This Week in Powersports - the week of August 11, 2024
Scott Lukaitis
Powersports, Motorsports & Racer Marketing, Management, and Media - Director of Sales and Marketing with Engine Ice at KOST USA, Inc.
Winners Earn Big Points Leads After Saturday Sweeps in MotoAmerica Mini Cup Finals
The first day of racing in the MotoAmerica Mission Mini Cup By Motul National Final on Saturday witnessed great racing and the rising talent of some of America’s leading youth racers.
Riders raced two legs on Saturday and will race two more on Sunday on a different track layout at the Briggs & Statton Motorplex to determine the overall class champions. Saturday was a day of sweeps with all five winners scoring wins in both legs of their races in windy conditions.
There was some exciting action Saturday, on and off the track. In the GP 190 class leading qualifier Mahdi Salem almost missed race one and it was just by the luck of a red flag that he was able to race.
Mahdi’s machine blew a motor in qualifying and his is father installed a new engine and had it ready just before the drop of the green flag. Unfortunately, the screws on the cylinder head were not completely tight and oil was seeping out of Mahdi’s bike and onto the pavement. On the grid MotoAmerica officials made him pull off to the side of the track and the race started without him. But Lady Luck was on Mahdi’s side. There was a red flag that stopped the race and Mahdi’s dad was able to tighten the loose screws and he made the restart.
After taking the lead, Mahdi pulled away to a convincing victory over Kensei Matudaira. Mahdi also won the second leg, this time with little drama, to take a big points lead going into Sunday’s action.
The most exciting race of the day was Stock 50 race two where brothers Chase and Cooper Jazikoff battled for the lead in the middle laps of the race. Little brother Cooper made a mistake and nearly crashed in the closing laps, but recovered to finish fourth. Chase won and was later seen trying to cheer up his little brother.
Other winners on Saturday included Jase Dill, who scored two wins in GP 160, Gabriel Datis in Stock 110 and Cameron Jones in Street GP.
Tomorrow’s action promises to be hot and heavy and you can tune in to watch the racing on MotoAmerica Live+ with live streaming and video on-demand for Sunday’s race action with commentary from MotoAmerica Superbike race winner Roger Hayden and current Mission King Of The Baggers star James Rispoli. MotoAmerica Live+ will start streaming at 1 p.m. (central time) on Sunday and will conclude at 4:30 p.m. (central time).
Mahdi Salem tucked the front end of his Ohvale early in race one on?Saturday, but went on to take a comfortable win in the GP 190 class at Road America’s Briggs & Stratton Motorplex in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Photo by Larry Lawrence
Jase Dill is all smiles while being interviewed by Roger Hayden after winning Saturday’s GP 160 race one at Road America. Photo by Larry Lawrence
Cameron Jones used the power of his Honda Grom to score victories in the Street GP class. Photo by Larry Lawrence
Chase Jazikoff tries to cheer up his little brother Cooper after Stock 50 race two on Saturday. Cooper challenged his big brother for the lead, but a mistake in the closing laps dropped him out of contention. Photo by Larry Lawrence
It was Gabriel Datis (shown here on his Ohvale) coming through in the Stock 110 class to win on his Kawasaki. Photo by Larry Lawrence
Saturday photos available?HERE
Saturday results:
CHASE SEXTON AND AARON PLESSINGER LAND RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING ON UNADILLA PODIUM
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing's Chase Sexton earned his fourth-straight overall victory as the 2024 AMA Pro Motocross Championship returned to action at Unadilla, marking Round 9 of the season. Aaron Plessinger made it a double podium for the team in 450MX in third position overall.
Sexton qualified fastest onboard his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION and then took the checkered flag in second position following Moto 1. He stepped up in the second moto to get out front instantly and sprint away from the chasing pack, winning by 7.107 seconds to seal the overall. His series lead continues to sit on 28 points with two rounds remaining.
Chase Sexton: "I've worked on my starts a lot, that was my first holeshot of the summer in Moto2, and I felt so good at the beginning of the race. I sprinted away and managed it from there – that was a fun moto! The track felt a lot better to me in that second moto, so I'm excited for the next two to finish out the season."
The opening moto saw Plessinger storm to the holeshot in technical conditions, eventually finishing in P3, but he had his work cut out for him in Moto 2 after a bad start. A hard-fought ride from outside of the top 15 to fourth place enabled him to salvage the podium overall and, as a result, he has also climbed to third in the championship standings.
Aaron Plessinger: "Man, I was so far back on the first lap! It felt like they held the gate for 20 seconds and I almost sat up, then sure enough, they dropped it. I was not ready at all, but it was a hard-fought ride and I just clicked another gear – I felt so good, it was such a good ride. Definitely hard-fought, I could hear the fans and I knew I just had to keep taking over the positions. In the end, we found ourselves on the podium for the weekend."
The 250MX round at Unadilla saw Julien Beaumer finish in ninth overall on his KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, which was delivered via a consistent 8-10 scorecard. The rookie is now 11th in the series, continuing to gain important race mileage in the professional ranks as the series reaches its final stages.
Julien Beaumer: "It was a good day. Qualifying wasn't the best, but I turned it around in the motos. In both races I had bad starts, but really good riding. In that second one I made a mistake late in the moto, but came back to ninth, so I'm happy with my day and the progress we were able to make over the three-week break."
Two-time world champion Tom Vialle endured a mixed day at the office, qualifying in fifth position, but crashing on the opening lap of Moto 1. That proved costly for the Frenchman as he worked his way back to 22nd –?just outside the points – and then further rebounded in the final race for P3 in the moto. He's now third in the title race with two rounds remaining.
Tom Vialle: "I had a big crash in the opening lap of the first moto and was last, then had to stop to make some adjustments on the bike, so came back to P22 and that was the best I could do. In the second moto, I started around seventh or eighth and finished the moto third, so of course I am a little bit frustrated, but we will keep fighting across these two races to go." Next Race: August 17 – Budds Creek, Maryland
Results 450MX Class – Unadilla National 1. Chase Sexton (USA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 2. Hunter Lawrence (AUS), Honda 3. Aaron Plessinger (USA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 8. Christian Craig (USA), Husqvarna 9. Malcolm Stewart (USA), Husqvarna Standings 450MX Class 2024 after 9 of 11 rounds 1. Chase Sexton, 407 points 2. Hunter Lawrence, 379 3. Aaron Plessinger, 319 7. Malcolm Stewart, 238 9. Christian Craig, 188 11. Justin Barcia, 148 Results 250MX Class – Unadilla National 1. Levi Kitchen (USA), Kawasaki 2. Haiden Deegan (USA), Yamaha 3. Jalek Swoll (USA), Triumph 6. Pierce Brown (USA), GASGAS 9. Julien Beaumer (USA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 10. Ryder DiFrancesco (USA), GASGAS 11. Tom Vialle (FRA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 16. Casey Cochran (USA), Husqvarna Standings 250MX Class 2024 after 9 of 11 rounds 1. Haiden Deegan, 408 points 2. Levi Kitchen, 338 3. Tom Vialle, 327 7. Pierce Brown, 225 9. Ryder DiFrancesco, 204 11. Julien Beaumer, 174 12. Casey Cochran, 164
DEFENDING CHAMPION TRYSTAN HART PICKS UP IMPORTANT DONNER HARD ENDURO VICTORY
Victory for reigning U.S. Hard Enduro Series number one Trystan Hart saw him take over the points lead in the 2024 series following the Donner Hard Enduro, while in the Grassman National Enduro, Johnny Girroir continued his ongoing podium form in the NE Pro1 ranks.
U.S. HARD ENDURO SERIES – ROUND 6 The AMA U.S. Hard Enduro Series resumed at the Donner Hard Enduro in Norden, California, where FMF KTM Factory Racing's defending champion Trystan Hart picked up right where he left off in winning his third race of 2024 and taking charge of the points lead. After qualifying second in the Prologue, Hart was at his exceptional best onboard the KTM 300 XC-W in rocky, dry conditions when it counted, getting out front early and controlling the race from there. In the end, it was a comfortable victory and an important result for Hart at the Donner Ski Ranch, the Canadian in search of his fourth-career Hard Enduro crown.
Trystan Hart: "It was a good day at Donner today. Cody [Webb] was riding really good in the Prologue, so I was a little stressed out, and then I got a good start and was able to take the holeshot. He made a really aggressive pass on me, but I picked it up a bit and was able to gap him after he made a mistake – I never saw anyone again after the first lap when I had a pretty big lead. It was good to get the win here at the penultimate round and we'll look to carry this into the next one."
Pro Class Results: 1. Trystan Hart, FMF KTM Factory Racing 2. Ryder LeBlond, Husqvarna 3. Will Riordan, GASGAS
NATIONAL ENDURO SERIES – ROUND 7 Round 7 of the 2024 AMA National Enduro?Series marked a return to the podium for Johnny Girroir, finishing second overall on his KTM 350 XC-F, at the Grassman National Enduro. Girroir was on-pace from the outset in Chandlersville, Ohio, winning the opening test and then consistently factoring inside the top three from there to claim his fourth National Enduro NE Pro1 Class podium of the season.
Johnny Girroir: "Today was a good day at the Grassman National Enduro, finishing P2 on the day, and we took a lot from that one. Started strong and held our pace from there, so it's good to come out of this one on the podium again."
FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers rider Grant Davis endured his toughest round of the season to date, credited 13th on the charts after crashing on the fourth test. It ended his perfect podium streak in NE Pro2 riding the KTM 250 XC-F, with three rounds remaining in the 2024 season.
NE Pro1 Class Results: 1. Josh Toth, GASGAS 2. Johnny Girroir, FMF KTM Factory Racing 3. Trevor Bollinger, Husqvarna NE Pro2 Class Results: 1. Nathaniel Tasha, Yamaha 2. Hunter Smith, KTM 3. Will Sievenpiper, Kawasaki 13. Grant Davis, FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers UPCOMING OFFROAD RACES – AUGUST 2024 8/25: U.S. Hard Enduro Series – Round 7 8/25: U.S. Sprint Enduro Series – Round 7
SIXTH A REWARD FOR PIERCE BROWN CONSISTENCY AS PRO MOTOCROSS RESUMES
Unadilla was another promising day out for Pierce Brown as he fights hard for position in 250MX, finishing sixth overall at Round 9 of the 2024 AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing teammate Ryder DiFrancesco raced to a P10 result.
Brown positioned his GASGAS MC 250F Factory Edition seventh on the timesheets following qualifying this morning and then replicated that form in both 250MX Class motos with 7-7 results. The overall went in his favor, elevated to P6 due to his consistency, and he is P7 in the championship.
Pierce Brown: "It was an alright day today with sixth overall. My riding was good, I just didn't execute how I would really like to, but the track was gnarly and I'm happy to come out of this one with the result we managed."
Track position was the challenge for Ryder D at Unadilla as he fought his way from the middle of the pack in both races. He was 10th in Moto 1 and then was also inside the top 10 during the second encounter until a late fall dropped him to P11, which was still enough for 10th overall. He now sits ninth in the point standings with two rounds to go.
Ryder DiFrancesco: "Unadilla was okay, but my starts were off and I had to come from behind all day. Second moto, I got up inside the top 10 and ended up going down... I just need starts, because everything else seems to be there at this point of the season."
Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing 450MX entry Justin Barcia wasn't quite ready to return in time for his home round at Unadilla as he had initially hoped, still recovering from the knee injuries that have kept him sidelined during the mid-stages of the season.
Next Race: August 17 – Budds Creek, Maryland
PODIUM RUN FOR ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING RIDERS THIS WEEKEND
A rewarding weekend out for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing saw Ryder LeBlond and Trevor Bollinger both land on the podium, with LeBlond finishing second at the Donner Hard Enduro and Trevor Bollinger taking home third at the Grassman National Enduro.
U.S. Hard Enduro Series – Round 6
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Ryder LeBlond has been in career form to date during 2024 and that continued at Sunday's Donner Hard Enduro, held at the Donner Ski Ranch in Norden, California.
In claiming his fourth podium in six AMA U.S. Hard Enduro Series rounds to date this year, LeBlond continues to establish himself as a force onboard the Husqvarna TE 300, and maintains third in the championship standings.
"It was good to finish second this weekend," LeBlond said. "I got around Will [Riordan] at the end, so that put us into P2 and we're happy with the result! It was dusty this weekend, but a lot of fun, and I'm excited to finish out strong at TKO in a couple of weeks."
Donner Ski Ranch also went to plan for Colton Haaker on the second of the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing entries, finishing fifth following a consistent day out in the grueling conditions.
Pro Class Results:
1. Trystan Hart, KTM
2. Ryder LeBlond, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
3. Will Riordan, GASGAS
5. Colton Haaker, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
National Enduro Series – Round 7
Trevor Bollinger has been gaining momentum through the middle stages of the year and managed to pick up his first National Enduro podium of 2024 onboard his Husqvarna FX 350, finishing third overall and in the NE Pro1 Class at the Chandlersville, Ohio, round.
The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider finished the opening test in second position and then was a picture of consistency from there, managing to maintain a top-three result in what was a convincing effort at the Grassman National Enduro.
"I've been getting back to the fundamentals on the bike and it seems to be working," Bollinger said. "It feels really good to put it on the box, to get that monkey off my back, and I'm ready for some more! I really enjoy the National Enduro races, it was easy to make mistakes out there today, but I was able to bring it together for the podium."
NE Pro1 Class Results: 1. Josh Toth, GASGAS 2. Johnny Girroir, KTM 3. Trevor Bollinger, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Upcoming Offroad Races – August 2024 8/25: U.S. Hard Enduro Series – Round 7 8/25: U.S. Sprint Enduro Series – Round 7
CHRISTIAN CRAIG AND MALCOLM STEWART INSIDE THE TOP 10 AT UNADILLA NATIONAL
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing pair Christian Craig and Malcolm Stewart claimed P8 and P9 overall as the AMA Pro Motocross Championship got back underway at Unadilla this weekend, competing with a distinctive Heritage livery at Round 9 of the 2024 season.
Craig qualified strongly in seventh position and then pushed hard on his way to ninth in Moto 1, before improving further and finishing eighth in the final outing. That consistency saw him claim eighth overall in challenging track conditions, currently ninth in the standings with two rounds left to run.
"Unadilla was good for us," Craig commented. "I qualified really good, sixth in the first session and seventh in the final one, so my speed was there. In Moto 1, I fought my way up to ninth and was in the battle, then second moto I made a few too many mistakes early and got shuffled back. All in all, riding was better, and my arm was in a better spot today – things are coming around."
450MX teammate Stewart directly trailed Craig on the overall charts with ninth place on his Husqvarna FC 450 Rockstar Edition. After qualifying in ninth, Stewart went 10-9 across the premier class motos on Saturday in a continuation of his rebuild, managing to overcome a crash from earlier in the day. He sits seventh in the points following Unadilla.
"I had a crash in practice and banged myself up a bit, and then the track was very technical in the motos," Stewart said. "We ended up ninth overall, which we'll take, and I'm looking forward to moving forward at these last couple."
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250 Class Class newcomer Casey Cochran's day was impacted by a crash in the final outing, unfortunately causing him to DNF the moto. Before then he qualified 11th and then repeated that same result in Moto 1, which put him 16th for the weekend, and has him ranked 12th in the series on the Husqvarna FC 250 Rockstar Edition.
"Today wasn't too bad and it was a decent first moto," Cochran reflected. "I was feeling good for the second moto, and was just outside of the top-five, but unfortunately had a crash and am pretty banged up."
Next Race: August 17 – Budds Creek, Maryland
Chase Sexton Prevails at Unadilla to Extend Pro Motocross Championship Win Streak to Four Races
NEW BERLIN, N.Y. (August 10, 2024) – The 2024 Pro Motocross Championship , sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, kicked off its stretch run of the summer with an anticipated return to action from the lush rolling hills of Central New York’s iconic Unadilla MX for Round 9 of the season. After a week filled with rain from Hurricane Debby, racers and fans were greeted with balmy temperatures, abundant sunshine, and perfect track conditions for the ELF Fuels Unadilla National, thanks to the proactive efforts of the event organizers to preserve the racing surface amidst the storm. It provided a fitting setting for Unadilla’s 55th anniversary celebration, which saw tiebreakers determine the overall winner in each class on a highly competitive day of racing. In the 450 Class, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider and championship leader Chase Sexton edged out Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence for Sexton’s fourth consecutive win. In the 250 Class, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen emerged with his second career victory over Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rider and championship leader Haiden Deegan.
Moto 1 The premier class opened its first moto with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machine of Aaron Plessinger out front for the MotoSport.com Holeshot ahead of Lawrence, aboard a new 2025 Honda CRF450R, and Sexton. After getting passed by Sexton for second, Lawrence battled back to reclaim the position and continued his push forward, eventually catching and passing Plessinger to grab hold of the lead before the completion of the opening lap. On the following lap, the KTM teammates battled for second, with Sexton able to get the better of Plessinger. From there the top three settled in and distanced themselves from the field. ? At the halfway point of the moto Sexton was able to erase the deficit to Lawrence and made the pass for the lead. However, the Honda rider took advantage of a faster line in the next section to get back around and reclaim the top spot. Lawrence then moved out to a lead of nearly two seconds. From there the momentum continued to yo-yo between the title combatants, with each possessing a stronger end of the racetrack. On the final lap, less than a second separated the top two as lapped riders factored into the battle. Sexton showed a wheel, but Lawrence closed the door and never looked back. ? Lawrence captured his second career moto win by 2.3 seconds over Sexton, which ended the points leader’s seven-moto win streak. Plessinger finished in a distant third, with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper and Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson rounding out the top five.
Chase Sexton's Moto 2 victory proved to be the difference maker in capturing his fourth straight victory. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Moto 2 The final moto of the afternoon started with Sexton at the head of the pack exiting the first turn, which he carried to the MotoSport.com Holeshot ahead of Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb, who made his first start of the summer in a return from injury, and Phoenix Racing Honda’s Dylan Ferrandis. Lawrence found himself well back in 10th, behind many of the fastest racers in the class. The clear track proved to be a huge advantage for Sexton, who was already more than five seconds clear of the field at the completion of the opening lap. ? With Sexton well out front, the focus shifted to the battles behind him as Webb and Ferrandis were challenged by Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen, also making his first start of the summer, who made savvy passes to fight his way up to second. Ferrandis then passed Webb for third and brought Anderson and Lawrence along with him to push Webb out of the top five. ? As the moto reached its halfway point Sexton had built a lead of nearly 14 seconds over the field, while just three seconds separated Roczen in second and Lawrence in fifth. Ferrandis was able to make a charge on Roczen and move into second. Anderson then closed in and made the pass on Roczen for third, with Lawrence following through into fourth. In the closing stages of the moto Lawrence picked up the pace and was able to make the pass on Anderson for third. He then looked to track down Ferrandis over the final two laps. On the final lap Lawrence was able to take advantage of some lapped riders to slip by Ferrandis and take second with just a few turns to go. ? Sexton led wire-to-wire to wrap up his 10th moto win of the season by a margin of 7.1 seconds over Lawrence, with Ferrandis a close third.
Hunter Lawrence earned a moto victory aboard his new 2025 Honda and finished in the runner-up spot. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Overall With identical moto results, Sexton (2-1) and Lawrence (1-2) finished tied atop the overall standings with the second moto tiebreaker going to Sexton for his fourth straight victory, fifth win of the season, and 11th of his career. With his late charge in Moto 2, Lawrence was able to prevent any points loss in the championship in a runner-up effort, while Plessinger (3-4) made late passes in the final moto to grab the third and final spot on the podium. ? Sexton remains 28 points ahead of Lawrence with two rounds remaining, while Plessinger’s fourth podium finish of the season moved him into third, 88 points behind Sexton.
Aaron Plessinger battled hard in the second moto to secure his fourth podium finish of the season. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
领英推荐
1st: Chase Sexton, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (2-1) “I knew a lazy first lap wasn’t going to cut it. I’ve been working on my starts and got my first holeshot of the summer, which was awesome. I was able to sprint out to a big lead and manage it from there. I focused on shorter stuff during the break [in the schedule] in an effort to be more well-rounded and that paid off.” ? 2nd: Hunter Lawrence, Team Honda HRC (1-2) “It was a tough track to pass on and the roost was gnarly. A great first day on the 2025 bike. I would have loved to have the overall, but still a good day [in second]. I feel like a new man [after the schedule break] and now I’m back to being the Hunter I know.” ? 3rd: Aaron Plessinger, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (3-4) “I was so far back on the first lap. It was a hard-fought ride. I’m not sure where I started, but I just clicked another gear [physically] and it felt so good to climb through the pack. It was definitely hard fought, but I knew I just had to keep getting one more position. It was an all-around good day.”
450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish // Points)
450 Class Championship Standings (Round 9 of 11)
Moto 1 The opening moto of the afternoon got underway with Kitchen leading the field to the MotoSport.com Holeshot ahead of his teammate Ty Masterpool. Behind them riders jockeyed for position, with the Team Honda HRC machine of Chance Hymas settling into third before going on the attack to pass both Masterpool and Kitchen and move into the lead before the completion of the opening lap. Not long after, Masterpool went down from third and dropped outside the top 20, which moved Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Max Anstie into third, just ahead of teammate Deegan. ? The top four remained unchanged through the first half of the moto and pulled away from the rest of the field, with double digits separating Deegan, in fourth, and Triumph Racing’s Jalek Swoll, in fifth. Back out front, Hymas was able to establish his biggest lead of the moto entering the final 10 minutes, opening a margin of 6.5 seconds on Kitchen, who started to feel pressure from the Yamahas of Anstie and Deegan. Soon, Deegan started to increase his pace, which allowed him to make his way around Anstie for third and give chase to Kitchen. The former teammates started to engage in a spirited battle when Hymas crashed out of the lead with just under five minutes remaining. Kitchen moved into the lead, with Deegan second and Anstie third. Hymas eventually reentered the race, one lap down. ? The battle for the lead intensified again as Deegan was able to take advantage of an inside line to get alongside Kitchen and make the pass. Kitchen attempted to fight back, but Deegan solidified the move and put some distance on the Kawasaki. Over the final two laps Kitchen got within striking distance, but it wasn’t enough as Deegan stormed to his eighth moto win of the season by 1.5 seconds over Kitchen, with Anstie following in third. Team Honda HRC’s Jo Shimoda made a late charge to finish fourth, while Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Garrett Marchbanks finished fifth in his first moto with the team.
Levi Kitchen's Moto 2 win gave him the tiebreaker to earn his second career victory. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Moto 2 The second moto started the same way as Moto 1, with Kitchen leading the field to the MotoSport.com Holeshot ahead of Masterpool, who then crashed out of second and dropped deep in the field. Masterpool’s misfortune allowed Shimoda to move up into second, with Deegan in third. The clear track worked heavily into Kitchen’s favor as he was able to move out to a multi-second advantage that he managed for most of the first half of the moto, forcing both Shimoda and Deegan to settle in. ? Kitchen’s lead slowly started to shrink as the moto neared its halfway point and soon Shimoda found himself within striking distance. Deegan, meanwhile, lost touch with the lead pair. Back up front, the battle for the lead started to take shape as Shimoda began looking for alternate lines. Despite being slightly quicker, Shimoda was unable to mount a pass attempt as Kitchen rode well to counter any potential moves. As they started to navigate lapped traffic, it allowed Kitchen to gain some breathing room. As he continued to give pursuit, Shimoda went down with a little more than two minutes to go and was unable to finish. That moved Deegan into second and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle into third. ? With no pressure from behind, Kitchen cruised home to the fifth moto win of his career by 15.6 seconds over Deegan. Vialle finished third.
Haiden Deegan saw his points lead grow once again in a runner-up effort. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Overall By virtue of their identical moto finishes, Kitchen (2-1) and Deegan (1-2) finished the afternoon tied atop the overall standings, but the second moto tiebreaker went to Kitchen to secure his second career victory and his second win in the past three races. Deegan maintained his comfortable lead in the championship with a runner-up finish, while Swoll gave Triumph its first ever podium result as a manufacturer in third (6-4). ? Deegan’s lead in the championship grew once again and now sits at 70 points over Kitchen, who moved from third to second. Vialle, who finished 11th overall due to a crash in Moto 1 (22-3), dropped to third and sits 81 points out of the lead. Deegan is now able to clinch the championship at the next round.
Jalek Swoll's second career podium finish was a historic one for Triumph Racing. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
1st: Levi Kitchen, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki (3-3) “This feels amazing. I needed that break (in the schedule). I feel refreshed. Jo [Shimoda] and I were sending it in that [second] moto, but he went down, which sucks. I hope he’s ok. Two holeshots, this is amazing. I feel so great on the bike. It was a really good day for me.” ? 2nd: Haiden Deegan, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing (1-2) “After seeing guys go down around me I realized I have a comfortable points lead [and didn’t need to push]. This is still second place and a really good day for me. Levi [Kitchen] was on it today, so congrats to him.” ? 3rd: Jalek Swoll, Triumph Racing (6-4) “I’m ecstatic. It feels like it’s taken longer than it should [to finish on the podium]. To come out here and ride so good in front of all these fans and on a track like this, it’s awesome. This was long overdue.”
250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)
250 Class Championship Standings (Round 9 of 11)
Hunter Lawrence Gives ’25 CRF450R a Moto Win and Podium Overall Finish in AMA Debut
Hunter Lawrence confirmed the competitiveness of Honda’s 2025 CRF450R during its AMA Pro Motocross debut at Unadilla MX in Upstate New York, racing the new machine to 1-2 moto finishes for a second-place overall result. It was an impressive showing by Team Honda HRC that helped make up for the squad’s final 250 results; despite strong riding by Chance Hymas and Jo Shimoda (the former topping qualifying and leading most of the first moto, and the latter challenging for the lead in the second moto), both riders suffered crashes that ended their days early.
Lawrence put his new ride into second place in its first AMA Pro Motocross start, and although he lost a spot to Chase Sexton, he muscled his way back by and then powered by Aaron Plessinger to take over the lead on lap 1. Sexton was able to close up toward the end of the race, even getting by momentarily, but Lawrence made an impressive pass back and held on for an exciting win.
The gate was held for a long time on the moto 2 start, and after it dropped, Lawrence found himself in 10th place out of turn 1. He was up to sixth after one lap, and into fourth by the midway point. Feeling strong in the moto’s latter stages, Lawrence charged to second by the finish, earning the same position overall. Also impressive was Phoenix Racing Honda’s Dylan Ferrandis, taking fourth overall with 6-3 moto scores.
The first 250 moto saw Hymas cross the holeshot line in seventh place, but it was immediately clear that he was the fastest rider on the track, which he had shown earlier by qualifying almost 2 seconds faster than P2. He made multiple early passes (including overtaking two riders in one turn) to secure the lead on lap 1. Once in front, the Idaho native began building a cushion that eventually grew to over 5 seconds, only for a violent crash on a downhill to take him out with just five laps remaining. (He was credited with a 32nd-place result.) Meanwhile, Shimoda was back in 10th place after lap 1, but he worked his way through the pack to finish the moto in fourth.
Shimoda snared a fourth-place start and was quickly up to second. He rode in that position—regularly challenging for the lead—for much of the race, until he went down in a corner with just four laps remaining. Although it was essentially a tip-over, the incident was awkward enough that it resulted in a broken collarbone for the Japanese rider, who was forced to withdraw. Meanwhile, Hymas started the second moto, but the effects of his moto 1 crash were such that he pulled out at about the one-third mark.
NOTES
KEN ROCZEN RETURNS AT UNADILLA MOTOCROSS NATIONAL
The Unadilla Motocross National kicked off the three-race home stretch of the 2024 AMA Pro Motocross season. Heavy rains before the event had riders, teams, and race fans anticipating a mud race, but strategic track preparation allowed the Unadilla MX National to present excellent track conditions at the historic, natural-terrain motocross track.??
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Race Highlights:
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Ken Roczen (94) ran inside the top ten all day at his first Motocross National of the year.?
Ken Roczen (94) was quickly back up to race pace with top-five results in each of his qualifying sessions to earn a top-five overall gate pick. When the pack rounded the first corner in the first 450 moto, Roczen was in 15th place. He used his legendary first-lap intensity to put his Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki RM-Z450 into seventh place before the first lap was in the books. Roczen held a strong pace to earn a top-ten result. Roczen’s second moto start put him in fifth place at the holeshot stripe. Roczen was brilliant on the high-speed, rutted track and quickly put his Suzuki into second place. He battled with the lead pack and delivered another top-ten moto result to card a top-ten overall.? Roczen’s bold and unconventional personality will make his next move a unique one: he’s planning to compete in the 250 class at Ironman Raceway in two weeks. After that, the German racer is poised to enter into the SuperMotocross World Championship playoffs in a top-15- seeded position even after sitting out nearly the entire Motocross season due to an injury sustained in the Supercross season.? “The first weekend back in Unadilla was definitely exciting for us,” said Roczen. “This was the first pro motocross we have attended this year for me personally, so it was really hard. We had a lot of rain on Friday, and we thought it was going to be a mudder, but since the track crew sealed the track, it actually ended up being fairly hard pack and pretty beat up. On the first race I had a terrible start and worked my way up and finished seventh. I was unhappy with it, so we made some small adjustments to my Suzuki for the second moto. It ended up being better, and I had a much better start in Moto 2, working my way into second until about halfway. I had a train of three riders behind me that were clearly faster; I tried to latch on and stay there as long as I could, but obviously after three months off the bike it's hard to expect to ride up front right away. But I feel we made strides throughout the day and improved from the first to the second moto. Of course, we always wish we could have done better, but at the same time, it's somewhere to start. I want to improve the setup a little bit and I'm excited to come back for Ironman on the 250.”?
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Colt Nichols (45) earned a top-15 moto result on his first ride with the Twisted Tea Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance team.
Colt Nichols (45) looked perfectly at home on the Suzuki RM-Z450 at his debut with the team and also his first race of the 2024 Motocross season. In the first 450 A Group qualifying session, Nichols put down an 11th-place result against riders who are deep into their season. Nichols used that speed to earn a top-15 Moto 2 result, and take home a top-20 overall for the day.? “That was an interesting welcome back at Unadilla. Outdoors is very tough,” admitted Nichols shortly after Moto 2. “In the first moto it was a real struggle. I got smacked in the face pretty hard with some reality, and ate a big piece of humble pie. Moto 2 was better; we made improvements on the bike to get it more comfortable for me. I knew we were going to have to do that coming into this race, being the first race of the season for me, and with a really gnarly race track. Overall, it was a productive day, I am super, super happy with all the progress we made today and it’s on to Budds Creek.”
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Kyle Chisholm (11) was strong at Unadilla, and remains inside the top 20 in championship points.
Kyle Chisholm (11) was consistent on the rutted, off-camber Unadilla track. He wrapped up his day with both a top-20 moto and overall result. Chisholm remains inside the top 20 in the SuperMotocross World Championship points, which would seed him directly into each post-season race.? “This is a fun track for me, I like it,” said Chisholm. “We had a lot of rain coming into the weekend, but the Unadilla crew did a great job on the track. My first moto wasn’t that great, I had a terrible start. I rode much better in the second moto. It’s still not the results I want on paper, but my riding was much better so I’m happy about that.”
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?Max Miller (87) used strong speed to nab a top-twenty overall qualifying position.
Max Miller (87) was battling forward in the first moto when a crash ended his day early.? “After a good qualifying I had the 20th gate pick,” said Miller. “I started mid-pack and slid out towards the end of lap one. I had a good pace and was moving through the pack when I had a big crash after the Sky Shot. My body is pretty banged up, but I’ll be ready for Budds Creek!”
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Dilan Schwartz (40) toughed out post-surgery pain to earn points, and maintain his top-15 spot in the championship standings.
Dilan Schwartz (40), without missing a race, was back on the starting line after a wrist surgery since the previous round. Schwartz brought home a top-15 score in the first moto, but was unable to finish the second moto due to post-surgery pain.? “I really struggled with pain after having surgery after Washougal,” Schwartz shared. “I did the best I could, but the pain was too bad during the second moto, and I had to pull off.”
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Preston Boespflug (128) earned his way into the second moto to gain more AMA Pro Motocross experience.
Preston Boespflug (128) earned a first-alternate position with his LCQ result. The young racer was called up to race the second moto and gained valuable experience in his first professional season.? “The track was extremely rutted and rough,” reported Boespflug, “but I was very happy on how my Suzuki tracked and handled in the long ruts.”
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Leo Tucker (154) was strong in qualifying, earning a top-ten result in both of his qualifying sessions.
Leo Tucker (154) showed encouraging speed at Unadilla. The young rider unfortunately missed a qualifying spot into the motos after a strong charge in the Last Chance Qualifier.
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“The day started out pretty well with the track being relatively dry considering how much rain we had,” said Tucker. “I had a decent first qualifying and was sitting 35th. Unfortunately, the track was faster in the second session, and I barely missed out on qualifying straight in. I had an issue on the line in the LCQ. I started in dead last and worked back to 13th. It was a very frustrating weekend, but we learned from it.”
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“We had Ken Roczen back in action this weekend for the first time since the Nashville Supercross. It was an exciting weekend. We also had Colt Nichols making his debut on the Suzuki this weekend” reported Larry Brooks, Twisted Tea/H.E.P. Motorsports/Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance Team Manager. “Ken Roczen finished seventh in the first moto and sixth in the second moto. In Moto 2, Ken moved up into second place and was riding pretty well, but his lack of racing lately showed in his fitness. He was a bit tired toward the end and he did finish sixth, earning seventh overall for the day. Colt Nichols, on his debut ride on the Suzuki, finished 17th overall, and our test rider Kyle Chisholm finished 19th overall. It was a fun weekend having three riders under the tent, and obviously at Unadilla it's always a fun race. We had a lot of rain on Friday, but the track crew and MX Sports did a great job preparing the track for Saturday's event. The track was immaculate; it was the best I've ever seen it, but it did get rough, rough, rough as the day went on.”
“Unadilla was a tough weekend for the Toyota Redlands BarX Suzuki team,” said Team Principal, Myron Short. “Leo and Preston had rough times in qualifying, and Schwartz toughed out an impressively strong Moto 1 after coming out of surgery a few weeks back. Max was showing good pace, but a Moto 1 crash ended his effort to add more points to his series totals. Overall we’re happy everyone is healthy heading to Budds Creek. Historically our riders have had some strong results there, so we are expecting a much better showing,” added Short. The penultimate Motocross round takes place on Saturday, August 17th at Budds Creek Motocross Park in Mechanicsville, Maryland. The Suzuki racers and team members are ready to continue earning great results as the 11-round AMA Pro Motocross season nears its finale, then sends the teams to the three-race SuperMotocross playoff events in September.?
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Please visit SuzukiCycles.com/Racing/Motocross and HEPMotorsports.com for more team news.?
Photos by BrownDogWilson Photography
AMA Pro Motocross Podium
Triumph Racing have achieved a historic milestone in their AMA Pro Motocross Championship campaign, with Jalek Swoll finishing third overall at round nine of the series at the iconic Unadilla track in New Berlin, New York. Making a hugely successful return to 250MX competition after the three-week break, the team demonstrated their potential in the sport by claiming their first ever podium result
Another superb chapter in Triumph Racing's journey has been marked by Swoll, who used the power of his TF 250-X to start inside of the top five in each moto. Despite a sixth-place finish in moto one, Swoll's confidence shone through in the second race, where he advanced to fourth place. Much to the delight of the thousands of fans in attendance, his 6-4 scorecard clinched third overall. The historic circuit provided the perfect backdrop for this momentous achievement in the sport.
Savatgy had a brief but challenging race in moto one, withdrawing after a crash on the first lap. It was not all bad news, however, as he escaped unharmed and could turn his attention to moto two. Despite starting outside the points, his hard work paid off in the second race as he fought his way through to finish 12th. The limited points secured at Unadilla left him 17th overall, dropping him to 13th in the 250MX championship standings.
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There is a furious race to the final chequered flag now – the final two rounds of 2024 AMA Pro Motocross will be run on successive weekends. Budds Creek, round 10, will take place on August 17, followed by a grand finale at Ironman on August 24. Triumph Racing heads into those fixtures with their sights fixed on more podium appearances.
Jalek Swoll: "Wow, what a day. It was good all around. I would have loved to be fourth in the first moto, but it has been amazing for the most part. I was consistently there and it paid off today. It is so special to get a podium for the Triumph Racing team. It is brilliant to reward those guys with a podium. Everyone has been working so hard and that makes a difference!"
Joey Savatgy: "I felt good this weekend! I am just kind of at a loss for words. I just need to get off of the gate – I would love to have the chance to see what I have got. Getting off the gate is the elephant in the room for me. We have two rounds left before the SuperMotocross playoffs. I cannot expect to start where I have been and be competitive. We will go back to work this week!"
Bobby Hewitt – Triumph Racing USA Team Principal: "Today's race at Unadilla will go down in history for Triumph Racing in the United States, thanks to Jalek Swoll's podium. This is a huge moment for all involved. I am so happy for everyone on this team – it is a massive team effort. This is a well-deserved trophy and step in the right direction. We will make the most of this moment, then get back to work on Monday. We have to back this up now!"
Results: Pro Motocross 250MX – Round 9, Unadilla MX (New Berlin) ? 1. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) 2-1 2. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 1-2 3. Jalek Swoll (Triumph) 6-4 4. Garrett Marchbanks (Kawasaki) 5-5 5. Max Anstie (Yamaha) 3-8 17. Joey Savatgy (Triumph) 40-12 ?
250MX Standings after 9 of 11 rounds ? 1. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 408 points 2. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) 338 points 3. Tom Vialle (KTM) 327 points 4. Jo Shimoda (Honda) 289 points 5. Chance Hymas (Honda) 275 points 8. Jalek Swoll (Triumph) 221 points 13. Joey Savatgy (Triumph) 162 points
2024 SMX Next Program Culminates with World All-Stars Invitational Races During SuperMotocross World Championship Finals
The SuperMotocross (SMX) League, comprised of Feld Motor Sports and MX Sports Pro Racing, has announced the return of the SMX World All-Stars invitational series, which will serve as the culmination of the 2024 SMX Next program with a trio of championship-awarding invitational races integrated into the race day schedule of the SuperMotocross ?World Championship ?Finals. These youth showcases will allow the top racers in amateur motocross to engage in postseason competition alongside their professional counterparts, with a trio of one-off feature races across three different divisions. An AMA Featured Event title will be on the line for the fastest 65cc, Supermini, and 250cc competitors in amateur motocross, who range from 9 to 18 years of age.
“The SMX Next initiative has been in full swing since January, with Supercross Futures and the Pro Motocross Scouting Moto Combine, and is set to culminate with three individual class showcases during the SuperMotocross -World Championship Finals,” said Mike Muye, Sr. Director of Operations, Supercross, Feld Motor Sports. “There is no shortage of talent within amateur motocross racing, at every skill level and engine size, and the World All-Stars provide a rare opportunity to showcase how deep that talent pool is on a global stage. These young racers stole the show at every playoff round last year and we expect them to do the same this September.”
The 65cc World All-Stars will kick things off on Saturday, September 7, at the opening SuperMotocross World Championship ?Playoff 1 from zMAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. This division consists of 9-11 year old racers, anchored by the top five finishers from the 65cc class at the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Championship – Jaydin Smart (Berry Creek, California), Chase Brennan(Winchester, California), Joseph Vicari (Oxford, Michigan), Carter Gray (St. Clairsville, Ohio), and Anderson Waldele (Lizella, Georgia) – who each received automatic invitations by virtue of their standing at Loretta Lynn’s.
The 65cc World All-Stars racing at the SuperMotocross World Championship Playoff 1 last year at zMAX Dragway in Concord, North Carolina. Photo Credit: Align Media.
The Supermini World All-Stars will join the action on Saturday, September 14, at SuperMotocross World Championship ?Playoff 2 from Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. This division consists of 13-16 year olds, many on the cusp of a move to full size motorcycles, and will be spearheaded by several of the top finishers from the Supermini 2 class at Loretta Lynn’s – Carson Wood (Zephyrhills, Florida), Dannyn Reed(Payson, Utah), and Kane Bollasina (St. Louis) – each of whom earned automatic invitations. Additionally, contenders like Ryder Ellis (North Fork, California) and Grant McDonald (Cairo, Georgia) will also be on the radar.
The Supermini World All-Stars racing at the SuperMotocross World Championship Playoff 2 last year at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois. Photo Credit: Align Media.
The 250 World All-Stars will provide a showcase of the sport’s most elite prospects on Saturday, September 21, at the SuperMotocross World Championship ?from The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This class consists of riders aged 14 and up, with a lineup that will primarily be comprised of the top five finishers from both the 250 Pro Sport and 250 B classes at the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship, in addition to top finishers from the Supercross Futures AMA National Championship ?from Salt Lake City – Drew Adams (Chattanooga, Tennessee), Avery Long (New London, Minnesota), Cole Davies (Waitoki, New Zealand), Leum Oehlhof (Oak Hills, California), Parker Ross (Herald, California), Caden Dudney (Athens, Texas), Landen Gordon(Murrieta, California), Ryder Malinoski (Wyoming, Minnesota), Landon Gibson(Peachtree City, Georgia), Alexander Fedortsov (Chesterfield, California), and Tyler Mollet (Fort Pierce, Florida) – all of whom earned automatic invitations to Las Vegas for their efforts. Several racers in the 250 World All-Stars are poised to make the full-time transition into the professional ranks, while others will enter the ?SuperMotocross World Championship with some professional experience under their belt.
Drew Adams celebrating on the podium at the recent Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship. Photo Credit: Align Media
“We’re just a couple weeks removed from the convergence of the world’s top amateur talent at the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn Ranch, where many of the racers we’ll see at the World All-Stars enjoyed tremendous success,” said Tim Cotter, Director, MX Sports Pro Racing. “Loretta’s is the perfect precursor to the All-Star events as it’s where the cream rises to the top and ensures the best-of-the-best will line up on the starting gates in Concord, Fort Worth, and Las Vegas. The first year of the SMX Next initiative has been exceptional up to this point and we’re excited to end it on a high note with these special showcases during the SuperMotocross World Championship Finals.”
SMX Next combines the Supercross Futures AMA National Championship, the Pro Motocross Scouting Moto Combine, and SMX World All-Stars into one, season-long collaborative effort to cultivate the development of top prospects in the talent-laden amateur level of the sport. Last year’s World All-Stars winners were Jackson Vick, of Highland Village, Texas, in the 65cc class, Carson Wood, of Zephyrhills, Florida, in the Supermini class, and Drew Adams, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, in the 250cc class.
Graduates of what is now SMX Next consists of many of the sport’s most prominent rising stars, highlighted by reigning SuperMotocross World Champions Jett Lawrence (Team Honda HRC) and Haiden Deegan (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing). This group also includes the likes of Team Honda HRC’s Chance Hymas and Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing’s Ryder DiFrancesco, along with a rookie class consisting of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Julien Beaumer, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Daxton Bennick, Toyota of Redlands/BarX/Suzuki’s Preston Boespflug, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Casey Cochran, and Muc-Off/ClubMX/Yamaha’s Mark Fineis.
Tickets are on sale now for each round of the SuperMotocross World Championship Finals. Elevated VIP Fan Experiences are also available. Newly added for SuperMotocross World Championship Playoff 2 at Texas Motor Speedway is the Inside Track VIP Experience,?which will be unique to this specific round and joins an exciting array of options that are available for each round of the SuperMotocross World Championship Finals.
Due to overwhelming demand, additional “standing room only” tickets have been made available for the SuperMotocross World Championship set for the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 21. These tickets will be labeled as General Admission Standing Room Only – No Seats”.
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3 个月Scott, thanks for sharing! How are you?