Suzuki Riders Advance in Point Standing at Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Series Round Seven
JGRMX/Yoshimura/Suzuki Racing's Alex Martin fought his way into the top three in the Championship point standings with his performance on his Suzuki RM-Z250 at round seven of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross series in Jacksonville, Florida. JGRMX riders Fredrik Noren and Joey Savatgy battled up front to earn top ten moto and overall finishes. Twisted Tea H.E.P. Motorsports' Max Anstie used a brilliant second moto ride aboard his RM-Z450 to earn top five moto points, good for a top ten overall and a jump into the top ten in Championship points. Suzuki wrapped up the day with more racers inside the top ten than any other brand.
In moto one of the 250 class Alex Martin converted a solid start into a steady march forward, using his RM-Z250's balance and strength to power past other racers and into a top five finish. After that “A-Mart” wanted more; he jumped into the lead down the start straight of moto two and was second at the official holeshot line. About ten minutes into the 30-minute plus two lap moto Martin collided with another racer. The racing incident put Martin on the ground and outside of the top ten. Undaunted, Martin charged back through the pack, earning a hard-fought seventh position at the checkered flag.
"It was a so-so day at the Florida national. The heat and humidity made the conditions pretty tough, and a second moto crash with my brother cost me a shot at another podium." Martin added, "Moving back to third in points was a positive."
Both 450cc motos saw more Suzuki riders inside the top ten at the holeshot stripe than any other brand. Twisted Tea H.E.P. Motorsports' Max Anstie was one of those riders in the top ten in moto one, but a first lap mistake dropped him back to 40th place. Anstie, a sand specialist racing in the US after several years on the MXGP circuit, passed over 25 riders in the soft Florida soil to put his RM-Z450 inside the top fifteen. In the second moto, "Mad Max" turned another great start into moto-long battles inside the top five; the two finishes earned him a top ten overall.
"I'm making progress each week with myself, the bike, and the team. I'm happy with a solid fourth in the second moto. It was nice to battle up near the front." Anstie explained his problems in the first race, "On the first lap of moto one I went off the track and had to make a hard charge from a long way back, so it was nice to end up seventh overall. I'm looking forward to Colorado!"
JGRMX's Fredrik Noren and Joey Savatgy crossed 450 moto one's holeshot line wheel to wheel. "Fast Freddie" rode strong in the hot and humid Florida weather for a top ten finish. His moto two start was a little further back, though still inside the top ten; Noren worked his way up a couple positions from there. His moto scores netted him a top ten finish at the event and moved him up one position in the title points.
"It was a good weekend for me," Noren enthused. "We did some testing this week. Riding down in Florida with Alex was good; that definitely put us in a good direction. With just two more rounds to go I'm looking forward to finishing off the season strong."
Joey Savatgy also started both motos securely inside the top ten and fought attacks throughout both races to defend his position up front. “Versace” ended the day's racing in a battle with his teammate; when the dust settled he had earned a top ten finish. The points from the Florida round advanced Savatgy one spot up in the season standings.
"It was another struggle weekend for me." Savatgy commented with frustration in his voice.. "We have two rounds left for me to dig deep and finish strong."
"Overall it was a solid day: All three riders in the top 10." Jeremy Albrecht, the JGRMX Team Manager explained further, "Everyone tried hard and fought the whole moto to finish the best they could. We will make a few small changes to try and finish out these last two races even stronger. It’s really close to being a truly great day for all."
Only two rounds remain in the abbreviated nine-round 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross series. The final battles take place in Colorado and California over the next two Saturdays. Both Suzuki teams look forward to more strong starts, top finishes, and even more improvements in the Championship points standings.