Frenchman Musquin has just enough to win 250 Class

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August 20, 2012

Frenchman Musquin has just enough to win 250 Class

Baggett fifth but maintains lead on Monroe resident Barcia

By Dean Russin Sports Editor The Daily Star Mon Aug 20, 2012, 03:30 AM EDT

NEW BERLIN _ Marvin Musquin just had to stay close Saturday.

Frenchman Musquin rode consecutive top-three finishes at the Unadilla Valley Sports Center to the overall title in the 250 Class, marking the first track championship of his career on U.S. soil.

"This year, the competition is really, really tough," said Musquin, who followed a runner-up finish in the first moto with a third-place finish in the second for 42 points in the 10th round of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. "Those guys are really, really fast."

Musquin won the Unadilla National title by two points over GEICO Honda's Eli Tomac and Red Bull KTM teammate Ken Roczen of Germany.

Former European champion Roczen earned his first moto win in America with a 5.045-second victory over Musquin in the opening moto but faded early in the second moto en route to a sixth-place finish.

Tomac dominated the second moto, beating GEICO Honda's Justin Barcia by more than 20 seconds after passing the Monroe resident with an inside dash on the eighth lap. Tomac needed one lap to extend his lead on Barcia to 7 seconds and added to his cushion every lap thereafter.

Since the second moto is weighted more heavily in the scoring, Tomac placed second overall despite tying Roczen with 40 points apiece.

Roczen and Musquin engaged in a two-man race for the top spot in the first moto as season points leader Blake Baggett took third, more than 26 seconds behind.

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Baggett followed with a fifth in the second moto to maintain his 24-point lead on Barcia in the season standings. Each finished with 36 points, but Barcia's second-place finish in the second moto earned him fourth overall.

Barcia seemed determine to improve on his seventh in the first moto, winning the holeshot for the second moto and holding off Tomac for the first seven-and-a-half laps. The two ran into lapped traffic on the 10th of 16 laps, but Tomac continued to pull away and sliced four points off of his season deficit.

With two rounds remaining, Baggett leads the 250 Class with 436 points, followed by Barcia at 412 and Tomac at 408.

Roczen stands fourth in season points with 385, followed by Musquin at 336.

Musquin, who has yet to win a moto this season, nearly gave away his first track championship at the end of the second moto.

The former two-time World Motocross Champion appeared to let up on his throttle at the finish line but coasted in a few feet ahead of hard-charging GEICO Honda rider Justin Bogle. Had Bogle finished third, Musquin would have ended up in a three-way tie with Tomac and Roczen.

Instead, Musquin had just enough to cap KTM's first track championship sweep as teammate Ryan Dungey won the 450 Class earlier Saturday.

"It's a great day because Ryan got the (450) championship and Kenny (Roczen) won the first moto," Musquin said of his teammates. "With Kenny and Ryan winning as well, it was a good day for KTM."

The series will take a week off before resuming Sept. 1 with the Steel City National in Delmont, Pa.

Dean Russin can be reached at drussin@thedailystar.com or 607-432-1000, ext. 215.

UNADILLA NATIONAL

250 CLASS RESULTS

Top 10 results Saturday of the 250 Class race at the Unadilla Valley Sports Center, which hosted Round 10 of the 12-round Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship.

Place, Rider, Residence, Bike ..... Motos

1, Marvin Musquin, La Reole, France, KTM ..... 2-3

2, Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda ..... 6-1

3, Ken Roczen, Apolda, Germany, KTM ..... 1-6

4, Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Honda ..... 7-2

5, Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki ..... 3-5

6, Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., Honda ..... 11-4

7, Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda ..... 9-8

8, Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Suzuki ..... 5-12

9, Martin Davalos, Quito, Ecuador, Suzuki ..... 13-7

10, Jessy Nelson, Paso Robles, Calif., Honda ..... 14-9

250 CLASS STANDINGS

Place, Rider, Residence, Bike ..... Points

1, Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki ..... 436

2, Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., Honda ..... 412

3, Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda ..... 408

4, Ken Roczen, Apolda, Germany, KTM ..... 385

5, Marvin Musquin, La Reole, France, KTM ..... 336

6, Wil Hahn, Decatur, Texas, Honda ..... 255

7, Blake Wharton, Pilot Point, Texas, Suzuki ..... 215

8, Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M, Suzuki ..... 206

9, Jessy Nelson, Paso Robles, Calif., Honda ..... 189

10, Travis Baker, Temecula, Calif., Honda ..... 168