PALA, Calif., Sept. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- We have a new
champion! Monster Energy congratulates Dylan Ferrandis on winning the 2021 Lucas Oil
Pro Motocross 450 Class Championship title in Pala, California, this Saturday. In front of a
high-energy crowd at Fox Raceway, the 27-year-old from Avignon,
France, finished the penultimate
race of the season in second place to claim the championship,
sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, in his rookie season competing in the
450 Class.
The winner of today's race at Fox Raceway in the 450 Class was
Monster Energy's Eli Tomac, who took
home first place with a 2-1 finish. Hailing from Cortez, Colorado, the 28-year-old now commands
third place in the season standings with one more race to go next
weekend. But Ferrandis already is locked in as the new 450 Class
Champion.
Also today, Monster Energy's Justin
Cooper took home third place in the 250 Class race. After
holding his own against an elite field of motocross riders, the
23-year-old from Cold Spring Harbor, New
York, currently commands second place in the overall 250
Class season standings.
Here's a look at new 2021 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Champion
Dylan Ferrandis and Pala 450 Class
winner Eli Tomac.
2021 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross 450 Championship: Rookie
Dylan Ferrandis Takes the
Championship Win; Eli Tomac Wins Fox Raceway National II Race
Dylan Ferrandis was the rider to
watch this season. Today's title win arrived less than one year
after Ferrandis made history as the first French rider to claim the
Pro Motocross 250 Class Championship. Since graduating to the 450
Class in 2021, the Monster Energy/Star/Yamaha Racing athlete has
put down a dominant season with the championship title as the
exclamation mark.
"I think I've run out of emotion," said Ferrandis. "Today was
hard, last weekend was hard. I've pushed deep inside to get through
it. I dreamed when I was young to be a 250 Class Champion, but I
never dreamed of being a 450 Class Champion. It's not even a dream
come true; it is something that's the best thing I could ever do in
my life. Wow, it's unreal."
Ferrandis will finish the 2021 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross 450 Class
Championship at the top of the leaderboard. As of today, he owns
486 points and a strong 62-point lead on his next competitor.
Although the season has yet to officially conclude with the
Hangtown Motocross Classic on September
11 in Sacramento,
California, the Frenchman's lead makes it impossible for
other riders to clinch the title at this point.
Ferrandis barged into his first career 450 season with a first
place-finish in the Fox Raceway National I in May 2021. He took back-to-back wins at
High Point, RedBud, and Southwick over
the summer. Ferrandis also placed first at Budds Creek in August
and finished in third place or better in every race he entered this
season.
Saturday's championship title marks yet another career milestone
for Ferrandis. In October 2020, he
made history by becoming the first French rider to earn the Lucas
Oil Pro Motocross 250 Class Championship. Previously, no Frenchman
had ever won a title in 46 years of 125cc and 250cc
competition.
Ferrandis also won the AMA Supercross 250 West Coast
Championships back-to-back in 2019 and 2020. At a young age, he
took titles in junior competitions like the French Minivert Minime
Championship (2007) and French Cadet Championship in (2008). In
2014, he won the Motocross des Nations as part of Team France and
counted among the top MX2 Class riders in Europe for several years before riding as a
pro in the U.S.
The other breakout story of the day was Monster Energy's
Eli Tomac, who took home the 450
Class victory at Fox Raceway with a 2-1 finish. Hailing from
Cortez, Colorado, the 28-year-old
won the second moto today by over 36 seconds and surpassed his
Monster Energy teammate Ferrandis.
Tomac currently commands third place in the 2021 season rankings
with a total of 415 points. This puts Tomac only 9 points behind
Germany's Ken Roczen currently in second place, so he
could potentially move up one more spot in the season's final race
in Sacramento next weekend. Stay
tuned!
Aside from today's victory in the Fox Raceway National II,
Tomac's season highlights include a spectacular win at the Ironman
National in August and consecutive second place finishes at Spring
Creek and Washougal. Eli Tomac is a
three-time Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championships 450 Champion
(2019, 2018, 2017) and the 2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross
Championship 450SX Champion.
Lucas Oil Pro Motocross 250 Class: Monster Energy's Justin
Cooper Claims Third
Today's race also marked a podium finish for Monster Energy's
Justin Cooper. Competing against a
stacked field of riders, the 23-year-old from Cold Spring Harbor, New York, took home third
place in the Fox Raceway National II and crucial points in the 2021
Lucas Oil Pro Motocross 250 Class Championship rankings.
After today's third-place finish, Cooper now ranks in second
place with 441 points. This puts him 23 points behind Jett Lawrence in first place, with one more race
to go next weekend in Sacramento,
California.
Cooper put down a highly consistent season with podium finishes
in every single race. His 2021 highlights include a victory at
Thunder Valley in June and two hard-earned second places at RedBud
and Unadilla.
Before making his pro debut in 2017, the New York native shook up the amateur ranks
with two AMA National Loretta Lynn's Amateur Championships and nine
major amateur motocross championships. Riding for the Monster
Energy Star Yamaha Racing 250 team with his signature #32 plate,
Cooper was a runner-up in the 2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross
Championship 250SX West and clinched third place overall in the AMA
250MX Championship back-to-back in 2018 and 2019.
Download photos for editorial use.
For more on Dylan Ferrandis,
Justin Cooper, Eli Tomac, and our team of motocross athletes,
visit http://www.monsterenergy.com. Also Follow Monster Energy on
YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok for exclusive
content and athlete features.
###
About Monster Energy
Based in Corona, California,
Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and
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Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross,
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Media Contact
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Agency, Inc., (949) 300-5546, kim.dresser@indiepragency.com
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SOURCE Monster Energy