WASHOUGAL — Marvin Musquin was in position for his first overall title of the season in the 250 class of the Washougal MX National.
He did not need to win the second moto. The way the other competitors were riding, second place would have been just fine.
Not good enough for Musquin, though.
He wanted the Saturday sweep.
So he took a gamble, went inside for one turn then way outside on the next turn and made a sling-shot style pass to get into first place about 20 minutes into the second moto.
Musquin cruised from there to claim his second moto of the day. His 1-1 finish also gave him his first overall victory of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross championship season, and it was his first sweep in the United States.
“That was a perfect day,” said Musquin, a French rider. “Fastest qualifying time and both moto wins. So happy for me, for sure, but for all the team. The truck drivers, everybody. The bike was running so good today.”
Musquin rides for Red Bull KTM, which had a huge day at Washougal, going 1-1 in both the 450 and 250 classes.
“I just felt so good on the track,” he added. “The dirt was awesome.”
He said he was surprised that none of his competitors saw the same lines he did along the rough terrain at Washougal.
“I was just having fun on the track,” Musquin said. “I was using my technique, and it was a great day.”
Musquin made a pass on the third lap of the first moto to take the lead for good. Fellow countryman Christophe Pourcel finished second in that first moto. But Pourcel faded in the second moto, meaning Musquin just needed a second place to take the overall.
Musquin trailed Justin Bogle for the first 20 minutes of the second moto before making his move.
“I didn’t want to push like crazy and make a mistake,” Musquin said. “I was riding smart and waiting.”
Then he made the smooth pass to take command.
“That’s the best feeling, when you can control the race,” he said.
Blake Baggett of Grand Terrace, Calif., went 5-2 for second overall. He was close to Musquin for a bit in that second moto.
“He just got away from me. I just had nothing for him,” Baggett said.
Jeremy Martin of Millville, Minn., went 4-4 for third overall. Martin leads the points race with 377. Cooper Webb, who finished fourth at Washougal, has 334 points. Baggett is close behind in third with 323.
Musquin also made good on a promise he made with a colleague prior to Saturday’s MX National.
“I made a pinky swear,” he said of getting first place. “It actually worked out.”
Washougal MX National
250 Class
1, Marvin Musquin, 1-1
2, Blake Baggett, 5-2
3, Jeremy Martin, 4-4
4, Cooper Webb, 3-5
5, Justin Bogle, 7-3
250 season points race
(Thru 9 of 12 events)
1, Jeremy Martin, 377
2, Cooper Webb, 334
3, Blake Baggett, 323
4, Marvin Musquin, 291
5 (tie), Justin Bogle and Christophe Pourcel, 274
