Image: Simon Cudby.

Red Bull KTM’s Ken Roczen has claimed a vital victory in Ironman Raceway’s penultimate round of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, stretching his 450 Class advantage to 20 points with a single round remaining.

Roczen entered the round just seven points ahead of teammate Ryan Dungey, however excelled in difficult muddy conditions to position himself as the title favourite entering Utah’s season finale next weekend.

The opening moto belonged to Roczen in one of his most important wins of the season, ahead of Dungey and Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Trey Canard. It was Canard who came forward for the moto two win, with Roczen securing the overall in second.

“When I saw that rain it really relaxed me a bit; I actually like these conditions,” Roczen said. “I needed that start, things haven’t been going to well. But me and my mechanic, we said at the beginning of the season, not too high not too low.

“I went to the starting line really visualizing that start, just picturing myself getting that lead. The thing is, though, this was the first mud race I’ve ever done on the 450, and it was a lot different than riding on the 250 in the mud.”

Dungey this time battled to ninth in a costly result after getting caught in the bog on the opening lap. He fought back to eighth, lost his goggles and eventually wound up ninth. Still, he was third overall in another podium effort.

Third in moto two and fourth overall was Rockstar Energy-backed KTM rider Ryan Sipes, edging out experienced BTO Sports KTM runner Andrew Short to make it four 450 SX-Fs inside the top five for the round.

Australian Chad Reed was sixth overall for Discount Tire Racing/TwoTwo Motorsports with 7-6 finishes, as Brett Metcalfe (Monster Energy Kawasaki) closed in on fourth in the standings with 5-13 for 12th overall.

In the 250 Class Yamalube/Star Racing Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin clinched his first-career championship with eighth overall. Second in moto one was enough to clinch the title, but the round was won by Marvin Musquin (Red Bull KTM) after he won the second moto.

“To be able to have the number one plate, I’ve been thinking of how good it would feel to hear Kevin [Crowther] from the AMA to be passing on the number one plate to me and this is the greatest moment of my life,” Martin said after receiving the AMA number one plate and his first 250 Class title.

Rockstar Energy Racing KTM’s Joey Savatgy was second overall with 4-3 results, while moto one winner Jessy Nelson was third for Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil Honda.

The 2014 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship hosts the final round of the championship next Saturday, 23 August, with the 12th and final round of the season with the second annual Utah National.

2014 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship
Round 11 – Ironman Raceway, IN

450 Class overall results:
1. Ken Roczen
2. Trey Canard
3. Ryan Dungey
4. Ryan Sipes
5. Andrew Short
6. Chad Reed (AUS) 7-6
7. Eli Tomac
8. Josh Grant
9. Fredrik Noren
10. Matt Goerke
12. Brett Metcalfe (AUS) 5-13

450 Class championship standings:
1. Ken Roczen 494
2. Ryan Dungey 474
3. Trey Canard 418
4. Brett Metcalfe (AUS) 304
5. Eli Tomac 281
6. Andrew Short 278
7. Weston Peick 268
8. Josh Grant 243
9. James Stewart 226
10. Chad Reed (AUS) 185

250 Class overall results:
1. Marvin Musquin
2. Joey Savatgy
3. Jessy Nelson
4. Christophe Pourcel
5. Cooper Webb
6. Dean Wilson
7. Alex Martin
8. Jeremy Martin
9. Jason Anderson
10. Blake Baggett

250 Class championship standings:
1. Jeremy Martin 450
2. Blake Baggett 381
3. Cooper Webb 379
4. Marvin Musquin 374
5. Christophe Pourcel 355
6. Justin Bogle 331
7. Jason Anderson 270
8. Cole Seely 244
9. Jessy Nelson 238
10. Dean Wilson 204

Click here for detailed results