Credits: Stanley Leroux / Pascal Haudiquert

Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team’s Eli Tomac dominated the penultimate round of the FIM World MXGP Motocross Championship at Charlotte in Northern Carolina to take a clearcut victory in both motos.

The 23 years old from Colorado had already stamped his authority on the Grand Prix as he set fastest time by nearly one second during the timed practice session which replaced the qualification race to decide pole as hurricane Hermine forced the organisers to abandon the usual two day format in favour of a one day programme.

He quickly moved to the front on the opening lap of the first moto and raced clear to win by twenty-two seconds. Initially third in race two he took the lead on lap six of eighteen to again win comfortably despite a few “moments” in race two.

Clement Desalle, who had won the Dutch GP six days earlier, was hampered by relatively poor starts in his attempt to repeat the feat and had to be content with fifth overall in Charlotte.

After advancing a couple of positions on the opening lap of race one he spent most of the race in sixth position before gaining one place three laps from the end, but race two proved more difficult after he overshot the first turn and found it difficult to regain lost places.

The Belgian eventually finished seventh to classify fifth overall in the GP and remains eighth in the championship standings.

Teammate Jordi Tixier set sixth best time in the timed practice session but started poorly and was then pushed back even further to eleventh in a hectic opening lap; recovering his rhythm after a couple of laps he advanced to seventh at the chequered flag. After holding seventh position through the opening laps of race two but lost one position mid-moto to finish eighth in the moto and in the overall result on the day.

Tommy Searle of Monster Energy DRT Kawasaki again looked strong in practice, but poor starts affected his results; in common with many other riders the Englishman found it difficult to see the track at times as the setting sun shone in the riders’ eyes and he could only finish fifteenth. He felt more at home under the floodlights in race two to advance from thirteenth to eleventh and remains twelfth in the series standings before the final round in California next Sunday.

→全文を読む

情报提供元 [ Kawasaki Motors Europe N.V. ]