Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac turned the heat up over 4th of July weekend in Michigan and raced to convincing 1-1 moto scores and the overall 450 victory. The win was especially sweet for the Colorado native when previous point leader Blake Baggett had an off day with moto finishes of 2-10. This resulted in a large swing with Tomac now leading the championship by 13 markers.
Rounding out the 450 podium was Marvin Musquin, who had held the point lead earlier in the season, but suffered a knee injury that took him off the pace for two rounds, briefly removing him from championship contention. However, Musquin showed flashes of his early series speed, leading 450 moto 1 and going on to post consistent 3-3 scores. As the championship passes the halfway point, Musquin finds himself 40 points behind Tomac and still somewhat in reach. There is a lot of racing to go, and, with the possibility of a mud race, the 450 championship could land in Tomac, Baggett, Jason Anderson or even Musquin’s hands.
In the 250 class, Zach Osborne continued to apply pressure to the competition with yet another overall victory. The newly crowned 250SX Eastern Region Monster Energy Supercross Champion has compiled five moto victories and three overall wins through six rounds. Following his victory, Osborne has his grip nestled tightly around a comfortable 38-point lead. Alex and Jeremy Martin rounded out the 250 podium, but perhaps the biggest story from this division came from Mitchell Harrison, who led most of the 2nd 250 moto and held on to a runner-up finish. His 7-2 moto scores were good enough for 4th overall, but more importantly; he showed that he has the speed to run at the front of the pack. The parity is deep in this class as six different racers have posted moto victories through six rounds.
The Pro Motocross Championship resumes action this Saturday at famed Motocross 338 Cycle Park in Southwick, Massachusetts. The legendary sand track is a true test of man and machine, and has been the place of many championship-effecting scenarios. For now, Tomac and Osborne have established themselves as the “Alpha Males” in their respective divisions and the competition will have to step it up to catch them.