In round one of Lucas Oil's AMA Outdoor National Pro Motocross, Zach Osborne, the preseason favorite raced to the lead in both motos and never looked back. This matched heavy preseason predictions that he would sweep the championship this season in defense of his 2017 title. In round two, Aaron Plessinger made it clear he didn't believe the hype. There were great battles across the track in both motos, and while the 450 Class is referred to as the 'Premier' class, these 250 riders appear to take that descriptor with some disdain this season. Arguably, the most competitive racing is happening in the 'Light' class each week, as there are more riders in the 250 Class capable of winning than with their higher 'cc' siblings.

Round two closed with a dead heat in points for the title chase, setting up a fantastic showdown in week three. Here's how the key riders fared and where they finished at Glen Helen.

Finishing order

1. Aaron Plessinger (1/1) had a huge weekend. After a solid podium last week, he came into week two and rode like a man on a mission. He had two great starts, putting himself in position early to compete for the lead. Osborne was first off the start in moto one and Plessinger went around him almost immediately. When Osborne pulled close later in the race, Plessinger withstood the pressure and it was Osborne making the mistake and crashing. In the second moto, Plessinger was fifth off the start but picked off all four riders in front of him to take the lead again.

HIs sweep puts him in a straight-up tie with Osborne heading into round three, and suddenly the title chase is getting very hot. The top four riders are within 14 points of each other, but Plessinger has real momentum. If he can continue to start near the front, he has the speed to win, carrying the fastest lap in both motos.

2. Alex Martin (3/3) had great consistent runs in both motos. That consistency paid off with the number two spot on the overall podium at the end of the day. A. Mart looked faster and more confident in round two, and his furious battle with his brother in moto two was one of the highlights of the day. This performance kept him firmly in the title hunt making for a four-way showdown next week in Thunder Valley MX.

3. Jeremy Martin (5/2) had a fantastic run in the second moto while holding off Osborne and chasing down his brother Alex, both battles being some of the best racing on the track. Those made for some great positives to build from going into week three, but you have to expect that whether it's Osborne, Plessinger, or even his brother Alex in the way for the top spot on the podium, Jeremy is not going to be satisfied with second.

4. Zach Osborne (2/5) finished off the podium in a disappointing day. For any other rider, this might have been considered a very good run, but despite the fact Osborne made it known pre-race that Glen Helen is one of his least favorite tracks, expectations are so high for him, that fans are shocked when he finishes this low.

That is a real testament to just how much of a threat most consider Osborne to be. Still, Osborne was strong but crashed each moto. In moto one, he had such a lead on third that he didn't even lose a place, but it did cost him a chance for the win. In moto two, he really had to push hard to get around J. Martin, and his second crash was more costly. It dropped him a position and he never recovered to gain that spot back. He might have had some bike damage (he could be seen straightening his front break by kicking it with his boot while actually racing), or he might have just been fatigued by the struggle of recovering from the crash; either way, he could do no better than fifth and the result was a tie for the points lead with Plessinger.

5. Joey Savatgy (6/4) had a strong, consistent, and somewhat quiet ride (meaning he was not often in the camera shots). It would have been easy to assume that Osborne would make quick work of him in the second moto, but it never happened. A look at the lap times showcases why; only Plessinger had a faster lap time than Savatgy in moto two, and only by half a second. This positions him in fifth overall for the season and keeps him within striking distance of the leaders. He appears very close to the rider that challenged for championships over the past few seasons. If he can gain another fraction in speed and endurance, he will quickly place himself in the top three.

Best of the rest

Justin Cooper (4/7) had another solid day as well.

Sixth overall after two rounds, he is not that far off competing with the top five, and he is essentially still a rookie in MX. He has a bright future, and if he gets any faster this season, he will shake up the leaders.

Other young riders rounding out this weeks' top ten were Garrett Marchbanks (7/10), Chase Sexton (10/8), and Austin Forkner (13/6) in positions eight through ten respectively. Strong rides by all, though Forkner at ten is below expectations.

RJ Hampshire (8/9) finished well in seventh, but Shane McElrath (9/12) and Jordan Smith (11/14) have higher expectations than their 11th and 12th place finishes.

Looking forward

Round three is set up to be a barn burner; tied at the top with a close group of skilled riders, and a few more riders lurking in the shadows waiting to burst into the hunt if they find just a bit more speed.

The 250's look to be a race to the wire all season, and the fans can't wait to see it all play out each week. Tune in Saturday for Thunder Valley MX. You don't want to miss this action!

Also, be sure to check out Glen Helen's 450 results and what to look forward to in the 'Premier' class as well this coming weekend.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED