MXGP Latvia: Butron wins EMX Open overall at Kegums

JD Gunnex KTM Jose Butron grabbed the overall result at today’s EMX Open Championship at Kegums, with one – four scorecard claiming him the top step of the podium.

In the first EMX Open race of the weekend, it was Jose Butron of JD Gunnex who grabbed the holeshot and led Nico Koch from Schmicker Racing, Giuseppe Tropepe of Millionair Racing Team, Michael Sandner of Raths Motorsports and Gert Krestinov. Tropepe then passed Nico Koch to take away second, as Krestinov slid down the inside of the German too, to push him down to fourth.

On lap two, series leader, Sandner crashed out, getting caught up by Erki Kahro with Sandner’s unable to carry on with the race after getting banged up and his bike bent too. Kahro was able to carry on and finished 23^rd. Mico Vettik then made a mistake trying to pass up to 8^th, which as a result cost him several positions. Though he was able to recover by the end of the race too, to finish in a solid 5^th.

Back with the leaders though, Butron was just 1.231 seconds ahead of Tropepe who was making a charge for the leader after setting the fastest lap of the race. On lap four, Tropepe passed for the lead and started to pull away, with Butron unable to match his pace. Jere Haavisto was looking strong at the mid-way part of the race, as he passed Jens Getteman of F4E GASGAS Racing Team, as Getteman began to struggle with what looked like arm-pump. Haavisto continued to fight up the order.

Tropepe carried on his triumph at the front, as he continued to escape the grip of Butron, though his pass on the Spaniard was taken under review as it was revealed that the Italian made the move during a waved yellow flag, failing to slow down and then subsequently jumped on this yellow flag too. As a result, Tropepe was docked 10 positions, which put him down in 11^th place, while Butron was declared the winner.

Krestinov moved up to second, while Haavisto finished third ahead of Tom Kohut of Osicka MX Team and Vettik.

As the gate dropped for race two on Sunday, it was Vettik who took the holeshot as Haavisto and Tropepe got themselves into second and third. Vettik was looking strong in the lead at the start of the race, though he and Haavisto came together, which put Vettik on the deck and Haavisto into the lead.

Sandner started the race in fourth, with Butron down in around seventh position, as Vettik pished through the field on his way to re-grouping and getting the best result possible.

Krestinov was looking strong in fourth behind Sandner, as the Estonian looked to be on a charge. He briefly got into third, before his bike began to smoke. It looked like it was coming from his radiator which ultimately forced him out of the race and out of the running for a podium finish.

Kohut then passed Koch for fifth, as Vettik began to close in on the pair too. By lap four, Vettik was already in sixth and then two laps later managed to pass Kohut too.

At around half-way mark of the race, Tropepe began to close the gap rapidly to the leader, Haavisto. Within a lap, the Italian managed to take more than a second out of the Finnish rider and on lap 8 took away the lead. Just behind them, Sandner and Butron were locked in a battle of their own, as not only they battle for top positions but also the championship, as they were separated by just a point.

The pair set their fastest laps of the race in the last lap, though Sandner was able to hold on to third. Tropepe won the race ahead of Haavisto. A 1-4 result put Butron on the top step of the podium for the first time this season, with Haavisto finishing second and Tropepe third. After three rounds, Sandner remains the series leader by just 1 point, ahead of Butron and Kohut who is third with 91 points.

Jose Butron: “I came to this race with one race down in the championship and now I leave closing the gap. In the second race, I didn’t get a good start and with the rain it was more difficult but I’m really happy, we still have three races so we will keep going”.