BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Marvin Musquin captured his second-straight top-five finish on Saturday for Round 5 of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship in Blountville, Tennessee. Following his first-career podium finish at the last round, Musquin tallied a 7-4 moto score to secure 5th overall for the day at the Tennessee National.
In 450 Class Moto 1, Musquin got a good jump off the line aboard his KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition but a mistake caused him to go down in the first turn. After remounting, Musquin immediately began his charge ahead from the last place position.
Musquin climbed his way into the top ten by the halfway point, where he continued to push during the final laps of the race. With three laps to go, Musquin made a pass on Blake Baggett to overtake the 7th place position, where he ultimately finished in Moto 1.
“Unfortunately I made a mistake on my own and went down on the start,” Musquin said. “I tried my best and passed a lot of riders to go from last place to 7th but I know I could have finished on the podium without that mistake at the beginning of the race.”
In Moto 2, Musquin got another good jump off the line as he rounded the first turn in the 2nd place position. The Frenchman fell back to 6th place on the opening lap but turned up the intensity on lap three to reclaim a top-five position.
Around the halfway point of Moto 2, Musquin charged past Cole Seely to jump into the 4th place position as he set his sights on the 3rd place rider of Broc Tickle in the final laps. Despite a hard-fought effort to chase down Tickle, Musquin finished one position off the podium in Moto 2.
After salvaging an impressive come-from-behind 7th place finish in Moto 1, Musquin added a 4th place finish in Moto 2 to capture 5th overall for the day at Muddy Creek Raceway.
“I was really looking forward to this weekend after a podium finish at High Point last weekend. I wanted to get another result and improve, which didn’t happen with the crash in Moto 1,” Musquin added. “I know I’m capable of finishing on the podium so I will continue to work hard to make that happen.”
Musquin now sits 4th place in the 450 Class Championship Standings with seven rounds remaining in the 2016 season.
The AMA Pro Motocross Championship resumes next Saturday, July 2, in Buchanan, Michigan for the Red Bud National.
450 Class Overall Results
1. Ken Roczen (1-1)
2. Eli Tomac (2-2)
3. Broc Tickle (6-3)
4. Cole Seely (3-6)
5. Marvin Musquin (7-4)
6. Christophe Pourcel (4-8)
7. Weston Peick (5-9)
8. Blake Baggett (8-7)
9. Justin Brayton (9-11)
10.Justin Bogle (13-10)
Championship Point Standings
1. Ken Roczen – 243
2. Eli Tomac – 196
3. Cole Seely – 151
4. Marvin Musquin – 136
5. Ryan Dungey – 131 (1 overall win)
6. Jason Anderson – 113
7. Broc Tickle – 109
8. Justin Barcia – 108
9. Christophe Pourcel – 107
10.Trey Canard – 97
