Solid Finishes for the Red Riders at the High Point National

Torrance, CA

For round four of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship series, the Honda Red Riders headed to southern Pennsylvania for the 37th annual High Point National at historic Mt. Morris. Two consecutive days of rain created an extra challenge for the riders on an already difficult track. Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Justin Barcia and Trey Canard each rode well in both motos to finish fourth and sixth overall for the day, while Sayaka Kaneshiro finished second overall in WMX competition to take over the championship points lead. Muscle Milk-backed GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac had a trying day but was able to secure a podium spot with his 3-4 scores.

450 Race
In moto one, Barcia scored his fourth Motorcycle Superstore Holeshot Award of the season, but by lap six he slipped back to third, which is where he would finish. Barcia was unable to duplicate his first moto holeshot at the start of the second race, causing him to be outside the top 10 into the first turn. The remainder of the 30-minute plus two-lap race was spent working through the pack, eventually taking the checkered in seventh.

“The first moto was real good,” said Barcia. “I was able to get another holeshot, which was awesome. I put together some good laps and ended up finishing third. I definitely want to get that win eventually but I will just keep trying. Second moto didn’t go as well; I got pinched off on the start so that left me towards the back. I was fighting through the pack when my front end pushed out and I slid out, so I lost some spots there. I got up and made a few passes but ended up finishing seventh. The track was gnarly today, it was really slick from the rain and then as it dried it got super rough.”

Teammate Trey Canard struggled off the start in both motos but put together a valiant charge in each race, moving steadily through the field to a seventh- and fifth-place effort. His sixth-place overall was enough to move him into fourth in the championship points chase.

“It was another weekend to grow on,” said Canard. “The track was very challenging with slick conditions in the morning and rough conditions towards the end of the day as the track dried out, but I think we had the bike pretty dialed. I didn’t get the best starts in either race but put in my best effort to make up as many positions as possible. I am grateful to be safe and looking forward to having this weekend off before heading to Budds Creek.”

WMX Race
This weekend also played host to round two of the Women’s Motocross Triple Crown series, and Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Sayaka Kaneshiro had an impressive showing, finishing second overall with 2-2 finishes. Heading into the final round, Kaneshiro leads the championship chase by 14 points over second place. “I am really happy to be leading the championship,” said Kaneshiro. “I want to thank Team Honda Muscle Milk for giving me the opportunity and support.”

250 Race
It was an exciting day for the Muscle Milk-supported GEICO Honda team that had all three of their riders place in the top 10 in both motos. Eli Tomac led the way to his fourth consecutive podium finish of the season with 3-4 scores. After a ninth-place start in moto one, Tomac put his head down and began swiftly moving his way through the field. By the halfway mark, he found himself in a battle for third with none other than his two GEICO Honda teammates Zach Osborne and Justin Bogle. Once around them, he continued to reel in the second-place rider but ran short on time and was forced to settle for third. Tomac struggled off the line again in moto two but was able to chip away at the competition each lap, finishing fourth.

“It’s cool to see the whole GEICO team up front,” described Tomac of the first race. “The team works so hard and we all spend a lot of time together so it is good to see everyone up there. You can’t complain about podiums but overall the day wasn’t exactly what I was looking for. I struggled on the starts, and at this track it was hard to make passes because it was pretty one-lined.”

For the second time this season Osborne earned the Motorcycle Superstore Holeshot Award in moto one but had some difficulty throughout the remainder of the race, finishing 10th. In moto two, Osborne bounced back and spent the 30-minute plus two-lap race battling for the front position, ultimately taking the checkered flag in third place. His 10-3 scores left him with fourth overall for the day.

“To get third in the second moto after the first moto felt really good,” said Osborne. “After being so disappointed with how things went, I feel pretty good about being able to turn it around and get a good finish in the second race. I really boosted my confidence being in the battle for the lead in the second moto. It just shows me that I can do it and can run up front with the leaders.”

Bogle continues to make progress and build his confidence with each passing weekend. He garnered his best finish of the season with a 5-9 effort that left him sixth overall for the day. “I’m building with every race and improving on every run so I can’t complain,” described Bogle. “I plan to carry this momentum into the next race and hopefully keep improving.”

The Focus: Inside the Race Semis
Team Honda Muscle Milk has two transportation semis that travel to each race throughout the Supercross and Motocross seasons. The technical truck is the vehicle that carries the bikes and extra parts, while the hospitality truck is where riders, family and staff eat and spend time. Mechanics spend a majority of their time in the tech truck, often flying in days early to an event, or staying a day after to completely rebuild the race bikes from the frame up. Every drawer is labeled and parts are organized by specific numbers to properly keep track of inventory and keep things efficient. Both trucks have an office/lounge where post-race meetings are held, live timing is watched and data is analyzed. In the hospitality truck, the riders have their own areas that are used for relaxing between races and storage of personal items. Tours of the semis are provided at many races throughout the year for charity fundraisers with organizations such as Road to Recovery and MX for Children.

450 Class Overall Results
1. Ryan Villopoto 1-1
2. Ryan Dungey 2-2
3. Tyla Rattray 4-4
4. Justin Barcia (Honda) 3-7
5. Mike Alessi 10-3
6. Trey Canard (Honda) 7-5
7. Ryan Sipes 6-6
8. Josh Grant 5-8
9. Jake Weimer 8-9
10. Broc Tickle 11-11

450 Class Championship Points (after 4 of 12 rounds)
1. Ryan Villopoto 193
2. Ryan Dungey 177
3. Justin Barcia 148
4. Trey Canard 120
5. Mike Alessi 116
6. James Stewart 104
7. Tyla Rattray 95
8. Ryan Sipes 79
9. Jake Weimer 69
10. Broc Tickle 67

250 Class Overall Results
1. Marvin Musquin 2-1
2. Ken Roczen 1-2
3. Eli Tomac (Honda) 3-4
4. Zach Osborne (Honda) 10-3
5. Blake Baggett 4-8
6. Justin Bogle (Honda) 5-9
7. Jeremy Martin 9-6
8. Cooper Webb 6-11
9. Joey Savatgy 13-5
10. Jason Anderson 12-7

250 Class Championship Points (after 3 of 12 rounds)
1. Ken Roczen 185
2. Eli Tomac 170
3. Marvin Musquin 163
4. Blake Baggett 141
5. Zach Osborne 127
6. Jason Anderson 100
7. Cooper Webb 90
8. Justin Bogle 89
9. Jeremy Martin 88
10. Kyle Cunningham 81

WMX Overall Results
1. Jessica Patterson 1-1
2. Sayaka Kaneshiro (Honda) 2-2
3. Taylor Higgins 5-3
4. Sara Pettersson 6-4
5. Marissa Markelon 7-5
6. Jacqueline Strong 4-9
7. Sade Allender 9-7
8. Amanda Brown 8-8
9. Lindsey Palmer 11-6
10. Shelby Rolen 10-11

WMX Championship Points (after round 2 of 3)
1. Sayaka Kaneshiro 86
2. Jessica Patterson 72
3. Taylor Higgins 72
4. Jacqueline Strong 61
5. Sara Pettersson 58
6. Machenzie Tricker 55
7. Courtney Duncan 50
8. Amanda Brown 44
9. Lindsey Palmer 42
10. Sade Allender 41

About Honda
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. was established in 1959 and is the sole distributor of Honda motorcycles, scooters, ATVs and side-by-sides in the U.S. The American Honda Motorcycle Division is responsible for the sales, marketing, and operational activities for these products through authorized Honda dealers. For more information on Honda products, go to www.powersports.honda.com.

About Muscle Milk
Muscle Milk® Ready-to-Drink is a protein-enhanced functional beverage that promotes workout recovery, lean muscle growth, and sustained energy. Muscle Milk takes the guesswork out of high performance nutrition, delivering a precise blend of premium proteins, complex carbohydrates, functional fats, vitamins & minerals. CytoSport™, the maker of Muscle Milk®, is among the largest sport nutrition protein beverage companies in the U.S. and offers a complete line of protein-enhanced powders, shakes and bars. Muscle Milk® was named Ready-to-Drink Beverage of the Year by bodybuilding.com, Best Functional Beverage and Beverage of the Year by BevNet and Company of the Year by Beverage Forum presented by Beverage Marketing Corporation and Beverage World.

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