The following is a press release from American Honda:
The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship series continued this past Saturday in the scenic Pacific Northwest for the 33rd annual Washougal National in Washougal, Washington. Honda Red Riders went head-to-head with the rest of the field at round eight, and Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Justin Barcia and Trey Canard both posted respectable finishes. It was an impressive showing by the Muscle Milk-backed GEICO Honda team, with three of four riders placing in the top 10. Eli Tomac dominated the 250 competition by sweeping both motos to clinch his third overall victory of the season, and close within one point of the championship lead.
450 Race
It was a challenging day for the Team Honda Muscle Milk duo of Justin Barcia and Trey Canard, who placed 10th and 12th overall for the day. In moto one, Barcia jumped to a top-five start and quickly moved in behind the leader. He upheld second place until going down in a corner, which sent him back to fourth where he finished. Canard got a less-than-desirable start and was forced to work his way from 36th to 12th within the 30-minute-plus-two-lap race. In the second moto, Canard and Barcia both started outside the top 20 and made impressive come-from-behind performances, working their way up to 11th and 17th.
“It was a disappointing day,” stated Barcia. “I got a good start in the first moto and was running second but tipped over in a corner and finished fourth. I had more trouble in the second moto and finished 17th, so I got 10th for the day. The last two races haven’t gone as great as I want, so it is really frustrating because I know I can run up front. The track was really tricky. The dirt was slick and the shadows from the trees made it hard to see a lot of the track. ”
250 Race
“I finally got the 1-1,” Tomac said. “I flat-out decided it had to happen, and I just needed to go out there and do it. This track is notorious for being one lane, so I worked hard to get out front early to get a good sprint in with an open track. Four races, eight motos left, and we’re one point behind. Things are looking good for sure. It’s going to be a crazy finish.”
Teammate Justin Bogle posted his best finish of the outdoor season with 4-6 scores for an overall fourth-place result. In moto one, Bogle launched off the line to grab his first Motorcycle-Superstore.com holeshot award. Once Tomac passed him, Bogle ran second for a majority of the race until a heated battle broke out and he lost a few spots, ultimately finishing fourth. Bogle nailed down another good start in the second race and rode solid to finish sixth.
“This was the strongest race I’ve had all year,” said Bogle. “I also had the best starts I’ve had all season. I was riding in second most of the first moto until Roczen and Musquin caught me in the end. I’m happy that I’m improving each race, and I am definitely more confident in my riding.”
Muscle Milk-supported GEICO Honda’s Zach Osborne struggled in the first race, finishing 14th, but rebounded in the second moto and was able to push his way to a podium finish of third. His scores were enough to wrap up sixth overall for the day. The final GEICO Honda rider, Wil Hahn, had a trying day, but was able to clinch one more point toward the $15,000 Motorcycle-Superstore.com final prize. Hahn finished 12th overall with his 10-13 finishes.
“I really like this track and I had a lot of fun, especially in the second moto when I was riding up front,” Osborne said. “It’s really apparent what I need to work on and I only have four races left, so I need to make it happen. I have to eliminate the arm pump I’m getting early in the day and put myself in a position to be on the overall podium. My speed and fitness are good, so I just need to overcome this arm-pump deal.”
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