With a win in Moto 1 and third-place finish in Moto 2, Dylan Ferrandis took the overall win in the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross season-opener in the 450 class at Fox Raceway in Pala Calif., while Jett Lawrence took the top honors in 250s. It was Ferrandis’ first pro win on a 450.
Moto 1 was about missed opportunities, but since racing is a zero sum game, when one driver stumbles another takes his place. Adam Cianciarulo took the early lead and was in a class of his own through the first half of the Moto. Just when it appeared the only rider who could beat Cianciarulo would be himself, he clipped a rock on the downside of a jump and laid his bike down.
Cianciarulo’s accident momentarily handed the lead over 2021 Supercross champion Cooper Webb, but Ferrandis was coming. fast. Ferrandis also built up a significant lead, but may have relaxed a little too much in the closing laps. That allowed a late-race surge by Chase Sexton to end the Moto in a photo finish.
Ferrandis narrowly edged Sexton to win the first Moto of his career. He had more adventure in Moto 2 and had to come from deeper in the pack. Ferrandis climbed to third at the checkers and a 1-3 earned enough points for the overall.
In a preseason press conference, Ken Roczen talked about how he felt disconnected with Motocross after missing last year’s outdoor season. It didn’t take long to reconnect.
While Roczen looked a little sluggish in Moto 1 with a sixth-place finish, he passed Aaron Plessinger early in Moto 2 and held on to the lead until the checkers. Plessinger would not go away, however, and crossed under the checkers on Roczen’s back tire.
Roczen and Plessinger wound up with the same number of points, but Roczen’s Moto 2 win gave him the tiebreaker.
With a 4-2, Plessinger took the final spot on the podium.
Justin Barcia (3-6) and Sexton (2-10) rounded out the top five.
Moto 2 was one a huge disappointment for Webb and Cianciarulo as both riders finished outside the top 10 in that race.
Webb’s 5-11 put him eighth on the overall list. With a 7-12, Cianciarulo finished 11th overall.
As with the 450 class, Moto 1 showcased huge disappointment. This time it belonged to Max Vohland, who grabbed the early lead.
Instead of laying down his bike like Cianciarulo in 450s, the bike laid down on him and Vohland retired on Lap 10 of 15. Immediately after Jeremy Martin took the lead, Vohland’s bike began to smoke. The engine expired a few laps later.
Vohland finished respectably in seventh in the second race, but was only 13th overall.
Meanwhile, Jett Lawrence charged from deep in the field to finish second.
The 250 class was dominated by Lawrence and Martin.
Lawrence won Moto 1 and was second in the next race. Martin won the first event of the season and finished second in Moto 2. With the tiebreaker of the second Moto win, Lawrence took the overall victory.
“It’s definitely a good feeling,” Lawrence told NBCSN pit reporter Will Christien. “The winning is good, because of all the hard work I’ve been putting in. I can finally prove to everyone that I’m not just a kid with talent.”
With a 5-3, Justin Cooper finished third.
Michael Mosiman (4-4) and RJ Hampshire (3-9) rounded out the top-10.
Lawrence’s brother, Hunter Lawrence finished sixth overall with a 6-5.
