Despite being injured in a fall during the second moto, Adam Cianciarulo hung on Monday for his first overall 450 victory in the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship.
In only his fifth start in the premier class, the Monster Energy Kawasaki rookie finished first and third during the second national event in four days at RedBud MX in Buchanan, Michigan, the first Outdoors weekend doubleheader sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve won and you start to miss that winning feeling,” said Cianciarulo, who won the 2019 Pro Motocross title in 250 but battled injuries this season after moving in the 450 class of Supercross. “This is a cool place to grab my first 450 Class win.”
Cianciarulo took the holeshot in both motos, holding off a charge by three-time defending series champion Eli Tomac to win the opener. He was leading in the second moto when he collided with a lapped rider but was able to remount and finish third behind Blake Baggett and points leader Zach Osborne.
“I had a rough start to the day in practice and I think my finger might be broken, but I just tried to keep a positive mindset,” Cianciarulo said. “I felt a lot more comfortable in the second moto after leading the first moto, but had a small mishap that prevented what I wanted, which is a 1-1. You’re always going through ups-and-downs in this sport, which I experienced a few weeks ago, and now here I am on top of the world.”
Baggett, who was sixth in the first moto, finished second overall. Osborne was third after finishing fourth and second, extending the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider’s championship lead through five rounds to 28 points over Marvin Musquin.
“Today, I just felt a little flat all day,” said Osborne, who had swept the RedBud opener last Friday. “To come out ahead of some of my championship rivals was good and we did damage control. I’m stoked with the day. I didn’t feel as good as I did on Friday, which is something I sort of expected. Overall, I’m happy with the day.”
In the 250 class, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire won the overall with finishes of second and third. Shane McElrath and Jeremy Martin won the 250 motos, and Martin maintained a nine-point lead over Dylan Ferrandis, whom he collided with during the first moto.
“I knew we were racing for the championship and that it was going to come down to this and that Dylan was going to get aggressive,” Martin said. “That’s racing and I guess it’s on now. You’re not going to break me. I remember laying in the hospital with a broken back and the road I had to take to get back to where I am now. I’m ready to dig deep and put up a fight.”
NEXT: The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship will hold its sixth round Sept. 19 at Spring Creek Raceway.
