Covington wins under Drama
Sunday, September 2, 2018 at 4:11PM 
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory rider Thomas Covington has won the opening MX2 moto after a big crash between the two early leaders Pauls Jonass and Jorge Prado. The American was in third place at the time of the crash and cruised past to win a close battle with Australian rider Hunter Lawrence. Third was Prado after his accident with Jonass.
“At the beginning the two KTMs got out front and edge away from me, but I stayed close and it looked like a scary crash. I had to push the whole race and go back and prepare for the second one.”
Covington and Jonass right together in the first corner and Jonass got the lead, then Covington, Prado, Furlotti, Watson, Olsen, Jacobi, Pancar, Lawrence, and Rodriquez 10th.
Lawrence on the gas as he passed a bunch of riders go to into third place, and nearly collided with Watson as they jumped together. Prado and Covington also in a nice little battle.
After two laps the lead by Jonass was 1.5 seconds, then came Prado, Covington, Lawrence, Watson, Olsen, Rodriguez, Jacobi, Cervellin, Furlotti and Vlaanderen 11th.
Prado moving closer to Jonass, and Lawrence moving closer to Covington and after five laps it was Jonass just ahead of Prado, Covington, Lawrence, Watson, Olsen, Rodriguez, Jacobi, Cervellin and Vlaanderen.
Vlaanderen another big crash after his Bulgarian accident, and now down in 16th place. Jonass continued to hold the lead over Prado, but very close and Covington and Lawrence close up on the two front guys.
Jonass slowing the race down to bring the others close to him and Prado (ala Lewis Hamilton), and both Jonass and Prado collide into eachother and go off the track, Jonass crashed and Prado off the track and slowed down. Hard to tell who made the mistake, easy to argue for both.
Covington led from Lawrence and Prado, with Jonass down in sixth position and probably really angry. After nine laps it was Covington, Lawrence, Prado, Watson, Olsen, Jonass, Rodriguez, Jacobi, Cervellin, and Renaux.
Covington led by nearly two seconds over Lawrence on lap 12, and Prado was another four seconds back, then came Watson, Olsen, Jonass, Rodriquez, Jacobi, Cervellin and Renaux in 10th.
Lawrence loving the Turkish heat and closed right up on Covington for the lead. Aussies and Americans handling the heat better than the Euros?
Lawrence all over Covington, but the American is a fighter and wouldn’t give up the lead. Jonass struggling with Rodriguez and Watson closing on Prado. The KTM boys really struggling now.
Covington wins it from Lawrence and Prado.
MX2 - Grand Prix Race 1 - Classification
1. Thomas Covington (USA, Husqvarna), 35:10.583; 2. Hunter Lawrence (AUS, Honda), +0:02.864; 3. Jorge Prado (ESP, KTM), +0:09.798; 4. Ben Watson (GBR, Yamaha), +0:12.576; 5. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Husqvarna), +0:20.431; 6. Pauls Jonass (LAT, KTM), +0:30.968; 7. Anthony Rodriguez (VEN, Yamaha), +0:37.418; 8. Henry Jacobi (GER, Husqvarna), +0:51.496; 9. Michele Cervellin (ITA, Yamaha), +0:52.593; 10. Simone Furlotti (ITA, Yamaha), +0:53.798; 11. Maxime Renaux (FRA, Yamaha), +0:57.317; 12. Bas Vaessen (NED, Honda), +0:58.533; 13. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Honda), +1:07.177; 14. Brent Van doninck (BEL, Husqvarna), +1:17.366; 15. Gustavo Pessoa (BRA, Kawasaki), +1:31.557; 16. Richard Sikyna (SVK, KTM), +1:44.008; 17. Jan Pancar (SLO, Yamaha), +1:46.514; 18. Oriol Casas (ESP, Honda), -1 lap(s); 19. Mustafa Cetin (TUR, Yamaha), -4 lap(s); 20. Yasin Karaboce (TUR, Husqvarna), -4 lap(s); 21. Emircan Senkalayci (TUR, KTM), -13 lap(s); 22. Furkan Valimaki (TUR, KTM), -18 lap(s); 23. Micha-Boy De Waal (NED, Honda), -19 lap(s);
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