Team Venum Bud Racing Kawasaki’s Francisco Garcia leapt to second, just two points shy of the points lead, in the European EMX250 Motocross Championship after scoring his second consecutive podium in the Swiss round of the series at Frauenfeld.
The Spaniard had recorded a hard-earnt third in the first race of the weekend on Saturday and had another strong ride in race two on Monday morning. He moved quickly from seventh to fourth through the first few turns and leapt past for third on the uphill climb already on the opening lap. He finally broke down the stubborn resistance of the rider in second on lap eleven of seventeen but the leader was already eleven seconds clear by then; a persistent charge saw him halve that deficit to less than six seconds at the chequered flag. Third- and second-placed motos earnt second overall over the weekend and the forty-two points have seen him close dramatically in the championship points-chase; he is now second in the series, just two points shy of the red plate, heading to the next round in Portugal on May 3-4.
Francisco Garcia: “I am really proud to have scored another podium. I was not riding at my best this weekend but I am happy with the result.; I leave with second overall after a third and a second in the two motos and that is important in a long series. In today’s race I had Zanocz and Reisulis on my back wheel for a time as I looked for a way past Askew so once I got past him I concentrated on riding smart for a couple of laps; I pushed a little more at the end to close up to the leader but ran out of time to catch him. It was a solid weekend and I have the red plate in sight as I am now just two points from the lead in the series.”
Bud teammate Jake Cannon, seventh in race one on Saturday, was involved in a mass crash at turn five in race two but the Australian teenager showed great character, pushing hard all race to earn two points in nineteenth place. Bike It Kawasaki’s Bobby Bruce got up off his sick bed to hold tenth place through the early laps and was still running twelfth at half-distance before fading out of the points in twenty-first as the recent illness took it’s toll.
Photocredits Full Spectrum Media
