This weekend the Lucas Oil AMA Pro
Motocross Championship rolls back to the West Coast for Washougal. Just a short drive over the Oregon-Washington border from Portland, you’d expect to see some cooler temps for the racers this weekend. Nope, the mercury is expected to rise into the 90s, but the humidity should be bearable at 45%. Look for the heat to take its toll once again on the riders in Moto 2, but not to the extent of last weekend.
Dungey is a unstoppable force, and at this point is pretty much assured the Number 1 plate barring major problems.
Let’s get it over with right now; Dungey is a force that is becoming increasing difficult to stop. Last weekend he once again captured a perfect 1-1 round while his competition suffered through the heat. His conditioning is the key to his success, especially in the second moto when everyone is hurting and feeling the burn. It’s a strong possibility that RD5 will have another perfect weekend, and I’m sure he’s on the top of everyone’s list in the
fantasy league.
Last weekend
Josh Grant suffered heat stroke in Moto 2, but he toughed it out to finish. His end of the day result wasn’t great, but his second place in the first moto shows he still might have something for the points leader. After all, he is the only rider to actually pass Dungey and make it stick for the win. He looked good at Lakewood and Washougal’s dirt is similar, so we just may see JG going toe to toe with Dungey.
Andrew Short has got the holeshot dailed, but needs to work on his late-race endurance.
has the holeshot on lockdown, but has usually faded in the later stages of the motos. It’s like he’s found that unfinished secret formula that used to be under key in Mike Alessi’s safe. Unfortunately,the factory Honda rider hasn’t been able to make it work either. Shorty just needs a mistake from Dungey to light a fire under him for the last five to seven laps. There’s a moto win in Short this season and perhaps an overall, but the stars need to align to make it so.
And what about Alessi? He started off the season looking like he was going to show everyone the
KTM 350 SX-F was the wave of the future. Now he’s fighting just to stay in the top-10. He looked hungry and strong early in the season, but now his riding looks tired and worn. Going into every race knowing that you are down on power has to be tough, but his undeniable potential should negate that worry. Alessi will eventually be back on the box this season, but I wouldn’t be counting on it this weekend.
While Davi Millsaps recovers from his liver-splitting injuries, Kevin Windham will be keeping the old guys on their feet and cheering all day. A holeshot in Moto 1 had the crowd in Millville losing their minds, and a fourth overall finish is impressive after being off since the Vegas Supercross. The veteran definitely shakes up the title hunt a bit, as he will be grabbing some much need points from the guys chasing Dungey.
Trey Canard has finally found is flow and is looking good. It may be too late for a run at the championship however.
In the 250-class
Trey Canard won his second-ever and second in a row last weekend. The GEICO rider battled with series leader
Christophe Pourcel in Moto 1, coming out with the short end of the stick. In Moto 2, however, Canard was up front, while Pourcel was back in the pack. With another win under his belt Canard is picking up momentum and confidence that will set him up to be a favorite this weekend.
Pro Circuit’s Pourcel still has a nice lead on the pack in the points, which could explain his results when he doesn’t get a good start. He’s playing it safe knowing that he has plenty of breathing room in the chase for the Number 1 plate. He has dominated Moto 1, but if he’s not careful in Moto 2 he could have a race on his hands towards the end of the season. Expect for him and Canard to duke it out this weekend in both motos; Pourcel needs to assert his supremacy before Ice-Trey gets too uppity. Fortunately, the tricky dirt at Washougal and deep shadows will allow the ultra-smooth and technically superior Kawasaki rider a certain advantage.
Finally, Pourcel’s teammate Jake Weimer put forth a performance worthy of his ride in the big green semi. Although Weimer sits in ninth in the standing right now, there’s still plenty of ground to be made up with five races remaining. After being so close last weekend to a podium, expect to see the Number 12 rider looking for the rostrum finish we know he's capable of.
This weekend is the 30th anniversary of racing at Washougal, and to celebrate a retro theme for the weekend had been planned. Look for some uber-cool retro gear on the racers and some sweet duds in the crowd. I’m digging out my old-school OP cord shorts and mesh JT hat. It’s going to be a good time in bad clothes. Stay tuned for race results and photos from MotoUSA!
