Ferrandis got a good start from the fifth gate pick and was third after his start behind Plessinger. From there, he rode a smart race comfortably in that position and then advanced to second after his teammate crashed out of the race, scoring his 13th moto podium of the season. He got another good start in the second moto in fourth and was quickly on the heels of the third-place rider. The Frenchman passed him on the outside to take that final podium spot, but the front runners had already amassed a comfortable gap. From there, Ferrandis rode a smart race to finish third, securing second overall and leaving with a 39-point lead in the championship.
Qualifying eighth, Craig didn’t get off the gate as he hoped in the first moto and found himself back in 13th after the first lap. He put his head down and quickly made his way inside the top 10. With three laps to go, he closed the gap on the battle for fifth but ultimately had to settle for seventh. The Californian got a much better start in Moto 2, slotted behind his teammate and battling for fifth. In sixth place, he managed his race in the tricky conditions to maintain the position and end the day seventh overall.
Plessinger got the day off to a great start, earning a career-best qualifying result in the premier class in second. After the gate drop, he slotted into that runner-up spot. The duo up front pulled away from the rest of the field, and the Ohio native ran some fast laps to keep the leader in sight. Just after the halfway mark, Plessinger had a big crash and was unable to rejoin the race. He was evaluated by the Alpinestars’ Mobile Medical Unit and sent to the hospital for further evaluation, where he was cleared. Plessinger will be evaluated again before next weekend’s round at Budds Creek Motocross Park, and an update will follow.
Next up for the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing team is the Budds Creek National, Round 9 of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship in Mechanicsville, Maryland, on August 21.
