Dylan Ferrandis capped off his championship with wins in half of 2021’s events after finishing Motocross Round 12 at Hangtown with a 1-3 while Jett Lawrence wrapped up his 250 title with an 11th top-five overall finish of the season.
About the only thing Ferrandis has not accomplished in a remarkable rookie 450 season has been to win with a perfect sweep of moto victories. He started Moto 1 outside the top three, but Ferrandis moved up to second within a couple of laps and set his sights on Ken Roczen. A fierce battle developed between the two riders who contended for the title most of the year.
With less than 10 minutes remaining, Ferrandis prevailed to win Moto 1 for the fifth time this season. He was not able to win Moto 2 in any of those rounds.
Ultimately, the same would be true at Hangtown. After crashing early, he remounted his bike, but could only climb as high as third.
No rest for the wicked 🤘 Ferrandis & Roczen out front early #ProMotocross pic.twitter.com/85KMofAzBk
— Pro Motocross (@ProMotocross) September 11, 2021
“I gave it everything I had today with a clear mind,” said Ferrandis. “I just went out there and rode as hard as I could. That was my plan. I didn’t know that I won.
“I thought I was too far back to win the overall, especially with a crash on the start, so I didn’t believe it when my team told me I won. It’s been an unreal season and I’m just so proud to do this for my team and everyone that supports me.”
Ferrandis ended the season with a perfect record of overall podium finishes, becoming the ninth rider in history to do so.
Roczen was also involved in the Lap 1 accident of Moto 2 and was unable to continue.
His second-place finish in Moto 1 relegated him to ninth in the overall, which is tied with Washougal as his worst result of the year.
Even though Ferrandis had the championship clinched with one round remaining, Roczen still had something to lose.
A red-hot Eli Tomac won the last two rounds and closed within striking distance of Roczen’s second-place position in the title. Tomac won Moto 2. Combined with a fourth in the first race, he took second overall and passed Roczen for second in the championship.
Cooper Webb did not stand on the Motocross podium until Round 10, and then with identical 4-3 finishes, he scored third-place overall in back-to-back races. His moto performance improved in the finale and he earned a third straight podium with a 3-2.
Fourth-place Christian Craig finished 5-4 in the motos while Brandon Hartranft rounded out the top five with a 7-6.
450 results (moto finish)
- Dylan Ferrandis, France, Yamaha (1-3)
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki (4-1)
- Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (3-2)
- Christian Craig, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (5-4)
- Brandon Hartranft, Brick, NJ, Suzuki (7-6)
- Max Anstie, England, Suzuki (9-5)
- Ryan Surratt, Corona, Calif., Husqvarna (8-8)
- Justin Bogle, Cushing, Okla., KTM (10-7)
- Ken Roczen, Germany, Honda (2-DNS)
- Robbie Wageman, Newhall, Calif., Yamaha (12-9)
450 points standings
- Dylan Ferrandis, France, Yamaha – 531
- Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Kawasaki – 458
- Ken Roczen, Germany, Honda – 446
- Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM – 358
- Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda – 342
- Christian Craig, El Cajon, Calif., Yamaha – 292
- Marvin Musquin, France, KTM – 240
- Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., KTM – 240
- Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., GasGas – 239
- Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, Yamaha – 232
In the 250 class, Justin Cooper finally revealed what has slowed him in recent rounds.
His fall at Washougal five rounds ago resulted in a broken thumb that has plagued him since. He told reporters the thumb was healed and he was ready to do all he could to steal the 250 championship from Jett Lawrence.
Cooper did his part.
All season, he has been vocal in his disappointed that he has not swept a weekend with 1-1 moto finishes. He won Moto 1 at Washougal and in the next two rounds, but as the races continued, his broken thumb denied him a Moto 2 win. He was finally able to accomplish that feat at Hangtown.
This was the first time in his career that he won multiple races in a season. He was also victorious in Round 2 at Thunder Valley.
“Every weekend on the overall podium is a big accomplishment for me,” said Cooper. “I gave it all I had today and did what I had to do. I’m really proud of that, especially to get my first 1-1.
“Maybe it was too little, too late, but we worked our butts off and can end the season with our heads held high.”
Despite scoring only two wins, Cooper finished on the overall podium in every round.
He didn’t make it easy on himself but the job is done 👊 🏆 Congrats CHAMP @Jettson83 🍩 #ProMotocross pic.twitter.com/A6ifrOvx0A
— Pro Motocross (@ProMotocross) September 12, 2021
Lawrence entered the weekend with a 23-point lead over Cooper and needed only a safe, incident-free ride in Moto 1 to clinch.
He didn’t get it.
Lawrence crashed on Lap 1 of Moto 1 and remounted his bike 23rd. Determined to make up the positions, he was stalled when another accident happened in front of him and he was forced to dismount to keep from tipping over. He could climb to only eighth in the first race, which is his second-worst moto finish of the season. Lawrence was ninth in Moto 1 at the Wick.
The championship battle continued into Race 2 with the gap narrowed to 11 points. Lawrence went down in Moto 2 as well and fell outside the top 10 for a while, but this time he was able to finish third and clinch the 250 championship by six over Cooper.
“It feels so great,” Lawrence said. “I rode so bad today and Cooper rode awesome. I loved racing him this season because he kept me on my toes.”
Lawrence finished fifth overall.
Jo Shimoda scored his third runner-up finish of the season with a 4-2.
With a 2-6, RJ Hampshire grabbed the final spot on the overall podium.
Max Vohland finished fifth with a 5-4. His second top-five of the season and fourth top-10 contributed to Vohland being named the 2021 Rookie of the Year.
Meanwhile, further back in the pack Joshua Varize continued to make the most of his factory Rockstar Energy Husqvarna opportunity. He earned the Moto 2 holeshot before fading to 11th at the checkers. Still, his 7-11 was enough for a eighth-place in the overall and his second consecutive top-10 finish.
250 results (moto finish)
- Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (1-1)
- Jo Shimoda, Japan, Kawasaki (4-2)
- RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna (2-6)
- Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM (5-4)
- Jett Lawrence, Australia, Honda (8-3)
- Hunter Lawrence, Australia, Honda (3-9)
- Dilan Schwartz, Alpine, Calif., Suzuki (10-7)
- Joshua Varize, Perris, Calif., (7-11)
- Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha (6-12)
- Michael Mosiman, Sebastopol, Calif., GasGas (11-8)
250 points standings
- Jett Lawrence, Australia, Honda – 497
- Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 491
- Hunter Lawrence, Australia, Honda – 381
- RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna – 364
- Jo Shimoda, Japan, Kawasaki – 340
- Jeremy Martin, Millville, Minn., Yamaha – 307
- Austin Forkner, Richards, Mo., Kawasaki, – 256
- Michael Mosiman, Sebastopol, Calif., GasGas – 252
- Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM – 236
- Dilan Schwartz, Alpine, Calif., Suzuki – 209
2021 SEASON SO FAR
Round 1: Dylan Ferrandis, Jett Lawrence victorious at Fox Raceway
Round 2: Ken Roczen’s perfect day as Justin Cooper takes 250s at Thunder Valley
Round 3: Dylan Ferrandis wins Motocross Round 3 at High Point, takes points lead
Round 4: Dylan Ferrandis wins again, stretches points’ lead over Ken Roczen
Round 5: Dylan Ferrandis remains hot in 450s; another new 250 winner with Hunter Lawrence
Round 6: Justin Barcia snaps Ferrandis streak at Spring Creek, gives GasGas first victory
Round 7: Chase Sexton gets first 2021 win at Washougal, Jeremy Martin doubles in 250s
Round 8: Ken Roczen gets back in the 450 chase; Jett Lawrence trims Justin Cooper lead in 250s
Round 9: Ken Roczen keeps momentum alive with 1-2 finish, but Ferrandis answers with a 2-1
Round 10: “Better late than never,” Eli Tomac scores first 2021 win; Ferrandis closes in on title
Round 11: Eli Tomac wins two in a row as Dylan Ferrandis clinches the 450 title
