2022 Washougal Motocross Recap
A record attending crowd enjoyed overcast skies (through early afternoon) which kept the temperature at bay leading to a near perfect day of racing for Round 8 of the 2022 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Series on Saturday for the MotoSport.com Washougal National held at Washougal MX Park in Washougal, WA.
Eli Tomac didn't win. But he really didn't lose. He extended his Moto winning streak to eight which abruptly ended in Moto 2 as Chase Sexton put a stop to his eight Moto streak of finishing second and finally took the overall, his first since the opening round at Pala. Sexton (2-1) and Tomac (1-2) again made racing all about them as the two battled for supremacy in both Motos, Tomac the victor in the first race, Sexton taking the second race and thus the overall. The two tied in points for the day so Tomac's points lead in the Championship standings remains at five.
Check this out: In Moto 1, Tomac had a spillover while leading. Sexton ran into the back of Tomac and tipped over. Both then had trouble getting started spending more than 10 seconds trying to resume their race. Granted it was early in the Moto, but Jason Anderson finished third, 44 seconds behind Tomac. The 2022 Outdoors season is the Tomac and Sexton show.
Ryan Dungey (38-4) who has always excelled at Washougal had a rare DNF in Moto 1 after his KTM feceed the bed. He grabbed the MotoSport.com Holeshot but motioned to his pit crew after Lap 2, slowing down at one point to signal, before riding away and then simply disappeared. Vanished. Harpazoed out of thin air. Riders came around on Lap 3, no Dungey. He emerged later trackside by the mechanic's area, grabbed his wrench and rode off.
In Moto 2, Sexton emerged the clear winner as he grabbed the MotoSport.com Holeshot and led the whole way finishing ahead of Tomac by eight seconds and Anderson (3-3) rolling up in third 50 seconds later. Dungey, who returned to pro racing after a five year retirement this season, missed his first Moto podium by two seconds taking fourth. Anderson finished third overall, Ken Roczen (4-6) took fourth and Christian Craig (6-5) rounded out the Top 5.
2022 Motocross 450 Class Standings after Round 8
- Eli Tomac - 364
- Chase Sexton - 359
- Jason Anderson - 285
- Ken Roczen - 274
- Christian Craig - 251
In the 250 class, somehow, some way Jett Lawrence won again. And again, without winning a Moto. He's done that twice this season going (2-2) on the day just as he did at Thunder Valley. His brother Hunter Lawrence (1-4) took the win in Moto 1, just his third race win of the season as the elder Lawrence has mostly shadowed his younger brother all season.
Justin Cooper, who was expected to compete for the 250 title this year but started the season nursing a foot injury that kept him out of Supercross finally got a long-awaited Moto win. Cooper (4-1) rode brilliant in Moto 2 taking the MotoSport.com Holeshot and never looked back getting little competition from Jett Lawrence for the lead. Cooper's fourth place in Moto 1 gave him second overall on the day as he took the points tie-breaker over Hunter Lawrence and maybe, just maybe raises his stock in the upcoming decision on who races for Team USA in the Motocross Des Nations at RedBud in September. Tomac and Sexton seemingly a lock for the 450 spots.
Be that as it may, Jett Lawrence squeaks out the overall win by a point and adds a point to his lead over Hunter in the points standings. Joe Shimoda (3-3) finished on the box for both Motos but left out on the overall podium in fourth. Weird, wild stuff. Max Vohland (7-5) took fifth overall. Unfortunately, Levi Kitchen missed out on his homecoming race with a broken wrist but his family sure seems nice.
2022 Supercross 250 Class Standings after Round 8
- Jett Lawrence - 355
- Hunter Lawrence - 327
- Jo Shimoda - 306
- Justin Cooper - 275
- Seth Hammaker - 207
The MotoSport Sponsored Muc-Off / FXR / ClubMX Team
Alex Martin (10-12) continues a successful farewell tour and breached the Top 10 for the first time this year taking 10th in Moto 1 and finishing 10th overall. Garrett Marchbanks (35-15) had a rough day taking 19th overall thanks to an early departure in Moto 1 but he bounced back for 15th in Moto 2.
A long break forthcoming as riders get THREE weeks off before the season-ending home stretch of four consecutive rounds starting August 13 at Unadilla.
2022 Washougal Motocross
