Press Release

Podium streak ends for GEICO Honda's Justin Bogle with fourth-place finish

ST. LOUIS (March 28) -- The podium streak of GEICO Honda 250CRF racer Justin Bogle came to an end at the Monster Energy Supercross race on Saturday night at Edward Jones Dome. But Bogle didn't go down without a fight, as he rallied from a sluggish start to finish fourth.

"We'll live to fight another day," Bogle said. "That's the name of this game. Unfortunately, you can't be perfect every time. I'm having a really good season, and I rode really well tonight. I just had that one bad start that I haven't had all year."

Bogle had finished in the top three at all six 250cc East Series races in 2015, including a victory last weekend in Detroit, but after finishing second in his heat race in St. Louis to advance to the main, Bogle raced hard to get the holeshot but to no avail.

In the scramble to the first turn, Bogle was shuffled back to 12th place on the first of 15 laps. He didn't give up, fighting his way to fourth before the halfway mark, but the top three were long gone.

"It's all good," Bogle said. "We'll keep working. We've got a couple of weeks here to make some progress with the bike, do some testing. We'll come back for New Jersey and try to get back up there and get us a win.

"It's a bit of an off-week for me. I've been a little sick but no excuse. I was on the same gate as everybody else. It was a tough night but we'll be back."

The East Series doesn't race again until April 25 at Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Bogle's teammate, Jordon Smith, is certainly looking forward to that race.

The rookie Smith, racing in his fourth career main event, continues to learn at every race. In St. Louis he was third in his heat race and started the main in sixth place.

"I had a decent start, but I made some bad choices with where I was following people and where I wasn't," Smith said. "I didn't get into pileups, but I was getting into where people were stopping. I ended up going down a few laps in and ended up in a pileup."

Smith slipped back to 19th on Lap 5 but dug in and raced his way to a 13th-place finish.

"I came from way back," Smith said. "I felt good tonight and I was riding well. This year has been a learning experience, and I'm trying not to make the same mistakes twice."

The highlight of Smith's night was a sprawling save of his GEICO Honda during the heat race. The bike nearly came out from under him, but Smith rode it like a bucking bronco before regaining control.

"That may be the best save of my life," Smith said. "I think at one point I had no hands on the bars, so I got a little lucky there. I tried to regroup and finish out the heat race."

Rookie R.J. Hampshire didn't compete in the main event after an incident in practice.

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