2016 Thunder Valley National Qualifying Report

Photos by: Hoppenworld

The 2016 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship headed up to the picturesque foothills of the Rocky Mountains today for round three and the twelfth annual Thunder Valley National. The Thunder Valley Motocross park in Lakewood, Colorado already boasts a rich motocross history. In 2010, the park played host to the biggest international race in motocross, the Motocross of Nations, and by all accounts, pulled it off to rave reviews. What really sets this track apart from other facilities is its unbelievable spectator viewing. The more than a mile long, natural-terrain, National-level track sits inside a valley and can be viewed in its entirety from more than one spot on the hills surrounding it. These exceptional views set the facility apart from others and make it a favorite destination for outdoor motocross fans.

Another thing that sets the Thunder Valley facility apart from others is its altitude. The track itself sits 6,182 feet above sea level. With that kind of altitude come an array of challenges for teams and riders alike. The thin air tends to test the riders’ fitness and drain the horsepower from the bikes. While the thin air can make things tougher, the perfect weather today will definitely make the racing much more favorable to the racers’ fitness. For the last few days, the area has seen rain on and off, but today, Mother Nature has blessed us with 75 degree perfection.

250MX Qualifying Report

Heading into the 2016 Thunder Valley National, Star Racing / Yamaha’s squad has owned the 250MX class and four of the top five positions in the Championship. Coming in with the red plate for the first time in his veteran career is Star Racing’s #26, Alex Martin. Big Al got his first win last weekend in Glen Helen, and he quickly began to back it up today in Lakewood, Colorado. On the final lap of session one, Alex laid down a 2:11.807—nearly two full seconds faster than his brother and teammate, Jeremy Martin (2:13.764), who had the second fastest lap. The brothers became the first siblings in history to finish 1-2 last weekend and are saying loudly that they’re here to do it again.

Finishing with the third and fourth fastest laps in the opening session were the Monster Energy / Pro Circuit / Kawasaki teammates Adam Cianciarulo (2:14.220) and Joey Savatgy (2:14.452). If there are two teammates that could be the answer to Star Racing’s dominance thus far, it’s the #44 and the #37. Joey won Hangtown, but had a rough round at Glen Helen and is currently in third, the only rider keeping the boys in bLu from owning the top four spots. Cianciarulo has had no issues with speed, but starts and small mistakes have him still looking for his first top five in 2016.

Making his first appearance inside the top five in qualifying was Cycletrader / Yamaha’s Luke Renzland (2:15.463). Luke qualified 19th overall at Hangtown and 17th overall at Glen Helen, so this is a huge step up for the #46. We have a feeling the Thunder Valley circuit will be one of just a handful of tracks that will have faster laps in session two. We’ll see if he can keep it going.

As suspected, the final qualifying sessions of the day produced the fastest laps of the day. In the final session, the other Martin, Jeremy, stole the spotlight away from Alex with a 2:09.284—knocking Alex (2:10.146) to third overall. I have to admit, it was a little strange today seeing the red plate on the older Martin’s bike, almost as strange as watching them swap the fastest lap time all morning long.

Jumping up to second fastest in the final session and second overall was Joey Savatgy (2:09.761), with his teammates Austin Forkner (2:10.671) and Adam Cianciarulo (2:10.769) giving Monster Energy / Pro Circuit / Kawasaki three bikes inside the top five heading to the line. It would be awesome to see the green bikes making it a green on blue war for the remaining twenty motos of the year.

Two surprises in that final session were Aaron Plessinger (2:10.916) and Cooper Webb (2:12.836) with the sixth and tenth fastest laps. Sixth and tenth are not where the two championship contenders want to start with the uphill to tight, right hander first turn, but that’s nothing a great jump won’t cure. Heading into today, Webb is second in the points just two in back of A-Mart, and Plessinger is fifth in the Championship, sixteen back. Webb won moto one at Glen Helen, but both are still looking for their first overall win of 2016.

450MX Qualifying Report

In the first two rounds of the 450MX Championship, Monster Energy / Kawasaki’s Eli Tomac has been the fastest qualifier in the opening session, but today, Rockstar Energy / Husqvarna’s Jason Anderson (2:10.188) knocked Eli (2:11.018) down to second on the final lap of the opening session. Tomac set the fastest lap early in the session, but Anderson found an extra second somewhere in the hills of Thunder Valley.

Third and fourth fastest lap times in the opening 450MX session were also set by a Monster Energy / Kawasaki and a Rockstar Energy / Husqvarna: Josh Grant (2:11.392) and Christophe Pourcel (2:11.440). Neither Josh or Christophe have found the top five in 2016, but both have awesome memories from Thunder Valley back in 2010. Pourcel took home the 250MX overall win, while Grant surprised everyone when he hunted down and passed Ryan Dungey for a 450 moto win here. Sometimes all it takes is some good mojo from a facility to ignite your season.

The fifth and sixth fastest riders in the opening 450MX session are the two riders at the top of the Championship, RCH / Soaring Eagle / Jimmy Johns / Suzuki’s Ken Roczen and Red Bull / KTM’s Ryan Dungey. Ryan (2:11.468) was fifth in the opening session and Kenny was sixth (2:12.147), but don’t think for a minute that means anything heading into the motos. Kenny and Dungey have been the fastest men in the first four motos of the year but have not been the top qualifier at either.

In the final 450MX session of the day, Eli Tomac (2:07.828) kept his pole position streak going in his home state of Colorado. Last year Eli’s perfect season and shot at his first 450MX Championship ended here in Lakewood with a hard hit in moto two, but Eli won moto one and has some good mojo here from his 250MX overall win in 2013. If ever there were a track Eli would like to turn his season around at, it’s here in front of his home state fans. Eli is third in the Championship, seventeen points behind Roczen.

Finishing session two with the second and third fastest laps was HRC / Honda’s Trey Canard (2:08.313) and Pourcel (2:08.481). Canard has shown great speed all year long, but tip overs and bad starts in the motos have kept him just off the podium in the first two rounds. The #41 is obviously feeling good today because four of his six qualifying laps were hot laps. Pourcel was the total opposite in qualifying. Of the #377’s six qualifying laps, he laid down two hot laps and the rest were up near three minutes. Pourcel has always had world class speed, but whether or not he wants to do thirty plus two at a world class pace is always the question mark.

Just like in session one, Dungey (2:08.670) and Roczen (2:09.105) were a bit off the pace in session two. Is it disastrous going to the line with the fourth and seventh gate pick? No, but it definitely gives the rest of the field a little bit more confidence knowing they might have the #1 and #94 covered in the speed category—although that confidence can and most likely will quickly get knocked back down to earth. Dungey and Roczen have been untouchable in 2016, so if you’re making a fantasy lineup, these two are your 1-2 whether they qualify first or fifteenth.

Watch more qualifying highlights here>>>