2014 High Point National – Qualifying Report

Ken Roczen leads the 450MX Championship into High Point Raceway – Photo by: Hoppenworld

The 2014 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship headed east of the Mississippi for the first time this season to Mount Morris, Pennsylvania for the 2014 UPMC Sports Medicine High Point National. You will hear every year how many riders are looking forward to the softer dirt out East, and with a lot of rain over the last week in Mount Morris, softer dirt is what the riders were welcomed with this morning at High Point.

On a sloppy early session circuit, it was Red Bull/KTM’s Ryan Dungey with the fastest time in the first 450MX session. Ryan threw down a 2:22.790 over Troy Lee Designs/Honda rider Malcolm Stewart‘s 2:23.413 and Yoshimura/Suzuki’s James Stewart‘s 2:25.868, but with the circuit improving with every lap, it was becoming obvious that all the fast laps were going to come later in the morning.

In the first 250MX sessions, last week’s winner, Monster/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Blake Baggett, was the fastest rider in the deep stuff. In the sloppy conditions, the #4 went two seconds faster than anyone with a 2:19.921 in session one. Valli/Yamaha’s Christophe Pourcel—who has been the fastest qualifier at the first three rounds—was second with a 2:21.924. The 250MX Championship points leader, Star Racing/Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin layed down the third fastest lap with a 2:22.664.

With four qualifying sessions in the books and the track in much better shape, Ken Roczen went out and clocked the fastest 450MX lap of the day in session two. The 450MX Championship leader threw down a 2:10.760 in the final session to grab his second Oakley Bomb Award of 2014. With lap times more than ten seconds faster in session two and no rain in the forecast for the rest of the day, the track was coming together beautifully in the final qualifying session.

Finishing out the final 450MX session in the top five qualifying spots behind Roczen was James Stewart (2:11.612), Ryan Dungey (2:12.604, MuscleMilk/Honda’s Trey Canard (2:13.253) and Malcolm Stewart (2:13.397). While Roczen was 2.6 seconds faster than the fifth place rider, it’s really hard to gauge what that means with the circuit changing and improving with every lap. You can view the top thirty-six 450MX qualifying times below. Click here for all qualifying time sheets.

Over the first three rounds of racing in 2014, the Frenchman Christophe Pourcel has grabbed the Oakley Bomb Award in the 250MX class with a late session two heater, and he almost did it again at High Point. Late in the final 250MX session, Pourcel clocked a blistering 2:08.064 to put himself on top of the leader board once again late in the final session. This time, though, Jeremy Martin was not going to let the #377 take home the trophy. On the final lap of the final session, the #19 checked in with a 2:07.218 to score his first Oakley Bomb Award of 2014. That trophy will look nice next to his Hangtown and Glen Helen National overall win trophies.

Finishing out with the top-five 250MX times behind Martin and Pourcel were Red Bull/KTM’s Marvin Musquin (2:08264), Baggett (2:09.699) and Star Racing/Yamaha’s Cooper Webb (2:10.083). In the end, the 250MX class times were much faster than the 450MX times, but with the conditions on track, it was to be expected. You can view the top thirty-six 250MX qualifying times below. Click here for all qualifying time sheets.

Make sure you tune in today for the first motos live at 9:am (PST) 12:pm (EST) for the first motos on MAVTV and the second motos live on NBC Sports Network. Or, watch live online by clicking here>>>