Tomac crowned as Reed impresses in Ironman return
Pro Motocross season concludes with Barcia and Plessinger on top.
Image: Supplied.
Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac has successfully defended his Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship after clinching the 2018 450 Class crown at Ironman Raceway.
In a day where Australia’s own Chad Reed made his return to the series with Autotrader Yoshimura Suzuki to claim eighth overall, it was Yamaha duo Justin Barcia and Aaron Plessinger who took the round honours.
Ironman was headlined by a showdown for the 450 Class title between Tomac and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Marvin Musquin. In the end, after a pair of grueling motos in the mud, Tomac emerged triumphant to hoist the Edison Dye Cup as the champion for back-to-back seasons.
The opening 450 Class moto saw Monster Energy Yamaha’s Barcia ride to victory over Tomac, with Ken Roczen (Team Honda HRC) a distant third and Musquin fourth. After starting second, Reed starred on his way to fifth position aboard the factory RM-Z450.
Moto two was hole-shotted by Reed, who would eventually finish eighth following difficulties on the opening lap, however it was Barcia who rode off to a 1-1 for the overall. He easily won ahead of Roczen, with Musquin third and Tomac riding a calculated race to P9 for the title.
Roczen finished in the runner-up spot for the fifth time in the last six races, while Musquin rounded out the overall podium in third. Tomac’s fourth-place finish clinched the championship by 16 points, making him the first rider since Ricky Carmichael in 2005-2006 to successfully defend the title.
Monster Energy Yamalube Yamaha’s newly-crowned 250 Class champion Plessinger went 1-1 in a commanding effort, as RJ Hampshire (Geico Honda) followed up his first-career win at the previous round with a runner-up effort and teammate Chase Sexton (Geico Honda) was third.
With conditions favouring the B session in qualifying, Hayden Mellross (CycleTrader Rock River Yamaha) was one of many notable names not making the final 40 – credited 59th on combined times – since the consolation races were cancelled. In the end, he was 23rd in the final standings.
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