Monster Energy Kawasaki Back in the Top 10 in Washougal

Irvine, CA (July 27, 2015) – Josh Grant rode his Monster Energy Kawasaki KX™450F to a second straight top-10 finish, as the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross visited a wet Washougal Motocross Park in Washington. Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Arnoud Tonus returned for his first race of the season and promptly jumped on the podium in the first moto finishing third. He would have trouble in the second moto but held on for a top-10 overall finish. Joey Savatgy finished 17^th and Chris Alldredge finished 30^th.

Coming Back
Tonus’ return to motocross was successful at Washougal as the Swiss rider was able to run consistently fast laps following illness and a shoulder injury that had sidelined him since the spring. In the first moto he got a good start and worked his way up to third where he would finish. In the second moto, he again got a good start but as the moto wore on, his endurance would hold him back. He then crashed with another rider and finished 20^th, which gave him enough points for 10^th overall.
“It was a good race for me today,” said Tonus. ”I was really happy to get on the podium in the first moto because I know I can race with everyone here. The second moto was harder as I started to get arm pump and was fading back. I guess that is to be expected after a long time not racing, but I’m going to keep working and trying to improve every week.”

Consistency
Grant put in his second straight impressive ride, as he qualified third quickest at Washougal. In only his second race with the team, he rode consistent in the first moto and to finish 10^th on a muddy track.  In the second moto the dirt started to improve significantly, but the track remained one-lined and Grant again got a top-15 start and worked his way up to eighth by the checkered flag.
“I’m happy with how I feel on the bike, and I was able to ride well today,” said Grant. “With the weather the way it was, the track was one-lined, so you had to get a good start to get a good finish. We are all working hard and having a week off will give us time to get some testing in to find the best settings for my KX450F.”

Looking Ahead
Both Savatgy and Alldredge rode hard, but the rain in the first moto and a pileup in the first turn of the second moto made for a long day for the two riders. Savatgy was able to battle to a 12^th place finish in the first moto after struggling with the elements and getting clear vision. In the second moto, he and Alldredge crashed in the first turn and the one-lined track made it difficult to make up positions.
“Coming off of a podium last week, I thought we could have another strong weekend,” said Savatgy. “The weather and the track threw us a curveball though as that added another challenge to go along with all of the great riders in our class. We know we have the speed to be up front so we will keep working to get back on the podium at Unadilla.

Rain, Rain, Go Away
Conditions in Washougal had been perfect all week as a month-long heat wave had broken and seasonal temperatures and blue skies dominated the forecast. But on Saturday overcast skies led to nearly four hours of rain that was sometimes heavy. The rain combined with the hard packed track made for slick conditions in both the qualifying sessions as well as the first motos in both classes. The rain also made the track one-lined, making it difficult for riders to pass as the sloppy conditions off-line slowed all the riders momentum.

Rest Period
The teams and riders now get another weekend off as the series heads down the home stretch with three rounds remaining. The rocky soil at Unadilla awaits the riders as series heads back East.