Steve Cox | June 16, 2018
2018 High Point 450cc National MX Results: Coming in to round four of the 2018 Lucas Oil/AMA 450cc Pro Motocross Championship, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac – the defending 450cc National Motocross Champion – had been pitching a shut-out. With 6 motos down out of the scheduled 24 in the championship, Tomac was unbeaten. But after a weekend off, Red Bull KTM’s Marvin Musquin came into High Point refreshed, and confident, because he loves the track and he had time to recharge and get some testing done during the time off.
2018 High Point 450cc National MX Results
Eli Tomac’s perfect season ended after 6-straight moto wins, but he has still won every national overall so far, and he leads the points by 18. PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROB KOY
Tomac got the holeshot in the first moto, which would normally spell doom for the rest of the field. Behind Tomac came Musquin and Monster Energy Yamaha’s Justin Barcia. In turn one, Honda’s Ken Roczen came in a little bit too hot and went down, taking Blake Baggett, his Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KTM teammate Benny Bloss, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Phil Nicoletti, and AutoTrader/JGR Suzuki’s Weston Peick down with him.
Barcia made an early pass on Musquin for second, but once Musquin got his rhythm, he went back by the Yamaha pilot and set out after Tomac. At around the halfway point, Musquin struck, going around the outside of Tomac and taking the lead, which he would hold to the finish, ending Tomac’s perfect season.
Tomac came home over 5 seconds behind Musquin, and about 35 seconds after that came Barcia in third, all by himself. More than 20 seconds after that came Peick’s teammate Justin Hill, who moved up to the 450cc class at High Point after Nicoletti left the team to fill in at Husky. Then came Baggett, Bloss and Roczen, all of whom were down in the first turn.
2018 High Point 450cc National MX Results
Marvin Musquin was on one at High Point, stealing away the first moto from Tomac and nearly doing it again late in moto two. He was second overall with a 1-2 score. PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROB KOY
Roczen got the holeshot to start moto two in front of Tomac, Musquin and Ben Lamay. Immediately, Musquin moved over on Tomac to secure the second spot, then set out after Roczen, but was thwarted when Roczen got off-rhythm in the rollers and slowed him down, allowing Tomac to go around the outside of both of them and take over the lead. Roczen immediately re-passed Tomac, but gave the lead back again when he went off the track a lap later. With Tomac finally securing the lead, Musquin then got his rhythm, went by Roczen, and then set out after Tomac. On the final lap, Musquin attempted a handful of passes, only for Tomac to dig deep and hold onto the lead at the checkered flag, winning by just over a second over Musquin.
2018 High Point 450cc National MX Results
Justin Barcia is putting in strong rides, just as he has all year. At High Point, he was third overall and he leaves round four third in the points standings as well. PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROB KOY
Although the perfect season is over, Tomac took home his fourth overall victory in as many rounds and leaves round four with the same points lead he came in with; 18 points over Musquin. Barcia sits third in points just in front of Roczen and Baggett as the series heads to round five at Muddy Creek Raceway in Blountville, Tennessee, this coming Saturday.
2018 High Point 450cc National MX Results
2018 High Point 450cc National MX Results
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