by Chase Stallo
Sign of the Lap Times: High Point
Tuesday, June 12, 2012 | 2:35 PM
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PrintAs the gleaming sun pushed its way through the early morning skies of dissolute grey, round four of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championships, on the pristine hillsides of Mount Morris, Pennsylvania, began under the most refined conditions.
Series points leader Ryan Dungey entered High Point suffocated under the headlines that surround James Stewart and his return to racing just one week after a hard crash threatened his season. But the unflappable Dungey was unfazed. Holding off a stringent challenge from Mike Alessi, Dungey extended his points lead to 42 over Alessi after another perfect day.
On the other side of the spectrum James Stewart’s status for Budds Creek, and maybe the season, is still very much up in the air. After gutting out a fifth in moto one, James and the team decided it would best serve Stewart in the long run if he remained on the sidelines for moto two. Now, just two weeks removed from the series lead, Stewart finds himself 70 points back of Dungey.
The unpredictability of the 250 class continued. Three different overall winners through four rounds—and a high probability of a fourth in the very near future—has conveyed a new-found level of intensity among the elite, as they continue to push the limits to new highs at every turn.
With only seventeen points separating the top four, each passing round becomes more and more important as the four thoroughbreds gallop down the stretch in a bid to be crowned the 250 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Champion.
450 Class
Moto 1
| Lap Rank | Finish | Best Lap | In Lap | Avg Lap Time | Rider |
| 1 | 1 | 2:10.470 | 6 | 2:12.715 | Ryan Dungey |
| 2 | 2 | 2:10.975 | 5 | 2:14.176 | Mike Alessi |
| 3 | 5 | 2:11.765 | 13 | 2:14.498 | James Stewart |
| 4 | 3 | 2:12.411 | 5 | 2:14.240 | Jake Weimer |
| 5 | 6 | 2:13.164 | 9 | 2:14.598 | Broc Tickle |
| 6 | 4 | 2:13.447 | 10 | 2:14.635 | Andrew Short |
| 7 | 8 | 2:13.635 | 10 | 2:16.138 | Nico Izzi |
| 8 |
12 | 2:13.638 | 8 | 2:17.517 | Ryan Sipes |
| 9 | 9 | 2:13.861 | 7 | 2:16.377 | Davi Millsaps |
| 10 | 7 | 2:14.237 | 6 | 2:14.851 | Brett Metcalfe |
Moto 2
| Lap Rank | Finish | Best Lap | In Lap | Avg Lap Time | Rider |
| 1 | 1 | 2:13.296 | 10 | 2:15.551 | Ryan Dungey |
| 2 | 2 | 2:13.931 | 5 | 2:17.146 | Mike Alessi |
| 3 | 3 | 2:14.584 | 4 | 2:17.297 | Jake Weimer |
| 4 | 4 | 2:14.932 | 5 | 2:17.297 | Davi Millsaps |
| 5 | 5 | 2:15.366 | 5 | 2:17.665 | Brett Metcalfe |
| 6 | 9 | 2:15.574 | 4 | 2:19.760 | Broc Tickle |
| 7 | 6 | 2:15.912 | 5 | 2:18.525 | Ryan Sipes |
| 8 |
8 | 2:16.326 | 3 | 2:19.431 | Andrew Short |
| 9 | 36 | 2:17.245 | 6 | 2:18.146 | Matt Lemoine |
| 10 | 7 | 2:17.418 | 9 | 2:19.394 | Michael Byrne |
Ryan Dungey’s undressing of the 450 class continued at High Point. And without a healthy James Stewart on the line we may be looking at 2010 all over again. Using precise, attacking lines, Dungey chased down Alessi in both motos and cruised to his second consecutive 1-1 performance.
Rockstar Star-Valli Yamaha’s Ryan Sipes return to the 450 class has come with its own set of highs and lows. Hindered by a broken bone in his hand after a bizarre parade lap crash with Jason Anderson at Salt Lake City, Sipes has yet to fulfill the high expectations he had entering the season. A sixth in moto one at Thunder Valley got Sipes’ season pointing in the right direction. Building upon that momentum at High Point, Sipes matched a seasons-best sixth in moto two en route to a season-high 8th overall.
Dungey set the fastest lap in both motos en route to the overall.
Simon Cudby photo
250 Class
Moto 1
| Lap Rank | Finish | Best Lap | In Lap | Avg Lap Time | Rider |
| 1 | 3 | 2:11.672 | 15 | 2:13.870 | Blake Baggett |
| 2 | 2 | 2:11.836 | 6 | 2:13.982 | Eli Tomac |
| 3 | 1 | 2:12.363 | 5 | 2:14.327 | Justin Barcia |
| 4 |
4 | 2:13.400 | 5 | 2:16.079 | Wil Hahn |
| 5 | 6 | 2:13.604 | 6 | 2:17.056 | Marvin Musquin |
| 6 |
5 | 2:13.790 | 5 | 2:16.370 | Ken Roczen |
| 7 | 9 | 2:15.076 | 5 | 2:18.142 | Jake Canada |
| 8 | 7 | 2:15.847 | 12 | 2:18.340 | Ivan Tedesco |
| 9 | 38 | 2:16.080 | 3 | 2:16.644 | Malcolm Stewart |
| 10 | 8 | 2:16.851 | 11 | 2:18.724 | Alex Martin |
Moto 2
| Lap Rank | Finish | Best Lap | In Lap | Avg Lap Time | Rider |
| 1 | 5 | 2:12.553 | 8 | 2:19.586 | Blake Baggett |
| 2 | 1 | 2:12.722 | 15 | 2:14.558 | Eli Tomac |
| 3 | 2 | 2:13.347 | 6 | 2:15.386 | Ken Roczen |
| 4 | 3 | 2:13.812 | 8 | 2:15.440 | Justin Barcia |
| 5 | 4 | 2:15.397 | 5 | 2:18.850 | Marvin Musquin |
| 6 | 6 | 2:16.978 | 5 | 2:19.619 | Jason Anderson |
| 7 |
7 | 2:17.019 | 9 | 2:20.379 | Kyle Cunningham |
| 8 |
9 | 2:17.162 | 10 | 2:20.343 | Wil Hahn |
| 9 |
8 | 2:17.857 | 8 | 2:20.532 | Gareth Swanepoel |
| 10 |
10 | 2:18.871 | 7 | 2:21.385 | Ivan Tedesco |
The list of adjectives used to describe Blake Baggett’s propensity for laying down fast laps at the end of the race is running dry. Simply said: The guy is a beast down the stretch. Once again Baggett would not only set the fastest lap in moto one, but he would do it on lap 15! Yet another extraordinary lap chart feat Blake Baggett has conquered.
Coming back from a seventh place start to win a race is had enough, but when you add to the fact that you have to pass two MX2 Champions and a two-time Lites East Champion along the way, it ratchets up the level of difficulty. Eli Tomac was absolutely on fire down the stretch, slicing and dicing his way through the field en route to a moto two win and the overall. But let’s take a closer look to see where exactly Tomac made up the most ground.
Blake Baggett was the first rider on Tomac’s chopping block. Tomac used a set of crashes from Baggett to get around the points leader.
|
Lap |
||
|
10 |
02:23.2 |
02:15.2 |
|
11 |
02:47.2 |
02:15.2 |
|
12 |
02:26.9 |
02:14.8 |
|
|
|
|
Next up was Tomac’s GEICO Honda teammate Justin Barcia. After setting his fastest lap of the moto on lap 8, Barcia made a crucial mistake the following lap that allowed Tomac to close in. Five laps later Barcia would make another critical mistake, only this time it would cost him a position.
|
Lap |
||
|
9 |
02:17.3 |
02:13.9 |
|
14 |
02:17.1 |
02:14.6 |
The last victim on Tomac’s rampage was the German import Ken Roczen. Once again a crash would help Tomac play catch up, but that doesn’t tell the whole story, as Roczen compounded his first mistake with consecutive bad laps.
|
Lap |
Eil Tomac |
|
|
14 |
02:21.3 |
02:14.6 |
|
15 |
02:14.8 |
02:12.7 |
|
16 |
02:19.2 |
02:14.6 |
Tomac’s speed got the attention, but his ability to maintain that speed—error free, is what won him the race.
Tomac didn't set the fastest lap in either moto, but won the overall.
Simon Cudby photo
WMX Class
Moto 1
| Lap Rank | Finish | Best Lap | In Lap | Avg Lap Time | Rider |
| 1 | 2 | 2:25.219 | 7 | 2:28.398 | Jessica Patterson |
| 2 | 1 | 2:27.838 | 7 | 2:30.620 | Tarah Gieger |
| 3 | 4 | 2:31.404 | 5 | 2:33.396 | Mariana Balbi |
| 4 | 3 | 2:31.796 | 5 | 2:33.590 | Kasie Creson |
| 5 | 5 | 2:33.646 | 6 | 2:36.254 | Sayaka Kaneshiro |
Moto 2
| Lap Rank | Finish | Best Lap | In Lap | Avg Lap Time | Rider |
| 1 | 1 | 2:30.422 | 6 | 2:34.504 | Jessica Patterson |
| 2 | 5 | 2:32.808 | 6 | 2:37.791 | Tarah Gieger |
| 3 | 2 | 2:35.194 | 6 | 2:36.587 | Sayaka Kaneshiro |
| 4 | 3 | 2:35.225 | 3 | 2:37.001 | Mariana Balbi |
| 5 | 4 | 2:35.675 | 5 | 2:36.735 | Jacqueline Strong |
With Ashley Fiolek sidelined with a concussion Jessica Patterson looked to be a shoe in for the overall at High Point. But to Patterson's surprise Troy Lee Designs Tarah Gieger was able to hold off the charging Patterson to take the first moto win. But Patterson would fight back in moto two to take the win and the overall after she and Gieger came together early in the race.
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Great racing happening Outdoors this year... The various types of tracks, 'dirt/soil' combinations, weather and temperatures still to come will continue to give us some spectacular racing moments here in 2012... Stay healthy guys.
When your avg lap time is 2 sec faster then anyone else....boring.. I am a huge dungey fan but James Please COME BACK.
I would be stoked with Dungey and Tomac as 2012 champs....
James Stewart said his wrist was hurting more as the moto went on and that he couldn't hold on at the half way point, but he turned his fastest lap on lap 13? That makes not sense. In my opinion, if you can put in your fastest lap on lap 13, you would think the wrist would be good enough to at least line up in the second moto.
Once again "Captain-dipwad" digging deep for some reason to cry foul about JS!! I have to give you dudes credit, you never give up your efforts to try and taint the guy!! Unbelievable!! You have no idea what he was feeling, or how, when,how much, for how long his damn wrist hurt!! Like him or not, JS does not go out there to finish in 5th place.......it's pretty clear that if the wrist wasn't bothering him he would have been up front in yet another battle with Dungey........not finishing behind Alessi, Weimer, and Short!! Common sense man!!
I'm no fan of the WMX, but damn...2:20s. That's really close to getting you in the main with the Y chromosomes. I'm surprised more of the top girls don't try and qualify occasionally. A good start, a few crashes by some triple digit guys, and they're in there.
Captain... Yes. Call-it wrote "JS does not go out there to finish in 5th place." Call-it is confusing what Bubba wants and what Bubba is paid to do. If you care about the chamionship (points), you at least go to the line and see what kind of start you get. Common sense.
Bubba is not being paid so what point you had tried to make work just went out the window.
call-it, Calm down, Captain does have a point. It does seem weird that he said he was having a hard time hanging on to the bike, yet still notches his fastest lap time toward the end of the moto. We are not saying bashing James in any way just saying that if he was able to ride that good at the end of the 1st moto he would've probably been able to survive the 2nd moto with a decent finish and staying in the points chase. Captain never said anywhere that james wasn't hurting or didn't try, he was simply making a point. One that I happen to agree on
I watched the race online and TV but for some reason I didn't realize that Alessi went 2-2 for second overall.I also didn't realize that he was second in points.Must of been the Tard pills.Hum!
Crazy -- even with a bum hand/wrist, Stew still busts out a second faster lap than the next guy .... Lap 13 was probably the first time he had a clear track....James was already faced with the challenge from his bum hand, but that track seemed tough to pass on....At first, I couldnt tell if his hand was botheirng him or the track wad just one lined....he'll be back ...Dungey will win the title with 3 or 4 overalls.....while the other 7 or 8 O/A will be taken by Stewart and I think weimer or Alessi might sneek an O/A out
It was also odd (coincidnence) that like at Thunder Valley, after James sat out of the 2nd Moto....Dungey nailed the holeshot and was gone in both those 2nd motos...like he just says "ok .....this is going to be easy " and does his thing.....Was it the 2nd moto where RD5 almost munched it?.... I know in moto 1 he got really squirrelly on the uphill step up.......and then he went off the track......he must be ...wait for it....he must be riding over his head.....hahahaa.... Like said above, luckily the 250s are entertaining....hopefully some 450 boys will step it up....2 week break coming up...so thats good for James
I was not bagging on James. I am just saying that if you want to win the Championship, you have to at least give it a good effort. Let's just say he would have finished 10th the second moto, that is still some points. You never know what will happen to Dungey. That is all I was saying. Now for what thetoothperry116 said about James not getting paid. James is GETTING PAID. He gets paid from a LOT more people than just Suzuki. He gets paid for the gear companies, boot companies, helment companies, and many others.
Captian I think if JS thought it was safe to do the second moto he would have. you have to give it to him if he takes a week off and he can ride both motos next that would be the goal. I personally don't think he'll sit out for the rest of the series.
Different circumstances but same old story...get 5th or less and goes home.
Of course James is getting paid by sponsors, but he gets paid to sit at home also. People are idiots. You should try to ride with a injured wrist. Like a knee its nearly impossible.
Bubba needs to take the rest of the motocross season off and come back for the MEC and win the 1,000,000 and then the whole motocross season won't matter!
@elsinore....and that is exactly what he did...went out and gave it a try but "common sense" prevailed, i trust the rider and his team to assess the risk/benefit potential of staying out there more than any of us sitting here at our computers!! Slippery slope i guess "Captain", stay out and earn a few extra points and risk further and possibly a worse injury, or trust yourself to no when to say when so you can return and maybe finish with some strong rides?? No brainer to me!!
MustardDog=IDIOT!!!! HE has an injury dumba-s!!!
*trust yourself to KNOW when to say when...not NO*
The lap times don't lie. Ryan Dungey is on average two seconds faster than the second tier riders. Barring a take out move by one of them, he should cruise to yet another championship. This doesn't just happen. This is a result of all the training that takes place on the other six days of the week when the cameras aren't rolling and the sides of the tracks aren't lined with spectators. A true racer has an inner fire. Go back up to the top and look at those time charts again. There's the top rider, the second tier, then the gate fillers.
To be honest, not to bag on stewart, but it also made me curious on the lap 13 of stewarts fast lap. Just interesting. Love the great outdoors
kinda funny how if dungey has a boo boo n has a soso moto then decides to sit out the 2nd you guys would be like " good call dung sit out n heal up man, you're the man, you must be really hurting", on the other hand stewart yardsales hurts his hand, comesback, still sets fastest practice time, still gets up to fifth place, (which most guys cant do in the class healthy), decides to sit out the 2nd moto, n he's a quitter, p***y, washed up, cant hang, (even though he was in front of the #5 in every race when he prob wasnt 100% up to the crash), blah blah blah, ya bunch of tools, n you guys say stewart fans are tools but this site is much better when he wins cause its moron free for the most part.....
@Handlebardragger youre a piece of shit.
@ Donkeypunch, I know you are trying to make a point but it is a very weak one. You need to pick a different rider for your example.
When has Dungey EVER not lined up for a second moto due to an injury from previous? He did miss some supercross races but with a plated collarbone fracture which I think is understandable. When drawing comparisons don't use the IRONMAN.
thetoothperry116: JS7 is riding for "future" money. He's having to do that because of poor choices he's made. Maybe you read the article on here yesterday and fell for the "he is riding this summer for his fans" nonsense?
RCRDDWWW: i think hes out there to silence annoying critics and he was doing so. This site was so much quieter and all the people that doubted and hated on him were hiding. He made a statement and i think he would be continuing to do so minus a stupid incident. He doesnt need the money.
Damn some of the Stewart haters over think this stuff way too much enough with the conspiracy theory junk, the guy is an amazing motorcycle rider, changed the sport with his style, and yea made some weird lame choices on and off the track, but enough with the s*** talking, just respect him for what he is... Crazy ass dude that does amazing things on a dirt bike and makes it look easier then anyone else when he keeps it on two wheels...stamp it!!! So if he says he's hurt well then he's hurt and that's the end of that now RD5 can cruise to another title
He'll sit out Budds and come back at Red Bud. Give him a race to get back up to speed and we'll be in for some entertainment.
it's funny these comments are always the same...but then agin so are the results...
pardon me...again not agin its early...thanks see ya
@ red54, YOU just proved my point, btw it was the other #5 laraco that was the iron man not dungey