Cycle News Staff | June 22, 2019
The WW Ranch Motocross Park hosted its first-ever AMA Motocross National today, and the first in Florida since 1997’s Gatorback National, and it delivered a lot of what was expected from June in Florida: Sand, and a heat index above 115 degrees Fahrenheit.
Red Bull KTM’s Marvin Musquin went 1-3 on the day to take his first moto and overall win since last year at Unadilla, and Monster Energy/Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha’s Justin Cooper finally took home his first-ever AMA National win as well, going 2-2 to take the overall.
Florida National Motocross Vide Highlights
Musquin Wins 2019 WW Ranch MX
Marvin Musquin was incredibly strong in Florida, and if not for the heat getting to him late in the second moto, may have gone 1-1 on the day. Still, he won. Photos: Rob Koy
Musquin’s teammate Cooper Webb led 450cc moto one early on, but Honda’s Ken Roczen was in a hurry and forced his way by Webb after a couple of laps to take the lead, but it was Musquin on the move, going by Webb not long after that, then setting out after Roczen, passing the German racer before halfway to take the lead and run away with the moto win. Musquin backed it down on the last lap and still won by almost 8 seconds over Roczen, who fought off a hard late-race charge from Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Jason Anderson. Webb hung on for fourth, not far behind Anderson. Then there was a gap back to Anderson’s teammate Zach Osborne in fifth, followed by Monster Energy Yamaha’s Justin Barcia, and Monster Energy Kawasaki’s two-time defending series champion Eli Tomac.
Tomac started outside the top 20, but found his way up to 10th by the fourth lap, then just could never mount much of a charge on the field. Behind Tomac came Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KTM’s Blake Baggett, then Sustainable Oil Field Services Honda privateer Freddy Noren and Barcia’s teammate Dean Ferris.
Tomac Grabs Points Lead at WW Ranch
It was a tale of two motos at WW Ranch for Eli Tomac, as he struggled in moto one to grab seventh, then led all of moto two to take the win, and a sole position at the top of the championship.
Tomac and his team made changes to his motorcycle prior to the second moto and then Tomac grabbed a rare (for him) holeshot and was never seriously challenged. At various points in the moto, different racers pulled within sight of Tomac only to drop back again. First, it was Anderson who made a charge before fading to eventually finish fourth in the Florida heat, and then it was Musquin who made a charge, then also faded to finish third. Osborne came through in the treacherous conditions to snatch second place about five seconds behind Tomac, and then came Musquin, Anderson, Webb, Barcia, Ferris, Noren, Baggett and then Roczen, who faded badly in the last half of the race. Roczen is still battling a mystery illness, and the heat did him no favors, as he ran as high as fifth in the moto before finishing 10th.
Overall, Musquin took the win with a 1-3 over Tomac’s 7-1 and Osborne’s 5-2. Anderson was fourth (3-4) over Webb (4-5) and Roczen (2-10).
After moto one, Roczen unofficially sported an 8-point championship lead over Tomac, but at the end of the day, Tomac left Florida six points ahead of Roczen as the series heads to the sandbox of MX338 in Southwick, Massachusetts, this coming Saturday.
Cooper Wins First Ever at WW Ranch
Justin Cooper finally got his first AMA National win of his career, but didn’t even win a moto this time, going 2-2 on the day for the overall before nearly passing out on the podium.
After four wins in a row to start the season, most would’ve bet that points leader Adam Cianciarulo—who is from Florida—would have been a shoe-in to take the WW Ranch round of the 2019 Lucas Oil/AMA Pro Motocross Championships, but it wasn’t to be. Instead, it was his primary championship rival, Monster Energy/Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha’s Justin Cooper, who won the opening moto at the first three rounds of the year but has never won an AMA National overall.
TLD/Red Bull KTM’s rookie Derek Drake grabbed the lead at the start of moto one and started to sprint away, taking a lead of over five seconds in the opening laps, only to go down hard in the sand rollers and DNF the moto. He DNF’d moto two as well, finishing only four laps. But he definitely has speed!
His crash handed the lead to Cooper, who fought of GEICO Honda’s Chase Sexton for the lead until about halfway, after which Sexton took over out front and sprinted away to his first ever 250cc National moto win. Cooper hung on for second, just holding off Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Michael Mosiman. Cooper’s teammate Dylan Ferrandis snatched fourth place away from points leader Cianciarulo in the final laps and finished there, just in front of Cianciarulo and Sexton’s teammate RJ Hampshire. Then came JGR/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing’s Alex Martin and Sexton’s teammate Hunter Lawrence.
Cianciarulo Third Overall at WW Ranch
Adam Cianciarulo had an off day at his home race, grabbing third overall, but still holds a strong championship lead as the series heads to Southwick.
Cooper grabbed the early lead in moto two, but this time it wasn’t Sexton, but rather Cooper’s teammate Ferrandis who fought his way by around the halfway point to take the lead. Sexton almost didn’t even line up for moto two, after suffering in the heat to win the opening moto, and he pulled off before the end of the opening lap and headed back to the pits.
Cianciarulo ran third for almost the entire race, fighting off advances first from Mosiman, and then from Lawrence, to take the third spot in the moto, and overall. Ferrandis won the moto over Cooper, Cianciarulo, Lawrence, Mosiman, Martin and the rest of the field.
Cooper has been fighting to take his first overall win of his career, and after winning three motos earlier in the series, he ends up taking the overall in Florida without winning a moto, going 2-2 for the win. Ferrandis was second with a 4-1 and Cianciarulo was third with a 5-3.
Behind them came Mosiman (3-5), Lawrence (8-4), Martin (7-6), Colt Nichols (9-7), RJ Hampshire (6-11, after a fall off the start in moto two), Sexton (1-DNF), and Jacob Hayes (13-8).
Cooper cut 8 points out of Cianciarulo’s championship lead with his win and now trails Cianciarulo by 18 points with seven rounds (14 motos) left to run.
WW Ranch Motocross Park Motocross Results 2019
WW Ranch Motocross Park Motocross Results 2019
WW Ranch Motocross Park Motocross Results 2019
WW Ranch Motocross Park Motocross Results 2019
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Qualifying is in the books at the WW Ranch Motocross Park in Jacksonville, Florida, for round five of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, June 22. Jason Anderson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) in the 450MX class and Justin Cooper (Monster Energy/Yamaha Star Racing) in the 250MX class were the top qualifiers.
Anderson Top Qualifier At WW Ranch Motocross Park Motocross 2019
Jason Anderson is the top 450MX qualifier at WW Ranch MX Park National. Photo: Rob Koy
The racers are preparing for the worst in what will be their first real test in the heat and the humidity, and they are trying to carefully monitor their energy levels, even in practice/qualifying. Anderson was satisfied with his time in Q2 and pulled in early. His time (2:08.178) held and will have first gate pick heading into the first moto.
Ken Roczen (Honda HRC) was second quickest with a 2:08.910, which came in Q1. Eli Tomac (Monster Energy Kawasaki), who does most of his training near his home in Colorado, was third quickest with a 2:09.237. He will, no doubt, be one of the riders keeping a close eye on his endurance through out the day.
Zach Osborne (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) and Justin Barcia (Monster Energy Yamaha) round out the top five in the 450MX class.
Blake Baggett (Rocky Mountain ATV/MC-KTM-WPS) is eighth quickest in qualifying but thrives in the heat and trains a lot in Florida, so expect to see him up there near the front by the end of both motos.
Cooper Webb (Red Bull KTM) qualified ninth.
Roczen and Tomac are both wearing the red plate today, as they share the championship lead with 176 points each. Anderson is 32 points back in third.
Justin Cooper Is Quickest In 250MX At WW Ranch MX
Justin Cooper tops 250MX qualifying. Photo: Rob Koy
In the 250MX class, Justin Cooper (Monster Energy/Star Yamaha Racing) is hoping to rebound after his “off” day last week at High Point and so far it’s looking that way. Cooper reeled off the quickest lap time in Q1 with a 2:09.461, narrowly edging out his teammate Dylan Ferrandis. Red-plate holder Adam Cianciarulo (Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki) is nearly a second off the pace of Cooper in third. Chase Sexton (Geico Honda), Martin Davalos (Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki), and Colt Nichols (Monster Energy/Yamaha Star Racing) make up the top six in the 250MX class.
Seventh 250MX qualifier is RJ Hampshire (Geico Honda) who has to be a favorite to win today. He lives in Florida and won the MX2 class when the USGP was held here in 2017, though the track layout is much different from then.
Cianciarulo enjoys a 26-point lead over Cooper in the 250MX Championship. Ferrandis is another 16 points back in third.
2019 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship
Round 5
WW Ranch Motocross Park
Jacksonville, Florida
RESULTS: June 22, 2019
250MX
450MX
