Round 4 of the SuperMotocross World Championship brought the world’s fastest motocross athletes to one of the sport’s most iconic venues, High Point Raceway in Pennsylvania. With its lush green surroundings, flowing elevation changes, and raucous crowd, the circuit delivered both beauty and brutality. And just to make things even tougher, Mother Nature added a fresh layer of unpredictability, rain, lightning and thunderstorms.
Qualifying
Joey Savatgy and the Quad Lock Honda crew came into the weekend well-prepared, following a series of top 10’s in the previous three rounds, and after a strong qualifying session, here in High Point that saw Savatgy post the 9th fastest time, the team made some setup adjustments for the moto’s with a higher level of confidence, that they had advanced in pace from previous rounds..
“The track had some soft sections, but underneath it was firm and we got to the hard base quickly,” Savatgy explained. “So we decided post qualifying to switch from a paddle tire to a knobby and made some mods to it, to help off the start. The team also made a major fork change heading into racing. I felt confident and knew a top-six finish was within reach if I cleaned up a few key sections.”
Moto 1: Hard Charge
Savatgy got a decent jump off the line, but the chaos of the first two corners saw him shuffled back to around 15th.
“My launch was solid, but I spun out in Turn 1 and lost momentum, turn two wasn’t much better, then I couldn’t get into the line I wanted and missed the double into the first rhythm section,” Savatgy recalled.
Despite the early setback, Savatgy put on a determined charge through the pack, eventually finishing 8th after a race-long battle with Jason Anderson.
“I was happy with that ride considering the start. Once I had clear air, my lap times were strong. The heat took a toll late in the race, so I conserved energy and focused on where I could improve for Moto 2.”
Moto 2: Storms and a Statement
A much-improved start saw Savatgy running inside the top six early. Then the skies opened up.
Rain turned the picturesque track into a mud-soaked battlefield. Visibility dropped, lines vanished, and deep ruts filled with standing water. But Savatgy stayed composed, battling through the chaos to finish 6th and secure 6th overall—his equal best 450 motocross result in four years.
“That was brutal,” he admitted. “We knew we were capable of a top six, but the weather made it extra tough. Still, it felt good. We stuck to our plan, the team stayed positive, and I had fun racing. This is where we belong, and we’re going to keep pushing.”
Looking Ahead
The team will take advantage of the upcoming weekend off to continue testing. Carson Mumford is expected to make his return at Southwick after recovering from a leg injury sustained during Supercross.
“We’re excited to have Carson back,” said Team Principal Martin Davalos. “There’s no pressure—we’re treating Southwick as a chance to re-establish a base for him and build momentum for the rest of the season. Joey is doing a tremendous job and we will continue to build with him”
Images by Michael Antonovich
