What to watch for: Pro Motocross at Budds Creek (noon ET, Live Extra) - MotorSportsTalk

After a week off, the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship resumes at Budds Creek, officially marking the midway point of the season.

Coverage starts at noon E.T. on NBC Sports Live Extra with the pre-race show, followed by first motos in both classes at 1 p.m. ET. Second motos will stream live online starting at 3 p.m. ET and will also air on NBCSN tonight at 9 p.m. ET. Click here to access the Live Extra stream.

The story of the day at Budds Creek is the weather. Rain fell this morning, which resulted in practice being condensed into one 20-minute session for each class. Heavy thunderstorms are in the forecast for later today, which would make for a muddy, challenging track.

Weather aside, the biggest thing to watch for in the 450 Class is the continued battle between Ken Roczen and Ryan Dungey. Roczen is clearly ready to challenge for wins week in and week out but is still facing a 37-point deficit in the standings.

Behind Roczen and Dungey though, an intriguing battle has developed for podium positioning. Jason Anderson, Justin Barcia and Blake Baggett have begun to distance themselves from the rest of the field as the most consistent podium threats. The three of them are separated by just five points entering today’s race. Anderson and Baggett are rookies in the 450 Class, and Barcia is adjusting to a new bike this year, so all three riders could continue to improve as the season goes on.

Another rider looking to add his name to that list is Christophe Pourcel. The Frenchman seemed to turn a corner two weeks ago at High Point, setting the fastest lap in practice, then turning two good starts into a pair of top-five moto finishes. Once again, he was the fastest qualifier this morning at Budds Creek and could be riding upfront for a second straight round.

The 250 Class has been dominated by Marvin Musquin and Jeremy Martin so far this year – the two have combined to lead 143 of 164 laps and are the only riders to win a moto this year – but a familiar foe will be back in the fold this week, as Cooper Webb makes his return to Lucas Oil Pro Motocross. Webb has been out since reaggravating an ankle injury in the second moto at Hangtown but feels that he’s ready to return.

Webb is part of a group of contenders in the 250 Class looking to break through and end the dominance of Martin and Marvin. Another such rider, Adam Cianciarulo, may end up being the best bet and was the fastest qualifier in practice today, turning a 2:18.8 lap time.

Jessy Nelson has been in the mix as well this season, and although he only qualified tenth, he excelled on a muddy track last year when he won the first moto at Indiana. The track hasn’t degenerated to that level at this point, but with storms in the forecast for later, that remains something to keep in mind.

FORT WORTH, Texas – Defending series champion Will Power’s name is off the board of potential IndyCar free agents, but there’s still much to be settled in the field – starting with the reigning Indy 500 winner.

Marcus Ericsson is waiting on a contract offer to remain with Chip Ganassi Racing beyond the 2023 season (his fourth with the team). The Swede said he’s made it clear to car owner Chip Ganassi that he wants to stay in the No. 8 Dallara-Honda, which has four victories since June 2021.

“Yeah, it’s up to him, basically,” Ericsson said Friday at Texas Motor Speedway. “He needs to give me an offer for ’24 onward. The ball is in his corner. I really enjoy it at Ganassi, and we’ve done a lot of great things together and would love to continue, but the ball is in his corner. He knows very well what I want.”

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Two days before Ericsson won the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg season opener March 5, Ganassi sang the praises of the emerging star driver to a small group of reporters.

“I want him here beyond this year,” Ganassi said of Ericsson. “He seems to have gotten more out of winning the Indy 500 than anyone else has of recent time, which is a good thing. He did a good job. He’s been everywhere. It’s been a really positive thing for Marcus, the team, the series. He’s grown with that as well.”

Ericsson didn’t sew up his current deal until late in his breakthrough 2021 season (after a memorable victory in the inaugural Music City Grand Prix). So he isn’t necessarily anxious about it but conceded he “was thinking a bit about it over the winner in the offseason and talking about it

“But now that the season has started, I told my managers and everyone I want to focus on the driving. They focus on those things. Now the season is on, and I want to try to win races, win another 500 and championship. That’s where my focus is. (A new contract) is one of those things that happens when it happens. But I’m happy where I am, and I want to do well.”

IndyCar’s two best teams, Team Penske and Chip Ganassi Racing, tend to be very tight-lipped about their drivers’ contract status.

Power confirmed Friday to journalist Bruce Martin that his new deal was for multiple seasons. That means all three of Penske’s drivers are in multiple-year contracts (unlike Power’s deal, Scott McLaughlin’s extension was announced by the team last year).

But there is more uncertainty at Ganassi’s four cars aside from Ericsson. While Scott Dixon has a ride for as long as he wants (and the six-time champion has given no indication of retiring), Ganassi’s other two other seats have yet to be solidified beyond 2023.

The No. 11 is being split this year by rookie Marcus Armstrong and veteran Takuma Sato this season. In the No. 10, Alex Palou is believed to be in his final year at Ganassi before heading to Arrow McLaren.

That expected move would cast doubt on the future of Felix Rosenqvist, who returned to Arrow McLaren when the team was unable to bring in Palou (who was embroiled in a contract dispute with Ganassi).

Aside from Penske, virtually every other IndyCar team (including Andretti Autosport, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and Meyer Shank Racing, which has Helio Castroneves in a contract year) has seats that potentially could open for next season, and even drivers who appear to be under contract for next year still could be on the move (via buyouts and option years).

Though Juncos Hollinger Racing announced a “long-term, multiyear contract partnership” last July with Callum Ilott, but the second-year driver was cagey Friday when asked about how long the extension ran.

“It’s for whatever I want it to be,” said Ilott, who finished a career-best fifth at St. Petersburg. “I’ll say that.”

Before returning to JHR, Ilott turned enough heads as a rookie to draw interest from several teams, and he indicated Friday that he still would be listening.

“I’d love to talk to some other big teams,” Ilott said. “Nothing stops me from talking. Look, you’ve got to be fair. I agreed to (the deal), but it’s pretty obvious that I’m quite interested as people are interested in me as a driver, but I need to focus on the job I’ve got here.

“I’m confident whether it’s in one year, two years, three years, four years, that if I’m wanted now, I’ll always be wanted. I’m a good enough driver that I don’t need to lack confidence in that side. … I’m not worried.”