Dylan Ferrandis reclaims points lead at High Point National
By Press Release on 20th Jun 21
AMA Pro Motocross Dylan Ferrandis Aaron Plessinger Christian Craig High Point
Dylan Ferrandis put his Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing YZ450F back on the top of the box at yesterdays High Point National in Mount Morris, Pennsylvania.
The rookie once again showed his fighting spirit, besting his rivals in an epic Moto 2 battle to score a pair of runner-up finishes and reclaim the points lead in the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross 450MX Championship. Aaron Plessinger ended the day sixth overall with a 5-8 tally. Christian Craig rebounded after a couple of crashes to finish 11th (11-10).
Ferrandis got a good start off the gate in the first moto but got a little bit sideways and found himself back in eighth. The Frenchman charged his way to fourth by Lap 3 and kept putting in fast laps on the technical track. Before the halfway mark, he advanced to third after his championship rival went down, and then with three laps to go, he moved into second when the challenging conditions also caught out another rider up front.
In the second moto, Ferrandis was in the top five after the start and then passed Plessinger for third on Lap 3. The red plate holder charged through, passing him at the billboard turn on the following lap. Unwilling to give up the fight, Ferrandis reclaimed third and tried to build a gap, but he ultimately was reeled back in. The pair then caught up to the second-place rider, making for another thrilling battle as the trio jockeyed for position. Ultimately, the 2020 250MX Champion came out on top with six laps to go, and while the competition tried to keep the pressure on, he held onto the runner-up position to take the overall victory and leave with a three-point advantage.
Dylan Ferrandis: It was a crazy day at High Point. I didnt feel the greatest in Moto 1 but managed to finish second. I rode much better in Moto 2. I got a better start and had a big battle with my closest rivals in the championship, and finished second again. Getting the overall, and also to get the red plate back, is a dream come true.
It was a mixed day for Plessinger, who got a bad start in the first moto but put on an impressive charge through the pack. He broke into the top 10 after the first lap and then worked his way to fifth before the halfway point, where he would finish. The Ohio native went into Moto 2 with a lot of confidence and flew off the gate, narrowly missing the holeshot. He was running second but was passed after the first lap. Sitting in third, Plessinger was caught in a multi-rider battle that first had him passed by his teammate and then shuffled to sixth on Lap 4. He tried to fight back but had a hard time finding the same flow from the first moto, ultimately crossing the line eighth to end the day sixth overall.
Aaron Plessinger: This weekend had some ups and downs. I was really happy with my riding in the first moto. I got a really bad start but had a really good flow going and came back to fifth place. I went into the second moto really confident and got an awesome start, but I couldnt really find that flow that I had in the first moto, and I dropped back to eighth. The track was really tough. There were some spots that were dry and some spots that were soft. So it was definitely weird, but we have a weekend off and will get back to work and get ready for RedBud!
Craig got off to a great start in third before being passed later on in the opening lap of Moto 1. Unfortunately, he had a crash a few laps later, going from fourth to 12th. The Californian quickly recovered a position and then maintained 11th to the finish. After the start of Moto 2, Craig was seventh but continued to struggle with the challenging conditions and had to bounce back from another crash to end the moto 10th for 11th overall.
Christian Craig: I didn't have the best day at High Point. I seemed to struggle to find good lines and had a couple of crashes, but I was able to get through with some points. Were going to go back to work and look forward to a better RedBud.
Team Manager Jeremy Coker: Today was a great day for the team. Dylan was exceptional today in one of the best races I have seen in a long time. All of our guys rode great on a very tough track here at High Point. I am very proud of my entire team and look forward to RedBud.
The Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team gets a weekend off before heading to the RedBud National, Round 4 of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship on July 3 in Buchanan, Michigan.
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