2015 Red Bud National Qualifying Report

The trophies in the shape of Michigan for today’s Red Bud National. Photo by: Chase Yocom

Can we get a Red Bud!!? Yes, sir, it is that time of year again. It’s fourth of July weekend, and in the world of motocross that can mean only one thing: time for round number seven of the 2015 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship and the Red Bull Red Bud National in Buchanan, Michigan. Since the first National was held at Red Bud back in 1974, it has been considered by many to be the premier motocross destination in the United States and, since 1978, has been the place where motocross faithful celebrate the birth of the nation on the Fourth of July weekend. With 175 riders trying to qualify for eighty gate positions in two classes and some local Red Bud crazies in attendance, there were plenty of Fourth of July fireworks in qualifying this morning.

250MX

Leading the way into Red Bud in the 250MX class is the Red Bull/KTM rider Marvin Musquin. Musquin leads the 250MX points by ten over Star Racing/Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin. While Musquin leads in the points, it was Jeremy with the fastest 250MX lap (2:02.939) in the opening qualifying session of the day—and that time held up for the number one gate pick. On the rougher Red Bud circuit in session two, the #1 was third fastest (2:05.165) just behind Musquin, so Jeremy needs to make that gate pick count if he wants to trim that ten point gap in the Championship.

Finishing qualifying with the second fastest 250MX lap (2:03.602) was Jeremy’s Star Racing teammate Cooper Webb. After missing four rounds with a foot injury, Cooper returned last weekend at Budds Creek with an 8th overall, but we expect more today from the #17. Cooper backed up his first session time with the fastest lap (2:04.172) of the rougher final qualifying session. Last year at Red Bud, Cooper won a moto and finished 2nd overall to Martin. The kid looks healthy and ready to get the overall in ’15.

Finishing with the third overall fastest 250MX qualifying lap (2:04.084) was Musquin. Red Bud is more a Jeremy track than a Marvin track, but the Frenchman was fast this morning in both sessions. He was third in the first session and had the second fastest lap (2:04.792) in the final session of the day. The #25 comes into Red Bud on a three-race win streak, and if he can win today at one of Martin’s favorite circuits, it’s going to be a crushing blow to the #1.

The third (2:04.554) and fourth (2:05.137) fastest laps were set by two of the older veterans of the class that have been steeping up of late: Rockstar/Husqvarna’s Zach Osborne and CycleTrader/Rock River/Yamaha’s Alex Martin. Last weekend Alex won the first moto of his lengthy career and ended up with the first podium of his career with a 2nd overall. He looks like to be carrying that confidence into Red Bud today. Zach has two 2nd overalls this season, and those both started with good starts in the motos. Zach will try to convert that speed and the 4th gate pick into a couple holeshots today.

One name you will not see on the Red Bud qualifying time sheets is Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo. In disappointing news, the #50 crashed this week while training and once again separated a shoulder. It was the opposite shoulder of the one he recently had two surgeries on, and we’re told by the Pro Circuit team today that this injury will most likely require surgery. If so, we will not see AC until the 2016 Monster Energy Supercross season. Get well soon, Adam.

450MX

Heading into Red Bud, Red Bull/KTM’s Ryan Dungey has a massive 37-point lead over RCH/Soaring Eagle/Jimmy Johns/Suzuki’s Ken Roczen. To make matters worse on everyone not named Ryan Dungey, the #5 also laid down the fastest lap (2:00.611) in qualifying and will have the #1 gate pick in the motos. Ryan has won the 450MX class at Red Bud two times in his career, but has not scored a victory at the famed circuit since 2012. Last year, Ryan finished 3rd overall with a 3-3 and was worked by over thirty-seconds by Roczen in the 2nd moto. It was a day that Ryan would love to erase from memory with a win today.

Finishing with the second fastest lap (2:00.623) this morning was the defending 450MX Champ, Roczen. Roczen was absolutely dominant last year with a 1-1 at Red Bud, and we’re sure he’s trying to find what he brought with him to Buchanan, Michigan in 2014. Roczen is coming into round seven today after a very disappointing 5-4 scorecard at round six. With Dungey crashing and finishing 12th in moto two at Budds Creek, it was a huge missed opportunity for the #94. The German was ill with a virus last weekend and we’re told he is still suffering from it’s effects today. If Roczen can’t begin to close the gap today on Dungey, it most likely will not happen in ’15.

After qualifying with the fastest lap at the last two rounds, Rockstar/Husqvarna’s Christophe Pourcel was only fast enough to score the third gate pick today at Red Bud. Of course the Frenchman threw down his patented last-lap heater and looked disappointed to see his 2:00.742 wasn’t quite enough for the pole position spot today. Christophe struggled last season in the 250MX class at Red Bud with 39-11 moto scores but has scored two moto wins and two overall 250MX podiums at the facility in ’09 and ’10 seasons. The #377 will hope to carry his podium momentum from last weekend into this weekend’s national.

Rounding out the top five qualifiers today was the other RCH/Soaring Eagle/Jimmy Johns/Suzuki rider, Broc Tickle, in 4th (2:01.553) and the other Rockstar/Husqvarna, Jason Anderson, in 5th (2:01.722). Tickle has had surprising speed in 2015, but Red Bud being one of his local tracks growing up makes today not so surprising. Broc was on the top of the leaderboard in session one, and that lap held up for the fourth overall fastest lap. Broc’s time was the only time in the five that came from the opening session.

One thing to note from qualifying was a big crash from last weekend’s winner, JGR/Yamaha’s Justin Barcia. Barcia was the 6th fastest overall (2:01.908) qualifier, but he went down hard in the closing minutes of the final session. Bam Bam was slow getting to his feet and did ride back to the pits. Hopefully the #51 is all good for today’s motos.