Who is favored to win Saturday’s Washougal MX National?
Well, that’s anybody’s guess.
Ryan Dungey, who dominated Washougal Motocross Park unlike any other, abruptly retired before this season. His victory in 2015 was his seventh title in eight years.
Also absent is Ken Roczen. The defending motocross points champion and 2016 Washougal runner-up broke several arm bones in a January crash. He has undergone 11 surgeries since then.
That leaves a wide open field in the 450cc race. Here are five riders who could take the checkered flag in front of 20,000 fans Saturday:
Eli Tomac
Last year’s Washougal champion is the motocross points leader through eight events in the 12-race series. The 24 year old from Cortez, Colo., has won four times the season, including three of the past four. Tomac has done well on Washougal’s hilly, curvy course – He finished second in 2014 and first in the 250cc race in 2013.
Blake Baggett
After his 2016 season was cut short by injury, the 25 year old from California has rebounded in 2017. Trailing Tomac by 20 points, he has finished no worse than fourth in the past seven motocross events. At Washougal, he has a ninth-place finish in 2015 and three top-three finishes in the 250cc races.
Marvin Musquin
The 27 year old is coming off a dominant win last week in Spring Creek, Minn. He started the season hot with three consecutive top-two finishes, but slumped with three finishes 11th or worse after a midseason knee injury. With a third-place finish at Washougal last year and a Supercross win this April in Seattle, the Northwest has been kind to the Frenchman.
Dean Wilson
The Scotland native has finished in the top 10 in all eight events this season. He is making a late-season surge, as two straight top-three finishes have moved him to fourth in the points standings.
Justin Barcia
Though ninth in the points race, the 25-year-old “Wild Child” from New York has raced well in Washougal. He placed fourth last year and second in 2015. He won the 250cc event at Washougal in 2012.
250cc Outlook
Zach Osbourne is leading the series, has won four times and is the only rider this season to have finished in the top 10 at every event.
Defending Washougal champ and second-place points rider Alex Martin is out after suffering a collarbone injury this week in training. His younger brother, Jeremy Martin, is coming off three straight top-five finishes and is third in the points race, 67 behind Osbourne.
Joey Savatgy is coming off a win last week in Minnesota. He has one other win this season and has finished in the top 10 in all eight events.
If you go
Washougal MX National
Saturday
8:30 a.m., qualifying and practice
12:30 p.m., opening ceremonies
1 p.m., racing starts
Where: Washougal Motocross Park, 40205 NE Borin Rd.
Tickets: $40 general admission (7-under free), available at track or online at www.promotocross.com
