The 12th and final round of the 2014 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship series gave fans nothing short of an exciting end to the season as the 450 class winner came down to the final Moto and history was written.
Ken Roczen joined a prestigious list and became the first German born rider to win an American Motocross title. His name is now forever mentioned along the likes of Ricky Carmichael, Jean-Michel Bayle and his primary 2014 competitor and teammate Ryan Dungey, for winning as a rookie.
Roczen took fourth overall with a 3-4 day though he did tie Eli Tomac in points. Dungey who needed 21 points to best Roczen finished second overall after taking second in both Motos but it wasn't enough as he lost the title by 14 points. Roczen represents the 23rd 450 class Motocross Champion in 43 years of racing. Dungey's second-place finish for the year gives KTM their first 1-2 sweep.
"I've been trying to play it cool but I'm not going to lie, I've been really nervous about today," Roczen said. "I just didn't want to talk about it and go out there and ride. I just pumped myself up for the Motos and went, but it was honestly hard to put it out of my mind. I just went out there and did what I needed to do and made it happen, which is a huge accomplishment."
Even riding 1-1 for both Motos would not have netted enough points for Dungey to win but on this day no one was going to catch Trey Canard who finished with his first career sweep and victory in the 450 class. Canard ended the season winning four of the last five Motos. He locked up third-place on the Championship podium last week.
Jimmy Albertson has best race of the year at Utah and takes 13th overall
As for MotoSport riders, Jimmy Albertson raced to his best finish of the year taking 13th place after a 14-15 day. Albertson needed 13 points to reach the Top 20 which he got but ultimately finishes in 21st place tied in points with Christian Craig who missed the first five Rounds of the season and hasn't raced since Washougal.
Weston Peick finished in ninth overall after taking 13th in Moto 1 but seventh in Moto 2. Peick, in his first year on a factory ride, takes seventh-place for the season. Peick finished in the Top 10 every Round except at RedBud when he crashed.
Weston Peick ends the Motocross season in seventh-place
Brett Metcalfe took fifth overall and held on to fourth-place to end the year. Tomac took third overall for Round 12 and finished in fifth place despite missing the first four Rounds of the season. Of note, former MotoSport rider Ryan Sipes, who retired last year, took up off-roading in the Grand National Cross Country series this year and returned to Motocross filling in for Davi Millsaps on the KTM team, took sixth overall.
In the 250 class, Jeremy Martin's victory lap was just that as he ended the season like he started - with a sweep. The championship wrapped up last week, Martin kept the throttle open for Round 12 winning Moto 1 by 14 seconds and Moto 2 by 18 seconds. He finished the year with 10 Moto wins and 500 points.
Jason Anderson finishes in seventh-place for the year
The big battle for the 250 class was who got second and third to end the season. Blake Baggett's two point lead over Cooper Webb heading into Round 12 remained unchanged once the final checkered flag waved. Baggett's 3-3 day gave him second overall and tied him in points with Webb who finished 2-4 for third overall.
Joey Savatgy rides to five straight Top 7 overalls to end the season
Joey Savatgy, who rides for the MotoSport-sponsored Rockstar Energy KTM team, continued his second-half of the season dominance recording a fifth straight Top 7 finish after an 8-7 day. Savatgy moved up a spot in the final standings to 11th place just a point ahead of Alex Martin. Savatgy's teammate Jason Anderson, the 2014 Supercross champion, already locked-up seventh-place for the season and took 15th in Moto 1 but didn't race in Moto 2.
The silly season now begins with a respite in October for the Monster Cup. The Motocross of Nations also takes place in September in Latvia.
2014 Utah National Motocross Results
2014 Utah National 450 Class Results
- Trey Canard (1-1)
- Ryan Dungey (2-2)
- Eli Tomac (4-3)
- Ken Roczen (3-4)
- Brett Metcalfe (7-5)
- Ryan Sipes (9-6)
- Andrew Short (6-12)
- Fredrik Noren (10-9)
- Weston Peick (13-7) - MotoSport rider
- Justin Brayton (12-8)
2014 Utah National 250 Class Results
- Jeremy Martin (1-1)
- Blake Baggett (3-3)
- Cooper Webb (2-4)
- Justin Bogle (6-2)
- Marvin Musquin (4-5)
- Chris Alldredge (5-8)
- Joey Savatgy (8-7) - MotoSport rider
- Dean Wilson (10-6)
- Zach Osborne (7-9)
- R.J. Hampshire (9-11)
2014 Motocross Final Season Standings
450 Class Final Standings
- Ken Roczen (532) - 2014 450 Class Motocross Champion
- Ryan Dungey (518)
- Trey Canard (468)
- Brett Metcalfe (334)
- Eli Tomac (319)
- Andrew Short (302)
- Weston Peick (290) - MotoSport rider
- Josh Grant (259)
- James Stewart (226)
- Fredrik Noren (207)
250 Class Final Standings
- Jeremy Martin (500) - 2014 250 Class Motocross Champion
- Blake Baggett (421)
- Cooper Webb (419)
- Marvin Musquin (408)
- Justin Bogle (368)
- Christophe Pourcel (355)
- Jason Anderson (276) -MotoSport rider
- Cole Seely (260)
- Jessy Nelson (252)
- Dean Wilson (230)
