Tom Vialle was using consistency not wins to control the points gap in the 250 east with the Frenchman not making the mistakes of his rivals and getting the gap at 10 points but after coming from the back to fifth, Vialle made costly mistake that has blown the 250 East coast WIDE open!
Vialle still has the points lead but he is now tied with Seth Hammaker, RJ Hampshire is very much in play just two points back despite that crazy crash going into turn one and Chance Hymas, thanks to his first ever win last weekend, is now only eight points back. Amazingly, the only rider to not with a race of the those four contenders is the defending champ, Tom Vialle!
Vialle said: “We finished up in Foxborough and it was a really rainy day here. I managed to win my Heat Race, and then the track was really challenging for the Main Event. I had a bad start and came back to fifth, and then had a crash with two laps to go, which kept us from finishing the race. I’m now tied with Seth [Hammaker] in the championship and it’ll be a good fight with four rounds to go until the end.”
Consistency now needs to be wins for Vialle, the points are too close but can he find that last per cent in speed to get the job done? His starts might save him and, along with his usual cold minded consistency under pressure, Vialle absolutely can win races but for the first time this year, the pressure is on him and Hymas, Hampshire and Hammaker are all coming in believing this is their time to shine and win the title, the door is open.
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And Hampshire says despite all his crashes it’s the best 15th he’s had in his life as Vialle’s mistake infused RJ with even more motivation and belief: “This one was a complete mudder, one of the worst ones we’ve had.The goal coming in was just put it in the Main Event and try to make up some points toward the championship. This is probably the best 15th I’ve had in my life! I pulled a massive start and then just hydroplaned into the first turn, went down four or five more times, but clawed back some points in the series, and now we’re only three down with four [rounds] to go. I feel I’m in a good spot and ready for Philly next weekend.”
And he won’t be the only one ready to take it to Vialle in the last four rounds.
To make things even more interesting this weekend, it is an East/West shooutout with Deegan, Beaumer and Davies all in contention in their own championship fight – and it might be another mud race to add to the intrigue!
This 250 East championship is the most interesting title fight in supercross right now, and those four guys can’t afford another mistake in the next four rounds. The pressure is on.