2019 Fox Raceway Motocross | GoPro Onboard & Analysis

2019 FOX RACEWAY MOTOCROSS | COMPLETE COVERAGE

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There’s plenty to talk about from the second round of the 2019 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. A picture-perfect day in Southern California set the stage for the 2019 Fox Raceway Motocross and riders battled from start to finish over the course of four motos. Thanks to recent developments, GoPro is back as a supporter of the series and has the popular HERO7 camera on the lids of Adam Cianciarulo, Shane McElrath, Ben Lamay, and Jordon Smith. The footage was just uploaded online, but before we posted, we watched all four videos and made notes about what we saw. Let us know if you like our analysis, it validates what we’re doing…

JORDON SMITH | 250 MOTO ONE

We’ll start with Jordon Smith, since these clips of the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM rider were from 250 Moto One. Smith’s time on the track was up-ended by a brutal collision with Hunter Lawrence, something that isn’t shown on camera, but he managed to finish the rest of the race.

Notice how much jostling for positions there is on the opening lap. Smith got out of the gate well and was within the top-ten through the first turn, but a wide line through the first lanes of track slid him down the running order for a moment; he regained the spots in the next turn. One of the people ahead was Thomas Covington and you can see how determined the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider was to defend the position in his third US moto. Once he was by, Smith used the small gap of clean air between himself and Lawerence as a chance to settle into a rhythm.

BEN LAMAY | 450 MOTO ONE

Ben LaMay’s footage shows the opening lap and a half of 450 Moto One. It’s important to note that these laps were the first that LaMay had seen of the track since the first practice session. Yeah, a last-minute piston swap in the morning meant that he had a lot less knowledge of how the track would be at race-pace than those around him. Unfortunately, a bike issue forced LaMay to pull out of the race when the mousse insert in his rear tire worked its way out of the carcass, got wedged in the swingarm, and halted the bike.

The well-supported privateer’s start was exceptional and his independent Honda held its own against the factory bikes down the deep straightaway and through the first turn. We always hear riders talk about how different a Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing YZ450F sounds when one is behind them and with Justin Barcia’s revs, you get an idea of what they mean. One thing that LaMay deserves credit for is his awareness of the other riders around him and his willingness to hold a line. There were more than a few times that he could have steered out of the softer sections of track and blocked the guys trying to get around him, but he stayed in place and didn’t put anyone at risk.

SHANE MCELRATH | 250 MOTO TWO

Shane McElrath’s clips show one way 250 Moto Two went. The Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/KTM rider risked a lot with the far outside gate, but the hard packed dirt helped him get the most out of the motor and he sped into the first turn at the head of the field. Once up front, McElrath managed the race the way he wanted and picked the lines he thought were best. This was a double-edged sword of sorts because while McElrath was able to ride at his own pace, he didn’t know exactly where on the track Adam Cianciarulo and Hunter Lawrence made up the time and he lost positions to both. 

One other thing to think about is McElrath’s back issue and his ongoing search for the ideal setup of the KTM 250 SX-F. Some of his lines seemed like they were slower but smoother or less stressful on his back, and getting through the full race without a destroyed body was probably on his mind. 

ADAM CIANCIARULO | 250 MOTO TWO

Finally, we have Adam Cianciarulo’s 250 Moto Two win. This was an important one for the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider because it gave him his third career 250 overall victory. Yeah, AC’s name is only in the outdoor win list three times, something that is very likely to change over the course of the summer. 

A number of riders said that the starting gate flinched at the start of the race and from Cianciarulo’s clip, it’s clear that something happened and it impacted a few riders. Cianciarulo rounded the first-turn in eleventh place, went to work, and was up to third place by the end of the opening lap. It’s common for guys to push all the way to the “allowed” edge of a track and that’s exactly what happened in this race, especially in some of the more treacherous areas like the landing of the big tabletop. Cianciarulo’s wide lines actually allowed Hunter Lawrence to pull even and make a pass, but the GEICO Honda rider’s rad hop over the top obstacle on the hill cost him the lead.