Martin Clinches 250 Title, Roczen Wins at Lucas Oil Motocross in Indiana

The 2014 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship neared its end at the Thor Indiana National from Crawfordsville, Indiana. With only one round remaining after the Indiana race, the conditions couldn’t have been more unpredictable with muddy, wet racing on the new Ironman Raceway track. The first National Champion of 2014 was crowned after Yamalube Star Racing Yamaha's Jeremy Martin clinched the 250 title in the first moto. In the 450 Class, the Red Bull KTM teammate battle that has taken place all season saw Ken Roczen take the win to further pad his points lead over teammate Ryan Dungey heading into the final round next week.

450 Class
Kicking off the first 450 moto, Roczen jumped out to an early lead and grabbed the MotoSport.com Holeshot Award. Just behind him was Team Honda Muscle Milk's Trey Canard, as the duo pulled away from the pack. Dungey got off to a rough start but was still not too far out in the fifth spot on the opening lap. Roczen, however, checked out in front and put a gap on Canard and the rest of the field. Mindful of the importance of points in the championship chase, Dungey worked his way up into the top three and was eventually able to overtake Canard.

When the checkered flag waved, Dungey maintained second place in the first moto and left Canard to finish in third. GEICO Honda's Eli Tomac, who claimed the Oakley Bomb Fastest Qualifier Award, made a late pass on Monster Energy Kawasaki's Brett Metcalfe to capture fourth. Metcalfe rounded out the top five.

Canard jumped out to an early in moto two, grabbing the MotoSport.com Holeshot and pulling away from the rest of the field to earn a wire-to-wire win. Although Roczen settled into second place he was unable to catch and pass Canard and settled for second.

Unfortunately for Dungey, another bad start put him just outside of the top 10. He was unable to make up much ground, though, and finished in ninth place for a 2-9 moto finish that was still good enough to finish third overall for the day of muddy racing.

"The second moto, that's where the downfall was," Dungey said. "It was tough in those conditions to come from behind, but no excuses though. I just got caught up in a little bit of mud, which isn't ideal at this point in the championship. I lost some points but I'm taking it race by race and all I can do is the best I can every time the gate drops."

Canard walked away from Indiana with another win (his second in the last three motos), which was his second in the 450 Class. His 3-1 moto finishes earned him second overall for the day.

"I'm definitely more comfortable these last two weeks," Canard said. "Obviously last week helped but in general I've just had more fun at the races the last two weeks."

Roczen extended his lead to 20 points in the 450 class and made it much tougher for Dungey to catch him at the final round.

"I really enjoy when it rains, it takes the edge off because most of the races it's sunny and everyone is going for it," Roczen said. "I think the track was overall super cool, like the layout and the entire venue. I think if it would have been dry this could be my new favorite track."

250 Class
Only nine points separated Yamalube Star Racing Yamaha's Jeremy Martin from his first career 250 Class Championship. A good start kicked off his the first race where he finished in second place , earning him enough points to clinch the title with one round remaining.

"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 #1 Plate and his first 250 Class title.

Although Martin won the title, TLD Lucas Oil Honda's Jessy Nelson had a a great start to earn the MotoSport.com Holeshot. Martin settled into second place while Nelson pulled away out front. The KTM trio of Joey Savatgy (Rockstar Energy Racing KTM), Marvin Musquin (Red Bull KTM) and Jason Anderson (Rockstar Energy KTM) filled out the top five early on.

Nelson held on to earn the win after extending his lead to 7 seconds to earn his first career moto win. Martin captured second to claim his first career title, with Musquin, Savatgy and Anderson rounding out the top five, respectively.

Nelson again took the MotoSport.com Holeshot in Moto 2, but he wasn’t able to hold the lead this time, with Rockstar Energy Racing KTM duo Joey Savatgy and Jason Anderson charging through and Savatgy eventually taking the lead from Nelson.

Then Frenchman Musquin made his move to overtake Savatgy and the lead, with Valli Motorsports Yamaha's Pourcel close behind him. Musquin held on for the win, however, witth Pourcel in second and Savatgy rounding out the podium.

Jeremy Martin left the inaugural Indiana National with his first ever 250 Class Championship in hand, while also scoring Yamaha its first 250 Class Championship since Jeff Emig's title in 1992. However, it was Musquin who secured the overall win with moto scores of 3-1, despite a muddy day of racing in Indiana.

"I think my technique worked pretty good today," Musquin said. "I've been in the U.S. for a couple years now and I've never really raced in the mud here. I was just trying to be smooth and smart but when you're on the track it's so easy to make a mistake, it's tough but that's part of the racing."

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

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Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship - Thor Indiana National Results
Ironman Raceway - Crawfordsville, Indiana
August 16, 2014
Round 11 of 12

450 Class (Moto Finish)
1. Ken Roczen, Germany, KTM (1-2)
2. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda (3-1)
3. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM (2-9)
4. Ryan Sipes, Flaherty, Ky., KTM (10-3)
5. Andrew Short, Colorado Springs, Colo., KTM (8-4)
6. Chad Reed, Australia, Kawasaki (7-6)
7. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda (4-10)
8. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha (12-5)
9. Fredrik Noren, Sweden, Honda (9-8)
10. Matt Goerke, Sun City, Calif., KTM (6-11)

450 Class Championship Standings
1. Ken Roczen, Germany, KTM, 494
2. Ryan Dungey, Belle Plaine, Minn., KTM, 474
3. Trey Canard, Shawnee, Okla., Honda, 418
4. Brett Metcalfe, Australia, Kawasaki, 304
5. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Honda, 281
6. Andrew Short, Colorado Springs, Colo., KTM, 278
7. Weston Peick, Wildomar, Calif., Suzuki, 268
8. Josh Grant, Riverside, Calif., Yamaha, 243
9. James Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Suzuki, 226
10. Chad Reed, Australia, Kawasaki, 185

250 Class (Moto Finish)
1. Marvin Musquin, France, KTM (3-1)
2. Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., KTM (4-3)
3. Jessy Nelson, Paso Robles, Calif., Honda, (1-8)
4. Christophe Pourcel, France, Yamaha (9-2)
5. Cooper Webb, Morehead City, N.C., Yamaha, (6-5)
6. Dean Wilson, Scotland, Kawasaki (8-6)
7. Alex Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha (7-7)
8. Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha (2-15)
9. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., KTM, (5-10)
10. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki (14-4)

250 Class Championship Standings
1. Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha, 450
2. Blake Baggett, Grand Terrace, Calif., Kawasaki, 381
3. Cooper Webb, Morehead City, N.C., Yamaha, 379
4. Marvin Musquin, France, KTM, 374
5. Christophe Pourcel, France, Yamaha, 355
6. Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., Honda, 331
7. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., KTM, 270
8. Cole Seely, Newbury Park, Calif., Honda, 244
9. Jessy Nelson, Paso Robles, Calif., Honda, 238
10. Dean Wilson, Scotland, Kawasaki, 204