison‰Ûªs run in third would be short lived as Ferrandis was on the move and quick to take control of the position.

Martin took the checkered flag unchallenged for his fifth moto win of the season by 4.6 seconds over Ferrandis who used an incredible come-from-behind ride to take second on the final lap. Hampshire was just behind Ferrandis in third.

Hampshire‰Ûªs consistent 2-3 moto scores were good enough for his second career overall victory and first win since the 2018 Budds Creek National. The hard charge by Ferrandis helped him finish second overall (5-2) on the day, while McElrath‰Ûªs first moto win carried him to third (1-10). Martin narrowly missed the podium in fourth (11-1).

‰ÛÏThis one is special,‰Û

A first moto win helped McElrath land on the podium in third overall (1-10). Photo: Align Media

Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship - Circle K RedBud 2 National
RedBud MX ‰ÛÒ Buchanan, Michigan - September 7, 2020

450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish)
1 Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (1-3)
2 Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM (6-1)
3 Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna (4-2)
4 Marvin Musquin, France, KTM (3-4)
5 Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki (2-7)
6 Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Yamaha (8-5)
7 Joey Savatgy, , Suzuki (7-8)
8 Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Yamaha (5-10)
9 Christian Craig, El Cajon, Calif., Honda (10-6)
10 Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda (9-9)

450 Class Championship Standings
1 Zach Osborne, Abingdon, Va., Husqvarna - 212 Points
2 Marvin Musquin, France, KTM - 184 Points
3 Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki - 170 Points
4 Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki - 165 Points
5 Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Yamaha - 160 Points
6 Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., KTM - 146 Points
7 Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda - 140 Points
8 Broc Tickle, Holly, Mich., Yamaha - 125 Points
9 Christian Craig, El Cajon, Calif., Honda - 112 Points
10 Dean Wilson, Scotland, Husqvarna - 97 Points

250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish)
1 RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna (2-3)
2 Dylan Ferrandis, France, Yamaha (5-2)
3 Shane McElrath, Canton, N.C., Yamaha (1-10)
4 Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Honda (11-1)
5 Mitchell Harrison, Brighton, Mich., Kawasaki (6-4)
6 Jett Lawrence, Australia, Honda (3-8)
7 Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (7-5)
8 Ty Masterpool, Paradise, Texas, Yamaha (4-13)
9 Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Suzuki (8-9)
10 Jo Shimoda, Japan, Honda (15-6)

250 Class Championship Standings
1 Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Honda - 216 Points
2 Dylan Ferrandis, France, Yamaha - 207 Points
3 RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna - 170 Points
4 Shane McElrath, Canton, N.C., Yamaha - 166 Points
5 Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Suzuki - 158 Points
6 Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha - 132 Points
7 Jett Lawrence, Australia, Honda - 127 Points
8 Cameron McAdoo, Sioux City, Iowa, Kawasaki - 125 Points
9 Mitchell Harrison, Brighton, Mich., Kawasaki - 101 Points
10 Brandon Hartranft, Brick, N.J., KTM - 95 Points