Tough Day at Thunder Valley for the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing Team

“It was a tough day today for the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing Team. In the first moto, Barcia got a good start and finished fifth, while Tickle worked his way through the field for 10th. In Moto 2, it was Tickle with a good start. However, a technical issue ended his race early. Barcia, who was running sixth, had a hard crash late in the race and was unable to finish. We will move on to the final race next weekend in Pala, California, and work to end the season on a high note.”

“It started out to be a great day but didn’t end well. I really was happy to be up front with the group in the first moto. The track was tough, but we were able to get a good result. The second moto was even tougher and I ended up going down and wasn’t able to keep going. I’ll work on getting back to 100 percent this week so we can end the season strong.”

“I think overall, it was a positive day for myself. That big crash at Millville set me back, and I missed WW Ranch. My starts were a little better today. The first moto was better than what I have been on the start, but I would say my riding wasn’t the best. I finally found a flow about halfway through and started clicking off some decent lap times as the track deteriorated. I ended up getting 10th, which wasn’t what I’m looking for, but it was an okay finish for the circumstances. Going into the second moto, I knew the track was going to deteriorate even more, which I normally strive and thrive in. I went out there and came close to the best start I’ve had all year. I was able to be close to the top 10 on the first lap, but unfortunately, I had to pull into the mechanic’s area and sit the second moto out. So all in all, like I said it was a positive day and good to be back at the races, but it’s kind of a bummer to miss out on some more points. We’ll come back at Pala and work to get back into the top 10 in the championship.”