Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/972780
CHAMPIONSHIP VOL. 55 ISSUE 16 APRIL 24, 2018 P89 the side of the track during lap one and crashed (he eventually finished 11th), handing the lead to Musquin, while Tomac had to fight off points leader Jason Anderson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) in the opening laps. By the time Tomac got clear of Anderson, Musquin was pretty comfortable up front, and Tomac spent the bulk of the remaining 22 laps like he was attached to Musquin with a bungee cord—getting close, then falling behind, then getting close again, then falling behind—as the track continued to deteriorate. Just as the white flag was coming out, Tomac made his LAST TURN There was some fantastic race-craft in the final turn of the heat races in Foxborough. In the first 250SX heat, privateer Cody Vanbuskirk (KTM) had the final qualifying spot heading into the final turn, but privateer Ramyller Alves (Yamaha) got a run on him through the whoops. Vanbuskirk tried to cover the inside line, but it was too late, and Alves collided with him, sending them both to the ground. As they scrambled to get up, Alves and Vanbuskirk were neck and neck with both bikes under power, and Alves tripped Vanbuskirk with his front wheel, sending Vanbuskirk down again. Alves got the final qualifying spot. Vanbuskirk qualified through the LCQ. And then in the second 450SX heat, Justin Barcia was leading coming to the checkered flag with Tomac on his tail, and Barcia—sensing Tomac was on his outside—slowed up in the whoops just enough to get Tomac stuck on the outside in the left-hand turn before the finish. He stuffed Tomac there to take the win. "Well, I'm an aggressive rider, and I remember those things, so I knew Eli [Tomac] was going to try to nail those whoops on the outside, and I just thought, 'Okay, I'm going to have to slow down a little because he'll either pass me on the inside or he'll pass me on the outside,'" Barcia said. "So I had to block that corner a little bit. It was great, clean racing. That was a fun race." When it was pointed out to Barcia that he should remember that Tomac might "pay him back" in the main event, Barcia laughed, "I remember that every night. All these guys want it out for me." GRONK Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has an endorsement deal with Monster Energy, and he was on-hand at Gillette Stadium for the supercross. When Briefly... is a line, and that pass was over the line, you know? But where do you draw that line? I don't know." Anderson: "It's up to [John] Gallagher, man. Gallagher's the decision-maker on all that stuff. He makes great ones, too... [dripping with sarcasm]" Musquin: "I mean, if you watch Jason [Anderson] in Oak- land, after the whoops, he cut, like, a lot... You know what I'm saying? [Looks at Anderson.]" Anderson: [Throws his hands up in the air, not wanting to be dragged into it.] Musquin: "I'm just saying..." Anderson: "Shit happens. I don't know what to say. 'Stuff' happens... Whatever..." Blake Baggett works the Massachusetts sand. He ended up having a good night by finishing fourth in the main.