This Week in Powersports Racing – The week of July 9, 2023

News and stories from Powersports racing in the United States.

Gagne Wins First Of Three Medallia Superbike Races At WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca

Jake Gagne cast a lonely shadow on the front row of the grid for the second part of the red-flag-interrupted Medallia Superbike race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on Saturday as the other two front-row starters were nowhere to be seen.

A scary crash on the exit of turn two on the opening lap of the first start had taken out pole sitter Cameron Beaubier and Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen. Prior to the restart, Richie Escalante – the third fastest qualifier – had a brake issue and missed the sighting lap and was put to the back of the grid. Thus, a lonely Gagne was the only rider on the front row while the second row also lacked Petersen who, like Beaubier, was unable to make the restart.

But first things first. The crash. With Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Petersen nabbing the holeshot from the second row, he led the field through turn two and then highsided on the exit. Beaubier and the Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR had nowhere to go, and he slammed into Petersen’s crashed Yamaha YZF-R1 and also went down. At that point the race was stopped.

On the restart, Gagne wasn’t challenged, and he led every one of the 19 laps, eventually crossing the finish line 5.3 seconds clear of second place. The victory was the fifth of the year for the championship points leader and his Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha YZF-R1 and the 34^th of his career.

A battered and bruised Josh Herrin finished second on the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R, besting a fast-closing PJ Jacobsen on the Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR. The red flag cost Jacobsen any chance of a late-race attack on Herrin and he finished just .368 of a second behind the Ducati.

Considering he started from the back row of the grid, Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante continued to show that he’s a top-tier Superbike racer as he carved his way through the field to latch on to the back of the Jacobsen/Mathew Scholtz battle for third. When Scholtz crashed out of the race with two laps to go, Escalante inherited fourth place just hours after earning the first Superbike front-row starting spot of his career in the second qualifying session on Saturday morning. Scholtz’s crash in Rainey Curve brought out a second red flag and the race was called complete.

Escalante’s Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki teammate Brandon Paasch finished an impressive fifth in his debut on the factory Suzuki GSX-R1000R. It was also Paasch’s comeback ride after he suffered a broken back in an off-season motocross crash.

Wrench Motorcycles’ Bobby Fong ended up sixth with Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim seventh. Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Corey Alexander, Thrashed Bike Racing’s Max Flinders and Aftercare Scheibe Racing’s Ashton Yates completed the top 10.

Superbike Race One

1. Jake Gagne (Yamaha)

1. Josh Herrin (Ducati)

1. PJ Jacobsen (BMW)

1. Richie Escalante (Suzuki)

1. Brandon Paasch (Suzuki)

1. Bobby Fong (Yamaha)

1. Hayden Gillim (Suzuki)

1. Corey Alexander (BMW)

1. Max Flinders (Yamaha)

1. Ashton Yates (BMW)

Quotes…

Jake Gagne – Winner

“I had a feeling that it would be some carnage in today’s race, just because especially when Cam (Petersen) went down in the beginning I was shocked. Then both Cams (Petersen and Beaubier) are tumbling on the road. I kind of swerved, and I was just hoping nobody got… The worst thing to see is somebody sliding down the road in front of you. Obviously, I wasn’t surprised to get a red flag. I want to win races. I want to get points in the championship, but it sucks doing it like that. With Beaubier going out like that and Cam P., my teammate. So, I hope those guys are all right. Then after the restart. I just knew the wind is really chilly today. I knew from sitting on the grid before that crash even happened that the first couple laps, we had to be patient on those tires to get the heat in them. So, I was surprised, but I wasn’t surprised to see some of that carnage right in the beginning. We’re going to have to be patient on those tires with the cool breeze and sitting on the grid. So, I just tried to do that and build heat in these Dunlops. It seems like they get a little bit better after a couple laps. Just being patient. I was keeping an eye on my pit board. I knew Josh (Herrin) was behind me in the beginning. I could hear that Ducati roaring. I was just trying to be smooth. I think the big thing was trying to be easy on that front tire, because we’ve all been struggling with tearing a little bit on the front tire. It’s getting better throughout the weekend, but I tried to focus on just using different parts of the tire and I was happy with how that came in and happy with the team for helping me out and showing me what I need to do better, especially yesterday to today. So, good day and I’m looking forward to a good battle with those guys. Hopefully we can all keep it upright tomorrow and put in some good two races and put on a show for everyone.”

Josh Herrin – Second Place

“I think I ended up fourth and I was trying to go on the outside of Jake (Gagne) in, I call it one, but two, and then cross over to the inside right there where they went down. As I was starting to get on the throttle coming out of two, I decided I’m going to sneak back behind Jake because I wasn’t going to make it. I didn’t really see. I saw some movement, but I was focused a little bit further ahead on the track. As I was driving out of two picking it up to lean right a little bit, Jake just peeled off really quick to the left. Those guys were sliding right in front of me. I had nowhere to go. I kind of just checked up and got really lucky that they slid out of the way when they did. But it was pretty spooky because it’s like when you’re out on the freeway and somebody just peels off in front of you because there’s trash in the road and you’ve got nowhere to go. It was a really scary moment. I had a feeling they were going to red flag it. I was surprised that they waited as long as they did, just because it looks like they were in the middle of the track. It was a scary moment, for sure.”

PJ Jacobsen – Third Place

“It was a crazy race. It sucks for Cam P. and Cameron Beaubier, my teammate. Just that whole situation. Then after that it was weird. I was lining up on the grid and it was just so empty. So, it was kind of a strange race. I’m just a bit lucky to be up here. The other guys would have obviously been in this whole fight and stuff like that, but I guess at the end of the day it’s motorcycle racing. This morning, I completely totaled my bike. Destroyed it for the guys. So, I was really just disappointed in myself and for my side of the crew to put that back together. I was just going around not too happy this morning and it put me in a bad qualifying position for the race today. But the race was going pretty good. (Mathew) Scholtz passed me and at the end there I started to catch Josh (Herrin) and was trying to push with that two laps to go, or whatever. Unfortunately, the red flag came out because of Scholtz. I hope he’s okay. I’m just happy to be up here and be on the podium for the Tytlers Cycle Racing team.”

Cameron Beaubier (6) leads the way over Jake Gagne (1) and Cameron Petersen (45) off the start of Saturday’s Medallia Superbike race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The race was red-flagged when Petersen crashed and Beaubier struck his bike and also crashed. Photo by Brian J. Nelson

Jake Gagne (1) won his fifth race of the season on Saturday, besting Josh Herrin (2) by some five seconds. Photo by Brian J. Nelson

PJ Jacobsen (99) finished third with Richie Escalante (54) inheriting fourth when Mathew Scholtz (11) crashed out in the closing laps. Photo by Brian J. Nelson

(Left to right) Josh Herrin, Jake Gagne, Mike Canfield and PJ Jacobsen celebrate on the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca podium. Photo by Brian J. Nelson

Saturday photos available HERE

Saturday results:

MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike

Complete practice, qualifying and race results are available HERE .

Beaubier Does The Medallia Superbike Double At WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca

Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Cameron Beaubier had about as good of a Sunday as a person can have as he stormed to two MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike victories at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca a day after what was for him, a miserable Saturday.

Beaubier had similar battles in both of the Medallia Superbike races but with different foes. In race one, he hounded Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne for 15 of the 20 laps before making a pass and pulling away to a 2.423-second win over the defending two-time champion. Three hours later, Beaubier did it again only this time it was Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Josh Herrin leading until the very last lap only to get passed by Beaubier, who won his second race on the day – this time by .620 of a second.

Beaubier’s two wins were his fourth and fifth of the season and the 58^th and 59^th of his AMA Superbike career. The two wins came a day after he crashed out of race one on the opening lap after Cameron Petersen crashed in front of him, leaving him nowhere to go.

Herrin, who is still nursing the injuries suffered in his Q2 crash at Ridge Motorsports Park two weeks ago, was third and second in the two races on Sunday.

Gagne, the championship points leader, was second in race one and crossed the line second in race two, as well. However, he was given a two-second penalty for exceeding track limits and that penalty dropped him to third behind Herrin.

Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante continues to prove that he’s now a Medallia Superbike front runner as he scored two fourth-place finishes on Sunday, beating Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Petersen in both races by 7.9 and 1.4 seconds, respectively.

Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz had a weekend to forget as he finished sixth and eighth in the two Sunday races.

Tytlers Cycle Racing’s PJ Jacobsen couldn’t match his podium finish from Saturday on Sunday as mechanical problems knocked him out of race two prior to him finishing sixth in race three.

Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Brandon Paasch, meanwhile, had a weekend he will always remember as he concluded his factory Suzuki debut weekend with eighth- and seventh-place finishes a day after finishing fifth.

The third of the Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RRs was ridden to seventh and ninth in Sunday’s two races by Corey Alexander.

Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim had a busy day with two Superbike races and a Mission King Of The Baggers race and he was ninth and 10^th in the two Superbike races.

After five rounds and 11 races, Gagne and Beaubier each have five wins, but Gagne has a 34-point lead on his former teammate, 217-183. Herrin, with one victory on the year, is third with 178 points. Escalante and his 127 points are eight better than Scholtz, who slips to fifth in the championship points chase.

Superbike Race Two

1. Cameron Beaubier (BMW)

1. Jake Gagne (Yamaha)

1. Josh Herrin (Ducati)

1. Richie Escalante (Suzuki)

1. Cameron Petersen (Yamaha)

1. Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha)

1. Corey Alexander (BMW)

1. Brandon Paasch (Suzuki)

1. Hayden Gillim (Suzuki)

1. Max Flinders (Yamaha)

Superbike Race Three

1. Cameron Beaubier (BMW)

1. Josh Herrin (Ducati)

1. Jake Gagne (Yamaha)

1. Richie Escalante (Suzuki)

1. Cameron Petersen (Yamaha)

1. PJ Jacobsen (BMW)

1. Brandon Paasch (Suzuki)

1. Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha)

1. Corey Alexander (BMW)

1. Hayden Gillim (Suzuki)

Race Two Quotes

Cameron Beaubier – Winner

“I woke up pretty sore this morning, for sure, but it wasn’t too bad once I got riding. After the first few laps it was okay. But we destroyed a bike pretty good yesterday. The boys were here until 10:30, 11:00 making sure the second bike was ready to go. To be honest, coming into today I didn’t really know what to expect just because we made some good strides on that new frame and the new bike that we’ve been riding the last round. Went back to the other one, but it honestly felt really good. I felt like it absorbs some of the bumps that I was struggling with earlier in the weekend. So, hats off. Thank you so much to the Tytlers guys. They’ve been working their butts off all year and especially this weekend. There at the beginning I felt like I had some places I was stronger than Jake (Gagne), and then vice versa. He had some good spots too. I felt like they really made a good step on the brakes. It was pretty tough to get around him. I was trying to just be patient. There with five or six, I was struggling a little bit off the last corner compared to him and I felt like I finally got out of there pretty good one lap and I was able to sneak up the inside with the BMW power up over one and just tried to put my head down from there and see what happens. Felt really good. It’s hard to be too excited because I know we’ve got another one of these coming up in a couple hours, but I’m super happy and move on to the third race.”

Jake Gagne – Second Place

“The bike was about the same, but we made a couple little tweaks. I got off to a good start. Cam (Beaubier) threw it into one and it was a little wide, so I snuck it up in there. I knew especially Cam and Josh (Herrin), those guys have had incredible pace. All I could do was try to just not make mistakes and at least try to make it tough. I knew it was Cam behind me. I didn’t know if Josh was close exactly, but I could hear the Beemer behind me. Just tried to click off consistent laps and not leave the door open and hope that I could hold him off for a while. I can’t remember, five or six to go or something, he came by me on the front straight up over one and he just put his head down and I didn’t have anything to run that pace. Low 23s there at the end would have been really, really tricky for me. So, I think we learned a lot. We could see some areas where Cameron was really rolling and doing a good job. So, we’ll see. We got a couple hours here. We’ll see if we can maybe try a couple things. I think as we’ve seen it’s just going to be even tighter of a race this afternoon.”

Josh Herrin – Third Place

“I wanted to try to catch those guys. I keep thinking about earlier in the year. I don’t know if it’s tires on the Ducati or fitness, or something comes into play middle of the race today where I’m able to kind of get a little bit on them. So, I didn’t want to give up. Obviously, normally you never want to give up, but especially this year I have felt good in the second half of the race. So, I just wanted to make sure I kept plugging away in case I was able to get them to come back. It seemed like for a little while I was a tenth here, two tenths here maybe catching up. So, just wanted to get as close as I could just in case I got an opportunity at the end. Also, then I saw Richie (Escalante) behind me, so that definitely scared me into going a little bit faster. I’m just starting to get really comfortable on this thing. It seems like every weekend I get a little bit stronger in the second race, so I’m glad we got three this time. I feel like I can capitalize on that. I’m just having fun on the bike and really enjoying spinning laps out there. The beginning of the weekend it wasn’t going so well for me. I wasn’t feeling comfortable. Today in the race I felt really good. Just having a lot of fun and trying to plug as many laps away as I can and get as much confidence as I can for race three.”

Race Three Quotes

Cameron Beaubier – Winner

“They were both tough in their own way. I think this afternoon I was struggling more than I did earlier today. I felt like when I could put my head down earlier today my bike was working really good and I felt hooked up. Here this afternoon, I felt like every time I tried to put my head down, even when Josh (Herrin) would pull me in a little bit and I would try to get back to him in the next section, the rear end would come around on the entry. That’s not very confidence inspiring. Especially down Rainey, the rear end was coming around and I hadn’t really had that all weekend, other than when the track was really green. I’m not sure why. I think obviously that’s the hottest the track temp has been for us all week, so maybe that’s a little bit has to do with it. Anyway, Josh rode incredible. He was so good on the brakes. I was kind of like earlier today, I was sniffing here and there, but I couldn’t really commit to anything. I saw his tire starting to shred and I was able to get out of the second-to-last corner before the last corner a little bit better than him. So, I was trying to make that work where he passed me earlier in the race. After that, I just put my head down. I saw my gap just shrinking. I knew Jake (Gagne) was coming and I really didn’t want to be in second with Jake behind me going into the last lap. So, today was an amazing day. After a really tough day yesterday, and just shout out to the Tytlers guys. Good to wrap it up good here.”

Josh Herrin – Second Place

“I knew he (Beaubier) had pace on me. Whenever he passed me earlier in the race, maybe four to go or something, I saw he had the pace. I knew if I wanted to win the race, I had to just get back by him and make a dogfight out of it. I kind of had a feeling that he didn’t want to risk Jake (Gagne) getting by both of us, if he had to keep battling. So, in my head I was thinking, ‘all right, he’s probably going to wait until the last lap and try to make a move.’ I was thinking in the three, four section, because I was pretty slow there. I could hear him every time coming up on me. With five to go, I was trying – like I talked about yesterday, trying third instead of second in four, but I just couldn’t make it work. Second was too slow mid-corner. He was getting me mid-corner. I just had nothing for him. So, I tried my hardest and made a huge mistake out of four. That’s when (Jake) Gagne got by me. I was worried that Richie (Escalante) was right there. I didn’t know how close anybody else was, so I just put my head down and tried my hardest to get back up to Jake, but I couldn’t do it. That was one of the funnest races that I’ve had in a long time. I was pumped to get to lead. I knew my pace wasn’t super good. I figured maybe they were battling behind me or something, but I was really happy. I’m happy with how the weekend turned out. Getting on the podium all three times, I’m stoked on that. Getting more and more comfortable on the V4. Hopefully Brainerd treats us well and we can keep fighting for the lead. We made a little bit up on Jake today, but not much, and we didn’t earn it the right way, but I’ll take it. I’ve won a championship like that before where (Josh) Hayes made a bunch of jump starts. Sometimes that’s what you got to do. I think (Ben) Bostrom won a championship in the early 2000s and he didn’t win one race. Just got to be consistent and keep trying.”

Cameron Beaubier (6) got the jump on the Medallia Superbike pack in the third of three races at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on Sunday on the Monterey Peninsula. Photo by Brian J. Nelson

Cameron Beaubier (6) was perfect on Sunday, winning both races. Josh Herrin (2) was third and second in the two races. Photo by Brian J. Nelson

Richie Escalante (54) had a stellar weekend in Monterey, with two fourths and a fifth in the three races. Here he battles Cameron Petersen (45) in race three. Photo by Brian J. Nelson

Cameron Beaubier (6) led Jake Gagne (1) across the finish line in race three, but Gagne was penalized two seconds for exceeding track limits and was dropped to third behind Josh Herrin (2). Photo by Brian J. Nelson

Sunday photos available HERE

Sunday results:

MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike

Complete practice, qualifying and race results are available HERE .

Wyman Bounces Back With Mission King Of The Baggers Win

A day after their synchronized crashing from the day before in the Mission King Of The Baggers on Saturday, the protagonists in the class were back at it on Sunday and this time H-D Screamin’ Eagle’s Kyle Wyman made amends by winning the second of the two races at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on a sunny Sunday on the Monterey Peninsula.

Mission King Of The Baggers – Wyman Bounces Back

Mission King Of The Baggers (KOTB) is a one make versus one make championship: Harley-Davidson versus Indian Motorcycles. But on Sunday at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, “The Motor Company” as they colloquially refer to Harley-Davidson, swept the podium in KOTB race two.

H-D Screamin’ Eagle factory rider Kyle Wyman got the victory, and he was hounded by Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson’s James Rispoli, who got balked by a lapped rider on the final run to the checkers, and it thwarted his last-turn effort. Finishing third was Rispoli’s teammate Hayden Gillim, who won Saturday’s race one.

“Today, I tried to pull the trigger the last few laps,” Wyman said. “I thought I had a bit of a gap, but we caught a lapper in turn 11 on the last lap. It feels good to get a win today. We all want to win. We all have, maybe, a little bit different approach in trying to do it. Today, fortunately, I was able to do it my way, which is control the pace and try to manage and see if I can dig a little deeper in the end.”

REV’IT! Twins Cup – Rodio Answers

REV’IT! Twins Cup race two was a tale of two teammates, and it was the best of times for one of them and the worst of times for the other. Race one winner Rocco Landers was at the front aboard his Robem Engineering Aprilia and looked to be headed for another victory, but he made a mistake and crashed out unhurt, which handed the lead to Gus Rodio who is sponsored by Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering but is technically on the same team as Landers.

For Rodio, who hadn’t won since Daytona, he gladly took the win and also took over the championship lead by just three points over defending class champ Blake Davis. Speaking of Davis, he finished third in Sunday’s REV’IT! Twins Cup race two aboard his N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto Yamaha YZF-R7.

“I got a really good start and then I ran wide in turn five,” Rodio said. “That corner seems to get me every time I come here. That’s where I threw the lead away last year in the Junior Cup. So, once I ran wide, I knew to just stand it up and try and get back on the track because that green, you keep the lean angle and that’s how I crashed last year. Got back on the track. Was surprised to only have fallen back to third. I knew I had to get around Blake and then just put the pressure on Rocco. He’s my teammate and I know his plan. I just tried to keep the pressure there. I don’t think that’s why he crashed. I think there was a lot going on in that corner with the yellow flag and a rider that had just gone down. So, there’s no telling what happened there. It definitely helped to be right on him and kind of like a cat and mouse. He would stretch it in a sector, and I’d close it in a sector. I’m really happy with the race. Disappointed that he went down. Hopefully he’s all right.

“When I hopped on the Aprilia at Daytona, I just really felt like one with the bike. It reminds me a lot of my supermoto, and I love that thing a lot. The last couple rounds, I just didn’t feel very connected with the bike. I came here and right off the bat it feels like my bike again and I feel like I’m one with the machine. I just had a lot of fun this weekend and it seems the results come with that. So, I’m just going to keep having fun and keep chipping away.”

Mission Super Hooligan National Championship – McWilliams Again

The Mission Super Hooligan National Championship had two feature races at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, and venerable Ulsterman Jeremy McWilliams did the double by winning both races. On Sunday, he battled again with his Indian Motorcycle/Progressive/Mission Foods teammate and defending class champ Tyler O’Hara, taking the checkered flag by just a little more than one-and-a-half seconds over O’Hara.

Thus far in the championship, O’Hara has won three races and McWilliams has won two, but the pair are now in a deadlock for the title with 106 points apiece. Meanwhile, DiBrino Racing KTM rider Andy DiBrino, who finished third in Sunday’s race to round out the podium, is just 16 points behind in the point standings.

“We’ve been fastest in every session (this weekend),” McWilliams said. “I think maybe that was a lap record on the last lap. I could just see plus zero, plus zero. I could see the back markers were approaching. The problem is here that you get a trip-up with the back markers, as I believe happened to him maybe going onto the last lap. It’s so tight at the Corkscrew that you get tripped up and unfortunately your lap just goes away. So, I did need to be at the front so I could try to control the back markers. That was the plan. Even if I got passed, whether it was Andy or my teammate, I had to be able to get back past again as soon as possible. I wasn’t fast everywhere. I wasn’t as strong in some parts of the track as Tyler, and I kind of knew that. Which would make it very difficult to make a pass again because I think Tyler could have gapped me quite easily. Then I would have had to fight really hard to get back at him. But I needed the points and I needed to do this for our guys that are working so hard. They didn’t get back last night until 12:00 or something yesterday evening, and they’re up at 5:00 every morning. They’re not getting any time to relax and it’s hard on them, so we’ve got to repay that with the best results we can give them. We’ve got the hardest-working team and we’ve got a factory behind us.”

Kyle Wyman (33) bounced back from his crash on Saturday to win Sunday’s Mission King Of The Baggers race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Photo by Brian J. Nelson

Gus Rodio won the REV’IT! Twins Cup race on Sunday at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Photo by Brian J. Nelson

Jeremy McWilliams (99) and Stefano Mesa (137) lead the Mission Super Hooligan National Championship race over turn one. McWilliams would go on to take his second straight class victory on Sunday. Photo by Brian J. Nelson

Sunday photos available HERE

Sunday results:

Mission Super Hooligan National Championship

REV’IT! Twins Cup

Mission King Of The Baggers

Complete practice, qualifying and race results are available HERE .

RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING’S TOM VIALLE CAPTURES FIRST PRO MOTOCROSS VICTORY AT SOUTHWICK

SOUTHWICK, Mass. – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle raced his way to the top step of the 250MX podium at Round 6 of the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship in the sands of Southwick today, with teammate Maximus Vohland finishing seventh overall. 450MX front-runner Aaron Plessinger claimed consistent fourth-place moto finishes for P4 overall.

Two-time MX2 World Champion Vialle posted the sixth fastest time in the morning’s combined qualifying sessions, quickly coming to grips with the iconic sands of The Wick 338 circuit. A strong start in the first moto saw the Frenchman sit in P2, putting pressure on the leader and taking charge by the halfway mark. From there, Vialle would post a calculated ride to take a maiden Pro Motocross race win.

Moto two saw Vialle power his KTM 250 SX-F to the all-important holeshot, putting himself in a great position from the outset. Engaged in a race-long battle, the 22-year-old newcomer to U.S. competition would fight hard for third, which is where he finished, and that was enough to land his first-career Pro Motocross round victory. He’s currently seventh in the 250MX Championship as the series enters its second half.

Tom Vialle: “It means a lot to get my first national win! I’ve had a few tough races, so to get on the podium with an overall win is nice, as it’s been challenging to get a good feeling at all of these new circuits. I feel like we are making great progress and we’re in a good position for the rest of the season. The track here was nice, way different to Lommel and places like that, but it felt good to be back in sandy conditions, and I’m looking forward now to next weekend in Millville.”

Meanwhile, Vohland shadowed Vialle in qualifying with the seventh quickest lap-time, before posting a consistent 8-6 moto scorecard for seventh overall. That continued his string of top 10 finishes and he has managed to maintain eighth place in the standings with five rounds to go.

Maximus Vohland: “To finish inside the top 10 in qualifying and both motos showed we were consistent and the final moto result was an improvement. Myself and the team will keep putting in the work together in these middle stages of the season and I’m looking forward to getting to Millville now!”

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450MX entry Plessinger entered the Southwick National nursing a tweaked back, with the Ohio native showing heart as he worked his way to ninth position in qualifying. From there, he rode his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to a pair of fourth-place finishes, which landed him P4 overall and he’s now third in the championship standings.

Aaron Plessinger: “Yeah, man! 4-4 on the day for Southwick – it’s alright, can’t be mad at it. I felt solid all day, the first moto I struggled with comfort a little bit, and then for the second moto we made really good changes, but I just struggled a little bit with my body in that one. Super-rough track today – it was a hot one out here – but my back is slowly improving, so the aim is to land on the podium again at Spring Creek next weekend.”

Next Race: July 15 – Millville, Minnesota

Results 450MX Class – Southwick National 1. Jett Lawrence (AUS), Honda, 1-1 2. Chase Sexton (USA), Honda, 2-2 3. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA), Yamaha, 3-3 4. Aaron Plessinger (USA), KTM, 4-4 OTHER KTM 20. Karel Kutsar (EST), KTM 25. Kevin Moranz (USA), KTM 26. Jeffrey Walker (USA), KTM 30. Trevor Schmidt (USA), KTM 31. Dawson Draycott (USA), KTM 32. Max Miller (USA), KTM 36. Brandon Scarer (USA), KTM 38. Kristopher Corey (USA), KTM 43. Christopher Prebula (USA), KTM

Results 250MX Class – Southwick National 1. Tom Vialle (FRA), KTM, 1-3 2. Justin Cooper (USA), Yamaha, 2-2 3. Jo Shimoda (JPN), Kawasaki, 6-1 OTHER KTM 7. Maximus Vohland (USA), KTM, 8-6 15. Jimmy Decotis (USA), KTM 17. Slade Smith (RSA), KTM 20. Matti Jorgensen (DEN), KTM 21. Lux Turner (USA), KTM 23. Derek Kelley (USA), KTM 25. Cody Williams (USA), KTM 26. Kyle Murdoch (USA), KTM 27. Marcus Phelps (USA), KTM 29. Jack Zarse (USA), KTM 30. Lawrence Fortin III (USA), KTM 32. Hunter Cross (USA), KTM 37. Andrew Rossi (USA), KTM

Standings 450MX Class 2023 after 6 of 11 rounds 1. Jett Lawrence, 300 points 2. Dylan Ferrandis, 233 3. Aaron Plessinger, 210 OTHER KTM 5. Cooper Webb, 147 31. Dante Oliveira, 15 33. Max Miller, 13 34. Christopher Prebula, 12 35. Tyler Stepek, 11 36. Brandon Scharer, 7 38. Trevor Schmidt, 4 52. Jeffrey Walker, 1

Standings 250MX Class 2023 after 6 of 11 rounds 1. Haiden Deegan, 218 points 2. Hunter Lawrence, 213 3. RJ Hampshire, 205 OTHER KTM 7. Tom Vialle, 179 8. Maximus Vohland, 165 21. Derek Kelley, 29 22. Slade Smith, 28 29. Jimmy Decotis, 13 32. Lux Turner, 7 34. Matti Jorgensen, 7 38. Josh Varize, 4 41. Marcus Phelps, 2

DOMINANT DAY FOR KODY KOPP AND RED BULL KTM AT ORANGE COUNTY HALF-MILE

MIDDLETOWN, N. Y. – It was a dominant performance from Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Kody Kopp at Round 12 of the 2023 American Flat Track Championship, topping all sessions and securing a sixth AFT Singles Main Event victory this season at the Orange County Half-Mile.

Defending AFT Singles class champion Kopp was fast as soon as the wheels hit the dirt in New York, with the number one plate-holder setting the fastest combined time in qualifying. Carrying that momentum into the opening Heat race of the event, Kopp pieced together a strong ride that saw him cross the line with a four-second margin over second place.

An entry into the Dash-For-Cash was the award by after that Heat race win, where Kopp was again the first to greet the checkered flag. In the Main Event, the 18-year-old would charge from a three-second deficit at one point to wrap up a stellar day of racing and secure his third win in succession. He now has a commanding 47-point lead in the standings.

Kody Kopp: “Notched pretty much the perfect day of racing here in New York – managed to top qualifying, won the heat race, won the Dash, and then was able to get the win in the Main Event. The win didn’t come easy this weekend though, we had to fight from being way back and, I think at one point I was three seconds down, but dug deep for that one. The goal was to keep the winning streak going and show we’re here to fight for this championship. That’s win number six for me this year, so we’ll go back to work and be back for New Jersey, hungry for more.”

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Whale posted the fifth-fastest time in qualifying, before racing to a fourth-place finish in the second Heat race of the night. The Australian would then experience a first turn fall in the Main Event, and struggle to completely come to grips with the track surface as the laps clicked off, restarting to finish in 18th place.

Max Whale: “The day started off decent for me, felt good in practice and qualifying, even though this was a very challenging circuit to ride. I struggled as the day went on with the track drying out, and then rode average in the Heat race. That meant I had a second row start for the main, but then went down by myself in the first turn, and just struggled here in a big way. We’ll need to regroup and come back for the next one.”

Next Race: Bridgeport Half-Mile – Swedesboro, NJ – July 22, 2023

Round 12 Results

AFT Singles Main Event 1. Kody Kopp, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 2. Chase Saathoff, Honda 3. Tom Drane, Yamaha OTHER KTM 7. Dalton Gauthier, KTM 10. Travis Petton IV, KTM 12. Shayna Texter-Bauman, KTM 16. Logan Eisenhard, KTM 17. Declan Bender, KTM 18. Max Whale, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

2023 AFT Singles Point Standings 1. Kody Kopp, 241 points 2. Chase Saathoff, 194 3. Trevor Brunner, 187 OTHER KTM 6. Dalton Gauthier, 179 7. Max Whale, 178 11. Travis Petton IV, 69 12. Shayna Texter-Bauman, 59 18. Hunter Bauer, 49 19. Logan Eisenhard, 40 23. Declan Bender, 21 24. Hayden Gillim, 14 25. Landen Smith, 13 27. Clarke Morian V, 12 29. Tanner Dean, 9 33. Olin Kissler, 4

Jett Lawrence Stays Perfect Halfway Through 2023 Pro Motocross Championship to Collect Sixth Win of Season at Southwick

The 2023 Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, reached its halfway point on Saturday with its annual foray to the motocross hotbed of New England. The 42nd running of the Crestview Construction Southwick National presented the most challenging test of the season thus far, where high temperatures and humidity combined with the demanding sand track of legendary The Wick 338 resulted in a grueling afternoon of racing. The perfect season by 450 Class rookie Jett Lawrence continued with another dominant outing by the Team Honda HRC rider, who went 1-1 yet again for his sixth straight victory, while two-time MX2 World Champion Tom Vialle emerged with his first win in U.S. competition in the 250 Class.

Moto 1

It was the Team Honda HRC duo of Chase Sexton and Lawrence leading the field into the first turn to start Moto 1, as Sexton stormed to the MotoSport.com Holeshot only to be passed by Lawrence by the time they reached the second turn. Both riders dropped the hammer to open a gap on the field while Lawrence moved out nearly two seconds ahead of his teammate. Behind them, Sport Clips/Beachview Treatment/HBI Racing Kawasaki’s Ty Masterpool settled into third ahead of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis.

As the lead pair checked out on the field an exciting battle for third unfolded amongst Masterpool, Plessinger and Ferrandis. The Yamaha-mounted Frenchman found himself in an opportunistic position and was able to slip past Plessinger as he pressured Masterpool. Ferrandis then set his sights on Masterpool for third. The privateer racer didn’t flinch and made the former series champion go to work. After a persistent attack Ferrandis finally got the upper hand and took control of third, leaving Masterpool and Plessinger to battle it out for fourth.

Near the halfway point of the moto Sexton had chipped away at the deficit to Lawrence and moved within striking distance of his teammate. However, Lawrence picked up the pace again and built the lead back out to more than four seconds.

Lawrence continued to add to his lead through the remainder of the moto and rode to his 11th straight moto win with ease, crossing the finish line seven seconds ahead of Sexton, who was never pressured en route to second, while Ferrandis finished a distant third. Plessinger was fourth, while Masterpool rounded out the top five.

Jett Lawrence remains perfect halfway through the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship. Photo: Align Media

Moto 2

The final moto got underway with the Yamaha of Ferrandis leading the field out of the first turn for the MotoSport.com Holeshot, but he was quickly overcome by Lawrence who proceeded to sprint out to an early lead. Plessinger slotted into third, with Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo and Sexton in tow.

While Lawrence took advantage of the clear track it was Sexton who was making moves as he got around Cianciarulo for fourth and then made quick work of Plessinger to take over third. It didn’t take long for him to close in on Ferrandis for second as the lead trio checked out on the rest of the field. Ten minutes into the moto less than 3.5 seconds separated the top three and that’s when Sexton made his move on Ferrandis to grab second.

Sexton was able to gain a few tenths on Lawrence initially, but the Aussie’s advantage grew over the second half of the moto. The lead surpassed double digits in the closing minutes and grew to nearly 20 seconds before he backed down the pace. As has been the case for much of the season, Lawrence led every lap of action across both motos and wrapped up another perfect afternoon 14.7 seconds ahead of Sexton, with Ferrandis well back in third.

Chase Sexton earned his second runner-up finish of the season (2-2). Photo: Align Media

Overall

Another 1-1 effort gave Lawrence his sixth consecutive overall win and further extended the record start to his 450 Class career. He now sits tied with both Sexton and Ferrandis as the winningest active riders in the division and has led every lap in five of six rounds this season. Sexton earned an assertive runner-up effort (2-2) for his third podium result in three starts, while Ferrandis rounded out the top three overall in third (3-3) with his fourth podium of the summer.

Lawrence’s lead in the championship standings now sits at 67 points over Ferrandis, while Plessinger, who finished fourth (4-4), is third, 90 points out of the lead.

Dylan Ferrandis landed on the overall podium for the fourth time (3-3). Photo: Align Media

Jett Lawrence, Team Honda HRC “I didn’t enjoy that one bit. That was a brutal track, the most brutal track I’ve ridden. It was just survival out there. My legs are shaking right now and I’m really tired, but that’s 12 wins in a row now which is awesome.”

Chase Sexton, Team Honda HRC “Speed is not a problem. I just wasn’t flowing halfway through the [second] moto. I need to keep working on getting back to [the level] where I was last year. Just gotta keep climbing the ladder.”

Dylan Ferrandis, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing “We’ve been pushing really hard in practice and training [during the week] and it’s paying off. Today was just tough. I did all I could to keep up with Jett [Lawrence] but it was a long moto. We’ll keep working and try to be better next week.”

450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish // Points)

1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (1-1 // 50)

1. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda (2-2, 44)

1. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha (3-3 // 40)

1. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (4-4 // 36)

1. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha (10-5 // 27)

1. Jose Butron, Cadiz, Spain, GASGAS (9-6 // 27)

1. Chris Canning, Coventry, Conn., GASGAS (8-7 // 27)

1. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (7-8 // 27)

1. Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki (5-10 // 27)

1. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki (6-14 // 22)

450 Class Championship Standings (Round 6 of 11)

1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 300

1. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha – 233

1. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 210

1. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 176

1. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM – 147

1. Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki – 134

1. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda – 130

1. Fredrik Noren, Lidköping, Sweden, Suzuki – 124

1. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha – 118

1. Lorenzo Locurcio, Valencia, Venezuela, GASGAS – 110

Moto 1

The opening moto started with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper leading the way for the MotoSport.com Holeshot just ahead of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jalek Swoll and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker. Cooper withstood an early pass attempt by Swoll to hold onto the lead the sprint away, while both Swoll and Hammaker were bypassed by a hard-charging Vialle aboard his KTM. Behind the leaders, the top two riders in the championship, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan and Team Honda HRC mounted point leader Hunter Lawrence, started in eighth and ninth, respectively.

Cooper and Vialle were able to open a gap on the rest of the field and assert themselves at the front of the pack. Cooper comfortably maintained his hold of the top spot, but the Frenchman kept him honest. Meanwhile, Hammaker moved around Swoll into third. Further back, Lawrence made the pass on Deegan and soon broke into the top five while Deegan remained mired in ninth.

At the turn of the moto’s halfway point a three-rider battle emerged for third between Hammaker, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire, and Lawrence. With pressure from behind, Hampshire was aggressive and hounded Hammaker. He successfully squeezed under his Kawasaki rival to take the position, which led to another battle between Hammaker and Lawrence, from which Lawrence prevailed in fourth as Hammaker endured a quick tip over.

The gap between the lead pair was slowly shrinking as the final five minutes of the moto approached but things changed dramatically when Cooper tipped over and gave up the lead to Vialle. The Yamaha rider remounted and continued on without any additional positions lost but faced a near seven-second gap to Vialle when he resumed. Further back, the battle in the championship got more interesting as Deegan was able to claw his way into the top five and started to close in on Lawrence. The Honda rider responded and opened the gap back up until his bike appeared to expire with two laps to go and forced Lawrence to retire.

Back up front Vialle cruised to his first career moto win on U.S. soil and took the checkered flag 17.4 seconds ahead of Cooper, who soldiered home in second, while Hampshire followed in third. Deegan finished fourth following Lawrence’s misfortune as Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Levi Kitchen grabbed fifth.

Two-time World Champion Tom Vialle is now a winner in American motocross competition. Photo: Align Media

Moto 2

Vialle picked up where he left off with a stellar start in the final moto for the MotoSport.com Holeshot, followed closely by Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Jo Shimoda and his teammate Hammaker. Cooper started fifth, with Deegan ninth and Lawrence just inside the top 15.

A clear track allowed Vialle to settle into the lead and Shimoda into second, maintaining an advantage of just over a second. Hammaker did the same in third, but Cooper lurked in fourth. A little deeper in the running order Lawrence broke into the top 10 while Deegan went in the opposite direction and fell back behind Lawrence. Back up front, Shimoda appeared to be faster than Vialle but showed patience and waited for his opportunity to arise. Once it did, he pulled the trigger and made the pass stick to take control of the moto with 18 minutes to go.

Behind the leaders Cooper made his move for third after spending half the moto behind Hammaker, moving into a podium spot with relative ease. As the moto wound down Cooper’s forward progression continued. He started to chip away at the deficit to Vialle and soon found himself within striking distance. With just over five minutes to go Cooper was able to make the pass for second and then looked to erase the 3.7 second gap to Shimoda out front. Meanwhile, Vialle was forced to contend with Hampshire from fourth, a battle that put the overall win in the balance.

As time was about to run out on the moto Cooper had closed in on Shimoda to challenge for the lead, but he tucked the front end and went down. That allowed Shimoda to slip away and while he remounted quickly, Cooper resumed right in front of Vialle, with Hampshire right behind.

Shimoda prevailed with his first moto win of the season, finishing four seconds ahead of Cooper, while Vialle kept Hampshire at bay for third. Further back, Lawrence rebounded from his Moto 1 heartbreak to finish eighth, while Deegan settled for 10th after a late tip over.

Justin Cooper overcame a pair of tip overs to finish in the runner-up spot (2-2). Photo: Align Media

Overall

Vialle’s consistent 1-3 moto finishes were enough to land him atop the overall podium for the first time here in the States in just his sixth Pro Motocross start and makes it back-to-back first-time winners this season. He’s the latest World Champion to make the full-time move to America and achieve success, following in the footsteps of the likes of fellow Frenchman Marvin Musquin and German Ken Roczen. Vialle is the 91st different winner in 250 Class history.

Cooper narrowly missed out on his first win of the year in second (2-2), while Shimoda’s second moto victory vaulted him to his first overall podium result of the season in third (6-1).

With the mixed fortunes of Lawrence and Deegan the championship standings saw a dramatic shakeup with five rounds remaining. Deegan’s sixth-place finish (4-10) was enough to put him atop the 250 Class standings for the first time, where he now holds a five-point lead over Lawrence, who finished 13th (26-8). Hampshire’s fourth place finish (3-4) moved him to within 13 points of the lead in third.

Jo Shimoda earned his first overall podium result of the season in third (6-1). Photo: Align Media

Tom Vialle, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing “It was a tough one today. I’ve been trying so hard [all season]. I felt really comfortable today and we were able to get the win. It took some time to get here [on top of the podium] but I’m just so happy we were able to achieve this. It’s been so much fun.”

Justin Cooper, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing “I’m pretty wasted right now. I’m very tired. I gave it everything. I had to. I was riding a bit over my head [in Moto 2] and pushed it a little too hard [to catch Shimoda]. The way this track is, it’ll bite you quick. We’ll keep pushing and got good points, so an awesome day for us.”

Jo Shimoda, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki “I’m not really sure what was different today. For sure a better start [in Moto 2]. All year I’ve been struggling but today it finally worked out. I’m just so happy to finally get on the podium.”

250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)

1. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM (1-3 // 45)

1. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (2-2 // 44)

1. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki (6-1 // 40)

1. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna (3-4 // 38)

1. Seth Hammaker, Bainbridge, Pa., Kawasaki (7-5 // 30)

1. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (4-10 // 29)

1. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM (8-6 // 28)

1. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha (5-9 // 28)

1. Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Husqvarna (11-7 // 24)

1. Caden Braswell, Shalimar, Fla., GASGAS (9-11 // 22)

250 Class Championship Standings (Round 6 of 11)

1. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 218

1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 213

1. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna – 205

1. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki – 198

1. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 196

1. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha – 182

1. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM – 179

1. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM – 165

1. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki – 122

1. Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Husqvarna – 110

he second half of the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship will begin next weekend with a visit to the Land of 10,000 Lakes in Minnesota for another challenge at Millville’s famed Spring Creek MX Park. The FXR Spring Creek National, presented by Frescados Tortillas, will take place on Saturday, July 15, for the seventh round of the summer campaign. A total of 4.5 hours of uninterrupted moto coverage from Spring Creek will be streamed live on Peacock and will kick off with Race Day Live, presented by MotoSport.com, at 8 a.m. PT / 11 a.m. ET, followed by race coverage beginning at 11 a.m. PT / 2 p.m. ET. An encore presentation will air on USA Network on Sunday, July 16, at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET.

Continued Dominance for Jett Lawrence at The Wick 338 MX

As the 2023 AMA Pro Motocross series cleared its midway point in the grueling heat and challenging sand of Southwick, Massachusetts, Jett Lawrence’s incredible year continued unabated, with the 19-year-old Australian once again leading every lap of both motos aboard his Team Honda HRC CRF450RWE. Lawrence’s rookie success is unprecedented, as he has won all 12 motos run thus far. In his second race back from a three-race absence due to a concussion, Chase Sexton improved his performance by one position compared to last week, notching 2-2 moto finishes for second overall, good enough to advance him three positions in the title chase, to seventh. The 250 class proceedings proved more challenging for the team, as Hunter Lawrence suffered a technical issue that brought a premature end to his first moto. A poor moto 2 start left him battling through the pack to eventually finish eighth, for 13th overall.

In the first 450 moto, Sexton led the pack out of turn 1, but Jett moved by in the next corner. The teammates stayed in those positions from then on, with Sexton pulling a 25-second advantage over third place 18 minutes in. At the finish, Jett was seven seconds ahead of his teammate, who in turn was 46 seconds up on the other podium finisher. Jett and Sexton were second and fifth after the moto 2 start, and they were first and fourth after completing lap 1. Sexton was up to third a lap later, and he dispatched the second-place rider on lap 5. At the finish, Jett won with a 14-second advantage, and Sexton was a further 38 seconds up on third place.

The first 250 moto saw Hunter exit turn 1 in ninth place, but he advanced to the top five by lap 4. He was up to fourth three laps later, but with two laps left, he pulled off the track with a mechanical issue. Hampered by a poor gate pick for the second outing, Hunter was mired in 17th place after the first corner. He was up to 11th after the first lap, and to eighth by the midway point. With his vision affected by roost and rain, that’s as high as the Australian would climb, and he settled for 13th overall, determined to reverse the momentum next week in Minnesota.

NOTES

- MOMS Motorsports, a dealership in Northampton, Connecticut, set up a pop-up activation booth in the Team Honda HRC pits, where they engaged with fans and customers.

- Jett Lawrence once again notched the fastest 450 time in morning qualifying, by over 2 seconds. Sexton was comfortably in second, while Hunter was third-quickest in the 250 class.

- Similarly, Jett posted the fastest lap time in the first 450 moto, with Sexton second-quickest. The third-fastest rider had a best time that was nearly 3 seconds slower than Sexton’s. In moto 2, it was Sexton who posted the fastest lap time, with Jett second-best.

- With this weekend’s success, Jett extended Honda’s leads atop the most-overall-wins list and most-moto-wins list at Southwick, to 15 and 30, respectively. Other Red Riders to have taken overall wins at the venue include Pierre Karsmakers, Marty Smith, Donnie Hansen, Rick Johnson (twice), Jeff Stanton (four times), Jeremy McGrath, Ezra Lusk and Ricky Carmichael (three times).

- Jett extends his winning streak this season, now up to 12 moto wins and 6 overall wins. This was Jett’s second victory at Southwick, as last year saw him go 1-1 in the 250 class. Hunter scored his career-first overall win in 2021, also winning both motos in the same division.

- Southwick marked the fifth time in six rounds that Jett has led every lap in both 450 motos. Only at High Point did anyone else lead a lap, although Jett still won both motos.

- Jett continues to capture maximum points, now leading the 450 class with 300 points, 67 clear of second place. Chase climbs up to seventh in the standings, despite only participating in half the races to this point. Hunter is now in second place in the 250 class, 5 points back from the leader.

- Both Jett and Sexton participated in the post-race press conference.

- Team Honda HRC now heads to Minnesota next Saturday for the Spring Creek National.

MONSTER ENERGY®/PRO CIRCUIT/KAWASAKI RIDER JO SHIMODA BRINGS HOME A MOTO WIN AND OVERALL PODIUM FINISH AT ROUND 6 OF THE AMA PRO MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP

This Week in Powersports Racing – The week of June 18, 2023

News and stories from Powersports racing in the United States.

Jett Lawrence Remains Undefeated in 2023 Pro Motocross Championship with Fourth Consecutive Win at High Point

Famed High Point Raceway hosted the East Coast debut of the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, on Saturday, which featured the sport’s own unique Father’s Day celebration at the GEICO Motorcycles High Point National. The 46th running of the legendary event welcomed its largest crowd ever as rain on Friday coupled with dense morning cloud cover resulted in wet conditions that continued to evolve as sunshine emerged and started to dry out the racing surface. The most competitive afternoon of racing of the young season ended with the same result, as Australia’s Lawrence brothers both stood atop the overall podium for the fourth time to remain unbeaten and continue the dominance by Team Honda HRC, as Jett Lawrence remained perfect in the 450 Class and Hunter Lawrence continued his unbeaten streak in the 250 Class.

Moto 1

The first moto of the day began with Jett Lawrence out front for his sixth MotoSport.comHoleshot ahead of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Cooper Webb and Muc-Off/FXR/ClubMX Yamaha’s Garrett Marchbanks. Behind them, Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen, making his first start of the season, slotted into fourth but made several quick moves on the opening lap to claw his way up to second.

Lawrence’s lead was three seconds at the completion of the opening lap, but Roczen went to work on chipping away at the deficit. While the German veteran was able to keep the Aussie upstart honest, Lawrence comfortably maintained the advantage until the halfway point of the moto. Roczen closed to within 1.5 seconds and as Lawrence looked to respond he tucked his front end on a downhill and went down. That allowed Roczen to take control of the moto and Marchbanks to move up into second as Lawrence remounted in third. With Roczen out front, it marked the first time this season that a rider other than Lawrence led a lap.

Lawrence went into rebound mode and was able to wrangle second from Marchbanks. At that point, with about a dozen minutes left in the moto, Roczen and Lawrence were separated by 5.1 seconds. Lawrence rode consistent, clean laps to close back in on the Suzuki and with six minutes to go the lead pair was separated by less than a second. Lawrence was patient and was able to reclaim the lead, but Roczen countered to put himself up front again. The Honda rider mounted another attack about a half lap later and secured the top spot for a third time. The battle was poised to continue with two laps to go, but Roczen tucked his front end and went down. He got back up quickly, but needed an extended period of time to get his Suzuki restarted, which cost him multiple positions on the track. He eventually resumed in seventh.

With the pressure gone, Lawrence cruised home to his seventh moto win in a row, which established a new record to open a 450 Class career. He took the checkered flag 26.2 seconds ahead of Marchbanks, who earned a career-best finish in second, while Webb rounded out the moto podium in third. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo was fourth, followed by Sport Clips/Beachview Treatment/Airline Vacuum Kawasaki’s Ty Masterpool in fifth.

Jett Lawrence is off to a historic start in his 450 Class career
with eight moto wins and four straight overall victories.
Photo: Align Media

Moto 2

The deciding moto saw Roczen storm out to the early lead with the MotoSport.comHoleshot, followed by Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger and Cianciarulo, while Lawrence experienced his worst start of the season in fourth. Known for his first lap speed, Roczen put the hammer down to open the moto and build a gap on the field. Cianciarulo was able to pass Plessinger for second, while Lawrence felt the pressure from Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis from fifth.

A three-rider battle soon started to unfold between Cianciarulo, Plessinger and Lawrence. As Plessinger looked to make a move on Cianciarulo he slid out, which caused Lawrence to stop to avoid hitting him. That moved Ferrandis into third, briefly, before Lawrence reclaimed the position.

As the first 10 minutes of the moto passed, the top three had distanced themselves from the rest of the field and were separated by 10 seconds. As the race carried on through the middle portion and approached the final 10 minutes Lawrence closed in on Cianciarulo for second and made the pass with relative ease. The lead duo were separated by 3.5 seconds as Lawrence sought to track down the top spot. Lawrence continued to ride the fastest laps on the track and it allowed him to make big gains on Roczen, which was further aided by lapped riders.

With six minutes to go Lawrence was within striking distance of Roczen and went on the attack as soon as the opportunity presented itself. An outside line on an uphill off-camber gave Lawrence the momentum he needed to surge past Roczen and put another moto win within reach. Roczen kept him honest for a while, but Lawrence closed out the moto strong to keep his undefeated record intact by 2.4 seconds over Roczen, with Ferrandis in third.

In his first race of the Pro Motocross season
Ken Roczen finished in the runner-up spot (7-2)
Photo: Align Media

Overall

Lawrence’s fourth straight 1-1 sweep equals the single-most-successful class start in the history of the sport as his eight consecutive moto wins to open his 450 Class career is shared with Hall of Famer David Bailey, who accomplished the same feat to start his 500cc career during the 1984 season. In his first start of the summer Roczen finished in the runner-up spot (7-2), while Cianciarulo finished in third (4-4) for his first podium result since the 2021 High Point National.

Lawrence added even more to advantage in the championship standings, which now sits at 49 points after four races over Ferrandis, while Webb sits third, 53 points out of the lead.

Adam Cianciarulo’s consistent 4-4 effort landed him
on the overall podium for the first time since the 2021 season.
Photo: Align Media

Jett Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“It was tricky. You had to wait and be patient [with the track conditions]. It was sick being able to race with Kenny [Roczen]. I used to look up to him and now I got to race him, so I checked that off the list. It was a tough day. I didn’t feel too comfortable on the track with the ruts and everything, but I held on to go 1-1. It was a struggle of a day, but I’m pumped.”

Ken Roczen, Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki
“I am beyond stoked. I appreciate all the support from the fans today. This was a tough one to come back to with the track conditions. I can’t believe I got second [overall] after that first moto with the crash. I felt good at the beginning [of Moto 2], but I struggled with lines and Jett was riding great. I think I’m going to have to do some more of these.”

Adam Cianciarulo, Monster Energy Kawasaki
“That’s back-to-back weeks where the track was really difficult. You had to be 100% focused the whole time out there. It really was a mental battle as much as it was a physical battle. I had good pace early in the moto and that almost means more to me than the result. I still have a long way to go but I’m so excited to be up here.”

450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish // Points)

Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld.,Australia, Honda (1-1 // 50)
Ken Roczen, Mattstedt, Germany, Suzuki (7-2, 36)
Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (4-4 // 36)
Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha (6-3 // 35)
Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (3-6 // 35)
Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha (2-8 // 35)
Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki (5-7 // 30)
Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (8-5 // 29)
Grant Harlan, Justin, Texas, Yamaha (11-9 // 22)
Derek Drake, San Luis Obispo, Calif., Suzuki (9-12 // 21)

450 Class Championship Standings (Round 4 of 11)

Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 200
Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha – 151
Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM – 147
Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 138
Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 134
Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki – 92
Lorenzo Locurcio, Valencia, Venezuela, GASGAS – 85
Fredrik Noren, Lidköping, Sweden, Suzuki – 81
Derek Drake, San Luis Obispo, Calif., Suzuki – 79
Grant Harlan, Justin, Texas, Yamaha – 78

https://youtube.com/watch?v=9O3ipoc_988%3Fversion%3D3%26rel%3D1%26showsearch%3D0%26showinfo%3D1%26iv_load_policy%3D1%26fs%3D1%26hl%3Den-US%26autohide%3D2%26wmode%3Dtransparent

450 Class Highlights – GEICO Motorcycle High Point National

Moto 1

The opening moto began with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire out front with the MotoSport.com Holeshot, just ahead of his teammate Jalek Swoll and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Jo Shimoda. However, Shimoda tipped over in the second turn and caused a log jam for the rest of the field, including Hunter Lawrence, the championship point leader. Both riders resumed with starts outside the top 10.

The clear track proved to be a major advantage for Hampshire who sprinted out to an early multi-second lead over Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing’s Haiden Deegan, who passed Swoll for second. Behind the leaders, Lawrence and Shimoda began a climb through the field, with Lawrence able to carve his way up the running order.

Despite the tricky conditions Lawrence made it look easy as he picked off riders, one by one, and broke into the top five nearly halfway into the moto. Back out front, in full control of the moto, Hampshire crashed out of the lead, which allowed Deegan to assume the top spot as Hampshire quickly remounted in second, more than three seconds behind his Yamaha rival.

The final minute of the moto saw Hampshire erase his deficit and mount a late attack for the lead. The rookie rider responded as Deegan looked to run clean, defined lines and force Hampshire to venture elsewhere. As a result, some minor bobbles by Hampshire allowed Deegan to extend his advantage. Hampshire closed in once more as they took the white flag. The Husqvarna rider bided his time and pulled the trigger on a pass with about a quarter lap to go. Their lines came together and resulted in some contact, which briefly halted Deegan’s momentum and allowed Hampshire to continue on.

Hampshire rebounded from his early misfortune to nab his second moto win of the season, 2.6 seconds ahead of Deegan, while Lawrence battled his way into podium position in third. Swoll followed in fourth, while Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Ryder DiFrancesco rounded out the top five.

Hunter Lawrence’s fourth Moto 2 win of the season
vaulted him to a fourth overall victory with 3-1 finishes.
Photo: Align Media

Moto 2

The final moto got underway with several of the sport’s newest faces out front, as Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Levi Kitchen grabbed the MotoSport.com Holeshot, but was quickly overcome by Team Honda HRC rookie Chance Hymas, which dropped Kitchen to second ahead of DiFrancesco. Behind them, many of the lead riders from the first moto found themselves on the ground, which included Hampshire, Deegan, and Swoll. Lawrence was also deep inside the top 20 off the start, but it didn’t take long for the point leader to move forward and slot into the top 10.

The clear track allowed Hymas to sprint out to a multi-second lead over the field, as Kitchen and DiFrancesco settled into second and third, respectively. As this unfolded, Lawrence put in a charge to break into the top five. He continued his push and eventually worked his way around DiFrancesco into third within the first 10 minutes.

Hymas continued to control the moto as it surpassed the halfway point, but Lawrence was on a tear forward, catching and passing Kitchen for second. Once there, it didn’t take long for the Australian to make big gains on the deficit to his teammate. Once he got within striking distance Lawrence wasted little time in making the move. He took advantage of some lapped riders to make an easy pass and seize control of the moto.

As Lawrence pulled away Hymas was forced to deal with pressure from behind from two-time world champion and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Tom Vialle. The Frenchman looked comfortable in the conditions and was able to make a quick, clean pass on Hymas to move into second. The Honda rookie continued to lose ground to his competitors and eventually lost hold of third to Kitchen late in the moto.

Out front, Lawrence continued to build on his lead in the closing stages of the moto and soon found himself more than 10 seconds clear of the field. He took his fourth straight Moto 2 victory by 18.6 seconds over Vialle, while a last-lap battle for third unfolded between Kitchen and Shimoda, from which the Japanese rider prevailed.

Another resilient outing for RJ Hampshire earned
him a runner-up finish following 1-7 moto scores.
Photo: Align Media

Overall

Lawrence’s impeccable Moto 2 efforts once again landed him atop the overall podium to remain unbeaten. It marked the third time this season that 3-1 finishes proved to be the winning formula for the Australian, who now has five career wins. After a resilient ride to recover from his first-lap crash, Hampshire secured the runner-up spot [1-7], while Deegan earned his third podium finish in four races this season in third [2-6].

At the conclusion of the race, officials reviewed footage to confirm that Lawrence had violated Section 2.10, Item b.iii., 9.c.** of the AMA Pro Racing Pro Motocross Rulebook pertaining to the adherence of signal flags. As a result, Lawrence was penalized seven championship points. Event results were not affected.

The impressive winning streak to open the season has put Lawrence 28 points ahead of Deegan, who moved into second, and 42 points ahead of Hampshire, who now sits third. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper, who entered the day second in points, was forced to miss the afternoon motos following a crash in practice and dropped to fifth in the championship standings.

Rookie Haiden Deegan captured his third podium finish in four rounds with 2-6 results.
Photo: Align Media

Hunter Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“It’s a good habit I guess [winning Moto 2]. I’m stoked. This track was wild. This is the country club of motocross so we’re going to watch Jett [Lawrence in Moto 2] and then we’ll go cheer on our buddy [golfer] Rickie Fowler at the U.S. Open. He loves moto and we should all support him.”

RJ Hampshire, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
“That’s all me [in the Moto 2 crash]. I got a decent start but I guess I came in too hot into the second corner. It’s a bummer I took out my teammate too. I’ll take it though. Second moto win of the season and another podium.”

Haiden Deegan, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“That was some crazy racing. I crashed on the start and got ran over. Kind of the whole nine yards. My thought after that was either crash or get on the podium today. I gave it my all and it paid off.”

250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)

Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld.,Australia, Honda (3-1 // 45)
RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna (1-7 // 39)
Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (2-6 // 37)
Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki (7-3 // 34)
Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM (11-2 // 32)
Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda (8-5 // 29)
Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki (5-8 // 29)
Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Husqvarna (4-11 // 28)
Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha (12-4 // 27)
Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM (6-12 // 24)

250 Class Championship Standings (Round 4 of 11)

Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld.,Australia, Honda – 175
Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 147
RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna – 133
Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki – 129
Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 121
Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha – 115
Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM – 107
Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM – 100
Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda – 92
Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki – 92

**Rule: 2.10. Signal Flags, b. Warning Flags and Signal Lights: iii. White Flag with Red Cross or Red/White Flashing Lights: 9. If Race Direction determines that there was a blatant violation of this rule, the penalty for non-compliance will be: During a Moto Race, if any positions are gained, the loss of the number of positions gained, plus the points and purse equal to two additional positions in the final results for that race, plus two additional points.

Mees Works His Magic at DuQuoin Mile

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 17, 2023) – The man, the myth, the Mile legend; Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) notched up his third consecutive Mile victory in thrilling fashion at the conclusion of Saturday night’s DuQuoin Mile.

Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, finally made its much-awaited return to DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in DuQuoin, Illinois, and the “Magic Mile” did not disappoint. Reigning Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle king Mees was forced to pull another rabbit out of his helmet after going back and forth for 12 minutes plus two laps with the superstar trio of Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 790 Duke), and Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750).

The four swapped positions throughout with none showing an obvious edge. And all four were within touching distance as they exited Turn 2 for the final time, operating almost as if a single entity.

But somehow, someway, Mees once again put his name at the top of the results sheet after the pack stormed past the checkered flag.

Adding to Mees’ joy was the fact that runner-up Robinson slotted between the winner and points leader Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), with the Estenson ace pushed outside the top two for the first time all season long despite taking the checkered flag just 0.097 seconds behind Mees.

The victory was the 26th Mile win of Mees’ career, breaking a tie with icons Bubba Shobert and Bryan Smith to claim sole possession of third place on the all-time order.

He said “This track is so much fun. At the start of the race and in the mid-part, I wasn’t really in my groove; I was spinning it up bad, and I just didn’t have good roll corner speed. I just kind of sat back and saw Briar had some really good lines. I kind of copied some of his stuff and moved around and found home. Hats off to my entire crew for working their butts off and giving me the best motorcycle possible.

“I’m really stoked to have won the DuQuoin Mile. I’m happy to have gotten this one off the list.”

It was almost unfair, then, that Bauman wasn’t rewarded with a trip to the podium. Despite finishing fourth, the Main Event was his most competitive ride to date on the developing Rick Ware Racing KTM, having led multiple laps and been in with a shot at victory to the very end.

Fifth place, meanwhile, was taken in a close fight by JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) over Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), the two finishing just under six seconds back of Mees. They had done all they could to make it a six-rider tilt at the front during the race’s early stages, with Fisher momentarily joining the lead pack before falling back into the clutches of Beach.

Seventh went to Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750) in another duel for position, this one with Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing/2 Wheelz KTM 790 Duke), while Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Corbin/Vinson Construction Yamaha MT-07) and Kolby Carlile (No. 36 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07) rounded out the top ten.

Daniels’ perfect podium record still has him leading in the points, but the streaking Mees is now within single digits in second, moving to within nine points of the first (198-189) as the season reaches its halfway point.

Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER

The prodigious Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) came out on top of a race-long six-rider dogfight for top honors in an unforgettable Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER Main Event.

From the very beginning of the contest, it was evident the checkered flag would be decided between Drane, Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F), Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F), and Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F).

The six factory-backed pilots immediately separated at the front and just as quickly determined they could not separate from one another.

Saathoff controlled the pace from the bottom-line for much of the race. But as the minutes ticked away, that control became more and more tenuous as Lowe, Drane, and Whale all took their turns at the front of the group.

Drane actually ran in sixth with less than a minute to go but blasted past fellow Aussie Whale to reclaim the lead as the decisive final two laps kicked off.

The Estenson pilot managed to hold that position to open the final lap but saw Saathoff dive underneath entering Turn 3, while Lowe powered by both exiting 4. But Drane nudged back ahead as the pack swarmed to the checkered flag, beating Saathoff to the line by a mere 0.011 seconds, followed fractionally by Lowe in third.

Whale was just 0.081 seconds off the win but relegated to fourth, with Kopp and Brunner completing the top six in that order and meters away from victory themselves.

After the race, Drane said, “It’s so good… We’ve been working so hard all season and to get my second win is awesome. All these people from Australia are here tonight, and they’ve all been helping me. It’s so cool.”

Third Turner Racing pilot Morgen Mischler (No. 13 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) registered a lonely race to seventh. He finished some three-and-a-half seconds off the win after coming up short in an early bid to track the lead pack down.

Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F) won out in a three-rider battle for eighth waged another six seconds back of Mischler. The ‘19 class champ narrowly defeated 1st Impressions Husqvarna teammates Chad Cose (No. 49 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450) and James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450), who rounded out the top ten, respectively.

Reigning champ Kopp continues to lead the way in his title defense. However, Saathoff has drawn that much closer thanks to a fifth consecutive podium finish and is now just nine points behind in second (166-157).

COOPER WEBB AND TOM VIALLE CLAIM TOP-FIVE RESULTS AT HIGH POINT NATIONAL

MT. MORRIS, Pa. – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing pair Cooper Webb and Tom Vialle both raced to top-five results in Round 4 of the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship at High Point, with teammates Aaron Plessinger finishing P8 in 450MX and Maximus Vohland ninth overall in the 250MX division.

Amidst rain-soaked early morning conditions, Webb piloted his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to P2 in the final 450MX qualifying session and eighth on combined times, before rocketing into second position in the opening premier class moto. A grueling track provided deep, rutted conditions for the field, with Webb putting in a clean ride to finish third.

A mid-pack start for Webb in the second outing saw him make a charge through the pack on his way to sixth-place, which is where he would remain for the second High Point moto. That placed him fifth overall for the weekend and he’s currently in the championship.

Cooper Webb: “It was an up-and-down day here at High Point. The second qualifier was good with a P2, before in the first moto I got a great start, rode consistent, solid, and got third, which was a good step. Second moto, just got an average start and didn’t do much with it and ended up sixth. Fifth overall on the day – not our best day, not our worst day – but we’ll enjoy this off weekend and come back strong at RedBud.”

450 Class teammate Plessinger began his day at Mt. Morris with ninth overall in qualifying, before an unfortunate poor start in the opening moto saw the Ohio native put in a hard charge to secure an eighth-place result.

The ruts hardened by the time the second motos arrived, with the corners featuring multiple lines throughout the circuit. Plessinger jumped out to a second-place start, and was in the fight with the leaders, before a fall a few laps in saw him tumble to P6. After remounting, he would ride into fifth place, to register an 8-5 scorecard for eighth overall and fourth in the standings.

Aaron Plessinger: “High Point started off very muddy! I didn’t ride great in practice and then tried a couple of changes for the first moto, which didn’t work in my favor – I didn’t ride too good at all. Second moto, I made some better changes and was in third, but went down, unfortunately. Charged back, was riding good, but yeah, we’ve got some homework to do before RedBud.”

In 250MX, Vialle navigated the deep conditions to 13th place in combined qualifying. A crash in the opening moto saw the two-time MX2 World Champion make an array of passes as he charged through the field, eventually crossing the line in 11th place.

A top 10 start in moto two saw the Frenchman put his skills on display as he moved forward, landing P2 by the time the checkered flag flew. That placed him fifth overall for the round and he’s now eighth in the championship following four rounds.

Tom Vialle: “It was very muddy here at High Point at the beginning of the day. First moto, unfortunately, I fell in the first corner with another rider – I had nowhere to go, so I charged through the field for 11th. Second moto was a better start, which was important for vision, and then I got in behind Hunter [Lawrence] and was on him for a lot of the race, and finished in P2 which was good. Two weeks before the next one, my wrist was okay here as we taped it up very good, so the rest will be good.”

Teammate Vohland put in a consistent effort at High Point, powering his KTM 250 SX-F to 11th place in qualifying. A solid opening moto saw the Californian finish in sixth position, before a 12th-place ride in moto two saw him take 10th overall for the first east coast round of the season. He currently sits seventh in the points race.

Maximus Vohland: “First moto, I started decently and pushed as hard as I could, but was struggling a little with the conditions and finished in sixth place. In the second moto, I was in the first turn carnage and was toward the back, then had another big crash on lap one. Remounted and battled back to 12th for 10th overall. Not what we wanted, but I’m healthy and looking forward to RedBud.”

Next Race: July 1 – Buchanan, MichiganResults 450MX Class – High Point National
1. Jett Lawrence (AUS), Honda, 1-1
2. Ken Roczen (GER), SUZ, 7-2
3. Adam Cianciarulo (USA), Kawasaki, 4-4
OTHER KTM
5. Cooper Webb (USA), KTM, 3-6
8. Aaron Plessinger (USA), KTM, 8-5
17. Max Miller (USA), KTM
20. Trevor Schmidt (USA), KTM
23. Christopher Prebula (USA), KTM
32. Jeffrey Walker (USA), KTM

Results 250MX Class – High Point National
1. Hunter Lawrence (AUS), Honda, 3-1
2. RJ Hampshire (USA), Husqvarna, 1-7
3. Haiden Deegan (USA), Yamaha, 2-6
OTHER KTM
5. Tom Vialle (FRA), KTM, 11-2
10. Maximus Vohland (USA), KTM, 6-12
16. Derek Kelley (USA), KTM
18. Slade Smith (RSA), KTM
24. Blaze Cremaldi (USA), KTM
29. Gerhard Matamoros (GRE), KTM
36. Skyler Leaf (USA), KTM
39. Jason Neidigh (USA), KTM
42. Matti Jorgensen (DEN), KTM

Standings 450MX Class 2023 after 4 of 11 rounds
1. Jett Lawrence, 200 points
2. Dylan Ferrandis, 151
3. Cooper Webb, 147
4. Aaron Plessinger, 138
OTHER KTM
24. Dante Oliveira, 15
25. Max Miller, 13
26. Christopher Prebula, 12
27. Tyler Stepek, 11
39. Jeffrey Walker, 1

Standings 250MX Class 2023 after 4 of 11 rounds
1. Hunter Lawrence, 182 points
2. Haiden Deegan, 147
3. RJ Hampshire, 133
OTHER KTM
7. Maximus Vohland, 107
8. Tom Vialle, 100
19. Derek Kelley, 24
25. Slade Smith, 12
29. Josh Varize, 4
32. Marcus Phelps, 2

TOP-FIVE FINISHES FOR RED BULL KTM’S MAX WHALE AND KODY KOPP IN DUQUOIN MILE

DUQUOIN, Ill. – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammates Max Whale and Kody Kopp raced hard at Round 9 of the 2023 American Flat Track Championship, with Whale finishing in fourth and Kopp fifth position following a thrilling AFT Singles Main Event at the DuQuoin Mile.

After qualifying ninth, Whale made strong progress throughout the event with his KTM 450 SX-F, as he secured second position in the second heat race of the night. This earned the Australian entry into Dash-for-Cash, which resulted in P4. More advancements were made as the Main Event arrived, with Whale situated in a five-rider dual for the top spot, eventually crossing the line in P4 by a slender 0.081s margin.

Max Whale: “We improved every time we hit the track here at the DuQuoin Mile and got everything working really well. We started strong, made it into the Dash again, which was good, and then just worked hard – got into a groove in the Main Event, tried to get to the front as quick as I could. I ended up in a battle with five guys, which was awesome, a lot of fun, and I crossed the stripe in fourth. We’ve worked hard as a team and are stoked to head into Lima!”

Defending AFT Singles Champion Kopp began the round with P2 in qualifying, before racing to third place in his heat race. A hotly-contested Main Event saw Kopp battle hard as the top six were separated by less than a half a second, with the number one plate-holder ultimately crossing the line in fifth place – only 0.106s from victory – to keep himself right in title contention.

Kody Kopp: “Ended up P5 today, which is the best result we’ve had in a while, although there are a bunch of rounds coming up that I’m looking forward to. I wanted to get through these miles, because the results have been frustrating, and the consecutive off the box finishes have hurt the points chase. We’ll keep our heads up though, go into the next round which we won last year, and hope to do the same thing this time around.”

Next Race: Lima Half-Mile – Lima, Ohio – June 24, 2023

Round 9 Results

AFT Singles Main Event
1. Tom Drane, Yamaha
2. Chase Saathoff, Honda
3. Trent Lowe, Honda
4. Max Whale, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
5. Kody Kopp, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
OTHER KTM
8. Dalton Gauthier, KTM
13. Travis Petton IV, KTM
15. Declan Bender, KTM
16. Shayna Texter-Bauman, KTM
18. Landen Smith, KTM

American Motorcyclist Association announces 2023 U.S. ISDE Team

The American Motorcyclist Association proudly announces the 10 Trophy riders and 21 Club Team riders who will represent the United States at the 97th FIM International Six Days Enduro (ISDE), which takes place Nov. 6-11 in San Juan, Argentina — the fifth time the ISDE has been held in South America.

The 10 Trophy riders will compete as the U.S. World Trophy, Junior World Trophy and Women’s World Trophy teams. Every country participating in the ISDE is allowed four riders on its World Trophy Team, three riders age 23 or younger on its Junior Trophy Team, and three female riders on its Women’s team.

The U.S. Women’s World Trophy Team won in 2021, and previously had won in 2019 and 2007. The U.S. World Trophy Team last won the ISDE in 2019, which was the second ISDE World Trophy title for the United States. The U.S. Junior World Trophy Team last won in Argentina in 2014.

The 2023 U.S. World Trophy Team includes Taylor Robert, Johnny Girroir, Dante Oliveira and Cole Martinez.

“I’m looking forward to some redemption after our last year’s performance in France,” said KTM Director of Offroad Racing and ISDE Team Manager, Anti Kallonen, “and I can assure you, so are our riders. We have started our preparation now and will continue it until the end with only one goal in mind.”

“I’m pleased with the teams we were able to build,” Kallonen added. “Our Trophy team consists of four of the fastest riders in the country for the style of racing and terrain we will have in Argentina.”

The 2023 U.S. Women’s World Trophy Team includes Brandy Richards, Rachel Gutish and Korie Steede.

“I’m happy to announce we are bringing back the same Women’s team as last year,” said Kallonen. “They are hungry for redemption, and I expect great performances from all three riders.”

The 2023 U.S. Junior World Trophy Team, made up of riders age 23 and younger, includes Mateo Oliveira, Kai Aiello and Grant Davis.

“Our Junior Trophy team is expected to perform well, and a championship is long overdue. The last time we won the category was actually in San Juan, Argentina, in 2014,” Kallonen said.

The AMA’s two three-day qualifiers — one on the East Coast and one on the West Coast — resulted in the qualification of 16 individuals, while five riders were selected by the ISDE committee. Club teams and riders include:

Team XC Gear:
Josh Toth
Ryan Surratt
Austin Serpa

Team GTBN:
Jaden Dahners
Nathan Ferderer
Thorn Devlin

Team Missouri Mudders:
Jhak Walker
Trevor Maley
Cade Henderson

Team BRAAPtastic.com:
Zachary Toth
Preston Campbell
Axel Pearson

Team Steve Hatch Racing POTM:
Jackson Davis
Hunter Smith
Chase Bright

Team Eric Cleveland Memorial:
Kyle Tichenor
Nolan Cate
Ava Silvestri

Team The Elizabeth Scott Community:
Rick Emerson
Jeremy Shoning
John Beal

“Argentina has proven to be a demanding and challenging place for the ISDE in the past,” said AMA Offroad Manager Michael Jolly. “This year the event will be held at the same location as in 2014. This year’s qualifier events were scheduled to reflect Argentina’s terrain, allowing us to find the very best riders for the job. I believe our Club Teams will perform exceptionally, and they are expected to be in contention for the overall Club Team win.”

Club Team riders have started raising money to support their efforts to attend the 2023 ISDE. Check with individual riders on these teams to discover how you can help support their quest to represent the United States in Argentina this November.

The AMA’s ISDE effort would be impossible without the support of the ISDE Advisory Committee, which includes Jay and Jarred Hall, AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Jeff Fredette, Eric Fredette, Dave Chamberline, and Asa Abel, and the event’s current sponsors. Sponsors include KTM, BI-CON, FMF, Motorex, Rabaconda, Arai Helmets and Motion Pro.

To learn more about the U.S. ISDE team, visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com/isde/.

Those planning to travel and stay with the U.S. team can register at https://form.jotform.com/amatech/2023-ama-isde-registration. The deadline for registration is July 10.

This Week in Powersports Racing – The week of June 4, 2023

News and stories from Powersports racing in the United States.

RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING’S COOPER WEBB CHARGES TO THIRD OVERALL AT HANGTOWN

RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing claimed another strong haul of points at Round 2 of the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship, with Cooper Webb charging to the 450MX podium in third overall, directly ahead of Aaron Plessinger. 250MX teammates Tom Vialle and Maximus Vohland took P4 and 11th overall, respectively.

The ever-motivated Webb continued his impressive comeback to the outdoors following a season away last year, piloting his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to fourth position in qualifying this morning.

A convincing ride in the opening moto saw Webb jump out of the gates strong, battling inside the top five as the green flag flew. Measuring energy levels in the high temperatures saw Webb post a calculated ride, finishing in fourth position. A good start and solid laps resulted in second position for Webb in moto two, which landed him third overall on the day and in the current standings.

Cooper Webb: “I’m stoked! Second moto was great for me, I was able to latch onto the pace there and see where it’s at, and we made big improvements from last weekend. The track was difficult to pass, but all in all, happy to stretch my outdoor legs again and finish where we did today, as it was only last weekend that I was a distant fourth. I’m really excited about the result today.”

Premier class teammate Plessinger began his Hangtown race day with third place in qualifying, before charging the entire duration of the opening moto, securing a hard-fought third place by race’s end. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider began moto two strongly as well, working his way into P2 before a late fall relegated him to sixth. That 3-6 moto scorecard gave Plessinger fourth overall and he’s also P4 in points.

Aaron Plessinger: “We had a good first moto, got stuck behind Dylan [Ferrandis] for a while and wasn’t able to make the pass, but second moto I was able to get around Cooper, which was good. Then a mistake hit and I lost my clutch lever, so after that, I was just working my way home for the last four laps. I need to stay off the ground and I’ll be okay! We’ll be back in Colorado.”

In 250MX, dual world champion Vialle continued to build in his first season of AMA Pro Motocross, with the Frenchman qualifying in seventh position, securing a decent gate selection for the motos. Deep in the fight in moto one, Vialle battled all race for a P7 result, before scoring third in the second outing of the day, which placed him in fourth overall. He’s ranked P4 in the championship as well.

Tom Vialle: “Same as last weekend with 7-3 results, so I just need to improve the first motos. I was top three in the opening moto, but just lost my rhythm, and then the second moto was much better. We’ll go back to Florida, do more training, and then come out and fight for the podium at Thunder Valley.”

Sacramento local Vohland posted the 14th fastest time in qualifying on his KTM 250 SX-F, before going on to secure 11th in the opening moto of the weekend despite an early mishap. A challenging final moto saw him finish in 12th position, which resulted in 11th overall for the round, and he’s eighth in the championship following two rounds.

Maximus Vohland: “Tough day here at Hangtown for my home race. First moto, I had a bad start and broke my shifter on lap three after a collision, which left me in second gear for the moto. Moto two, I had a better start and made some passes, however, I tipped over mid-moto, which put me in 12th for the race and 11th overall. Not what I was after, but I’ll be back in Colorado.”

Next Race: June 10 – Lakewood, Colorado

Results 450MX Class – Hangtown National 1. Jett Lawrence (AUS), Honda, 1-1 2. Dylan Ferrandis (FRA), Yamaha, 2-3 3. Cooper Webb (USA), KTM, 4-2 4. Aaron Plessinger (USA), KTM, 3-6 OTHER KTM 15. Christopher Prebula (USA), KTM 22. Tyler Stepek (USA), KTM 25. Jeffrey Walker (USA), KTM 31. Max Miller (USA), KTM 39. Tyler DuCray (USA), KTM

Results 250MX Class – Hangtown National 1. Hunter Lawrence (AUS), Honda, 3-1 2. Justin Cooper (USA), Yamaha, 2-2 3. Haiden Deegan (USA), Yamaha, 1-4 4. Tom Vialle (FRA), KTM, 7-3 OTHER KTM 11. Maximus Vohland (USA), KTM, 11-12 21. Josh Varize (USA) 23. Derek Kelley (USA) 25. Slade Smith (RSA) 27. Marcus Phelps (USA) 30. Ethan Lane (GB) 36. Blaze Cremaldi (USA)

Standings 450MX Class 2023 after 2 of 11 rounds 1. Jett Lawrence, 100 points 2. Dylan Ferrandis, 82 3. Cooper Webb, 74 4. Aaron Plessinger, 69 OTHER KTM 17. Dante Oliveira, 15 19. Christopher Prebula, 2 27. Tyler Stepek, 3 30. Jeffrey Walker, 1

Standings 250MX Class 2023 after 2 of 11 rounds 1. Hunter Lawrence, 90 points 2. Haiden Deegan, 80 3. Justin Cooper, 78 4. Tom Vialle, 68 OTHER KTM 8. Maximus Vohland, 53

Jett Lawrence Remains Perfect at Hangtown for Second Win of 2023 Pro Motocross Championship

The 2023 Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, continued with its second California round, this time in the northern half of the state in the shadow of the capital of Sacramento. The history of the iconic Carson City Motorsports Hangtown Motocross Classic is one of the richest and deepest in the sport and always provides one of the toughest tests of the summer. Temperatures that hovered around 90 degrees made for challenging conditions at this early juncture of the championship, but the end result on the track was the same as the previous week as the Australian siblings from Team Honda HRC, Jett and Hunter Lawrence, prevailed once again in the 450 Class and 250 Class, respectively.

Moto 1

One week removed from a win in his 450 Class debut, Jett Lawrence carried the red plate as points leader for the first time and positioned himself at the head of the pack to open the first moto following an impressive move around Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis, who grabbed the MotoSport.com Holeshot. As Lawrence looked to sprint away from the field Ferrandis engaged in an intense battle with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing duo of Aaron Plessinger and Cooper Webb, as Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo lurked in fifth.

Due to the pace of the fight for second between Ferrandis and Plessinger, the pair closed in on Lawrence, but it didn’t take long for the young Aussie to pull back out and stabilize his advantage. Behind him, the relentless fight between the Yamaha and KTM riders continued, as Ferrandis continued to withstand the pressure.

The action quieted down through the mid portion of the moto as the lead trio settled in, but another wave of intensity loomed. As time wound down on the race clock, Lawrence grew his lead to nearly eight seconds while Plessinger dropped the hammer to close the gap late on Ferrandis. Lawrence once again led every lap and cruised to his third straight moto win, while Ferrandis and Plessinger’s battle carried on through the final corner, with the Frenchman narrowly earning second, 4.1 seconds behind Lawrence and less than a half-second ahead of Plessinger. Webb finished in a distant fourth, while Cianciarulo rounded out the top five.

Jett Lawrence once again led every lap of competition en route to a second consecutive 1-1 sweep. Photo: Align Media

Moto 2

The final moto of the afternoon looked like it’d once again be Ferrandis with the MotoSport.com Holeshot, but he was overcome by Lawrence, who then stormed into the lead. Ferrandis continued to lose spots, as Webb and Plessinger moved into second and third, respectively. The Frenchman eventually settled into fourth, ahead of Cianciarulo.

Webb looked to keep Lawrence honest through the opening five minutes of the moto but the point leader started to build on his advantage with every lap and was soon more than four seconds clear of his rivals. That left the KTM teammates to engage in a tense battle for second.

Halfway through the moto the running order remained unchanged, but the pursuit of Webb, Plessinger, and Ferrandis allowed them to maintain the deficit to Lawrence and keep him in sight. They paced one another for several more minutes before Plessinger started to increase the pressure and searched for alternate lines. With 11 minutes to go Plessinger pulled the trigger and made the pass stick on Webb to take control of second. Webb then came under fire from Ferrandis in a battle for third.

Following the pass Plessinger took a second off Lawrence’s lead and was the fastest rider on the track. However, Lawrence responded with his fastest lap of the moto to push the lead back out. The Honda rider backed that up with another one of his fastest laps to open up a margin of 5.5 seconds with five minutes remaining.

The moto took a turn with three minutes to go as Plessinger went down and struggled to get his KTM restarted due to a broken clutch lever. That allowed both Webb and Ferrandis to assume the remaining spots on the moto podium as their battle for second continued. Plessinger eventually resumed in fifth but was unable to run the same pace.

Lawrence maintained his undefeated start to the season with ease, as he wrapped up his second 1-1 sweep by five seconds over Webb, while Ferrandis settled for third. Plessinger soldiered home in sixth.

Dylan Ferrandis finished in the runner-up spot following 2-3 moto scores. Photo: Align Media

Overall

For the second week in a row Lawrence led every lap of competition to cap off another dominant 1-1 effort. Plessinger’s misfortune allowed Ferrandis to finish in the runner-up spot (2-3) and also moved Webb onto the overall podium in third (4-2) for the first time since the final round of the 2021 season.

Lawrence now joins elite company with Jeff Ward as the only two riders in Pro Motocross history to go 1-1 in the first two races of their 450 Class career. His lead in the championship standings now sits at 18 points over Ferrandis, while Webb moved into third, 26 points out of the lead.

Cooper Webb made his anticipated return to the podium in third (4-2). Photo: Align Media

Jett Lawrence, Team Honda HRC “The track was so brutal [in the second moto]. You had to be patient and couldn’t take too much. I didn’t eat enough between motos and lost energy halfway through and just relied on technique to keep it going. On this track you really had to manage everything because if you took too much it could bite you. It almost got me a couple times so I really had to focus and keep it on two wheels.”

Dylan Ferrandis, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing “I’m very happy because we made a big change from the first moto and the bike was much better, but I struggled with arm pump all day. The track was very hard and it was difficult to pass. I had to follow the whole [second] moto. I’m a little bit frustrated by this, but I’m still happy to be on the podium and to get the bike more comfortable.”

Cooper Webb, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing “It was a sufferfest [in Moto 2]. I’m so pumped. It’s incredible what seven days can do. Last week I thought I was going to get lapped in the second moto and this week I could see the leader. I definitely learned how to suffer again and that was nice. I’m just stoked.”

450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish // Points)

1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld.,Australia, Honda (1-1 // 50)

1. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha (2-3 // 42)

1. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (4-2 // 40)

1. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (3-6 // 35)

1. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (5-4 // 34)

1. Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki (7-7 // 28)

1. Derek Drake, San Luis Obispo, Calif., Suzuki (8-8 // 26)

1. Jerry Robin, Hamel, Minn., Yamaha (10-9 // 23)

1. Lorenzo Locurcio, Valencia, Venezuela, GASGAS (9-11 // 22)

1. Jose Butron, Cadiz, Spain, GASGAS (16-5 // 21)

450 Class Championship Standings (Round 2 of 11)

1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 100

1. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha – 82

1. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM – 74

1. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 69

1. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 63

1. Lorenzo Locurcio, Valencia, Venezuela, GASGAS – 46

1. Jose Butron, Cadiz, Spain, GASGAS – 45

1. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda – 44

1. Jerry Robin, Hamel, Minn., Yamaha – 43

1. Fredrik Noren, Lidköping, Sweden, Suzuki – 41

Moto 1

One of the championship’s freshest faces opened the first moto with the MotoSport.comHoleshot and early lead as Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rookie Haiden Deegan stormed out to a multi-second advantage on the opening lap over his teammate Justin Cooper, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rookie Jett Reynolds, and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle. Hunter Lawrence started the moto deep inside the top 10.

As the Yamahas asserted their hold up front, Reynolds and Vialle started to battle for third, which saw the Kawasaki rider go off track and down to the ground to hand the position to Vialle.

Deegan built on his advantage over Cooper through the opening 10 minutes of the moto, as both Vialle and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Guillem Farres settled into third and fourth, respectively. Behind them Lawrence was on a march forward in fifth.

As the moto reached its halfway point an international three-rider battle unfolded between France’s Vialle, Spain’s Farres, and Australia’s Lawrence. Vialle got the worst of this brief fight, dropping from third to fifth, while Lawrence battled his way into third and pulled away.

With 10 minutes remaining the battle for the lead started to heat up as Cooper continued to chip away at his deficit to Deegan and closed to within two seconds. The momentum shift was short lived as Deegan responded by picking up the pace and stabilizing the lead once more. As the race entered its final minute Cooper made a final push to get the closest he’d been all moto. About 1.5 seconds separated the duo as they took the 2 Lap board, from which Deegan dug deep again to pull back out.

The second-generation racer captured the first moto win of his career by 2.1 seconds over Cooper for a Star Yamaha 1-2, with Lawrence not too far behind in third. Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Jo Shimoda overcame a start outside the top 10 to finish fourth, with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire fifth.

Another Moto 2 win put Hunter Lawrence atop the overall podium. Photo: Align Media

Moto 2

The deciding moto began with Cooper out front for the MotoSport.com Holeshot, which he used to grab control of the early lead ahead of Lawrence, with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jalek Swoll third. As Cooper and Lawrence asserted themselves at the head of the pack, Swoll was forced to fend off pressure from Vialle. Deegan started the moto deep in the top 10 and quickly went to work in climbing up the running order.

Back out front, Lawrence went on the attack and successfully made the pass around Cooper within the first 10 minutes. The clear track allowed Lawrence to establish a quick lead, as he wasted little time moving ahead by nearly four seconds. Cooper settled into second as did Swoll in third. However, a brief off-track excursion caused Swoll to lose third to Vialle and another position to Team Honda HRC rookie Chance Hymas.

As the moto surpassed the halfway point the top three in the running order strengthened their grasp on the podium spots, with Lawrence managing a lead of more than six seconds over Cooper, while Vialle followed another six seconds back in third.

The lead group went unchanged through the end of the moto, as Lawrence wrapped up another Moto 2 victory with ease, 3.1 seconds ahead of Cooper, with Vialle third. Deegan earned a hard-fought fourth-place finish that paid big dividends in the overall classification.

A consist 2-2 outing earned Justin Cooper his first podium finish of the season. Photo: Align Media

Overall

With another 3-1 effort to open the season Lawrence parlayed his second moto win into back-to-back overall victories. Cooper’s consistent afternoon (2-2) put him on the overall podium for the first time this summer in the runner-up spot, while Deegan brought home a second straight top-three result in third (1-4).

The win is the third of Lawrence’s career and establishes his first ever winning streak in Pro Motocross competition. He extended his points lead to 10 over Deegan, while Cooper moved into third, 12 points out of the lead.

Haiden Deegan earned his first career moto win en route to his second podium finish. Photo: Align Media

Hunter Lawrence, Team Honda HRC “The start was crucial [in Moto 2]. They put a lot of water down and I didn’t want to be behind anyone for long with that. It was the first hot one of the year, a bit of a wake up call, but happy to get out of here safe and healthy.”

Justin Cooper, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing “[Lawrence] probably was following me a bit, checking out my lines, and seeing where he was better. He was riding good. It’s disappointing to give up the lead like that, but it’s a way better weekend than last and I’ll definitely take two seconds. I feel like I get close but don’t get one of these wins and that’s building up the fire. I want to win, so it’s time to start digging.”

Haiden Deegan, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing “I didn’t get a great start and I had to work through the pack. I charged hard and rode my heart out. It’s crazy to think I was riding superminis a year and a half ago and now we’re getting podiums in Pro Motocross. It’s still so crazy. I’m hyped.”

250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)

1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld.,Australia, Honda (3-1 // 45)

1. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (2-2 // 44)

1. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (1-4 // 43)

1. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM (7-3 // 34)

1. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna (5-5 // 32)

1. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki (4-10 // 29)

1. Guillem Farres, Balsareny, Spain, Yamaha (6-8 // 28)

1. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha (10-7 // 25)

1. Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Husqvarna (9-11 // 22)

1. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki (8-13 // 21)

250 Class Championship Standings (Round 2 of 11)

1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld.,Australia, Honda – 90

1. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 80

1. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 78

1. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM – 68

1. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna – 67

1. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki – 62

1. Guillem Farres, Balsareny, Spain, Yamaha – 57

1. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM – 53

1. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha – 50

1. Carson Mumford, Simi Valley, Calif., Kawasaki – 41

1. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki – 41

The 2023 Pro Motocross Championship will begin its journey east next Saturday, June 10, with the annual trek above 6,000 feet and the high altitude of Thunder Valley Motocross Park, located just outside Denver in Lakewood, Colorado. The Toyota Thunder Valley National will provide its own unique challenge for the third round of the season, which will be streamed live, exclusively on Peacock, beginning with Race Day Live, presented by MotoSport.com, at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET, and followed by 4.5 consecutive hours of uninterrupted race coverage beginning at 12 p.m. PT / 3 p.m. ET.

RJ HAMPSHIRE LEADS HANGTOWN CHARGE FOR ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING

Round two of the Pro Motocross series turned up the heat on the riders as they headed for their annual visit to the rolling foothills of California’s Eastern Sierra Nevada at Hangtown.

250 MX

RJ Hampshire led the way for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team, with his best qualifying effort of the season (2^nd), and a pair of fifth-place moto finishes. He made the best of a pair of tough starts, and put together huge charges from near midpack in each moto aboard his FC250 to eventual 5-5 finishes for fifth overall.

RJ Hampshire: “I felt really good on the bike, I just had two terrible starts that kept us off the box. My riding was really good all day, from qualifying through both motos I felt awesome. But you can’t do much when you start outside the top 15. It was probably the hardest 5-5 I’ve ever had in my life. We’ll go back home to Florida after this weekend and we’ll look forward to getting some better starts in Colorado and being where we should be.”

Jalek Swoll continues to build speed and confidence after returning to racing following off-season injuries and carded a ninth and eleventh in his two motos that weren’t really indicative of where he raced most of the day. After finishing ninth in moto one, he ran third for much of the second moto before a pair of costly mistakes dropped him just outside of the top ten. But a top ten overall was his best result of the season and added optimism for the races ahead.

Jalek Swoll: “I’d say it was a step in the right direction. I wish I could have gotten a good start in the first moto and learned more of that pace, but I had a mid-pack start and got ninth. It’s something to build off. In the second moto, I felt pretty good in the beginning. I got a really good start and ran third about half the moto. I had a pretty close call where I went off the track and lost a few positions. After that it was survival. But I hung around fifth for a while and had a tip-over and it put me back to tenth and that’s where I finished. It sucks to fall and have a little mishap off the track, but it’s good to see some light at the end of the tunnel and some progression. All is well and we’ll keep the building blocks going.”

Talon Hawkins is still learning the ropes of the Pro Motocross series but saved his best result for the tough and hot second moto, where he finished 15^th.

Talon Hawkins: “It was pretty good. There’s definitely a lot to work on. I need to be doing more motos and the cardio needs to be a little better, so I’m ready to get back out to the Baker’s Factory this week and work on that. There’s a lot to work on, but it was a step in the right direction. I did better than last weekend, and that’s all I can ask for is to do better every weekend. I’m looking forward to this next weekend out in Colorado with the high elevation. We’ll be ready to go.”

Next Event (Round 3): June 10, 2023 – Thunder Valley Motocross in Lakewood, Colo.

Round X Results: Hangtown

250 MX Results

1. Hunter Lawrence (Honda), 3-1 2. Justin Cooper (Yamaha), 2-2 3. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha), 1-4 …

5. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 5-5

9. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 9-11

18. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 21-15 29. Kai Aiello (Husqvarna) 31-26 39. Jaret Finch (Husqvarna)40-34 40. Brantley Schnell (Husqvarna) 38-37

450 MX Results

1. Jett Lawrence (Honda), 1-1 2. Dylan Ferrandis (Yamaha), 2-3 3. Cooper Webb (KTM), 4-22 …

23. Scott Meshey (Husqvarna) 40-19

250 MX Rider Point Standings 1. Hunter Lawrence – 90 points 2. Haiden Deegan – 80 points 3. Justin Cooper – 78 points …

5. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 67 points 14. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 23 points 19. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 11 points

450 MX Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 100 points 2. Dylan Ferrandis – 82 points 3. Cooper Webb – 74 points

HANGTOWN TOUGH ON THE TROY LEE DESIGNS/RED BULL/GASGAS FACTORY RACING TEAM

The Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing Team headed to California’s Gold Country hoping to turn around their recent racing fortunes.

- The Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing was running lean and mean again in Northern California with a 250-only roster

- Michael Mosiman had a 14-40 day after a tough crash in moto two

- Caden Braswell continued his four-race fill-in roll with the team

250 MX

Michael Mosiman was on home turf at Hangtown and he was looking for a solid result aboard his MC 250F Factory Edition. Unfortunately, a 14^th-place finish in moto one proved to be the high water mark for him and the team, as a tough crash in moto two ended his day. Updates on his status for future events will be provided after he gets checked out by his doctors.

The team’s other rider, Caden Braswell, tallied a 27-16 day for 19^th overall. That matched his result from round one at Pala.

“Out here at Hangtown, we had a progressive day,” said Braswell. “We’ve got some things to look back on, and also some good things to take away. My confidence is growing on the bike and with the team. I’m surrounded by great people and I’m looking forward to the third round in Colorado with a big old fire in my belly.”

Next Event (Round 3): June 10, 2023 – Thunder Valley Motocross in Lakewood, Colo.

Results – 2023 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, Round 2

250 MX

1. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 3-1; 2. Justin Cooper (Yamaha) 2-2; 3. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 1-4 … 17. Michael Mosiman (GASGAS) 14-40; 19. Caden Braswell (GASGAS) 27-16; 26. Tyson Johnson (GASGAS) 29-23

450 MX

1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) 1-1; 2. Dylan Ferrandis (Yamaha) 2-3; 3. Cooper Webb (KTM) 4-2… 9. Lorenzo Locurcio (GASGAS) 9-11; 10. Jose Butron (GASGAS) 16-5; 13. Romain Pape (GASGAS) 14-10; 19. Jacob Runkles (GASGAS) 29-17; 21. Cody Groves (GASGAS) 36-18; 30. Ezra Lewis (GASGAS) 30-22; 36. Giacomo Redondi 29-38; 40. Colby Copp (GASGAS) 35-40

Championship Standings – After 2 Rounds

250 MX

1. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 90 points; 2. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 80 points; 3. Justin Cooper (Yamaha) 78 points… 15. Michael Mosiman (GASGAS) 20 points; 20. Caden Braswell (GASGAS) 11 points

450 MX

1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) 100 points; 2. Dylan Ferrandis (Yamaha) 82 points; 3. Cooper Webb 74 points … 6. Lorenzo Locurcio (GASGAS) 46 points; 7. Jose Butron (GASGAS) 45 points; 16. Romain Pape (GASGAS) 23 points; 25. Jacob Runkles (GASGAS) 4 points; 28. Cody Groves (GASGAS) 3 points

All Change At The Top: Beaubier Wins, Gagne DNFs In Race One At Road America

A near off-track excursion in turn three of Road America on the opening lap of the Medallia Superbike race dropped Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Cameron Beaubier back in the thick of the pack, but it didn’t’ stop him from working his way to the front and ultimately scoring his second race win of the season.

After completing lap one in sixth, while pole sitter Josh Herrin and his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R streaked away at the front of the field, Beaubier put his head down and started his charge. On lap two, Beaubier was fourth and a lap later he was third. He stayed there for two more laps before passing his teammate PJ Jacobsen and chasing down Herrin. Beaubier took the lead on the sixth lap and two laps later the race was red flagged when a blown engine oiled the racing surface. At that point the race was called complete with Beaubier 2.7 seconds clear of Jacobsen, who forced his way past Herrin and into second the lap prior.

Beaubier not only won his 11^th career Superbike race at Road America (and 56^th of his Superbike career), but he also took over the lead of the 2023 MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship when Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne suffered a mechanical issue that knocked him out of the race and the points lead.

After five races in 2023, Beaubier leads the title chase by four points, 99-95, heading into tomorrow’s second race as Gagne’s weekend went from bad to horrible on Saturday.

Herrin held on for third place after earning pole position with a new lap record in qualifying on Saturday morning.

Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante finished fourth for the second race in a row, ending up four seconds adrift of Herrin and four and a half seconds ahead of Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Petersen, the South African bravely racing despite an injured right wrist.

Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Toni Elias was sixth, well clear of seventh-placed Corey Alexander on the third Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR.

Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz was eighth after being penalized two positions for passing under a waving yellow flag. Aftercare Scheibe Racing’s Ashton Yates and Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim rounded out the top 10 finishers.

With Beaubier atop the standings with 99 points, Gagne is second on 95 with Scholtz and his 71 points third. Herrin is fourth with 65 points with Escalante rounding out the top five with 56 points.

Superbike Race One

1. Cameron Beaubier (BMW)

1. PJ Jacobsen (BMW)

1. Josh Herrin (Ducati)

1. Richie Escalante (Suzuki)

1. Cameron Petersen (Yamaha)

1. Toni Elias (Suzuki)

1. Corey Alexander (BMW)

1. Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha)

1. Ashton Yates (BMW)

1. Hayden Gillim (Suzuki)

Superbike Quotes

Cameron Beaubier – Winner

“I just basically ran out of track on the outside. When you’re braking straight up and down there without any angle, it’s really easy to run wide. I knew once I was wide off the racing line the track is slick because it almost caught me out a couple times this weekend just being off-line and having the rear end come around and the front push. So, I just tried to make sure I got through there on two wheels and then started my race from there.”

That’s your 11th win at this track. Is it a track you’ve always enjoyed?

Yeah. Something about this track is just special for me. I love coming here. It seems like for the most part we always get pretty lucky on the weather here. Just staying by Elkhart Lake and going to have dinner at night. It’s just an amazing area. This track really suits my style, I feel like. It’s kind of crazy to think that I’ve got eleven wins here, for sure.”

PJ Jacobsen – Second Place

“It got off to a pretty decent start. I think my starts have not been too great this year, so I’ve still got to figure out how to get off the line. Then I was just sitting behind Josh. He kind of got away and pulled a little gap in the beginning, then I caught up to him. Cam ran wide in turn two because of some stuff. The race was going pretty good. I just had a problem with my brakes. They were just very inconsistent. So, we need to take a look at that because I was pretty not thrilled about that in the race with my front brakes. I really couldn’t make any overtaking passes straight up and down. Josh is always good on the brakes and that kind of hurt me in the race with that problem going on. But I had to make a pass in the carousel because he was struggling there after a few laps. So, I went into the chicane and that was my only option. So, I had to do that and then I kind of just stood on the rear brake to completely stop the bike. I ran Josh a little bit wide, and he had to cut the chicane, probably. I apologized to him for that. It’s a bummer that it got red-flagged because it would have been nice to finish the race completely, the twelve laps. But congratulations to my teammate. He did a great job. Hopefully we can come back tomorrow and be stronger and have a better race all of us tomorrow again.”

Josh Herrin – Third Place

“Yeah. I’m happy with how the bike was the first couple laps. Then really like lap three I started getting really big front tucks in the carousel where there was just nothing I could do. I tried changing my line through. I thought maybe I went in tight, maybe I did something wrong, but it just ended up after lap three, lap four once I tried that, I tried everything I could in the carousel, and it didn’t work. Then it started happening on the right-hand corners so I kind of figured the front was chewed. I’m honestly kind of lucky that the race got called early because I was worried about the guys behind me catching me just because it was getting so bad. We haven’t had any problems with the front tire the whole weekend. It’s been perfectly fine. We did 14 laps on the front on Friday morning and did our fastest lap at the end on the last lap. It’s frustrating because we got a lap record this morning. Got off to a great start. I felt really good. Stayed out of trouble. To have something like that be the reason why we are sitting third instead of possibly at least second and closer to the front is disappointing. Super happy with the work that my team has done. We’ve got the bike working really well this weekend. The incident with PJ going into the chicane, I think he just got in there a little bit hot. He said his brakes weren’t working that great. I felt like I didn’t have anywhere to go except to go straight, because I just felt like it would be safer than trying to make that turn where I was on the track. Like I said, disappointed but also at the same time happy to get some solid points. I know Gagne had an engine problem, so we were able to make up at least whatever it is, 16 points on him. So, that’s good. We’ve just got to try to capitalize on having a good bike at this racetrack tomorrow, and hopefully we’re further up in the battle.”

Cameron Beaubier (6) bounced back from a slow start to pass both Josh Herrin (2) and PJ Jacobsen (99) en route to victory in Saturday’s Medallia Superbike race at Road America. Photo by Brian J. Nelson

Josh Herrin (2) led the race early but was passed by PJ Jacobsen (99) for second place. Photo by Brian J. Nelson

(From left to right) PJ Jacobsen, Cameron Beaubier, Seb Fontanelle and Josh Herrin celebrate on the podium after Saturday’s Medallia Superbike race at Road America. Photo by Brian J. Nelson

Saturday photos available HERE

Saturday results:

MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike

Complete practice, qualifying and race results are available HERE .

MotoAmerica Winners Keep Winning At Road America

Kyle Wyman, Avery Dreher, Xavi Fores and Ezra Beaubier kept their hot hands as the MotoAmerica Championship visited Road America on Saturday for the first day of two days of racing.

Wyman won his fourth Mission King Of The Baggers race in front of the partisan Harley-Davidson crowd; Dreher seemingly came out of nowhere to win his fourth Junior Cup race of the season; Fores remained undefeated in Supersport; and Ezra Beaubier won his third Steel Commander Stock 1000 race to extend his lead in the championship.

Steel Commander Stock 1000 – Beaubier!

MotoAmerica’s literbike riders love racing at Road America because the track favors horsepower, and the Steel Commander Stock 1000 class delivers it in spades. In race one, Orange Cat Racing’s Ezra Beaubier exploited the impressive power of his BMW M 1000 RR and won his third race of the year. Second place, and also riding a BMW M 1000 RR, went to Travis Wyman Racing’s Travis Wyman. The surprise of the race was Wyman’s younger brother Cody, who was pressed into action as a last-minute fill-in rider for the injured Brandon Paasch on the Altus Motorsports Suzuki. Cody Wyman, who had never before raced in the Steel Commander Stock 1000 class or aboard a Suzuki GSX-R1000R, rounded out the podium in third.

“I knew we would be really strong this weekend,” Ezra Beaubier said. “Obviously, the BMW Alpha Racing package is really, really strong, especially here with all the long straightaways. Yesterday went really well. We found some more with the bike this morning. I wasn’t able to really put a clean lap together. I kind of just got held up with some traffic and didn’t get to show what my full potential was this morning. But I knew going into the race that we were going to be just as strong as anyone. I was ready to bring the fight. I knew those first couple laps it was going to be tough with going with the hard-option rear tire. It was super-slick and super-greasy those first couple laps. I saw Travis almost go down in the second-to-last corner. I kind of felt like that was my chance to try to break away and slowly just tried to inch away and saw I was slowly building a gap. Just kept my head down and kept clicking off my laps and just hitting my marks and did what I could to bring it home in P1.”

Junior Cup – Dreher From Well Back

MotoAmerica’s Junior Cup riders started the day at Road America, and the series’ entry-level riders, who are known to race close together in packs, take advantage of Road America’s four-mile race course and long straightaways to make draft passes at carefully timed moments. The result in race one was a photo finish with the podium decided after carefully studying the still photo captured at the finish line. Bad Boys Racing Kawasaki’s Avery Dreher very solidly won the race, while the second- and third-place finishers ended up being Fairium NGRT- Gray Area Racing Aprilia rider Rossi Moor, the former Mini Cup rider earning his first “big-bike” podium, and Belgian rider Levi Badie, who won race two at Barber Motorsports Park and notched his second-consecutive podium finish aboard his Badie Racing Kawasaki.

“I was kind of anxious coming out of that last lap,” Dreher said. “I went to the race with the plan not leading on the front straightaway, even be third or fourth. Coming out of that last lap, I think I was at the back of the pack, or close to the back of the pack. So, I just had to make my moves. I made a couple moves in the second or third sector, and then I passed another rider on the back straightaway and came out of that front straight only expecting to be on the podium. I said in my head, ‘Man, I better do the best job of my life coming up to this last corner.’ Got on the gas super-early. Everyone was drafting, moving side to side, and then, they moved to the left and I just saw an opening and took it.”

Supersport – Fores, Again

At this still-early point in the season, it’s safe to say that Spaniard Xavi Fores loves racing in MotoAmerica. The Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati rider is undefeated so far this season, and he notched his fourth consecutive Supersport victory in race one at Road America.

Incidentally, Fores has begun his first MotoAmerica season with more consecutive race victories than any other first-year rider in the history of the series. Fores and his Ducati Panigale V2 crossed the finish line just under 3/10ths of a second ahead of Tytlers Cycle Racing Kawasaki’s Stefano Mesa. For Mesa, it was his third podium of the year. Also recording his third podium result of the season was Squid Hunter Racing’s Josh Hayes, who was third aboard his Yamaha.

“About the race today, honestly I think it was the race I enjoyed more because, especially at the beginning of the race, I didn’t expect Josh to stay with us because during all the sessions yesterday and today, me and Stefano had something else compared to the others,” Fores said. “But you can’t forget Josh Hayes on the racing. He’s a dog. He has a lot of experience. You always have to count with him. So, when he passed me the first time on turn five, I said, ‘Oh, he’s here.’ He’s even strong on brakes, because I brake there really late, and he passed me. He was turning well. So, I said, okay, it’s going to be good fun today. I think all of us three have some strong points on our bike, so my bike is quite good on brakes and on the top of the power a little bit better than previously. Josh in the middle sector, the Yamaha is always amazing and he’s so fast on the long corners. It’s difficult to stay sometimes with him. When he passed me, he pulled some gap away two or three corners and I said, ‘I have to wake up otherwise he’s going to go.’ Stefano, he’s light. He’s quite aerodynamic. The bike is going fast. He showed a lot of potential this weekend and all the season. So, this means that every time we go out, we improve something, we learn something from each other. This is something that I think the fans are enjoying, as well, because we do some overtakes, clean overtakes always. A lot of respect. In the end, even if one of them wins the race I will be happy as well, because we are enjoying on the bike which is the priority. My bike was working well, as I said before. I need to find something on the forks because the last part of the fork, I feel always the bottom. I don’t feel really comfortable, and I run wide a couple of times. But, overall, I’m feeling good on the bike. Coming here and winning races is not that easy. Hopefully, tomorrow we can try again.”

Mission King Of The Baggers – Wyman In Control

H-D Screamin’ Eagle’s Kyle Wyman won his fourth Mission King Of The Baggers race in a row on Saturday at Road America with the Harley-Davidson factory rider passing Indian Motorcycle/Progressive/Mission Foods-backed Tyler O’Hara on the last lap to score the victory.

At the finish line, Wyman was .567 of a second ahead of O’Hara, who in turn was 1.5 seconds ahead of Vance & Hines/Mission/Harley-Davidson’s James Rispoli.

“I definitely planned to get him between (turns) seven and eight, but he made a bigger mistake than I had seen on the last few laps,” Wyman said. “So, the door opened quite a bit earlier. He tried to brake me back into eight, but he was going to be super late. Luckily, I was able to slow the thing and square him up and get back past him. I was hoping I could find a little something. I had not been really that comfortable this weekend, and when the race comes you just got to dig a little bit deeper. We found what we needed. I really thought about going sooner, but since we had a gap and it was just us two, I didn’t want to slow each other up and make it a more complicated chess game towards the end. So, it was going to be a lot easier to win that race one on one. We played our cards right.

Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. – Moore Simply Unstoppable

Nineteen-year-old Mikayla Moore simply dominated Saturday’s opening round of the Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. series with a 17.206-second victory over last year’s championship runner-up Crystal Martinez at Road America.

So, in FP1 I ended up doing three minutes and two seconds (lap time),” Moore said. “That was my best, and then in qualifying two I got it down to a 2:56. I had to make some suspension changes, especially in the rear, and it definitely helped a lot.”

Defending series champion Kayleigh Buyck had a mechanical problem that dropped her out of second place early in the race.

Mission Mini Cup By Motul (Friday) – Gouker Dominates

Mission Foods Mini Cup by Motul kicked off the weekend at Road America on Friday with great races across multiple classes.

In Stock 50, Weston Fager and Cruise Texter battled all day with Fager taking both wins and Texter ending up second. Nico Bandel rounded out the podium in both races.

The Stock 110/125 class had a barn burner race one with Ryan Clark and Joel Laub going back and forth multiple times throughout the race. At the finish, Clark narrowly got the win by .105 of a second. Clark was a little more dominant in race two, taking the victory. Jacob Davis was third in both races. Nathan Bettencourt, meanwhile, took the combined-class win.

The Ohvale 160 class has been the most competitive all year and day one at Road America was no different. Nathan Gouker dominated both races by over 13 and 18 seconds. Mahdi Salem put up some good rides to finish second in both races. Kruz Maddison finished third in race one with Reese Frankenfield taking the final podium spot in race two.

Ryder Davis kept his winning streak alive in the Ohvale 190 class by winning both races. Josh Raymond kept him honest in second with third going to

Nathan Bettencourt, who was pulling double duty in addition to the Stock 110/125 class.

Mission Mini Cup By Motul (Saturday) – More Gouker, More Davis

Stadler America’s Nathan Gouker and Alpha Omega’s Ryder Davis continued their domination of the 160 Ohvale and 190 Ohvale classes in the MotoAmerica Mini Cup series at the Briggs & Stratton Motorplex on Saturday evening.

In Stock class racing, Cruise Texter and Weston Fager split wins in the Stock 50 class while Ryan Clark completely dominated the Stock 110/Stock 125 class.

Xavi Fores won his fourth straight Supersport race on Saturday at Road America with victory over Stefano Mesa (37) and Josh Hayes (4). Photo by Brian J. Nelson

Kyle Wyman (33) hounded Tyler O’Hara (1) until passing him late in the race to win his fourth Mission King Of The Baggers race in a row on Saturday. Photo by Brian J. Nelson

Mikayla Moore won the opening round of the Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. series at Road America. Photo by Brian J. Nelson

Ezra Beaubier took his third win of the Steel Commander Stock 1000 series to extend his lead in the championship. Photo by Brian J. Nelson

How close is close? Avery Dreher (99) looks over to witness the photo finish for second place in Saturday’s Junior Cup race at Road America. Photo by Brian J. Nelson

Saturday photos available HERE

Saturday results:

Steel Commander Stock 1000 Supersport Junior Cup Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. Mission King Of The Baggers

Complete practice, qualifying and race results are available HERE .

MONSTER ENERGY® KAWASAKI BRINGS THE HEAT TO HANGTOWN AT ROUND 2 OF AMA PRO MOTOCROSS

Foothill Ranch, Calif. (June 3, 2023) – Round 2 of the AMA Pro Motocross series took place at Prairie City SVRA for the annual Hangtown Motocross Classic in Rancho Cordova, California. Surrounded by a sea of rolling hills and an intense sun, Monster Energy® Kawasaki rider Adam Cianciarulo overcame the notoriously hard packed track finishing fifth overall (5-4), while also moving up to fifth place in the championship standings, six points behind fourth. MonsterEnergy®/Kawasaki/Pro Circuit riders Jo Shimoda, Ryder DiFrancesco, Carson Mumford and Jett Reynolds finished sixth (4-10), 10th (8-13), 13th (15-9) and 22nd (17-35), respectively.

For the last 55 years, Hangtown has been a legendary motocross location bringing in top riders from around the world. The track is widely known for its elevation changes, severely hard packed soil, difficult off-camber turns and single-line corners which require technical bike handling skills and superb physical capabilities from riders. In the morning qualifying session, Cianciarulo proved his skill by qualifying his KX™450SR second fastest with a time of 2:08.300.

In Moto 1, Cianciarulo had a fifth place start as he continued to set a pace a few seconds behind the top four riders. As the wind began to pick up and the track dried out, the hard packed dirt began to form a harsh course for the riders. He continued to hold his pace and maintain a solid fifth place where the No. 9 would finish for the first moto.

As Moto 2 came around, temperatures reached their highest during the peak heat of the day, and Cianciarulo was determined to stay motivated and consistent throughout the final race. Water trucks sprayed the harshly, hard packed track and deep ruts began to form. The No. 9 was off to fifth out of the gate once again and maintained his position, holding a consistent speed behind the close running top four riders. Cianciarulo continued to pace himself and moved into fourth position after one of the riders in front of him went down. The course continued to deteriorate, but that did not stop him from persevering and crossing the finish line in fourth place, fifth overall for the weekend.

“I can’t say I’m super stoked on my results, but I am happy with the progress my Monster Energy® Kawasaki team and I are making. This is always a brutal track, so I’m glad that we were able to hold a steady pace. We are going to continue to put in work and get back to where I know I can be.”

– Adam Cianciarulo

The MonsterEnergy®/Kawasaki/Pro Circuit riders laid down some fast laps in the morning qualifying session, all placing in the top 11. Shimoda proved his speed by qualifying with a fourth place time of 2:07.982, one second behind the pole sitter. Mumford showcased his skill by qualifying with a time of 2:08.763, earning him the eighth place position for the race. DiFrancesco rounded out the top 10 by qualifying with a time of 2:09.692 and Reynolds continued to improve and display his raw talent by qualifying with a time of 2:09.805, securing the 11th place position to line up for the first moto.

Reynolds kicked off Moto 1 with an impressive third place start, immediately engaging in intense battles with veterans in the 250 class. DiFrancesco, Shimoda and Mumford were sixth, 13th and 15th, respectively, off the start. As the heat and calm breeze began to take a toll on the track, each rider continued to push their limits to be up front for the moto. Reynolds made a costly mistake sending him off track where he lost a few positions, but DiFrancesco, Shimoda and Mumford were making up positions as each lap passed. Shimoda overtook third place on Lap 10 and continued to battle for the position until a small mistake sent him back to fourth where he finished. DiFrancesco moved up to the fifth position for multiple laps while the track began to rapidly deteriorate. As the course became tougher, DiFrancesco lost a few positions but persevered to the end, finishing in eighth place. Mumford ran consistently in the top 10 until a mistake sent him back to 25th. Despite the error, Mumford powered through the choppy course, making up a remarkable 10 positions in only six laps, finishing in 15th. Reynolds made another costly mistake, causing him to lose 10 positions, but he was determined to fight for a solid finish. Reynolds continued to make up positions on the rutted track and crossed the finish line in 17th.

Shimoda grabbed a sixth place start in Moto 2 as the top eight riders battled within a few seconds of each other the first six laps. The No. 30 was on the brink of breaking into the top four with teammate DiFrancesco right on his heels, until a collision with a fallen rider sent him off the track. Shimoda quickly remounted his KX™250 but was back to the 20th position. Shimoda’s determination quickly advanced him five positions in just three laps where he finished 15th. After his off-track excursion with Shimoda, the No. 75 of DiFrancesco quickly re-entered the track and used tremendous skill to quickly overtake a few positions, finishing in 13th for the moto. Mumford had a 15th place start and quickly began to make his way through the field. He consistently battled through the aggressive braking bumps, concrete like terrain and maneuvering through lapped traffic. In just a few laps, Mumford broke into the top 10 and finished ninth for the moto. Reynolds had an unfortunate start where he was caught up in a second turn pile up, relegating him to the 37th position. Reynolds recuperated from the wreck and continued to ride. The No. 124 experienced a few errors throughout the moto and pulled into the mechanic’s area, missing two laps of the 16 lap moto before finishing the race in 35th.

“I felt great mentally and physically. My stamina and energy is there, I just need to start limiting my mistakes. Although there were some issues out of my control, I feel good knowing that we have the pace to be up front. Time to reevaluate for the next round.”

– Jo Shimoda

“I’m not the most happy with my performance this round. A few mistakes on my end kept me from being consistent, but I can’t thank my MonsterEnergy®/Kawasaki/Pro Circuit team for sticking behind me and pushing me to be better. We’re heading to the next round healthy and ready and will keep building each week.”

– Carson Mumford

“Round 2 this weekend and I feel solid with our overall result. I’ve raced up here my whole life so it was cool to come back. The track being hard packed and mixed with the hot weather definitely tested my stamina, and the heat is what we will have for the rest of the Pro Motocross season. My KX™250 handled this brutal track flawlessly, and I’m ready to continue putting in work to be on top.”

– Ryder DiFrancesco

“It was going great until it wasn’t. I had awesome starts in both motos, but Moto 2 I was a caught in the pileup in the second corner. I felt like I was running at a great pace on my KX™250 until I started making mistakes that sent me to the back. It’s a long season, I have a lot to learn but even more to offer. I’m ready to recuperate and be ready for the rest of the Pro Motocross season.”

– Jett Reynolds

MASON-DIXON GNCC VICTORY MOVES CRAIG DELONG INTO CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Craig DeLong became the first two-time winner of season 2023 in Round 8 of the Grand National Cross Country Series at the Mason-Dixon GNCC, taking charge of the points-lead on a weekend where teammate Trevor Bollinger made his return to competition with a P9 result.

Encountering a near-perfect outing in Mount Morris within the XC1 Open Pro division, DeLong took the holeshot and maintained a comfortable 15-second gap to second position. A minor crash saw him relinquish the lead, before a hard charge saw him reclaim P1 onboard the FX 350, which is where he would finish.

With his victory in Pennsylvania to become the first rider to earn two race wins this year, DeLong now moves into the championship lead, eight points clear of second position.

“This feels awesome – I’m lost for words,” commented DeLong. “Pretty close to a perfect day with the holeshot, then I ran up front, which I felt I could manage. I had a little crash and Layne [Michael] got around me, but reeled him in, he made a mistake, and I was able to bring it home. Two wins this season, we’re in a good spot, and I think that shows everyone what I can do.”

After being sidelined with a broken scapula sustained earlier in the season, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing teammate Bollinger made a welcome return to GNCC racing this weekend on his FX 350, maintaining a consistent pace throughout the encounter to finish ninth.

“Today was good. I started with a great jump, then slid out in the first turn, which put me back to almost last,”explained Bollinger. “It was really dusty, which made visibility tough, but I was able to stay with the group and click off my laps. First race back from a couple of injuries, so this result is a good way to come back.”

Next Round (9): Snowshoe, WV – June 24-25, 2023

Mason-Dixon GNCC Results

XC1 Open Pro Class

1. Craig DeLong – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

2. Layne Michael, (GAS)

3. Ricky Russell, (YAM) 4. Jordan Ashburn, (HQV)

…

9. Trevor Bollinger – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

Overall Championship Standings

1. Craig DeLong – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 168 points

2. Steward Baylor Jr, 160 points

3. Ben Kelley, 144 points 4. Jordan Ashburn, 128 points

…

11. Trevor Bollinger – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 14 points

DUAL TOP 10 RESULTS FOR FMF KTM FACTORY RACING TEAM AT MASON-DIXON GNCC

Mount Morris, Pa. – FMF KTM Factory Racing experienced a challenging day of competition at Round 8 of the 2023 Grand National Cross Country Series in Pennsylvania, with teammates Ben Kelley and Johnny Girroir finishing sixth and seventh in the XC1 Pro Class at the Mason-Dixon GNCC event.

A poor start and dusty conditions made for a difficult outing for Kelley, combined with multiple crashes that ultimately lowered his position in the field. A hard charge throughout the final two laps meant that Kelley and his KTM 350 XC-F were able to climb to sixth by race’s end to remain in contention for this year’s championship, currently P3 in the point standings.

Ben Kelley: “They were tough conditions today, with the heat and dry track. It wasn’t the best start and I struggled with comfort and vision due to the dust. Had a few crashes throughout the day also, but managed to put on a charge after my pit stop and make it up to sixth with a couple of last lap passes.”

FMF KTM Factory Racing teammate Girroir circled the first corner in fourth place on his KTM 350 XC-F, before struggling to come to terms with the dusty, technical conditions. The number 969 went on to finish his day in seventh position and he sits eighth in the championship.

Johnny Girroir: “It wasn’t my best day today – I never really got comfortable with the square-edged, choppy conditions. Looking forward to regrouping and ready to go racing on the mountain!”

The XC1 Pro Class standings see KTM-mounted Steward Baylor Jr sit in second position, directly ahead of former champion Kelley, who is now 24 points from the lead with four rounds remaining.

In addition at the Mason-Dixon GNCC, Korie Steed returned to the winner’s circle in the WXC division, still placed P2 in the points-race.

Next Race: Snowshoe Mountain Resort – Snowshoe, WV – June 24-25, 2023

XC1 Open Pro Results – Mason-Dixon GNCC 1. Craig DeLong, HQV, 3:01:38.961 2. Layne Michael, GAS, +15.878 3. Ricky Russell, YAM, +30.861 OTHER KTM 6. Ben Kelley, KTM 7. Johnny Girroir, KTM 8. Steward Baylor Jr, KTM

Overall Championship Standings 1. Craig DeLong, 168 2. Steward Baylor Jr, 160 3. Ben Kelley, 144 OTHER KTM 8. Johnny Girroir, 103

Herrin And Ducati Win Medallia Race Two At Road America

Going into the second of two MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike races at Road America on Sunday, Josh Herrin had won AMA Superbike races on two different makes of motorcycles – Yamaha and Suzuki. As of Sunday afternoon you can add Ducati to that list as the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati rider rode his Panigale V4 R to his first victory of the season and the ninth Superbike win of his career.

Herrin led from the start and then tussled with Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Cameron Beaubier in the early laps until Beaubier’s BMW M 1000 RR suffered a mechanical failure that put him out of the race. From there Herrin withstood the constant pressure from a second Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW ridden by PJ Jacobsen.

But Herrin was fast, consistent, and mostly mistake-free en route to a 2.01-second win over Jacobsen after 12 laps of the four-mile Road America circuit. The win came in front of a record three-day crowd of 41,000 spectators at “America’s National Park of Speed.”

Jacobsen finished second for the second straight day after crossing the finish line some eight seconds ahead of Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne.

For Gagne the third-place finish was a reprieve from a weekend he and the team would like to forget. Mechanical problems plagued the team for the first two days of the Road America weekend and Gagne failed to finish yesterday’s race, which cost him his championship points lead.

However, with Beaubier’s non-finish combined with Gagne’s third-place finish, Gagne was back atop the championship point standings by 12 points over Beaubier, 111-99. Herrin, meanwhile, jumped to third in the standings with 90 points.

Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Petersen was the ultimate wingman to his teammate Gagne and ended up a shadow fourth despite racing with his injured right wrist.

Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Toni Elias was fifth in what was the Spaniard’s final race as he announced his retirement on TV immediately after the race. Elias drafted past Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz at the stripe, beating the South African by just .161 of a second. Those two were well clear of Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Corey Alexander, who bested Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante by half a second.

Aftercare Scheibe Racing’s Ashton Yates and Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim rounded out the top 10 finishers.

Superbike Race Two

1. Josh Herrin (Ducati)

1. PJ Jacobsen (BMW)

1. Jake Gagne (Yamaha)

1. Cameron Petersen (Yamaha)

1. Toni Elias (Suzuki)

1. Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha)

1. Corey Alexander (BMW)

1. Richie Escalante (Suzuki)

1. Ashton Yates (BMW)

1. Hayden Gillim (Suzuki)

Josh Herrin – Winner

“It was just for the haters, man. It just felt good. It felt right. But it was all in good fun. That felt really good. Like I said on the podium, I think this just motivates me to do more. I know that this is for sure one of our strongest tracks, but we’ve got to figure out how to make tracks like Barber not be such a weakness for us. I think just getting more time on the bike and a little bit more confidence will for sure help with that. I’m so happy that I’m a part of this team. It’s been really like a family these last two years. It’s a bummer that the DeNaples couldn’t be here for this one, because I know that they wish they could. It just feels good. It feels good to be 33 years old winning Superbike races on a bike like I’m riding right now and just having fun. This track has always been one of my favorite tracks, but today it really felt like… I’ve been racing here since 2006. This is my 18th season racing at this track. It felt like ’06 with the crowds that we had today. It was just really special going around the track afterwards and seeing everybody cheering on the fence. It’s really motivating as a racer to be out there and see a crowd like that. So, thank you to everybody for showing up. Thank you to the whole team for everything that they do for me. I’m ready to keep going.”

PJ Jacobsen – Second Place

“Josh (Herrin) rode really, really well today. My starts just suck, and they’ve been sucking all year. So, that’s one thing that I need to figure out how to get off the line better. In the race, I feel like we were doing pretty consistent lap times, into the nines and stuff like that. I caught up to him and Cam (Beaubier), and then Cam had the problem. Then I felt like I was catching Josh a little, and then it stayed like that. Then the last few laps it felt like we were going pretty fast. I think I did 2:09.2 with two laps to go. Then there was pretty decent gap. I don’t know if it was a gap enough to go and try to challenge for the win. After turn three or whatever, we were ripping and I was like, I don’t know if I should really throw this thing away trying to go faster than that lap time we just did, because it was fast enough. I was trying really hard. Josh rode a really good race. So, it was a bummer. I felt really good in morning warmup and breaking the track record this morning. It was kind of a bummer not to get the win today, but I felt like I rode pretty good, and my team did a great job all weekend. The bikes were super, super fast all weekend. So, it was really good. I’m pretty happy with the whole weekend.”

Jake Gagne – Third Place

“That was about all I could expect, I think, coming from the last couple days. Josh (Herrin) and PJ (Jacobsen) and Cam (Beaubier), those guys were really flying. They had pace. I know what it feels like now. They had pace that I just couldn’t run, no matter what. They took off right away. I wanted to get a good start and at least try to clear some of the other guys. My teammate, Cam (Petersen), was on me the whole race long. I could hear him breathing down on me. Again, the team went through a lot of crap this weekend and had some real bad luck. It was just one of those weekends. So, I’m happy that we at least put it up on the box today. With Beaubier having a DNF, I got some luck on my side too, which isn’t how you want it, but we’re up here and I’m ready to get out of this state.”

Fong, Fores, Wyman, Moor And Much Moore At Road America On Day Two

With a record three-day crowd of 41,000 spectators on hand at Road America on Sunday, the five support classes of the MotoAmerica Championship were on center stage and they didn’t disappoint.

Mission King Of The Baggers – The Fonger!

The last thing anybody thought would happen in the Mission King Of The Bagger race at Road America was that one rider would simply ride off in the distance and leave the rest to fight for second place. But that’s what happened on Sunday as Sac Mile/SDI Racing/Roland Sands/Indian’s Bobby Fong annihilated the rest of the Mission King Of The Baggers field, winning by an unheard of 5.7 seconds.

The race didn’t start well for Fong as he somehow made the airbag in his leathers activate after the warm-up lap and he started the race looking like Bibendum. It didn’t slow him down, however, as he got a great start and simply pulled away.

In Fong’s wake was a full-on war with James Rispoli, Kyle Wyman, Hayden Gillim and Jeremy McWilliams brawling over the remaining podium spots. The runner-up spot ended up going to Vance & Hines/Mission Harley-Davidson’s Rispoli over H-D Screamin’ Eagle’s Wyman by just .010 of a second. Gillim was right behind them in fourth with Travis Wyman fifth on the second H-D Screamin’ Eagle Harley. McWilliams, meanwhile, crashed out of the race on the last lap two turns from the finish.

“It’s been a rollercoaster of a year, but we’ve shown some glimpses of hope here and there and had some bad luck, but that’s part of racing,” Fong said. “I’ve dealt with worse in the past. I’m just thankful to be up here today. Before the race, I was just doing my little warmup, pump me up, little pump my

chest and the damn airbag popped off, but it gave me a little adrenaline rush right before the race. The main thing, my goal was just to get away from the chaos behind me. I knew it was going to be a mess back there. I got the initial jump and then I started slipping my clutch. I’m like, ‘damn, they’re all going to blow by me,’ and nobody got by me. Yesterday Tyler (O’Hara) and Jeremy (McWilliams) had a hell of a start, so I was just waiting for them to blow by me. But I just put my head down the first lap. I’m like, ‘okay, I feel good.’ The pace was pretty smooth. I felt pretty good doing it, but I can’t get too used to this. These guys are going pretty good. Laguna (Seca) they go real well also. I’m going to have my hands full for the rest of the year, and we’ll just keep our head down and keep pushing.”

Supersport – Fores Still Perfect

When Xavi Fores inked his deal to come to America to ride a Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V2 in the MotoAmerica Supersport Series, he figured he’d win races and challenge for the title. Little did he know he’d win the first five races of his MotoAmerica career, but that’s exactly what he’s done as he won his fifth in a row at Road America on Sunday.

Forest battled throughout the race with Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Stefano Mesa with the Floridian coming up just .399 of a second short after the run up the hill to the finish line.

Third place went to Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Tyler Scott with the youngster topping Squid Hunter Racing’s Josh Hayes by a tick over a second. Michael Gilbert Racing’s Michael Gilbert rounded out the top five.

“I realized already this morning in warmup I was not able to pass him on the draft,” Fores said. “He is lighter than me and the bike is fast, but I wanted to see how was his pace. I ran wide in the chicane. I lost the front a little bit, so I said, okay. I looked back and no one was coming close to us. I said, “okay, I’m going to let him pass and try to understand his pace.’ So after that, on the first split, I was a little bit faster than him and I was solid braking into turn five, so I passed again. I was quite okay doing 16 on my pace. I was pushing so hard. I was looking back all the time and he was there. The bike was working quite well, despite some issues I still have on the front. I never felt the front on my side from the first race of this year. But we are working a little bit. We are improving the bike a little bit, but it is still not enough. I lose the front sometimes when I am deep on the brakes. But I’m enjoying my riding. I’m enjoying fighting with them, discovering new tracks. If it’s winning races like that, it’s always welcome.”

Junior Cup – Rossi Wants More

It was a big day for Fairium NGRT- Gray Area Racing KTM rider Rossi Moor. The fifteen-year-old former Mini Cup rider, who podiumed in Saturday’s Junior Cup race one, notched his first career MotoAmerica race on Sunday at Road America in Junior Cup race two. It was another “pack mentality” race for MotoAmerica’s entry-level riders where you didn’t know who’d win till they actually took the checkered flag. Moor prevailed over SportbikeTrackGear.com Kawasaki rider Max Van, who came from back in the pack to take the runner-up position over third-place rider Avery Dreher aboard his Bad Boys Racing Kawasaki.

“Yesterday, I wanted to try and stay in second place and try to not lead the race because I remember when Avery was saying that on this track you really don’t want to lead, especially on the last laps since the draft is so important here,” Moor said. “But I was analyzing the race yesterday and I thought that I had the pace to be able to break away. I just have to put my head down and sometimes you need a little bit of luck, like somebody making a mistake, to have that little breakaway. So, it was a really good race for me, after the bad luck I’ve had this season with two DNF’s. But finally, I got the win and I’m super excited.”

Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. – One Moore

The 12 ladies of the Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. program kicked off Sunday’s racing at Road America with their second feature event of the weekend. Mikayla Moore, who won Saturday’s race one by more than 17 seconds, was victorious again on Sunday. But, this time, Kayleigh Buyck, who suffered a mechanical in race one and was unable to finish, came back on Sunday to finish second and a little under 12 seconds behind Moore. Completing the podium was Aubrey Credaroli, who was another 9 seconds behind Buyck.

The BTR series will race again at MotoAmerica’s next round, which is Ridge Motorsports Park, June 24-26.

“I have a lap-timer on my bike, and surprisingly, my fastest time all weekend was in qualifying 2. I did a 2:53.8,” Moore said. “This time I think I was a second off. I’m still finding a little bit of bike setup during the race, but other than that, I just kept consistent. Made sure I hit all my lines, hit all my marks, and I’m glad these ladies are up here with me. Not going to lie, going onto the straightaway I could see the big screen, and I was watching. I was like, ‘Oh, there’s a battle going on back there.’”

Stock 1000 – Wyman Does It

According to Travis Wyman, he struggled with the setup of his Travis Wyman Racing BMW throughout most of the Road America weekend. This was despite the fact that he qualified in the pole position for the weekend’s two Steel Commander Stock 1000 races and finished second in Saturday’s race two.

On Sunday, Wyman won the race over Orange Cat Racing’s Kaleb De Keyrel, who was also aboard a BMW and just a little over two seconds behind Wyman. Third place went to Disrupt Racing Suzuki rider Hayden Gillim, the Kentucky rider happy to get a podium result at a track where he felt he would struggle due to the power and speed of the BMWs. Gillim was some 16 seconds behind De Keyrel at the checkered flag, and he was also able to take advantage of the fact that points leader Ezra Beaubier ran off the track and finished fourth.

“It’s definitely where I wanted to be yesterday,” Wyman said, “But I think we were still missing a little bit of something. So, the guys put a great package underneath me today. I think just the little bit cooler temperatures gave me more confidence to just get out and push, because in Q2 yesterday morning it was about similar temperatures, a little overcast, and the bike felt its best. Yesterday in the race when the sun was beating down, I didn’t have the confidence in the grip level. I knew if I got a holeshot, I could put my head down and go to work. I saw the gap getting bigger and bigger, and then all of a sudden it was back down to the plus zero again. Honestly, I thought it was Ezra behind me the entire time, and I just kept my head down for a couple more laps and I looked up and I saw on the monitor going into three and it was Kaleb. Kaleb has been strong at the end of the races, so I had to keep going. Just really never looked back. The bike was phenomenal. It was a huge step up from yesterday. It felt like it did in Q2. I got to give it all to my team. It’s been a long time coming. It’s been since Laguna 2021 when I won a Stock 1000 race.”

This Week in Powersports Racing – The week of May 28, 2023

News and stories from Powersports racing in the United States.

Road 2 Recovery Launches Historic Brian Barnes’ Moto Museum Collection Auction

Road 2 Recovery (R2R), the official charity of the Pro Motocross Championship, is thrilled to announce that the highly anticipated Brian Barnes’ Moto Museum Collection Auction kicks off in conjunction with the opening round of the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, the KTM Fox Raceway National. This unprecedented two-part auction is set to make history with more than 340 exceptional and exclusive items up for grabs, ranging from race-worn and autographed jerseys of once-in-a-lifetime significance to a few “buy it now” pieces for the casual fan or novice collector. The scale of this auction is unparalleled, thanks to the exceptional generosity of Brian Barnes, the legendary former public address announcer for Washougal MX Park, who has graciously donated his entire Moto Museum Collection in support R2R’s mission to contribute to the betterment of the motocross community.

The Brian Barnes Moto Museum Collection represents the single-largest memorabilia donation to Road 2 Recovery in the non-profit’s history, which will make these auctions groundbreaking events. Due to the sheer magnitude of the items available, the inventory is divided into two online auctions, both available exclusively on MXLocker.com. The first Auction begins May 27 and will run for seven days. The second will launch on Saturday, July 22, coinciding with the MotoSport.com Washougal National, and will feature items of historic significance linked to the iconic racetrack.

Barnes, who has become one of the industry’s most beloved figures over the past 40 years, is the benefactor behind this momentous donation and auction. His profound contributions to the sport as an event presenter, announcer, and assistant to the Washougal owners have left an indelible mark on American motocross.

“I would like to thank all of the individuals and riders who contributed to this collection over the years. The memories associated with them helped me enjoy a dream career,” said Barnes. “These auctioned items will assist injured riders in need and there’s no one better to make sure they receive the support they deserve than Road 2 Recovery. Please give generously. Thank you to all the amazing and selfless members our industry and our incredibly loyal fans who are always willing to lend their support to a worthwhile cause.”

In honor of Brian’s contributions and the provenance of this exceptional collection, Road 2 Recovery is creating a digital museum showcasing his collection. This virtual showcase will launch on Road2Recovery.com starting Tuesday, May 30. Each item in the collection will be digitally displayed with detailed historical significance. For the first time, fans can view the collection online, learn about Brian’s enduring passion for the sport, and delve into the rich history of each piece in this remarkable collection.

Road 2 Recovery expresses its deep gratitude for Brian’s astonishingly generous donation. This unprecedented contribution will significantly impact the support provided to injured athletes.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to own a piece of motocross history. To review all the items and place your bids, go to MXLocker.com. It’s more than just an auction; it’s a chance to be part of the legacy!

The 2023 Pro Motocross Championship will get underway Saturday, May 25, in Southern California with the KTM Fox Raceway National. Coverage from Pala will be streamed live exclusively on Peacock, starting with Race Day Live at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET and followed by all four motos across the 450 Class and 250 Class, beginning at 1 p.m. PT / 4 p.m. ET.

Mees Keeps On Rolling with Red Mile Triumph

Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) earned his 25th-career Grand National Championship Mile victory in split-second fashion in Saturday night’s Red Mile presented by Indian Motorcycle of Lexington at the Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky.

The triumph proved to be the latest round in a season of Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, that has taken shape as a heavyweight title fight between reigning Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle champ Mees and his ascending challenger, points leader Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT).

The two broke free from the start and spent the next 14 minutes plus two laps testing each other in preparation for the decisive final lap. The cagey Mees sat in tight formation behind his young rival during the waning laps before finally striking as the two sprinted into Turn 3 for the final time.

He then struck and, despite suffering a couple small slides on exit, had the steam to hold on to the checkered flag by a minuscule 0.042 seconds.

The victory was Mees’ fifth in six attempts at the Red Mile. It also saw him join legends Bubba Shobert and Bryan Smith for third all-time in career Mile wins.

Mees said, “We were playing cat-and-mouse a little bit, and he was definitely strong in some areas…I just knew what I wanted to do there on the last lap and made it work, really. It’s good to win those Miles like old school where it’s there right at the line.”

For Daniels, it was the fourth time this season he’s finished a close second to Mees. But any sense of frustration that may have otherwise started to creep in was overcome by the reality that he continues to hold the points advantage due to a season-long run of firsts and seconds that he kept intact.

The fight for third was a spirited four-way affair, involving Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 790 Duke), Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), and Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750).

Bauman again showed off an ideal pace nearly on par with that of Mees and Daniels when everything worked just perfectly aboard an unruly machine that made that perfection impossible to attain with any consistency. Still, its impressive motor provided him with the tools necessary to secure a third podium of 2023 with Beach fractionally behind in fourth, followed by Fisher and Vanderkooi.

Kolby Carlile (No. 36 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07), who ran third on the opening laps, rebounded from an early mistake to overhaul Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) for seventh by 0.050 seconds at the stripe.

Jeffery Lowrey (No. 223 Lowery Racing/Gray Hogs Yamaha MT-07) and Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing/2 Wheelz KTM 790 Duke) completed the top ten.

While Mees chipped off another four points, Daniels still boasts a 16-point advantage (180-164). Third-ranked Beach is nearly two full races back of first at 131.

Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER

Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) added more evidence to support the old racing adage that a rider’s second win comes a whole lot easier than their first with a triumphant run in Saturday’s Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER pack war.

A seesawing battle that expanded to a nine-rider lead pack as the pivotal final two laps opened, the race for the win appeared almost certain to be decided amongst Turner Honda teammates Lowe and Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) and the Estenson Racing Yamaha duo of Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) and Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F).

Sacramento winner Drane looked like the odds-on favorite due to his optimal blend of high-speed chops, low-pro aerodynamics, ultra-light weight, and big-time horsepower. However – despite repeatedly demonstrating the capacity to blast up to first from three or four positions back seemingly at will – the Aussie’s last-lap strategy was blown up by a lapped rider as the huge lead group dove into Turn 3 for the final time.

As a result, Drane could finish no better than third with Lowe and Saathoff handing Honda a hard-earned 1-2.

Whether or not Drane might have been able to run the Hondas down with a cleaner run is as impossible to guess as it is irrelevant at this point. Ultimately, Lowe put himself in the perfect position to capitalize in the chaos and scoop his second-career victory.

“It feels so great to come out on top,” Lowe said. “I knew I had to keep my corner speed up and that was the one thing I had going for me. Leading and going into (Turn) 3 was definitely my best option. I’m happy for the whole Turner Racing team. Everyone has put in so much effort. It’s unreal to think about the time that people put in and the dedication that they have.”

Brunner finished just 0.057 seconds back off his teammate but once again came up just short of the podium He was followed home by Red Bull KTM teammates Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) and Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) – Kopp closing in from a distant ninth to make himself a factor late.

Kopp continues to lead in his title defense with 151 points to his credit. However, Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F) was shuffled back to seventh in the melee, a development that allowed Saathoff to join him level at 136 points. Whale is fourth at 130, followed by Brunner (123), Lowe (117), and Drane (105).

Pro Motocross Season Starts With Dominant Performance By Honda

Team Honda HRC began the 2023 AMA Pro Motocross series the same way they finished the AMA Supercross series two weeks earlier—unbeatable. The Fox Raceway National in Pala, California, saw the team top both classes, with Jett Lawrence posting a flawless 1-1 moto tally in his AMA premier-class debut and brother Hunter Lawrence going 3-1 for the 250 overall win. It was the first time that two brothers have both scored overall wins on the same day. Meanwhile, newly crowned AMA Supercross Champion Chase Sexton was a solid second overall in the 450 division, and Chance Hymas overcame crashes to finish 12th overall in the 250 class during his fulltime pro debut.

The CRF450RWE of Jett Lawrence exited turn 1 ahead of the pack in moto 1, and the young Australian set sail. Having suffered a practice crash earlier in the day, Sexton was fourth off the start. He quickly got by Cooper Webb and then—a couple of minutes before the midway point—Dylan Ferrandis, but the 10-second gap to the front was too much to overcome. Lawrence nailed the holeshot again in the second outing, but Sexton was up to second place by the completion of lap 1. The Illinois native hounded his teammate for the entire moto but wasn’t ultimately able to attempt a safe pass on the slippery and choppy track. In the end, the difference was just one second.

Hunter Lawrence didn’t get a great start in the first moto of the year, completing lap 1 in 10th place, but he went to work advancing through the pack. It took him some time to get going, but despite riding in pain in his ribs due to a weekday training crash, he was in the top five by the midway point, then up to fourth a lap later. He continued to push, and he made a last-lap pass to take third. Hymas was 17th after one lap, quickly climbed a few spots, then fell and had to recover. With three laps left, he moved into 15th, and that’s where he would finish. Lawrence made life easier on himself in moto 2 by being first across the holeshot line on his CRF250R, and he was never really challenged on his way to an eight-second win. Hymas ran in the top five for the first half of the race, but a tip-over contributed to him finishing an eventual 12th.

NOTES

- Team Honda HRC riders Chase Sexton, Jett Lawrence and Hunter Lawrence all participated in the pre-season press conference, which took place on Thursday at Pala Casino Spa Resort. Afterward, Chance Hymas joined his teammates and other riders for a riding session just down the road at Fox Raceway. Media Day was also Hymas’s 18th birthday.

- With press activities being a day earlier than at most rounds, the riders had something of an off-day on Friday, although Sexton did a video interview with Game Breakers, a mainstream sports show on Amazon Prime.

- Team Honda HRC dominated 450 morning practice, with Jett Lawrence and Sexton going 1-2 in the 450 class. In the 250 ranks, Hunter was third, with Hymas 11th-best.

- During 450 action, Jett turned the fastest lap in moto 1, while Sexton had the best moto 2 lap. In both outings, the teammates were the only two riders to dip into the 2’26” range. Hunter had the best 250 moto 2 lap, also in the 2’26” range.

- With Hunter’s victory, Honda stretched its record of most AMA Pro Motocross 250 overall wins at Fox Raceway to six (three more than second place). All of those are at the hands of the Lawrence brothers, as Jett earned the previous five. Honda also grew its record of 250 moto wins at the venue to nine.

- With Jett’s victory, Honda takes over sole possession of the record for the most AMA Pro Motocross 450 overall wins at Fox Raceway, with three (the previous two by Sexton), and ties Kawasaki for most 450 moto wins, with five.

- Fox Raceway has been good to Jett Lawrence over the course of his career. It’s where he earned his career-first 250 overall win, in 2020, and he won that class five-consecutive times (the series visited the track twice in 2021 and 2022). It is also now the venue where Jett earned his first 450 moto and overall wins.

- While this Fox Raceway series opener was certainly positive for Team Honda HRC, last year’s was arguably even better, as the squad finished first and second in every moto.

- Of course this race marked the first AMA Pro Motocross 450 moto and overall wins for Jett Lawrence. It also gives Sexton the 28th and 29th 450 podium results of his career, and for Hunter Lawrence, it marks the second 250 overall win and eighth 250 moto win.

- JCR Honda off-road racer Ryan Surratt made a cameo appearance at Fox Raceway and finished a commendable 14th overall, with 11-17 moto results.

- Sexton and the Lawrence brothers all participated in the post-race press conference.

- From Pala, Team Honda HRC heads north to Rancho Cordova, California, where they’ll compete this Saturday at the Hangtown National.

450 Overall Results

1. Jett Lawrence (Hon)

1. Chase Sexton (Hon)

1. Dylan Ferrandis (Yam)

1. Aaron Plessinger (KTM)

1. Cooper Webb (KTM)

1. Adam Cianciarulo (Kaw)

1. Grant Harlan (Yam)

1. Jose Butron (Gas)

1. Lorenzo Locurcio (Gas)

1. Jerry Robin (Yam)

—

1. Ryan Surratt (Hon)

450 Championship Points (after 1 of 11 rounds)

1. Jett Lawrence: 50

1. Chase Sexton: 44

1. Dylan Ferrandis: 40

1. Aaron Plessinger: 34

1. Cooper Webb: 34

1. Adam Cianciarulo: 29

1. Grant Harlan: 27

1. Jose Butron: 24

1. Lorenzo Locurcio: 24

1. Jerry Robin: 20

—

1. Ryan Surratt: 14

250 Overall Results

1. Hunter Lawrence (Hon)

1. Haiden Deegan (Yam)

1. RJ Hampshire (Hus)

1. Max Vohland (KTM)

1. Justin Cooper (Yam)

1. Tom Vialle (KTM)

1. Jo Shimoda (Kaw)

1. Guillem Farres (Yam)

1. Levi Kitchen (Yam)

1. Carson Mumford (Kaw)

—

1. Chance Hymas (Hon)

250 Championship Points (after 1 of 11 rounds)

1. Hunter Lawrence: 45

1. Haiden Deegan: 37

1. RJ Hampshire: 35

1. Max Vohland: 34

1. Justin Cooper: 34

1. Tom Vialle: 34

1. Jo Shimoda: 33

1. Guillem Farres: 29

1. Levi Kitchen: 25

1. Carson Mumford: 23

—

1. Chance Hymas: 15

Monster Energy® Kawasaki Perseveres At Round One Of Pro Motocross in Pala

The highly anticipated Round 1 of the Pro Motocross Championship held at Fox Raceway welcomed racers and fans with mild temperatures of overcast morning skies, transitioning to partly cloudy blue skies in the afternoon in Pala, California. Fans were treated to an extraordinary display of skill and determination by MonsterEnergy® Kawasakirider Adam Cianciarulo as he made a dramatic comeback to a solid sixth place overall finish. MonsterEnergy®/Kawasaki/Pro Circuit riders Jo Shimoda, Ryder DiFrancesco, Jett Reynolds and Carson Mumford fought hard and finished 4-6 for a seventh overall, 11-8 for a 10th overall, 9-13 for 11th overall and 12-16 for a 14th overall, respectively.

In the overcast morning qualifying sessions, Cianciarulo came out motivated and qualified with a time of 2:23.251, securing the third place position on the starting grid for Moto 1.

In Moto 1, Cianciarulo began his Pro Motocross series with a respectable seventh place start, faced with the typical challenges of a brutally rough and rutted Pro Motocross track. Unfazed by the conditions, Cianciarulo remained consistent and smooth throughout the moto. The No.9’s focused efforts paid off as he finished the race in an impressive sixth place.

In Moto 2 the sun began to shine and the track was drying out. Cianciarulo started in sixth place but made a crucial mistake in the second turn of the race that sent him back to 29th place. Undeterred, the No. 9 put his head down and began a determined effort to make up lost ground on his KX™450SR. With each passing lap, he relentlessly clicked off competitors, steadily moving up through the pack. Through sheer grit and determination, Cianciarulo found himself in the top 15 after a few laps. His relentless pursuit continued as he worked his way into the top 10, capping his remarkable comeback with an impressive display of perseverance, Cianciarulo finished the race in seventh place.

“This race was good for me and my Kawasaki KX™450SR. Pala isn’t my favorite track, it’s a bit choppy and rough which gets difficult but I’m trying my best every lap and controlling what I can control. It is a decent start to the Pro Motocross season and we are going to keep improving and building each round.”

– Adam Cianciarulo

Shimoda showcased his skill on the track, qualifying with a time of 2:23.804, earning him the fifth pick on the starting grid for Moto 1 while teammates DiFrancesco secured 10th (2:24.532), Mumford 15th (2:25.492), and Reynolds displayed his potential as a rookie, qualifying with a time of 2:25.778, securing the 17th place position on the starting grid.

The No. 30 of Shimoda lit a fire in Moto 1, grabbing the early lead of the moto and engaging in an intense battle on his KX™250, while his Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki teammates all battled for top 10 positions early on. Despite a mistake that initially sent him back to fifth place, Shimoda gradually made his way up to fourth place where he finished. DiFrancesco exhibited remarkable consistency throughout Moto 1, steadily moving up the ranks and securing an impressive seventh place finish. Mumford maintained a strong position in Moto 1, holding 11th place and showcasing his competitive spirit and ability to contend with the best riders in the field. Jett Reynolds, in his first professional race, exhibited his potential by finishing in 12th place in Moto 1, demonstrating his skill on track as a rookie.

Shimoda got off to another strong start in Moto 2, securing third place as the race began. However, a detrimental error sent him back to 20th place. Keeping his composure, Shimoda’s determination propelled him to make impressive moves through the pack, eventually finishing the race in a remarkable sixth place. Mumford steadily made-up ground in Moto 2, battling his way through the field to a strong eighth place position for 10th overall. DiFrancesco maintained his position in the top 10 throughout the first half of Moto 2 but would finish 13th and 11th overall. Reynolds continued to impress in Moto 2, maintaining his focus and determination as he competed against experienced riders. Despite the challenges, Reynolds showcased his potential and finished the race in a commendable position, 16th in Moto 2 and 14th overall in his pro debut.

“This was an okay start to the season. I made some mistakes that kept me off the podium, but I know the speed is there to be up front. We will keep pushing and getting better each round and I’m determined to get my KX™250 on the box.”

– Jo Shimoda

“Overall, I’m super happy with how Round 1 went. I felt good on my KX™250, was consistent and made strides each time I rode. I had a great time battling with my teammates and am looking forward to more Pro Motocross races.”

– Carson Mumford

“I can’t be mad with how the race ended up. The track was brutal in Moto 2, but I am happy with my consistency throughout the day to bring home a solid overall position for my MonsterEnergy®/Kawasaki/Pro Circuit team. We will continue to get better and work our way up to the front of the pack.”

– Ryder DiFrancesco

“First Pro Motocross race is in the books and I’m super grateful for this opportunity with the MonsterEnergy®/Kawasaki/Pro Circuit team. I felt great on the bike but there are a lot of things I know I can improve on. We’re going to keep pushing and staying consistent but overall, I’m happy with how my pro debut went.”

– Jett Reynolds

RJ HAMPSHIRE TAKES 250 MOTO WIN IN PRO MOTOCROSS SEASON OPENER

With both 450 riders on the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team still on the mend, it was an all-250cc effort for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team as the series headed to Pala, California, for round one of the AMA Pro Motocross series. Fortunately, it was a three-rider effort, as Jalek Swoll returned to action after sitting out the Supercross season due to injury.

250 MX

When the gate dropped for the first moto, Jalek Swoll and RJ Hampshire quickly showed off their starting prowess, as well as the power of their Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing TeamFC250s, as they rounded the first turn in the top two spots. After running in second position for the first two laps, Hampshire took over the lead, which he held to the finish for the win.

Unfortunately, in moto two a pair of crashes early in the race had him at the very tail end of the field. But never being one to give up, RJ charged all the way to 11^th, which combined with his win in the first moto win, gave him third overall on the day. “For the first round of the outdoors, I was so excited to come here and race,” said Hampshire. “It started off with a great start in the first moto. I’ve never felt like that out front where things felt that easy and I didn’t really have to get out of my comfort zone. Coming into the second moto I was going to try and do the same thing and it’s on me. I botched that start and was still kind of decent, but the second turn was mayhem and I ended up going down. I made up a bunch of passes right away, and then someone else got a little whiskey throttle and I clipped their rear tire going up the steep hill in the back. Then I had my work cut out for me. I was in last by quite a bit. I knew I had to put my head down and I was charging hard. I didn’t know if I had a shot at the podium. I had another little crash near the end, but I’m pretty stoked on the whole day. I’m really happy with the bike, where we’re at, our mentality. It’s going to be a good year and I’m so damn proud of this team.”

After his first moto holeshot, Jalek Swoll had a crash that force him out of moto one, but despite he was able to return to score his first points of the season with a 20^th-place finish in moto two.

“This was my first race back in pretty much a year, and it just felt good to get gate drops,” said Swoll. “Watching from the couch was not fun. Just being out here, 100 percent or not was the goal. The starts were pretty good. I was stoked about that and other than the first moto fall I feel today could have been really good. We’ll get healed up, come back a little bit stronger, get some good motos under my belt, and start clicking off some goals this year. My confidence is still there. I feel like I can compete at the top level, so we’ll take the starts and the little bit of momentum that was caught today to Hangtown.”

For rookie Talon Hawkins, this was his first crack at a Pro Motocross National, and he finished the day with a 20-17 score, and 19^th overall.

“Round one was pretty good, and there’s a lot of good to take from it,” said Hawkins. “I needed a better start in that first moto. I got the better start in the second moto, I just didn’t ride the way I know how. We’re going to work on that this next week and hopefully make something happen next weekend. I’m excited, and this was a good race for me to build off of as we head into the next rounds.“

Next Event (Round 2): June 3, 2023 – Prairie City SVRA in Rancho Cordova, Calif.

Round 1 Results: Fox Raceway

250 MX Results

1. Hunter Lawrence (Honda), 3-1 2. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha), 6-2 3. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 1-11 …

20. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 20-17

21. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 40-20

450 MX Results

1. Jett Lawrence (Honda), 1-1 2. Chase Sexton (Honda), 2-2 3. Dylan Ferrandis (Yamaha), 3-3 …

35. Scott Meshey (Husqvarna) 28-37

250 MX Rider Point Standings 1. Hunter Lawrence – 45 points 2. Haiden Deegan – 37 points 3. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 35 points

…

20. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 5 points

21. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 1 point

450 MX Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 50 points 2. Chase Sexton – 44 points 3. Dylan Ferrandis – 40 points

ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA’S RYDER LEBLOND TAKES SECOND PLACE AT SHOTGUN HARD ENDURO

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing contender Ryder LeBlond has taken his TE 300i to a podium finish in Round 8 of the 2023 AMA U.S. Hard Enduro Series at the Shotgun Hard Scramble event in Sugarloaf, Pennsylvania, as teammate Colton Haaker claimed seventh position.

Comprising the notoriously gruelling Keystone Challenge, which featured both the Tough Like RORR and Shotgun Hard Scramble U.S Hard Enduro rounds, both Rockstar Energy Husqvarna team rider’s skills were on display across the two days of action.

LeBlond would take seventh position on the opening day of racing in Tamaqua before successfully navigating the extremely rocky terrain in Sugarloaf, battling for the lead on the opening lap before slotting into second position. It was there that LeBlond would remain, capping off a successful weekend of Hard Enduro competition.

“Just finished up with Shotgun enduro here in Pennsylvania,” LeBlond reflected. “It was a long weekend for all of us with Tough Like RORR yesterday, so I was definitely feeling it at the start of today. Got in a good groove throughout the race – started out behind Trystan [Hart] and Cody [Webb], made the move on them early and then slotted into second. All in all, a good weekend, we made improvements, and stoked to come away with some good results.”

Rounds 3 and 4 of the championship concluded with sixth and seventh place results for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Hakker across the Keystone Challenge, marking two consistent results to add to his 2023 campaign.

“It was a consistent weekend for us and definitely a tough one,” commented Haaker. “To come out of here with a couple of top 10 results is a positive and we can continue to work forward from here.”

For more information on the U.S. Hard Enduro Series, visit the official series website at www.ushardenduro.com.

Round 9: June 24 – Kellogg, Idaho

Overall Pro Results – Tough Like RORR

1. Trystan Hart (KTM)

2. Cody Webb (SHR)

3. Jonny Walker (BET)

…

6. Colton Haaker – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

7. Ryder LeBlond – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

Overall Pro Results – Shotgun

1. Trystan Hart (KTM)

2. Ryder LeBlond – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

3. Cody Webbb (SHR)

…

7. Colton Haaker – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

MICHAEL MOSIMAN RETURNS TO ACTION AT PRO MOTOCROSS SEASON OPENER

The 2023 AMA Supercross season proved rough on the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing Team rider roster, so it was a two-rider all-250 effort that lined up for the opening round of the Pro Motocross Championship in Pala, California.

- Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing 450MX regulars Justin Barcia and Pierce Brown continue to recover from injuries sustained late in the AMA Supercross Championship.

- Michael Mosiman returned to action after sitting out much of the 250 East Supercross season

- After previous success with the GASGAS amateur program, Caden Braswell joined the team for the first four rounds

250 MX

After injuries earlier in the season, Michael Mosiman was back in the saddle of his MC 250F Factory Edition, but still in rebuilding mode. He scored a 19^th in moto one and made some adjustments for moto two and came home with a tenth-place finish.

Michael Mosiman: “This was the first round for me after quite a long time off. It’s been a lot of hard work to build back, and today was just another step in that process. I would have liked to finish better but there are some building steps and some things that we improved. We made big improvements to the bike in the second moto and I felt a lot more comfortable. That allowed me to put together clean laps. I’m excited for the future and to head to Hangtown and get after it.”

Caden’s first crack at the Pro Motocross series resulted in a pair of 18^th-place moto finishes in an extremely stacked field.

Caden Braswell: “I’m super grateful for the opportunity. Pala was an amazing experience for my first Pro Motocross National. I’m absolutely thrilled to have done it with the Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GASGAS team. The team was amazing…super-hard working and encouraging. I’m disappointed in my results because I know the bike and I are capable of so much more. I’m going to keep my head up pulling into Hangtown and strive to do better.”

Next Event (Round 2): June 3, 2023 – Prairie City SVRA in Rancho Cordova, Calif.

Results – 2023 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, Round 1

250 MX East – Main Event Results

1. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 3-1; 2. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 6-2; 3. RJ Hampshire (Husqvarna) 1-11… 15. Michael Mosiman (GASGAS) 19-10; 19. Caden Braswell (GASGAS) 18-18; 28. Tyson Johnson (GASGAS) 26-28

450 MX

1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) 1-1; 2. Chase Sexton (Honda) 2-2; 3. Dylan Ferrandis (Yamaha) 3-3… 8. Jose Butron (GASGAS) 10-8; 9. Lorenzo Locurcio (GASGAS) 7-11; 19. Romain Pape (GASGAS) 23-16; 28. Jacob Runkles (GASGAS) 27-29; 36. Giacomo Redondi 29-38

Championship Standings – After 1 Round

250 MX

1. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 45 points; 2. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 37 points; 3.RJ Hampshire (Husqvarna) 35 points … 15. Michael Mosiman (GASGAS) 13 points; 19. Caden Braswell (GASGAS) 6 points

450 MX

1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) 50 points; 2. Chase Sexton (Honda) 44 points; 3. Dylan Ferrandis (Yamaha) 40 … 8. Jose Butron (GASGAS) 24 points; 9. Lorenzo Locurcio (GASGAS) 24 points; 19. Romain Pape (GASGAS) 24 points

CONSISTENT START TO 2023 PRO MOTOCROSS SEASON FOR RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING

PALA, Calif. – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing commenced the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship in style at Round 1 of the season, with 450MX riders Aaron Plessinger and Cooper Webb opening the outdoors with a pair of top-five finishes, as 250MX teammates Tom Vialle and Maximus Vohland earned P4 and P6 overall.

Plessinger opened his campaign with sixth position in qualifying. A spirited ride in the first moto of the day saw him work his way into fourth, before experiencing a fall while challenging for a podium, which ended in a charge to fifth place by race’s end. Moto two saw a battle between teammates, with Plessinger securing fourth this time out ahead of Webb, sealing fourth overall for the day. Aaron Plessinger: “It was an eventful day here, for sure. I was riding really good, but ended up going down twice in that first moto – I think Coop saw me five times and was probably wondering what I was doing. Went out in moto two and had a big battle with Dylan Ferrandis, probably should have executed a couple things better on my end to make a move, but stoked to come away with fourth and take the battle into Hangtown.”

Making a welcome return to competition and Pro Motocross at the KTM Fox Raceway National following his series-ending injury in Supercross, Webb was quickly up to speed, riding to an impressive fourth-place result in the combined 450 Class qualifying sessions. Webb put in a convincing ride in the opening moto of the season, battling teammate Plessinger for the majority of the 30-minute plus two-lap affair, before powering his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION into an eventual P4 finish. Webb would line up with confidence in the second moto, and landed a fifth-place result, placing him in fifth overall for the day. Cooper Webb: “This was very, very last minute to race here, obviously with the injury being the main reason. Together with the team we got things done and last week was the first 30-minute moto I’ve done since 2021, so prep hasn’t been ideal, but today was solid for me, and I was really happy with it. We showed some speed, showed some potential and are ready to give it another shake in Hangtown.”

In 250MX, dual MX2 World Champion Vialle made his AMA Pro Motocross debut at Pala onboard the KTM 250 SX-F, with the Frenchman posting the 16th fastest time in qualifying at the Southern Californian venue. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing contender would rebound in the opening moto of the day with seventh, before a strong start in the second moto saw him finish in third and claim fourth place overall for the event on debut. Tom Vialle: “It was a difficult start to the day with 16th in qualifying, though we made some changes to get more comfortable with the conditions. First moto, I made some more improvements, and could manage a seventh place in that moto. Second moto, we made positive changes and I felt way better, so was able to get third place. I’m pretty happy with the day and my first National, we made great progression throughout the day between myself and the team – I was a bit sick coming into this round, so overall I’m happy to start my season like this.” Vohland posted a quick time in qualifying that would see him finish the session in second position, before going on to back that up in the first moto of the season, taking second place. A fall on the first lap of moto two saw him buried in the pack, though the number 34 would charge all moto long, and finish with ninth-place. Combining his scorecard across the day, Vohland delivered a solid P6 overall to begin his season. Maximus Vohland: “Pretty happy with today. It’s always an achievement to end up on the box, even if it was for a moto, so it’s another stepping stone for me. I was really looking to get on the podium overall today, but qualified well, was fast in the first moto, and second moto I felt really good, just a couple of mistakes cost me. I felt I had everything it took today, just tangling with the rider in moto two really hurt, but I’m stoked to be headed to my home race in Hangtown next week and we’ll fight for a podium.”

TRYSTAN HART AND FMF KTM FACTORY RACING TEAM SWEEP THE KEYSTONE CHALLENGE FOR SECOND YEAR IN SUCCESSION

SUGARLOAF, Pa. – FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Trystan Hart continued his winning ways at one of the toughest weekends on the 2023 AMA U.S. Hard Enduro schedule, sweeping both rounds of racing at The Keystone Challenge in Pennsylvania.

Comprised of the Tough Like RORR and Shotgun Hard Scramble Hard Enduro rounds, which make up Rounds 3 and 4 of the championship, defending series champion Hart powered his FMF KTM Factory Racing KTM 300 XC-W to victory on the opening day of competition in Tamaqua, PA, with a total time of 3:26:53.

The series then shifted to Sugarloaf, where Hart continued his run of dominance as he conquered the rocky terrain, which presented as a huge test for the entire field, securing the round victory with a total time of 3:01:53.

This weekend marked Hart and FMF KTM Factory Racing’s second year in succession sweeping both the Tamaqua and Sugarloaf AMA U.S. Hard Enduro rounds.

Trystan Hart: “We just finished up with day two of the Keystone Challenge here in Sugarloaf – a crazy race today with so many rocks! We all battled on lap one, and then I was able to break away on lap two, and could ride my own race from there. It was a really long weekend for all of us here – I think we’re all really tired – and definitely looking forward to a bit of rest this week, but we’re obviously happy with the result!”

For more information on the U.S. Hard Enduro Series, visit the official series website at www.ushardenduro.com.

Pro Results – Tough Like RORR 1. Trystan Hart, KTM, 3:26:53 2. Cody Webb, Sherco, 3:34:29 3. Jonny Walker, Beta, 3:59:10 4. Will Riordan, KTM, 4:24:12

Pro Results – Shotgun Hard Scramble 1. Trystan Hart, KTM, 3:01:53 2. Ryder LeBlond, Husqvarna, 3:07:19 3. Cody Webb, Sherco, 3:11:59 OTHER KTM 5. Will Riordan, KTM, 3:22:57

RED BULL KTM’S KODY KOPP EXTENDS AFT SINGLES POINTS LEAD AFTER SIXTH IN KENTUCKY

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing duo Kody Kopp and Max Whale charged hard at Round 8 of the 2023 American Flat Track Championship, with Whale finishing in fifth position and Kopp sixth in the AFT Singles Main Event. That result allowed defending champion Kopp extended his points lead to 15 following The Red Mile in Kentucky.

After qualifying in ninth, Kopp powered his KTM 450 SX-F to a fourth-place finish in the second Heat race of the event, with his sights set on the night’s Main Event. A challenging 18-lap affair saw Kopp cross the line in sixth position, while managing to extend his lead in the AFT Singles series in the process. Kody Kopp: “Had an up and down day here in Kentucky, struggled with a few things during the weekend, but as a team we worked hard together to try our best and we ended up with a sixth place. Considering where I was with seven laps to go, sixth is a positive – just need to keep chipping away and work hard over the three-week break.” Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Whale finished qualifying in third position, before crossing the finish line in second place for the opening Heat race of the event, earning a place in the Dash-for-Cash, where the Australian would finish in P4. A measured ride in the Main Event resulted in a fifth-place result, which has the number 18 sitting fourth in the standings with 10 rounds remaining.

Max Whale: “We made huge improvements here for the Kentucky Red Mile. We worked super-hard in the week and a half off, and I can’t thank the team enough for all the work they do. Started out today on the back foot, but we came through with third in qualifying, second in the Heat, and made it through to the Dash, which is great for extra track time. Then ended up with fifth in the Main after a few mistakes on my end, but I’m happy with the progress we’ve made, and we’ll come out swinging in a few weeks.” Next Race: DuQuoin Mile – Du Quoin, Illinois – June 17, 2023 Round 8 Results AFT Singles Main Event 1. Trent Lowe, Honda 2. Chase Saathoff, Honda 3. Tom Drane, Yamaha OTHER KTM 5. Max Whale, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 6. Kody Kopp, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 7. Dalton Gauthier, KTM 13. Landen Smith, KTM 14. Shayna Texter-Bauman, KTM 15. Travis Petton IV, KTM 18. Declan Bender, KTM 19. Logan Eisenhard, KTM 2023 AFT Singles Point Standings 1. Kody Kopp, 151 points 2. Dalton Gauthier, 136 3. Chase Saathoff, 136 4. Max Whale, 130 OTHER KTM 11. Justin Jones, 52 12. Shayna Texter-Bauman, 40 13. Travis Petton IV, 40 16. Logan Eisenhard, 28 22. Hunter Bauer, 16 23. Hayden Gillim, 14 24. Landen Smith, 11 25. Declan Bender, 10 26. Clarke Morian V, 10 27. Tanner Dean, 9 32. Olin Kissler, 4

Ferrandis Lands on Podium at Pro Motocross Opening Round

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis returned racing to enjoy a podium finish at yesterday’s opening round of the Pro Motocross Championship at Fox Raceway in Pala, California. As expected, the track showcased a fast and rutted terrain, but the Frenchman quickly found his form in his first race back and collected two third-place finishes to round out the podium in third overall.

Ferrandis holds a special place for the track where he earned both of his Pro Motocross titles – the 2020 250MX and 2021 450MX Championships. While he has had a limited amount of time on the bike to get comfortable for the outdoor style of racing after coming back from injury, the multi-time champ didn’t show it on the track. After qualifying fifth to start the day, Ferrandis launched out of the start in the opening moto to quickly find second after the first few turns. He moved back to third on Lap 7, but Ferrandis maintained a strong pace to hold off any charges from behind to secure third. He had another good start in Moto 2 and ended up riding in third from start to finish, putting Ferrandis and his Yamaha YZ450F on the podium in third overall.

The Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team will travel to Northern California for the Hangtown Classic for Round 2 of the Pro Motocross Championship and the 19th round of the SuperMotocross World Championship in Rancho Cordova outside Sacramento.

Dylan Ferrandis Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing “It is always good to end up on the podium, and I didn’t really expect that. During qualifying, I was struggling a little bit with the bike with the new chassis. I wanted to be a little bit more comfortable, and that’s what we worked on all day. The bike kept getting better session after session. If anyone had told me I would have finished on the podium at the first round, I would have told them they were dreaming. Everybody worked really hard, so it was good to give them back something with a podium and get some good points.”

Jeremy Coker Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing “ I don’t think it could have gone any better with the short period of time Dylan had to get ready. For him to come out and go 3-3, it’s great for the team, and we’ll keep building from here to get better every weekend.”

Deegan Starts Pro Motocross with Runner-Up Finish

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan captured his first career 250MX podium at the opening round of the Pro Motocross Championship at Fox Raceway in Pala, California. After a decent opening moto in sixth, the rookie earned his first career moto podium in second, which propelled him to second overall (6-2). Teammate Justin Cooper battled back from a tough second moto start to ride to fifth overall (5-4), while new addition Guillem Farres had a good first showing in eighth overall (8-5). Levi Kitchen put another Yamaha YZ250F into the top 10 with his ninth-place performance (10-7). Jordon Smith shook off a few cobwebs from his four-year hiatus of riding outdoors, collecting 13th overall with a 13-14 moto result.

Coming off his Rookie of the Year campaign in Monster Energy AMA Supercross, Deegan took that momentum and brought it to the outdoors. He qualified sixth to start the day and readied himself for the longer 30-minute-plus-two-lap format. At the Moto 1 gate drop, he squeezed inside the top 10 but made a mistake on Lap 2 that sent him to the ground and back to 14th. He quickly remounted and pushed his way to the front, making it up to sixth by the checkered flag. For the second moto, Deegan had his start dialed and filed into third on the opening lap. He maintained the speed with the front pack for most of the moto and took over second when a rider went down on Lap 9. The Californian kept pace and finished five seconds ahead of third at the finish to secure second overall, much to the delight of the home crowd.

Cooper found himself in familiar territory as the top qualifier in the morning practice sessions. He had a solid start in eighth but wasn’t able to make it through as quickly as he would have liked, ending the first race in fifth. The New Yorker aimed for a better start in the second moto, but with riders going down around him in the opening turn, he was pushed back to 20th. Undeterred, he put in a hard charge to the front, making an impressive run to fourth – giving Cooper a top-five finish overall.

Farres returned to the team after making a brief appearance in 2022 with two impressive runs late in the season as a fill-in. The Spaniard looked comfortable in California’s rutted and rough Fox Raceway, starting the day ninth in qualifying. In the opening moto, he didn’t get going as he’d hoped and was 16th. Farres used the entire moto to make up as much ground as possible, finishing eighth. He got a much better start in Moto 2, coming around in fourth after the first lap. Farres was shuffled to fifth but maintained good speed and was able to hold on to the finish, scoring eighth overall.

Kitchen was coming off an impressive double podium finish to the Monster Energy AMA Supercross season and was eager to run up front at the opening round of the Pro Motocross Championship. He qualified with one of his best results in fourth, but unfortunately, starting outside the top 10 hindered the result he was looking for. In the opening moto, Kitchen started 13th and moved his YZ250F into the top 10 before the end of the race. The second moto was slightly better off the start in 11th, with Kitchen making up additional ground to finish the race in seventh for ninth overall.

The gate drop for Smith had been a long time coming, with his last motocross race being almost exactly four years to the day on June 1, 2019. He worked his way into comfort in the qualifying sessions, where he logged the 13th-fastest time. Smith found himself in 12th off the start in the opening moto and ultimately finished 13th. In the second moto, he would have to work hard to make up position after starting 17th, but he found his way by several riders to end the day 14th for 13th overall.

The Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team heads north to Rancho Cordova, California, outside Sacramento for the Hangtown Classic on Saturday, June 3, for Round 2 of the Pro Motocross Championship and the 19th round of the SuperMotocross World Championship.

Haiden Deegan Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing “Today was definitely a good day. I didn’t have a great start in the first moto, so I was pushing and was in about eighth when I hit someone and fell. I got back up to sixth. I knew I had the speed, so in the second moto, I had a better start and made my way up to second and just rode smooth for second overall. It was a great way to start off the season.”

Justin Cooper Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing “It was a good day, overall. I just had bad starts, but I felt good on the bike. The second moto was pretty good for me. I went from 20th and got up to fourth. I was working to try and get those guys at the end but came up a little short after expending a lot of energy to get to the front. We’ll take it. We’ve just got to be better off the gate so we can fight for the win.”

Guillem Farres Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing “I’m really happy with my first race. I ended up going eighth overall and had a fifth in the second moto. It’s my first race in a while, so it was a pretty good day, and I want to keep building from here.”

Levi Kitchen Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing “The day started well with the best qualifying I think I’ve ever had. But the story of my life today was bad starts in both motos. I fell that first moto but felt like I had good speed. The second moto was another bad start, but then I never really felt like I had good speed in that one. We’re going to put our heads down and focus on next weekend.”

Jordon Smith Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing “It was good to get back racing outdoors. It’s been four years since I’ve raced one. It was a good learning day. I didn’t end up where I wanted to be, but we learned a lot. Overall, I had a lot of fun out there, and I’m ready to continue building throughout the season.”

This Week in Powersports Racing – The week of May 14, 2023

News and stories from Powersports racing in the United States.

RJ HAMPSHIRE WRAPS UP SUCCESSFUL SUPERCROSS SEASON IN SALT LAKE CITY WITH A SECOND-PLACE FINISH

After capturing a big win at the previous round of the AMA Supercross Series in Denver, Colo., RJ Hampshire and the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team came into the final round of the season looking for another strong finish. But per usual, the final round featured an East/West Showdown for the 250 class, which considerably boosted the challenge for everyone. Add in the arrival of an unexpected downpour, and things got substantially more challenging for the entire field.

250 SX

After RJ Hampshire qualified second in the 250 West afternoon sessions, and he finished second in the heat race, he was set for the final main event of the ’23 Supercross season.

When the gate dropped for the main event, RJ put his FC250 out front, grabbing the holeshot against the entire 250 East/West Showdown field. He led the first seven laps, but the eventual winner nudged his way past at the end of the whoop section, moving RJ into the second spot where he stayed for the remainder of the race. While it wasn’t the win he was looking for, he was upbeat about the progress for both himself and the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team.

“It was an awesome night and season. I gave myself a chance at it…that’s all I asked of myself for tonight. I got a really good start. I just kind of lost it in the whoops there,” said Hampshire. “But overall, it was really solid. Another podium, the seventh of the season. It should have been eight, but who’s counting New York? I’ll take this confidence and keep the ball rolling into the outdoors, and we’re going to have a really awesome season there, too.”

450 SX

While the 450 squad is still on the mend, the exciting news this week was the contract extension for Malcolm Stewart, where he’ll continue with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team for another two years aboard an FC 450 Rockstar Edition.

Next Event (Round 1): May 27, 2023 – Fox Raceway in Pala, Calif.

Round 17 Results: Salt Lake City

250 SX East/West Showdown Results

1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) 2. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

3. Levi Kitchen (Yamaha)

450 SX Results

1. Chase Sexton (Honda) 2. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) 3. Justin Hill (KTM)

250 SX East Rider Point Standings 1. Hunter Lawrence – 241 points 2. Haiden Deegan – 183 points 3. Max Anstie – 182 points … 14. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 73 points

250 SX West Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 223 points 2. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 186 points 3. Levi Kitchen – 156 points

450 SX Rider Point Standings 1. Chase Sexton – 372 points 2. Eli Tomac – 339 points 3. Cooper Webb – 304 points … 12. Christian Craig – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 150 points 30. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 15 points 32. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 15 points

ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING’S CRAIG DELONG CAPTURES MAIDEN VICTORY AT DRAGON’S BACK NATIONAL ENDURO

After getting off to a fast start, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Craig DeLong posted his first-ever NE Pro1 win at this weekend’s Dragon’s Back National Enduro in Arrington, Virginia.

Riding his FX 350, DeLong led the way early, winning the first three tests before settling into a steady and consistent approach that led to a 25-second win over Ricky Russell.

“I started off really well the first three tests,”said DeLong. “It was just really similar to how it is back home in Pennsylvania. Just kind of slick, red clay, a little rooty, and I those conditions. So, I just felt at home at the beginning of the day. I had a nice lead built up there, then after that, in test four I was trying to still push it and still be competitive, but I was just a little bit off of what I was early in the morning.”

DeLong nearly blew his lead in the final test when he got stuck on a log.

“I just got hung up and had a couple of tries at it,”said DeLong. “I was kicking myself in the butt for that one. But I pulled it through. It feels good to finally get a win. It feels like I’ve been at this a couple of years and I’m happy to finally get it done.”

DeLong returns to action in two weeks at the John Penton GNCC in Millfield, Ohio, on May 21st.

Next Round (5): Greensboro, GA – June 11, 2023

Dragon’s Back Enduro – Results

NE Pro1 Class

1. Craig DeLong – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

2. Ricky Russell (YAM)

3. Ryder Lafferty (GAS)

4. Josh Toth (GAS)

5. Grant Baylor (KAW)

ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA’S DALTON SHIREY CONTINUES HARE & HOUND FORM WITH JERICHO PODIUM

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider Dalton Shirey has continued his run of form at Round 4 of the 2023 AMA National Hare & Hound Championship, with the defending champion taking the second step of the podium in Jericho, Utah, on Saturday.

Shirey started off with a great start, leading the field through for the opening lap of the race before engaging in a battle with eventual winner, Tyler Lynn. The defending champion posted a measured ride after an untimely flu made for a difficult outing physically, bringing his FX 450 home in P2 and extending his lead in the 2023 Pro Class series.

Second position at the Cherry Creek National sees Shirey stretch his advantage to points 48 in the Pro Class standings, as two rounds remain in this year’s championship series.

“Today was a good day with second place,” Shirey said. “I’m always out there to win, though I came into this race a little under the weather with the common cold which made breathing difficult, so I did the best that I could. Tyler and I had a good battle all through the event, we both got a little lost at one stage, but he took the lead, and I was pacing him right in his dust for half of the first loop and made the pass around desert mountain. He got me back on lap two, and that’s when I began to feel the fatigue, so I was stoked to sit back there and extend my points lead as that’s what matters.”

The 2023 AMA National Hare & Hound Championship now sees an extended break until September 9, where Round 5 of the series will take place in Nevada for the Silver State Trail Blazers Hare & Hound event, which marks the penultimate round of the series.

Round 5: September 9 – Panaca, Nevada

Pro Class Results – Round 4 1. Tyler Lynn (KAW) 2. Dalton Shirey – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 3. Zane Roberts (BET)

Pro Class Championship Standings 1. Dalton Shirey, 115 points 2. Carter Klein, 67 3. Joseph Wasson, 66

The 50th season of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross – Dunlop riders swept all three championships and race podiums

The 50th season of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship concluded in Salt Lake City and stamped yet another landmark in the history of Dunlop’s Supercross racing program: For the 14th consecutive season, Dunlop riders swept all three championships and race podiums. This making a total of 176 SX and MX Championships, a number that no other company has ever come close to.

In the 450SX class, the deep talent pool of riders made for some great racing throughout the entire season! Monster Energy Star Yamaha Eli Tomac started the season off with a bang by winning the first two races in a row and then five others along the way, but fellow Team Dunlop Elite alumni Chase Sexton and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Cooper Webb kept the pressure on. Team Honda HRC rider Sexton had a few mishaps throughout the season, but he never gave up and always stayed close to or controlled the points lead. As the season progressed a hand-full of the top riders such as Justin Barcia, Cooper Webb and Aaron Plessinger bowed out due to injuries, but the racing prevailed. At the mind-blowing penultimate round in Tomac’s home state of Colorado, Tomac was forced to retire from the race due to a freak incident rupturing his Achilles tendon. This allowed Sexton to win the race, take over the points lead and win his first 450SX Championship with the final race remaining!

For the 2023 season, Dunlop increased their support by adding multiple teams to their Dunlop Family of support. Overall, in the premier 450SX class, Dunlop riders finished in the top 15 positions, once again proving their Dunlop Domination.

In the 250SX championships, HRC Honda riders Jett and Hunter Lawrence were the riders to beat. Older brother Hunter wrapped up the East coast in Nashville and younger brother Jett secured the West in Denver with one race to go. Going into the last race of the season with the championships secured, both Aussies could enjoy the East/West Coast Showdown and take their championships home safe and sound.

With Sexton winning his first supercross title, there are now 24 championships won by Team Dunlop Elite alumni, including Eli Tomac, Aaron Plessinger, Justin Hill, Justin Bogle, Justin Barcia, Colt Nichols, Blake Baggett and Ashley Fiolek.

“Winning championships are great and no other tire company can match our results there, but one of the most rewarding aspects of this season to me is the number of high quality programs like ClubMX, BarX and Firepower Honda to name a few, that not only asked for support from Dunlop, but put up record results for their programs in 2023.” said Mike Buckley, Dunlop Motorcycle’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “This alone demonstrates the remarkable job done by our team and the performance advantages gained by using our world class products.”

“This season, we were faced with a wide variety of conditions and terrain. From rain and mud in New Jersey to hard-packed blue-groove out West, but Dunlop once again proved that we have a tire to perform and win in any condition.” said Broc Glover, Sr. Manager of Off-Road Motorcycles for Dunlop. “Not only is this the fourteenth consecutive year Dunlop riders won all three Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship titles, but Dunlop riders also swept each of the podium positions at all seventeen rounds! This is a testament to the brand, product and hard-working Dunlop staff that represent and support Dunlop day in and day out. In addition, we had development versions of our new Geomax MX34 tires show their true potential, racking up over 65 podium positions in varying conditions. Supercross riders have a choice in tires, and we want to thank all the teams and riders who chose to race on Dunlop.”

Next up for the Dunlop family of racers is the AMA Pro Motocross Championship which then combines with Supercross for the new SuperMotocross World Championship finals.

About Dunlop Motorcycle Tires:

Dunlop is the largest supplier of original equipment and replacement motorcycle tires in the U.S.A. For more information, visit www.DunlopMotorcycleTires.com. Follow @ridedunlop on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter for the latest Dunlop news. Use #RideDunlop and/or #RaceDunlop to share your Dunlop moments.

To learn more about the Team Dunlop program, visit www.teamdunlop.com

Mees Gets His Revenge in Sacramento Mile Rematch

Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) furthered his claim as the preeminent Mile rider currently competing in Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, with a pivotal victory in Saturday night’s 57th Legendary Mission Sacramento Mile powered by Law Tigers at Cal Expo in Sacramento, California.

Those bragging rights were brought into question after Mees was outscored 2-1 in Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle Mile wins a year ago by then-rookie Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT). Their first Mile showdown of the season carried even greater significance than it otherwise would have with Daniels having arguably emerged the title favorite and leading reigning champion Mees in the points.

The race went to script with the two separating at the front and settling into a one-on-one fight to the flag. Just past mid-distance, Mees railed around the corners with his helmet down in an attempt to break Daniels’ challenge. While unable to sink Daniels’ hopes completely, the ploy granted Mees a few tenths which he successfully guarded all the way to the end.

The victory was the 24th Mile triumph of Mees’ illustrious career. That moves him ahead of Ricky Graham and into sole possession of fifth place on the all-time order and just one away from joining Bubba Shobert and Bryan Smith in a tie for third.

The result also drew Mees a bit closer to the championship lead. That said, Daniels is not doing him any favors in that regard, extending his season-long streak of top-two finishes. The gap is now 20 points (159-139) as the two continue to distance themselves from the remainder of a talented pack of contenders.

“I honestly was sweating coming into the Miles – last year I felt like we were a little down,” Mees admitted after earning his fifth-career Sacramento Mile win. “I didn’t know what to expect. But Kenny (Tolbert) worked really hard this winter to get us back some ponies, and Jimmy Wood really had that thing hooked up with the Öhlins suspension. I don’t think I’ve ever been that hooked up before. I could just go into the corner and mash the throttle. The Indian Motorcycle was phenomenal tonight.”

Daniels’ teammate, JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), solidified his hold on third in the championship order with his third podium of the season. It only came about following a final-lap duel with Kolby Carlile (No. 36 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07), however, when Beach poked ahead by 0.021 seconds at the line.

Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) and Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) each had a shot at the box on the final lap as well, ultimately finishing fractionally behind in fifth and sixth, respectively.

Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 790 Duke) earned a lonely seventh, although that description fails to adequately express the contour of his race. Bauman actually led more than once early in the contest before running wide on the powerful-yet-brutish KTM and dropping to fifth. He worked his way back up to third at one point before going off the groove again and fading out of podium contention.

Bauman was followed home by his brother, Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing/2 Wheelz KTM 790 Duke), while Ben Lowe (No. 25 Rackley Racing/Mission Foods Indian FTR750) and Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750) completed the top ten.

Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER

Australian phenom Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) scored his maiden Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER victory in breathtaking fashion in Sacramento.

A huge early train of 450s connected to the front slowly whittled away as the race progressed. The battle for the win at last took its final shape with just over a minute remaining when three-time Sacramento Mile winner Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) fell away from the lead group and into the clutches of a second group bursting with big names and title contenders.

With Brunner out of the fight, the checkered flag was set to be decided between Drane, Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), and Chad Cose (No. 49 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450).

Lowe stormed past Drane as they opened the final lap, but the diminutive Aussie stormed back by on the back straight, confident he could out-run any and all slingshot attempts in the decisive drag race to the line.

He was proven correct, albeit only by just 0.005 seconds over Lowe and 0.036 seconds over Saathoff. Meanwhile, Cose finished just another 0.065 seconds back yet found himself left off the podium altogether.

Drane came into the season with serious hype and had endured something of a quiet start to the year when judged based on those lofty expectations. However, tonight’s victory put everything back in its proper perspective. Ultimately, the Estenson Racing Yamaha prodigy earned his first win just a month after turning 17 and competing in what was just his eighth Progressive AFT Main Event. Perhaps even more remarkably, it was the first Main Event at a Mile in Drane’s career.

He said, “I just can’t thank the team enough for all the work they do, all the hours. It’s amazing. This has boosted my confidence heaps, showing I can do it. I’m so happy.”

Fifth went to Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F), who clawed his way up from outside the top ten after earning his slot on the grid via the LCQ.

He placed Brunner between himself and his primary title rivals in the process. Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) crossed the stripe in seventh, followed by Sacramento Mile legend Shayna Texter-Bauman (No. 52 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 450 SX-F) and the impressive Travis Petton IV (No. 82 ECG Racing/3 Bros KTM 450 SX-F).

The final position in the top ten went to defending class champ Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F). Despite the uncharacteristic result, Kopp continues to lead in the standings with 137 points. Gauthier closed to within 14 points at 123, while Whale and Saathoff are now tied for third at 115.

Next Up:

Progressive American Flat Track will continue its run of spectacular Mile action with the Red Mile presented by Indian Motorcycle of Lexington at the Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky, on May 27. Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/red-mile-59131 to secure your tickets today.

For those that can’t catch the live action from the circuit, FansChoice.tv is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Sign up now and catch every second of on-track action starting with Practice & Qualifying and ending with the Victory Podium at the end of the night at https://www.fanschoice.tv.

FOX Sports coverage of the Legendary Sacramento Mile, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Saturday, May 27, at 11:30 a.m. ET (8:30 a.m. PT).

For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com.

KODY KOPP CONTINUES TO LEAD AFT SINGLES POINTS AFTER SACRAMENTO MILE CHALLENGE

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing duo Kody Kopp and Max Whale endured a tough night of competition at Round 7 of the 2023 American Flat Track Championship, with Whale finishing in seventh position and Kopp 10th in the AFT Singles Main Event. Defending champion Kopp continues to lead the point standings following the Sacramento Mile.

After qualifying in seventh, defending champion Kopp made inroads between qualifying and the opening Heat of the event, powering his #1 KTM 450 SX-F to third position, setting himself up well for the Main Event. A more difficult 18-lap affair saw Kopp eventually cross the line in 10th position, retaining his lead in the AFT Singles series.

Kody Kopp:“Honestly, a little frustrated with how the weekend went, and a lot of things added up to the 10th-place finish here at the Sacramento Mile. We’re a team though, we’ll go back to work, we’ve got a two-week break and we’ll come back swinging in Kentucky.”

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Whale was 10th in qualifying at the Northern Californian venue, before crossing the finish line in fourth place for the second Heat of the event, just 0.213 off the race winner. The Australian fought hard during the Main Event, landing P7 and still sitting third in the championship overall.

Max Whale: “Definitely a tough day here in Sacramento. I feel as though I rode well, but just a few mistakes today – the team worked great, but I ended the night in P7, which isn’t great. It could’ve been much worse from where I was at one stage, we fought hard, and we’ll move on to the next one.”

Next Race: The Red Mile – Lexington, Kentucky – May 27, 2023

Round 7 Results

AFT Singles Main Event 1. Tom Drane, Yamaha 2. Trent Lowe, Honda 3. Chase Saathoff, Honda OTHER KTM 5. Dalton Gauthier, KTM 7. Max Whale, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 8. Shayna Texter-Bauman, KTM 9. Travis Petton IV, KTM 10. Kody Kopp, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 12. Declan Bender, KTM 16. Landen Smith, KTM 19. Justin Jones, KTM

2023 AFT Singles Point Standings 1. Kody Kopp, 137 points 2. Dalton Gauthier, 123 3. Max Whale, 115 OTHER KTM 11. Justin Jones, 52 13. Travis Petton IV, 35 14. Shayna Texter-Bauman, 34 16. Logan Eisenhard, 27 22. Hunter Bauer, 16 23. Hayden Gillim, 14 24. Clarke Morian V, 10 25. Tanner Dean, 9 28. Declan Bender, 8 31. Landen Smith, 4 32. Olin Kissler, 4

FMF KTM FACTORY RACING’S BEN KELLEY EIGHTH AT DRAGON’S BACK ENDURO

After suffering a devastating injury at the opening round of the AMA National Enduro Series in February, FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Ben Kelley is slowly riding himself back into shape. His eighth-place finish at this weekend’s Dragon’s Back Enduro in Arrington, Virginia, was a notable improvement over the 10th he scored at the previous round.

Riding his KTM 350 XC-F, Kelley started slow but finished strong, posting the seventh-fastest time in the NE Pro1 division in the final two tests. Kelley admittedly was unable to get comfortable with the slippery Virginia clay, making for a long day at the office.

Ben Kelley: “It was an okay day. Just off the pace, not really feeling it – it is what it is. I just struggled to get comfortable and it turned out to be a long day.”

Kelley returns to action in two weeks at the John Penton GNCC in Millfield, Ohio, on May 21st.

Round 5: June 11 – Greensboro, Georgia

NE Pro1 Results 1. Craig DeLong, HQV, 1:21:50.708 2. Ricky Russell, YAM, +25.387 3. Ryder Lafferty, GAS, +3.220 OTHER KTM 7. Steward Baylor Jr, KTM 8. Ben Kelley, KTM

RED BULL KTM’S AARON PLESSINGER SECURES SEASON-BEST SECOND PLACE IN SALT LAKE CITY SUPERCROSS FINALS

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Aaron Plessinger made a welcome return to racing and the podium at the 2023 AMA Supercross Championship finals in Salt Lake City, charging to a season-best second-place result to cap off what has been a convincing 450SX season for the fan-favorite.

Plessinger put down the seventh-fastest qualifying time aboard his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION this afternoon, before leading almost the entirety of the second 450cc Heat race of the night. A costly mistake through the whoops on a slick surface saw him fall, before quickly remounting and earning the final transfer position into the Main Event.

A solid start in the Main Event saw Plessinger thrive in the conditions as he weaved his way through the field with precision, racing into second position by the midway point. From there, the Ohio native posted a calculated effort and finished off this year’s Supercross season with a runner-up finish.

Aaron Plessinger:“It feels good to cap the season off with a podium. I went down a couple of weeks ago and wasn’t sure if I was going to make it back, but made good progress through the week and decided I could race. I’m still a little sore, though today was a crazy day! The clouds were all over the place – it was hot and cold, and then the rain came down. This track is like concrete, so the rain made it tough, but it was fun. The whoops were tough, as I showed in the Heat, but we remounted well and came back with second in the Main, so I’m pumped to finish the Supercross season off like this.”

The 250SX regions were combined at the Salt Lake City finale, as the coveted 250SX East/West Showdown rounded out the series. As the times were compiled from the day’s qualifying sessions, Red Bull KTM duo Maximus Vohland and Tom Vialle concluded the timesheets in sixth and eighth places, respectively.

Beginning with the 250SX East Heat race, Vialle battled the tricky track conditions and would finish just shy of a transfer position in 11th. It was a similar story for Vohland in the 250SX West Heat, who finished one spot out of contention in 10th, and would join Vialle in the LCQ.

Conditions would worsen after the skies opened, with both Vialle and Vohland presented with an added challenge as the gates dropped. French rookie Vialle launched to the holeshot and would earn a third-place ride and a place in the Main Event, whilst Vohland’s sixth would mark the conclusion of his night.

In the 250SX East/West Showdown Main Event, Vialle powered his KTM 250 SX-F to a top-five start, avoiding the opening lap carnage as he battled toward the front of the pack. A small mistake soon saw the number 128 on the ground momentarily, before salvaging a 14th-place finish by the race’s end.

Tom Vialle: “The day didn’t begin so well here in Salt Lake City as I had to go through the LCQ. Happy to finish third there and transfer through to the Main Event, though had almost the last gate pick. Thankfully, I got a great start, I was third, but a couple of mistakes put me in P5 for two laps, then had a small crash. I was up the back, although happy to charge to where I did, and happy to finish the Supercross season healthy in eighth overall and learn a lot for next year.”

Maximus Vohland:“Tough night for me in Salt Lake. I got a bad start in the Heat and struggled to make up positions. Ended up missing qualifying for the Main by one spot and had to go to the LCQ, where I got a better start, but struggled with the mud and just didn’t find my groove, which meant I missed out on the Main Event. Not the way I wanted to end my 2023 SX season, but I’m healthy and looking forward to outdoors in a couple of weeks.”

The 2023 AMA Supercross Championship season marked an impressive return to form for two-time 450SX champion Cooper Webb before being injured, who had secured two race wins, nine podiums, and also third-place overall aboard his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION in the final championship standings.

Premier class teammate Plessinger finished the 450SX season in seventh position, while Vohland was sixth overall in the 250SX West standings, and double MX2 World Champion Vialle took eighth position in the final 250SX East standings to complete his first Supercross campaign.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing will now shift its attention outdoors to the upcoming Pro Motocross Championship, which commences in Pala, California, on May 27, marking the second portion of the inaugural SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) season.

Next Race: May 27 – Pala, California

Results 450SX Class – Salt Lake City 1. Chase Sexton (USA), Honda, 25 laps 2. Aaron Plessinger (USA), KTM, +18.266 3. Justin Hill (USA), KTM, +21.400 OTHER KTM 6. Josh Hill (USA), KTM 11. Kevin Moranz (USA), KTM

Standings 450SX Class 2023 after 17 of 17 rounds 1. Chase Sexton, 372 points 2. Eli Tomac, 339 3. Cooper Webb, 304 OTHER KTM 7. Aaron Plessinger, 236 8. Justin Hill, 212 13. Josh Hill, 149 16. Kevin Moranz, 96 34. Marvin Musquin, 11

Results 250SX East/West Showdown – Salt Lake City 1. Jett Lawrence (AUS), Honda, 19 laps 2. RJ Hampshire (USA), Husqvarna, +4.760 3. Levi Kitchen (USA), Yamaha, +7.223 OTHER KTM 14. Tom Vialle (FRA), KTM 22. Derek Kelley (USA), KTM

Standings 250SX West Class 2023 after 9 of 9 rounds 1. Jett Lawrence, 223 points 2. RJ Hampshire, 186 3. Levi Kitchen, 156 OTHER KTM 6. Maximus Vohland, 121 9. Derek Kelley, 87

Standings 250SX East Class 2023 after 10 of 10 rounds 1. Hunter Lawrence, 241 points 2. Haiden Deegan, 183 3. Max Anstie, 182 OTHER KTM 8. Tom Vialle, 120

Chase Sexton Wraps Up 2023 Supercross Title with Utah Win – Jett Lawrence Tops 250SX Class Racers in East/West Showdown

Salt Lake City, Utah, (May 14, 2023) Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton nabbed the final win of the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Supercross indoor stadium season to cap his first 450SX Class championship with a victory in front of a sold-out crowd of 49,871 fans inside Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Red Bull KTM’s Aaron Plessinger took the race’s runner-up spot at the Supercross Championship Final Presented by Utah Sports Commission. And Team Tedder Monster Energy Mountain Motorsport’s Justin Hill took third place and his career-first 450SX Class podium to conclude the Supercross season and also earn points toward the inaugural 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship. In the 250SX Class season finale, Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence earned his sixth victory of the season in the Dave Coombs Sr. East/West Showdown that pit both regions against each other for the second time in 2023.

On the podium, the AMA awarded Chase Sexton the Monster Energy Supercross Champion title. He entered the race with the championship mathematically won but received the official #1 plate after the race. With Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence and Jett Lawrence wrapping the two 250SX Class championships at previous rounds, 2023 marked only the third time ever, and second time for Honda, that a manufacturer has captured all three Supercross championships in the same season. The 2023 season marks the 50th Anniversary of Supercross racing in America.

When the gate dropped Chase Sexton grabbed the holeshot ahead of Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo, FXR General Grind & Machine’s Justin Starling, Twisted Tea Suzuki Progressive Insurance’s Kyle Chisholm and Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen. Roczen was on the move early but just a few turns in he injured his knee in a rutted corner. Roczen’s injury took him out of the race and he lost a chance to earn the two points needed to secure third overall in the championship.

Cianciarulo was into second place just a few laps into the race with Chisholm right behind. Just over three minutes into the 20-minute plus one lap race Aaron Plessinger took over third and set his sights on Cianciarulo while Justin Hill was into fourth place and on the charge. As the race clock ticked past 12 minutes Plessinger moved past Cianciarulo to take over second, and a lap and a half later Justin Hill was around Cianciarulo and into third place.

As Sexton stretched out his lead up front, Cianciarulo mounted a charge to take back third. But with five minutes left on the race clock the final positions appeared settled. Chase Sexton took his sixth win of the season and brought Honda its first Supercross title since 2003. Sexton’s late-season surge was one of the sport’s great title comebacks, with parallels to David Bailey’s 1983 season that also included a third-to-first drive in the final five races of the season.

In the final 250SX Class race of the season, Phoenix Racing Honda’s Coty Schock grabbed the holeshot but Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire was quickly into the lead ahead of Red Bull KTM’s Tom Vialle, Jett Lawrence, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Levi Kitchen, and Fire Power Honda’s Max Anstie as heavy rain came down in the stadium. Hunter Lawrence found himself with a mid-pack start and then got tangled up when Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha’s Enzo Lopes crashed. As Hampshire, Jett Lawrence and Kitchen slotted into the top three spots, Hunter Lawrence and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan worked their way up from outside the top ten.

Three minutes into the 15-minute plus one lap race Jett Lawrence began applying pressure on Hampshire for the lead. At the same time, back on the track, Deegan broke into the top ten. Two minutes later Jett Lawrence was in striking distance of the front spot as his brother Hunter Lawrence climbed into the top ten. As the race clock ticked down to eight and a half minutes Jett Lawrence charged through the whoops and cut under Hampshire in the following corner. The riders made contact; Lawrence accelerated away clean but the disturbance led to a Hampshire mistake down the next rhythm lane.

From there Jett Lawrence was unchallenged for the lead. The win gives the Australian racer the distinction of being the winningest Honda rider in the 250SX Class, surpassing racing legends Eli Tomac, Jeremy McGrath and Hunter Lawrence. Hampshire held second to the checkered, and Kitchen took the final 250SX Class podium of the season.

With the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Supercross indoor stadium season wrapped up, the racers have a two week break before the start of the 11-round AMA Pro Motocross outdoor season. Points earned from the Supercross season will combine with points earned in the motocross season to determine the top 20 riders who will gain entry into the all-new SuperMotocross World Championship. Riders in spots 21-30 in overall points, as well as single event winners not in the top 20, will get a spot on the line in the Last Chance Qualifier to battle for the final two spots on the 22-rider starting gate. In September two Playoff races and one Final, with increasing points payouts, will determine the first SuperMotocross World Champion and deliver a $1,000,000 win bonus to that rider. The 250 class racers will battle for a $500,000 win bonus. It’s the first ever playoff season for the sport and delivers a three-race post season that will be all-new for the fans, teams, and racers.

Before the Monster Energy Supercross season closes its books, one great event is yet to conclude: the 2023 St. Jude Love Moto Stop Cancer Supercross Auction. The online auction offers unique, autographed, one-of-a-kind memorabilia donated by the teams, partners, and athletes. The auction runs until Monday, May 15th at 8:00 PM ET. All money raised goes directly to the children at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the St. Jude mission of Finding Cures. Saving Children. To bid on the auction items please go to: St. Jude Love Moto Stop Cancer Supercross Auction.

All rounds of the 2023 SuperMotocross World Championship will be streamed live on Peacock; rounds 29 and 31 will also be broadcast live on USA Network. Both Playoffs and the Final will be re-broadcast on CNBC. For the full race schedule and ticket sales, as well as 2023 Supercross highlight videos, recap race reports, and post-race press conferences, please go to SupercrossLIVE.com.

450SX Class Results

1. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda

1. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM

1. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM

1. Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki

1. Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Honda

1. Josh Hill, Huntersville, N.C., KTM

1. Shane McElrath, Oakland, Fla., Suzuki

1. Justin Starling, Riverview, Fla., GASGAS

1. Devin Simonson, Laurinburg, N.C., Kawasaki

1. Grant Harlan, Decatur, Tex., Yamaha

450SX Class Championship Final Standings

1. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda (372)

1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha (339)

1. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (304)

1. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki (304)

1. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS (267)

1. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki (242)

1. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (236)

1. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM (212)

1. Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki (210)

1. Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Honda (200)

East/West Showdown Results

1. Jett Lawrence, Zephyrhills, Fla., Honda (West)

1. RJ Hampshire, Minneola, Fla., Husqvarna (West)

1. Levi Kitchen, Havana, Fla., Yamaha (West)

1. Jo Shimoda, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki (East)

1. Jordon Smith, Ochlocknee, Ga., Yamaha (East)

1. Hunter Lawrence, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Honda (East)

1. Max Anstie, Cairo, Ga., Honda (East)

1. Haiden Deegan, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha (East)

1. Mitchell Oldenburg, Godley, Tex., Honda (West)

1. Carson Mumford, Simi Valley, Calif., Kawasaki (West)

Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship Final Standings

1. Hunter Lawrence, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Honda (241)

1. Haiden Deegan, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha (183)

1. Max Anstie, Cairo, Ga., Honda (182)

1. Jordon Smith, Ochlocknee, Ga., Yamaha (159)

1. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki (143)

1. Jeremy Martin, Rochester, Minn., Yamaha (132)

1. Nate Thrasher, Livingston, Tenn., Yamaha (120)

1. Tom Vialle, Murrieta, Calif., KTM (120)

1. Cullin Park, Clermont, Fla., Honda (117)

1. Coty Schock, Dover, Del., Honda (94)

Western Regional 250SX Class Championship Final Standings

1. Jett Lawrence, Zephyrhills, Fla., Honda (223)

1. RJ Hampshire, Minneola, Fla., Husqvarna (186)

1. Levi Kitchen, Havana, Fla., Yamaha (156)

1. Enzo Lopes, Chesterfield, S.C., Yamaha (149)

1. Mitchell Oldenburg, Godley, Tex., Honda (131)

1. Max Vohland, Granite Bay, Calif., KTM (121)

1. Cameron McAdoo, Sioux City, Iowa, Kawasaki (101)

1. Pierce Brown, Sandy, Utah, GASGAS (98)

1. Derek Kelley, Riverside, Calif., KTM (87)

1. Cole Thompson, Brigden, Ont., Yamaha (87)

Sexton Completes Honda 2023 AMA Supercross Title Sweep

Team Honda HRC put an exclamation mark on the 2023 AMA Supercross season at the series finale in Salt Lake City’s Rice-Eccles Stadium. Not only did Chase Sexton and Jett Lawrence capture the wins in the 450SX main event and 250SX East-West Showdown, but Sexton wrapped up the premier-class championship, completing a historic Honda title sweep of the three divisions.

The 450SX main saw Sexton lead all 25 laps aboard his CRF450RWE. The new champ scored the holeshot and never faltered, stretching out his advantage to over 18 seconds by the finish, where his team greeted him with a long-awaited celebration.

In the 250SX main event, Jett Lawrence exited turn 1 second behind RJ Hampshire, while Hunter Lawrence suffered a poor getaway and was mired back in about 13th place, only to be further delayed when another rider fell. At the eight-lap mark, Jett made a strong pass on RJ Hampshire to assume the lead. Meanwhile, Hunter patiently worked his way forward, ultimately crossing the finish line in sixth place.

NOTES

- The Friday pre-race activities included a press conference featuring Chase Sexton, Hunter Lawrence and Jett Lawrence, as well as Team Honda HRC manager Lars Lindstrom. Following the conference, the riders had the opportunity to try out the track.

- Despite a hard crash last week in Denver, Team Honda HRC rider Colt Nichols had intended to compete at the Salt Lake City round, but leg injuries prevented him from taking part. The Oklahoma native was nonetheless on hand in Utah, and he was presented with the AMA Supercross Rookie of the Year award on the podium following the first qualifying session.

- This was Nichols’ final race with Team Honda HRC. Everyone on the team was happy to have him in the pits this season and in Utah, and Honda thanks him for his efforts this year and wishes him well going forward.

- Honda World, a powersports dealership in South Jordan, Utah, set up a pop-up activation in the Team Honda HRC pits at the Salt Lake City Supercross. They displayed a Pioneer 1000 Trail side-by-side and a CRF50F and interacted with fans and customers.

- Salt Lake City included a 250SX Futures race, and SLR Honda was on hand supporting Parker Ross and Jaxon Pascal. Ross notched a podium finish (third place), while Pascal recovered from 10th place on lap 1 to finish eighth.

- For the season finale, Hunter and Jett Lawrence—recently crowned champions in the 250SX East and West Regions—ran special 1E and 1W numbers on their CRF250R race machines.

- Team Honda HRC was flawless in daytime qualifying, with Sexton topping both 450SX sessions, Hunter Lawrence doing likewise in 250SX East and Jett Lawrence following suit in 250SX West.

- Sexton set the tone for the evening by winning the second 450SX heat race by nearly 15 seconds, despite finishing lap 1 in third place. Also impressive was Fire Power Honda’s Dean Wilson, who finished a solid second in heat 1.

- Hunter Lawrence was second in the damp 250SX East heat race, and Jett Lawrence was third in the 250SX West heat. Other Red Riders to qualify through the heats were Fire Power Honda’s Max Anstie, TiLube/Storm Lake Honda’s Michael Hicks and Phoenix Racing Honda’s Cullin Park (East), as well as SmarTop/MotoConcepts Racing’s Mitchell Oldenburg (West). Making it through the last-chance qualifier were Phoenix riders Jace Owen and Coty Schock.

- Sexton’s achievement is Honda’s 16^th premier-class AMA Supercross title, a record.

- This marks the third time that a manufacturer has swept all three AMA Supercross crowns (but the first time by a single team). One of the others was also by Honda, as Team Honda’s Jean-Michel Bayle took the 1991 premier-class title, while Peak/Pro Circuit Honda riders Jeremy McGrath and Brian Swink captured the West and East support-class crowns.

- Sexton turned the fastest lap time in the 450SX main event, while Jett and Hunter Lawrence were first and second, respectively, on the lap-time sheets for the 250SX main.

- Salt Lake City marked the seventh premier-class AMA Supercross victory of Sexton’s career. It also added him to the list of the venue’s Honda-mounted premier-class winners, joining Ricky Carmichael, Kevin Windham (twice) and Ken Roczen.

- With his 250SX win, Jett Lawrence gives Honda sole possession of first place on the Salt Lake City support-class win list, with seven. It was his second win in Salt Lake City, where other Red Riders to have topped the support-class main include Trey Canard, Eli Tomac (twice) and Chase Sexton (three times). This also marked the 13^th 250SX win of Jett’s career, making him the winningest Honda rider in the class.

- Sexton and Jett Lawrence both participated in the post-race press conference.

- Everyone at Team Honda HRC extends their respect and gratitude to all of the teams and riders for a hard-fought season.

- Team Honda HRC now gets a rare weekend off before commencing the AMA Pro Motocross Championship in Pala, California, May 27.

This Week in Powersports Racing – The week of May 7, 2023

News and stories from Powersports racing in the United States.

Chase Sexton Wins Denver Supercross and Likely the Championship Crown

Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton took his fifth win of the year at a hugely-significant Round 16 of the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross season. The win, coupled with what is likely a season-ending injury for Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac, put Sexton as the 2023 champion if Tomac cannot line up at the final round next Saturday.

The 51,691 fans packed into Empower Field at Mile High witnessed one of the most dramatic Supercross championship reversals the sport has ever seen. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen took second place with an incredible charge from the back of the pack inside Empower Field at Mile High. And Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo earned his first podium finish since Round 3 of 2021 in the race that also pays points to the all-new, 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship. In the Western Regional 250SX Class, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire earned his first win of 2023 with his own thrilling charge. Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence took a hard-fought third in the Main Event to win the Western Regional 250SX Class Championship.

Chase Sexton was picture perfect on a night that changed everything and most likely made him the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Champion. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Adam Cianciarulo grabbed the holeshot ahead of Twisted Tea Suzuki Progressive Insurance’s Shane McElrath, Eli Tomac, and Team Tedder Monster Energy Mountain Motorsport’s Justin Hill. Ken Roczen, on a recent podium streak, slid out in the first corner and started the race in dead last position while his teammate Shane McElrath leapt into the lead down the first rhythm section. Within three corners Tomac had moved into second, then took over the top spot before reaching the green flag. With his hometown race fans going wild, and with Chase Sexton back in sixth, it looked possible that Tomac could earn enough points to wrap up his third Supercross title. But Supercross is one of the toughest sports on the planet, and that fact took over the night, and the title chase, just two and half minutes into the race.

While leading, Eli Tomac stressed his left ankle on a jump take-off. He didn’t crash but instantly lifted his foot from the peg while airborne. After landing he quickly brought down his bike’s speed to roll the rest of the section. He immediately pulled off the track, holding his left ankle away from the bike, then rode instantly to the on-site Alpinestars Medical Rig. Before the race had ended the news was out: Eli Tomac had suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon and was out for the season.

In one instant Eli Tomac lost the points lead and most surely the title after a non-crash injury down one of the track’s rhythm lanes. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Inside the stadium, Cianciarulo held the lead over Sexton. Five minutes into the 20-minute plus one lap race Sexton took over the lead. By then Roczen had already made his way up to sixth place. Sexton steadily pulled clear of Cianciarulo while Roczen continued his charge, passing McElrath for third just eight and a half minutes into the race and gaining on Cianciarulo.

With 8:15 on the race clock Justin Hill took over fourth. Three and a half minutes after that Roczen was up to Cianciarulo and pressuring for the second place spot. Roczen quickly made his move and looked ahead 6.8 seconds to the leader. Roczen started to gain a little time on Sexton, but not at the rate he’d need to make a run at the win.

Interestingly, in a season that saw Sexton give up some big leads with unforced errors, the Honda rider remained composed and smooth. With the full pressure of the race and the title on him, he rode like a champion. Sexton took his fifth win of 2023 and with it jumped into the points lead by seven. If the early injury assessment of Tomac is accurate and he’s truly out for the season, Sexton is mathematically the champion once Tomac officially does not show up and qualify for the final race.

RJ Hampshire put the pieces together and turned his incredible track speed into his first win of the season. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

When the gate dropped for the Western Regional 250SX Class Main Event, Red Bull KTM’s Max Vohland jumped out ahead of Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha’s Enzo Lopes, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Levi Kitchen, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Carson Mumford, and RJ Hampshire. Jett Lawrence, after a difficult Heat Race, was back in tenth as the riders crossed the holeshot stripe. Just over two minutes into the 15-minute plus one lap race Kitchen had taken over the lead and Hampshire was up to second. Further back in eighth, Lawrence was carefully picking off riders but showed no panic – he needed only to finish in tenth or better to take the title with one round remaining in the 250SX Class.

Five and a half minutes into the race Lopes moved past Vohland to take over third position. The riders made contact in a tight corner, and Vohland tipped over. Lawrence seemed to benefit from the chaos and soon got into fourth place. As the race clock ticked down under eight minutes Lawrence overtook Lopes for third place but was over 12 seconds back from the leaders.

Hampshire used the race’s midpoint to make a drive on Kitchen for the lead. The Husqvarna rider closed in, then leapt past when Kitchen made a small mistake in a short rhythm section. Kitchen recovered and retaliated immediately. Kitchen got back the spot as Hampshire went wide then shorted the track’s big double jump. Hampshire was off the track, but he kept his bike upright. Over the closing laps Hampshire put in a heroic charge. He was the fastest rider on the track and quickly made up the five seconds his off-track excursion had cost him. With 40 seconds on the clock Hampshire blitzed the whoops and took the lead from Kitchen.

Kitchen had one last surge of speed on the final lap, but never got into position to make a pass attempt. Hampshire took the checkered flag and the Denver Supercross win. Kitchen was right behind in second, and Lawrence brought his Honda home in third to win the division title with one race – an East/West Showdown – left on the schedule.

Jett Lawrence became the 2023 Western Regional 250SX Class Champion just one week after his brother and teammate, Hunter Lawrence, took the Eastern Regional 250SX Class title. Jett Lawrence becomes one of only four riders to win 4 125/250 Class titles. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Between now and the Supercross Final in Salt Lake City, fans have an incredible opportunity at some one-of-a-kind memorabilia in the 2023 St. Jude Love Moto Stop Cancer Supercross Auction. All money raised goes directly to the children at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the St. Jude mission of Finding Cures. Saving Children. The auction runs until Monday, May 15^th at 11:59PM ET. The items in the auction were donated by the racers, teams, partners, and supporters of Monster Energy AMA Supercross. To see what’s available to support the incredible St. Jude efforts and take home a piece of the 2023 season, please go to St. Jude Love Moto Stop Cancer Auction.

All-new for 2023 racing, the top 20 racers in combined championship points from the Monster Energy Supercross season and the AMA Pro Motocross season – scheduled for eleven rounds this summer – qualify for a spot in the all-new SuperMotocross World Championship. Riders who finish 21^st – 30^th in combined points, or those who earn a win yet don’t have the points for a direct qualification, will race a Last Chance Qualifier for the final two spots on the SuperMotocross League starting gate. The all-new series creates the sports’ first playoff season with two Playoff races and one Final race. The 450 class SuperMotocross World Champion will win a cool $1,000,000 payout along with the top spot in the history books. The 250 class champion will take home a $500,000 prize with their SuperMotocross World Championship title.

Tickets for next weekend’s Supercross Final are on sale now. If you can’t make it to Utah, each race of the 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship streams live on Peacock with select events also broadcast on NBC, USA Network, and CNBC. To purchase tickets, watch video recaps of the season, and get feature stories, race results, and streaming and broadcast airtimes please go to SupercrossLIVE.com.

450SX Class podium (riders left to right) Adam Cianciarulo, Chase Sexton, and Ken Roczen. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

450SX Class Results

1. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda

1. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki

1. Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki

1. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM

1. Shane McElrath, Oakland, Fla., Suzuki

1. Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Honda

1. Josh Hill, Huntersville, N.C., KTM

1. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Suzuki

1. Grant Harlan, Decatur, Tex., Yamaha

1. Justin Starling, Riverview, Fla., GASGAS

450SX Class Championship Standings

1. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda (346)

1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha (339)

1. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (304)

1. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki (303)

1. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS (267)

1. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki (242)

1. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (213)

1. Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki (191)

1. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM (191)

1. Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Honda (182)

250SX Class podium (riders left to right) Jett Lawrence, RJ Hampshire, and Levi Kitchen. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Western Regional 250SX Class Results

1. RJ Hampshire, Minneola, Fla., Husqvarna

1. Levi Kitchen, Havana, Fla., Yamaha

1. Jett Lawrence, Zephyrhills, Fla., Honda

1. Enzo Lopes, Chesterfield, S.C., Yamaha

1. Mitchell Oldenburg, Godley, Tex., Honda

1. Max Vohland, Granite Bay, Calif., KTM

1. Derek Kelley, Riverside, Calif., KTM

1. Carson Mumford, Simi Valley, Calif., Kawasaki

1. Cole Thompson, Brigden, Ont., Yamaha

1. Robbie Wageman, Newhall, Calif., Suzuki

Western Regional 250SX Class Championship Standings

1. Jett Lawrence, Zephyrhills, Fla., Honda (197)

1. RJ Hampshire, Minneola, Fla., Husqvarna (163)

1. Enzo Lopes, Chesterfield, S.C., Yamaha (137)

1. Levi Kitchen, Havana, Fla., Yamaha (135)

1. Max Vohland, Granite Bay, Calif., KTM (121)

1. Mitchell Oldenburg, Godley, Tex., Honda (117)

1. Cameron McAdoo, Sioux City, Iowa, Kawasaki (101)

1. Pierce Brown, Sandy, Utah, GASGAS (98)

1. Cole Thompson, Brigden, Ont., Yamaha (87)

1. Derek Kelley, Riverside, Calif., KTM (86)

FMF KTM FACTORY RACING AND JOHNNY GIRROIR CLINCH 2023 AMA U.S. SPRINT ENDURO SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP

OLDTOWN, Md. – FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Johnny Girroir has clinched the 2023 AMA U.S. Sprint Enduro Series title with two rounds to spare after winning the Pro 1 Class at the weekend’s Promised Land MX U.S. Sprint Enduro, marking round six of the season.

In his first year with the FMF KTM Factory Racing Team, former Pro 2 champion Girroir has delivered an exceptional season to date across the opening six rounds, placing him in a position to secure the Pro 1 championship in Oldtown and that’s exactly what he did onboard his KTM 350 XC-F.

Rain in the lead-up to the Maryland round made for slick conditions through much of day one, however, the weather remained clear over the course of Saturday. Rain overnight made for tougher, muddy conditions on Sunday, and with Girroir the first rider on the course both days, that was a challenge of its own.

Test times were extremely close all day on Saturday, with Girroir leading the way in Pro 1 and sitting a close fourth overall to seal the championship in the process, before day two saw Girroir earn his sixth Pro 1 round victory in a row and climb to second overall for the weekend.

Johnny Girroir: “Overall, it was a good weekend and I’m really happy to win the title with two rounds to spare. We will enjoy this one and I’d like to thank the whole FMF KTM Factory Racing Team, our supporters, and everybody who got us to this point of winning the championship. It’s been a really good U.S. Sprint Enduro Series so far, so I’m looking forward to the next two!”

Next Race: High Voltage – Dilliner, PA – May 27-28, 2023

Pro 1 Results – Promised Land MX 1. Johnny Girroir, KTM 2. Zach Osborne, YAM 3. Joey Deneen, YAM

Pro 1 Championship Standings 1. Johnny Girroir, 355 2. Thad Duvall, 171 3. Layne Michael, 149

NEAR-PERFECT OUTING FOR RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING’S KODY KOPP AT VENTURA SHORT TRACK

VENTURA, Calif. – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Kody Kopp has achieved a near-perfect outing in the sixth round of the 2023 American Flat Track Championship at the Ventura Short Track, taking the Main Event victory in the AFT Singles Class, while teammate Max Whale finished in fourth position.

Qualifying in second position, just 0.024s off the pole, defending champion Kopp looked right at home on the Southern Californian circuit, powering his #1 KTM 450 SX-F to victory in the opening Heat race of the event. The 18-year-old then took victory in the Dash-for-Cash, before going on to secure a stellar P1 ride in the Main Event to extend his points advantage in the championship.

Kody Kopp: “Man, that was a gnarly one. Probably the best battle I’ve ever had in a Main Event – Chase [Saathoff] and I were going back and forth, a little bit of cat and mouse, and put on a great show for the fans. I managed to win the Dash-for-Cash and the Main Event, putting us back to where we belong. This season will continue to be a dogfight until the end. Hats off to my team, Red Bull KTM, it was a great weekend.”

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Whale shadowed Kopp in qualifying, landing position three on the timesheets by the session’s end. With momentum on his side, Whale continued his form in the second Heat race of the night, crossing the line in third just 0.775s from the win, before bringing home his KTM 450 SX-F fourth place on the Main Event. He’s third in the point standings.

Max Whale: “Today started out awesome and the track was unreal with loads of passing opportunities, which was good fun. I struggled a bit as the day went on, and messed up in the Heat, which put me on the second row and left me a little frustrated at myself, although I fought hard in the Main Event tonight for P4. I’m working hard, the team’s working harder, so, Sacramento in one weekend’s time. Let’s go!”

Next Race: Sacramento Mile – Sacramento, California – May 13, 2023

Round 6 Results

AFT Singles Main Event 1. Kody Kopp, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 2. Chase Saathoff, Honda 3. Morgen Mischler, Honda 4. Max Whale, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing OTHER KTM 9. Justin Jones, KTM 10. Dalton Gauthier, KTM 15. Travis Petton IV, KTM 18. Logan Eisenhard, KTM

2023 AFT Singles Point Standings 1. Kody Kopp, 127 points 2. Dalton Gauthier, 108 3. Max Whale, 102 OTHER KTM 10. Justin Jones, 51 13. Logan Eisenhard, 27 14. Travis Petton IV, 24 17. Shayna Texter-Bauman, 22 22. Hayden Gillim, 14 23. Hunter Bauer, 11 24. Clarke Morian V, 10 25. Tanner Dean, 9 30. Olin Kissler, 4

HARD-FOUGHT SIXTH FOR RED BULL KTM’S MAXIMUS VOHLAND IN DENVER SUPERCROSS

DENVER, Colo. – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing was solely represented by Maximus Vohland in round 16 of the 2023 AMA Supercross Championship, where the 250SX West contender rode to sixth position at the conclusion of the penultimate Main Event of the season.

With 450SX teammates Cooper Webb, Aaron Plessinger, and Marvin Musquin currently sidelined through injury, all attention was on 20-year-old Vohland in Denver and he started strongly by qualifying a convincing fourth place this afternoon.

Just two weeks after claiming a career-best result of P4 at East Rutherford, Vohland continued that impressive form by finishing third position in Heat 1 on his KTM 250 SX-F, completing the opening lap in fifth and climbing into P3 for a direct transfer into the Main Event.

A holeshot in the Main Event put Vohland in the lead over the course of the opening laps, before he settled into P3. A fall with just under 10 minutes to run, however, bumped him down the order, and he remounted to take the checkered flag in a hard-fought sixth place. He’s still P5 in the western regional standings with a single round remaining.

Maximus Vohland: “I got off to a great start in the Main and went into the early lead, but I made some mistakes on lap three and then went down. After that, I just pushed as hard as I could to get back to sixth position, where I rounded out the race. Not what we wanted this weekend and I was really expecting a lot more of myself – I am really looking forward to making amends in the final race of Supercross season next weekend. I really want to finish out on the Salt Lake podium.”

The 2023 AMA Supercross Championship finals will be hosted in Salt Lake City next Saturday night, where the second 250SX East/West Showdown will see Vohland once again joined by eastern regional teammate Tom Vialle to complete the season.

Next Race: May 13 – Salt Lake City, Utah

Results 250SX West Class – Denver 1. RJ Hampshire (USA), Husqvarna, 21 laps 2. Levi Kitchen (USA), Yamaha, +1.353 3. Jett Lawrence (AUS), Honda, +21.231 OTHER KTM 6. Maximus Vohland (USA), KTM 7. Derek Kelley (USA), KTM 14. Max Miller (USA), KTM 19. Kaeden Amerine (USA), KTM

Standings 250SX West Class 2023 after 8 of 9 rounds 1. Jett Lawrence, 197 2. RJ Hampshire, 163 3. Enzo Lopes, 137 OTHER KTM 5. Maximus Vohland, 121 10. Derek Kelley, 86 21. Joshua Varize, 33 22. Max Miller, 19

RJ HAMPSHIRE SCORES MILE HIGH WIN IN DENVER SUPERCROSS

The last time we saw RJ Hampshire in action, he was coated in mud from head to toe after a last-ditch effort to make a final corner pass in New Jersey. Heading into the penultimate round of the 2023 AMA Supercross season in Denver, RJ and the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team were looking for the win that had been oh-so-close but had proven elusive thus far.

250 SX

When the gate dropped for the main event, RJ Hampshire got a great start on his FC250 and was in the top three. He quickly moved into second place and began reeling in the leader. Near the midway point, he made a move for the lead and was there briefly before running out of room on the edge of the track. Once returning to the racing surface he was several seconds behind the lead, but was the fastest rider on the track. His never say die attitude paid off, and with a pair of laps left in the main, he moved back into the lead for good, scoring his first win of the season.

“It was an awesome day. I’m super-stoked for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team, and to knock one of these wins off before the season is over was huge. We’ve built a lot of momentum; man; I don’t take these for granted. I know how much work goes into this from the team side and myself, this motorcycle, and all our supporters. It’s just really nice to give them a win… a little payback for all they do for us,” said Hampshire. “I wasn’t that fast in qualifying and didn’t win my heat race. But I just had that feeling today that I would get it done. I had that big mistake about midway through the main event, but I really put a charge on there at the end and at least gave myself an opportunity to have a shot at the win. Sure enough, we pulled it off.”

450 SX

It’s been more evident than ever during the last couple of weeks that part of the challenge of the AMA Supercross season is making it to the end unscathed. The 450 side of the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team is working hard to be back on track with their FC 450 Rockstar Editions as soon as possible.

Next Event (Round 17): May 13, 2023 – Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah

Round 16 Results: Denver

250 SX West Results

1. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 2. Levi Kitchen (Yamaha) 3. Jett Lawrence (Honda)

450 SX Results

1. Chase Sexton (Honda) 2. Ken Roczen (Suzuki) 3. Adam Cianciarulo (Kawasaki)

250 SX West Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 197 points 2. RJ Hampshire – 163 points 3. Enzo Lopes – 137 points

450 SX Rider Point Standings 1. Chase Sexton – 346 points 2. Eli Tomac – 339 points 3. Cooper Webb – 304 points … 11. Christian Craig – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 150 points 29. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 15 points 31. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 15 points

2023 AMA 250SX West Region Championship to Jett Lawrence

DENVER, Colorado (May 6, 2023) — Just one week after Honda earned its 19^th AMA Supercross support-class championship at the hands of Hunter Lawrence, Jett Lawrence delivered the 20^th. The Team Honda HRC rider took his CRF250R to a safe third-place finish today at the Denver round of the 250SX West Region Championship, raising his points lead to an insurmountable 34, with one round still remaining.

A native of Landsborough, in Queensland, Australia, Lawrence enjoyed a successful amateur career at home and in Europe before moving to the U.S. with his family in 2019, to ride for the Factory Connection Honda satellite team (initially as an amateur). Lawrence turned pro in 2020 and moved to Honda’s factory squad for 2021, and in his three years with Team Honda HRC, he has enjoyed an incredibly successful 250 four-stroke career, establishing himself as the winningest AMA 125/250 Supercross/Motocross rider in Honda’s history, with 26 victories across the two series. (The class, which is currently for 250cc four-stroke machines, used to be campaigned by 125cc two-strokes motorcycles.)

Lawrence earned the AMA Pro Motocross 250 Championship in 2021 and 2022, as well as the 2022 250SX East title, and this new West crown makes him only the fourth rider to have earned both regions’ 125/250SX championships. Lawrence also joins James Stewart as the only riders to win both regions and two AMA Pro Motocross crowns. In addition, he is only the fourth rider to win four AMA 125/250 professional titles.

“That bike has just treated me so well,” Jett Lawrence said on the podium following the race. “The team is unreal. We could be pitted out of a tent, to be honest with you—I wouldn’t care. It’s not even a team—it’s a family. They’ve done [everything] for me and my brother.”

The Lawrence brothers’ performance this season has been nothing short of dominant. Jett has won five of the eight 250SX West rounds completed thus far, while Hunter has topped seven of the nine East rounds run to this point. (The series finale, a combined 250SX East-West Showdown, will run next week in Salt Lake City.) This marks the first time that siblings have won the East and West Region crowns in the same season.

Lawrence’s latest championship is the sixth West Region title for Honda, with others having come with Ty Davis, Jeremy McGrath, Travis Preston and Eli Tomac. Including its 14 East Region crowns, Honda has a total of 20 across both regions. Eleven of those have come since 2010, the most of any manufacturer during that period. This is only the ninth time that a manufacturer has taken both regions’ titles in the same year. (Of those, three were accomplished by Honda—in 1991, 2012 and 2023).

Still only 19, Jett will kick off his 450 career aboard the factory Team Honda HRC CRF450RWE on May 27, when the AMA Pro Motocross series commences in Pala, California.

“What an incredible AMA Supercross 250 season for Honda, and what a 250 career for Jett!” said Brandon Wilson, Manager of Sports and Experiential at American Honda. “We knew when we hired Jett ahead of the 2021 season that he was going to be special, but I don’t think anyone could have predicted the success that he has already enjoyed; of the five championships that were on the table since he joined our team, he has earned four, and this one was the most dominant yet. It’s been an amazing run aboard the CRF250R, and we can’t wait to see what he does with the CRF450RWE.”

Lawrence’s 2023 250SX West Championship continues a successful season in which Honda marks the 50^thanniversary of its first production motocross bike, the CR250M Elsinore, which Gary Jones rode to Honda’s first AMA Motocross Championship in 1973.

NOTE: Statistics compiled with assistance from Fowler’s Facts.

Monster Energy® Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo Secures First Podium of the Season at Penultimate Round of the Monster Energy Supercross Championship

Foothill Ranch, Calif. (May 7, 2023) – The Monster Energy® Supercross Championship traversed over 1,000 miles through Interstate 70 from Nashville, Tennessee, to Denver, Colorado, for Round 16 of the series from Empower Field at Mile High Stadium. Monster Energy® Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo proved he remains a top contender with a strong third-place performance enroute to earning his first podium finish of the 2023 racing season. Kawasaki teammate Jason Anderson sat out the Colorado round due to a neck injury sustained the previous week. In the 250SX Class, Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Carson Mumford battled up front early before crossing the finish line in eighth place.

With mild temperatures providing ideal riding conditions, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Cianciarulo placed Team Green on the leaderboard during the first morning 450SX qualifying session with a 45.927 for third quickest. Looking to capitalize on his consistent finishes, the No.9 experimented with different line selections during the final qualifying session and recorded a 44.714 lap time, placing Cianciarulo fourth fastest overall.

At the start of 450SX Heat 1, Cianciarulo emerged from the first turn in fifth. The Florida-born rider executed swift passes in the opening corners to move up into third before the end of Lap 1. Showing glimpses of his race-winning speed from seasons past, Cianciarulo moved into second with half of the heat race remaining and began looking for opportunities to make a pass for the lead. Unwilling to give up, the No.9 chased down the leader through to the finish and ended the race a close second.

When the 450SX Main Event gate dropped, Cianciarulo launched his KX™450SR out to a superb second-place start. The No.9 showed impressive race craft as he stayed competitive against the fastest supercross racers in the world and took over the lead after the front runner exited the race early. Once in the lead, Cianciarulo and Sexton shortly jockeyed over control of the lead before he moved into second place. As the race progressed, Cianciarulo found himself in another intense battle, this time for the right to second place. The No.9 displayed impressive defensive skills as he rode strong to hold onto the position until ultimately dropping to third. With a comfortable gap and time quickly winding down, Cianciarulo rode smart through to the finish and secured his first podium of the 2023 Monster Energy Supercross season.

“I can’t even begin to describe how incredible this podium finish feels. The team and I have been working tirelessly to get here and to finally be standing on the podium again, after so much hard work, is just surreal. The journey to get here has been full of ups and downs but none of it would be possible without the amazing support from my team and everyone around me. This is a major accomplishment for us, but we still have bigger goals in mind and we’re going to keep working until I’m back to being as competitive as I know I can be.”

– Adam Cianciarulo

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Mumford showed early promise, quickly placing his KX™250 on the leaderboard in the first timed qualifying session before dropping to sixth (46.861). The young rider out of Carlsbad, California showed veteran-like adaptability as he adjusted to the changing Denver SX track conditions in the final 250SX Class qualifying session of the day to set a 46.274 lap time, good for seventh fastest.

In 250SX Heat 2, Mumford placed Kawasaki inside the top three with a superb start aboard his KX250 race machine. The No.52 spent the first half of the race jockeying amongst the top three and momentarily took control of the lead before a lapped rider allowed the opposition to slip by dropping Mumford to third where he would ultimately finish the race.

When the gate dropped on the 250SX Main Event, Mumford emerged entering the first turn in fourth. Determined to move up, Mumford stayed in close range of the riders ahead, looking for any opportunity to make a pass. As the race progressed, the No.52 shuffled down the running order but rode a consistent race for the remaining laps until he crossed the finish line in eighth position.

“I had a good start to the evening, leading laps in my heat and running near the front during the Main Event. Unfortunately, little mistakes throughout the race allowed others to get by me and hindered my ability to make up any positions towards the end. The team and I will focus on riding clean laps, mistake-free during this week of practice, and come out for the final round next weekend ready to battle for a top-five finish.”

– Carson Mumford

AMSOIL Hoosier: Motorcycle Race Report

CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. (May 8, 2023) – The Grand National Cross Country Series presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship (GNCC Racing) saw completely different conditions on day two of the AMSOIL Hoosier event. The rain fell overnight causing muddy, slick conditions on Sunday morning, but as the sun came out throughout the afternoon hours the mud was becoming tacky for the afternoon racers.

When the XC1 Open Pro class took off it was Magna1 Motorsports/Husqvarna’s Jordan Ashburn earning the $250 All Balls Racing XC1 Holeshot Award. The battles were on throughout the duration of the race. Rocky Mountain ATV*MC/Tely Energy KTM’s Steward Baylor would hold the early lead, but Ashburn would take over the lead on lap three and hold it for the next couple of laps. Unfortunately, a mechanical issue would take him out of the running on the fourth lap.

Jonathan Girroir (FMF/KTM Factory Racing) earned his first-ever overall XC1 win.Ken Hill

Baylor would once again take over the lead, but he would have company from both FMF/KTM Factory Racing riders, Ben Kelley and Jonathan Girroir. As the two-lap card came out it would be Girroir leading the way with Baylor and Kelley running second and third. Girroir would continue to push throughout the last lap and come through to earn his first-ever overall XC1 Open Pro win, making him the sixth different winner in six races.

Baylor would come through to earn second overall on the day, while Kelley would hold on for third in the XC1 class and fifth overall as Witkowski and Draper of the XC2 class would finish third and fourth overall on the day.

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Craig DeLong would battle back-and-forth throughout the day to earn fourth in the XC1 class. DeLong would start back in fifth on the first lap and fall as far back as sixth for the next couple of laps. As the race wore on, DeLong continued to push forward to make his way up to fourth for the final three laps.

Steward Baylor (Rocky Mountain ATV*MC/Tely Energy KTM) battled throughout the day in Indiana to earn second overall.Ken Hill

Earning fifth in XC1 at the sixth round was Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green’s Josh Strang. Strang would have his work cut out for him as he started back in seventh for the first half of the race. Strang would make his way to fifth on the sixth lap of the race and remain there for the remainder of the day.

After a great start to the day, AmPro Yamaha’s Ricky Russell found himself up in third and second for the first couple of laps. Unfortunately, right after the halfway point of the race Russell would fall back to sixth and remain there until the checkered flag flew.

Ashburn would suffer a mechanical issue after running at the front of the pack, and ultimately be scored seventh in the XC1 class, as Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green’s Grant Baylor was able to earn eighth in the XC1 class after only being able to battle for two laps in Indiana.

Michael Witkowski (center), Liam Draper (left) and Cody Barnes (right) rounded out the top three XC2 250 Pro finishers at round six.Ken Hill

As the XC2 250 Pro line took off it was Liqui Moly Beta Factory Racing’s Jonathan Johnson grabbing the $250 XC2 Steel City Men’s Clinic Holeshot Award. It wouldn’t take long for Phoenix Racing Honda’s Michael Witkowski and AmPro Yamaha’s Liam Draper to get to the front of the pack and battle for that lead position. Witkowski would hold that number one spot on the opening lap, but Draper would soon make the pass for the lead and hold it for the majority of the race.

However, on the last lap of the race Witkowski would maneuver around Draper when a lapped rider was unable to get out of their way. Witkowski would cross the line .953 seconds ahead of Draper to earn his first XC2 win of the season. Draper would earn second on the day in Indiana. Phoenix Racing Honda’s Cody Barnes would round out the top three XC2 finishers as he made his way into third at the halfway point.

Dakoda Devore (FXR/X Brand Goggles/6D Helmet) earned the FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am class win on Sunday.Ken Hill

In the FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am it was FXR/X Brand Goggles/6D Helmet’s Dakoda Devore leading the majority of the race and crossing the finish line first to earn his first XC3 win of the season. Liqui Moly Beta Factory Racing’s Jason Lipscomb would battle with Devore for some part of the race, even holding the lead on the second lap of the day. However, Lipscomb would be unable to make another run for the lead as he came through three minutes behind Devore to earn second.

After a good start to the day by earning the $100 Lojak Cycle Sale’s XC3 Holeshot Award, Beaver Creek Cycles/Bells Electric/Wossner Piston’s Toby Cleveland would find himself having to make a long pit stop to work on the bike and battle back from ninth place on the opening lap. Cleveland would put his head down and push, making his way into third by the time the white flag was flying. Unfortunately, Cleveland would be unable to make a push for the front, but with a consistent finish, he continues to hold the lead in the points.

The Top Amateur honors went to Nicholas DeFeo who finished 16th overall on the day, while Joseph Cunningham came through 17th overall. Bolton Beroth rounded out the Top Amateur podium with a 19th overall finish on the day.

Rachael Archer (AmPro Yamaha) earned the WXC class win in the muddy morning race.Ken Hill

As the WXC line took off it was Trail Jesters KTM Racing’s Korie Steede coming away with the $100 Trail Jesters WXC Holeshot Award to start the day. However, it would not take long for AmPro Yamaha’s Rachael Archer to make the pass for the lead on the opening lap. Archer would put her head down and focus to place a gap over the rest of the field as she crossed the finish line with a six minute lead in the muddy conditions.

After grabbing the holeshot, Steede would find herself battling with GASGAS/Over and Out/RG Factory Racing’s Rachel Gutish for the first couple laps of the race. As the two-lap board came out, Steede would make her way into second and continue to battle on through the conditions for that second place position. Gutish would try to hold onto the third but would face a mechanical that would make her unable to cross the finish line for the fourth and final lap. V3 CDR/Garrison Tree Service/Focus X/Enduro Engineering’s Kayla O’Neill would capitalize as she ran fourth for the majority of the race, coming through unaware that she had earned her first-ever WXC podium finish with third on the day.

Earning the Youth Overall win at the Hoosier was YXC2 Super Mini Jr. competitor, Caleb Wood. This was Wood’s first youth overall win, and his fourth YXC2 class win of the season. Canyon Richards would come through to earn second overall, and first in the YXC1 Super Mini Sr. class. Richards has earned three wins in the YXC1 class after six rounds of racing. Austin Tsakanikas came through to earn third overall in the youth race, and second in the YXC1 class.

YXC2 Super Mini Jr. competitor, Caleb Wood earned the Youth Overall win on Sunday morning in Indiana.Ken Hill

Coming through to earn third in the YXC1 class was James Jenkins as Mason Raynor and Jiggs Fustini rounded out the top three in the YXC2 class in Indiana. In the 85 Big Wheel (11-15) class it was Ryder Sigety coming through to earn the class win. Travis Lentz took home his sixth-straight win in the 85 (12-13) class, while Brody Boland earned the 85 (7-11) win.

In the 65 (10-11) class it was Beau Garetson earning the win, with Maverick Boyer taking home the 65 (9) class win. In the 65 (7-8) class, Tripp Lewis came away with the win at round six. Zoey Kimble would earn her first win of the season in the Girls Super Mini (12-16) class, while Sahara Robinson earned her fourth win in the Girls 85 (7-13) class. Earning her second win was Audrina Anello in the Girls 65 (7-11) class, while Crawfordsville’s own Talon Pike came away with the Trail Rider (7-15) class win.

The AMSOIL Moto Hero was awarded to Robbie Hechinger from Brownsburg, Indiana. Robby is a deputy for the Montgomery County Sheriff’s office in Crawfordsville, Indiana and has been on the force since 2014. He has been part of their K9 Unit since 2017, where he works with his K9 partner, Titan, who is an eight year old Belgian Tervuren. Robby has been racing dirt bikes for fun since 1996 and raced in the Warrior class on Sunday morning. Robby helps out at the Shaver family farm, and at their shop, Tom’s Marine Sales. He also works for the sheriff’s department at certain Ironman Raceway events. Robby was awarded a $250 AMSOIL shopping spree, a set of Kanati Truck tires courtesy of GBC, a Columbia Flag and Sign Co. American flag and gift certificate, along with a pair of 100% camo goggles.

The AMSOIL Hoosier Moto Hero went to Robby Hechinger of Brownsburg, Indiana.Ken Hill

The next round of GNCC Racing will take place on May 20-21 in Millfield, Ohio at Sunday Creek Raceway with the seventh round of racing, The Wiseco John Penton GNCC. For more event information, or to buy tickets online and pre-register for the event, click HERE.

Catch GNCC Pro ATV and Motorcycle Racing free via RacerTV.com all season long. Pro ATV Racing starts Saturday’s at 2pm ET, with the exception of Big Buck, Snowshoe and Ironman events where they will start at 1pm ET. GNCC Pro Motorcycle Racing will begin at 1pm ET on Sunday’s. Later in the year GNCC Racing will premiere on MAVTV with event highlight episodes.

For more information on the GNCC series, visit the official website at www.gnccracing.com or call (304) 284-0084. Join the conversation on the series Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and be sure to always hashtag #GNCC.

- Facebook: @gnccracing

- Instagram: @gncc_racing

- Twitter: @gnccracing

- YouTube: @racertv

Jonathan Girroir (center), Steward Baylor (left) and Ben Kelley (right) rounded out the top three XC1 Open Pro finishers at the AMSOIL Hoosier.Ken Hill

AMSOIL Hoosier Results and Points Standings Crawfordsville, Indiana Round 6 of 12 Sunday, May 7, 2023

XC1 Pro Event Results:

1. Jonathan Girroir (KTM)

1. Steward Baylor Jr. (KTM)

1. Benjamin Kelley (KTM)

1. Craig DeLong (HQV)

1. Josh Strang (KAW)

1. Ricky Russell (YAM)

1. Jordan Ashburn (HQV)

1. Grant Baylor (KAW)

*Overall National Championship Standings:

1. Ben Kelley (129)

1. Craig DeLong (124)

1. Steward Baylor (123)

1. Ricky Russell (86)

1. Grant Baylor (85)

1. Jordan Ashburn (80)

1. Josh Strang (79)

1. Ruy Barbosa (71)

1. Jonathan Girroir (69)

1. Cody Barnes (65)

*Indicates that the Overall National Championship Standings will determine the 2023 National Champion.

XC2 250 Pro Event Results:

1. Michael Witkowski (HON)

1. Liam Draper (YAM)

1. Cody Barnes (HON)

1. Ruy Barbosa (HON)

1. Ryder Lafferty (GAS)

1. Jonathan Johnson (BET)

1. Angus Riordan (KTM)

1. Evan Smith (BET)

1. Mason Semmens (KTM)

1. Nathaniel Tasha (KTM)

XC2 250 Pro Series Standings:

1. Ruy Barbosa (129)

1. Cody Barnes (116)

1. Angus Riordan (113)

1. Ryder Lafferty (112)

1. Liam Draper (109)

1. Mason Semmens (96)

1. Michael Witkowski (91)

1. Lyndon Snodgrass (83)

1. Evan Smith (82)

1. Jonathan Johnson (71)

To get the latest GNCC Racing clothing and merchandise visit https://www.mototees.com.

Ken Roczen Announces Commitment to World Supercross Championship

Ken Roczen has today confirmed his commitment to the FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX), announcing via a virtual media conference he will race in the Championship until 2025.

Already a rider for the Dustin Pipes-led Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki team in the US, Roczen will compete under the Pipes Motorsports Group banner in 2023, where he’ll defend his current WSX (450cc) class World Title.

Roczen says returning to the World Supercross Championship for the next three years represents his commitment to becoming a supercross specialist and growing the discipline around the world.

“I had a great time in Cardiff and Melbourne last year, which made it easy to commit to the World Supercross Championship,” said Roczen. “I’m hungrier than ever for race wins and will be giving it my all with my team to be standing on the top step when the season ends in Melbourne this November.” – Ken Roczen | Defending WSX 450cc World Champion

“For supercross to grow as a sport around the world, I think it’s really important that more riders focus solely on the discipline, which is why I’m concentrating on the World Supercross Championship and the AMA Supercross Championship in the coming years. I feel like my riding this year has been as good as ever, and I’m excited to see what I can do when focusing on one speciality.

“I’m particularly proud of what we’ve achieved this year with the Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki Team. Dustin, Larry and the whole team have put in a huge effort to make me as comfortable as I have been to race at the front all season long.

“For us to continue our supercross momentum together and take the sport we love to fans around the world is an amazing opportunity that I’m very grateful for. I’m ecstatic to have the opportunity to compete for a World Title at home in Germany, which is something I could only dream about until now.”

SX Global CEO Adam Bailey said that today’s announcement was not only a huge win for the sport but for fans who might not have had an opportunity to see one of the biggest names in supercross race in their country before.

“Supercross has an incredible following across the globe, and we know Ken is one of the most popular riders in the world, so having him commit to WSX for the next three years is a fantastic step towards our mission to build a truly global World Supercross Championship that fans, athletes, teams, sponsors and media partners are passionate about.

“I can’t wait to see fans in new regions enjoy the best sport in the world firsthand. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing the enjoyment they get witnessing these incredible athletes race in person,” said Bailey.

Pipes Motorsports Team Principal Dustin Pipes said Roczen’s professionalism and experience are qualities the team is already familiar with. Now, they can build on that foundation as they embark on a new season of WSX racing.

“Ken is a champion in supercross both on and off the track, and we’ve already seen what he can achieve with our team in the States. That relationship and consistency now transfer to our World Supercross Championship team, so we’re confident that Ken can deliver another World Title win, this time on a Suzuki, in 2023,” said Pipes.

Fans can witness Roczen defend his WSX World Title at six World Supercross Championship rounds in the United Kingdom, France, Southeast Asia, Germany, Canada and Australia. To buy tickets, visit WSXChampionship.com

Daniels in Command at Inaugural Ventura Short Track

The dream season of ascending Progressive American Flat Track star Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) continued with his convincing victory in Saturday night’s inaugural Ventura Short Track at Ventura Raceway in Ventura, California.

As impressive as he was a year ago as a Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle rookie, Daniels has taken his game to the next level in 2023. The prodigious teenager extended his unblemished run of firsts and seconds this season with a calm and controlled performance en route to the top step on the box at the scenic ocean-adjacent venue.

Daniels’ teammate, JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), shot off the line in first but held the position for less than a single quick circulation of the 1/5-mile clay oval. Beach did well to keep Daniels honest after being dropped to second and even reeled him back in at one point. But the relentless perfection of the title leader gradually stacked up to a near one-second advantage by the time the Main Event was seven minutes deep, with reigning champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) significantly further back in third.

Just when the podium order seemed all but academic, a red-flag reset occurred after Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) came out the worst of an accordion-style crash that marred the multi-rider fight for fourth. Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750) got into the back of Johnny Lewis (No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650), leading directly to Robinson’s spill. The fallen Robinson was subsequently clipped by Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Dodge Bros. Racing/Martin Trucking Harley-Davidson XR750) forcing a stoppage in the action.

But even after Beach, Mees, and the field being given a second chance, little changed at the front following the staggered restart. Daniels simply went back to piling up his advantage, ultimately scooping up a third win of the year to go with his three runner-ups.

Beach completed the Estenson Racing Yamaha 1-2, while Mees managed to score podium points on a night he never really felt at home on the track.

Likewise, two-time Grand National Champion Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 890 Duke) came away with fourth after running as low as ninth early.

Lewis held on for his second top five of the season in fifth, followed closely to the line by Halbert and Bauman’s younger sibling, Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing/2 Wheelz KTM 890 Duke).

Kolby Carlile (No. 36 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07) picked up his best result of the season in eighth, while Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) and Vanderkooi rounded out the top ten.

As a result of the third triumph of his sophomore campaign, Daniels tightened his grip on the title fight. He opened his lead to 24 points over Mees (138-114) a third of the way into the season, while Beach moved back ahead of Bauman for third (97-94).

Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER

Like Daniels, Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) earned the third win of his 2023 season as he continued his Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER title defense in stellar fashion.

However, in contrast to his twin victory cruises at the DAYTONA double opener, Kopp was pushed to the brink by a hungry Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) under the lights at Ventura Raceway.

After a handful of hectic early laps, the two shook free from Saathoff’s Turner Racing teammates, Morgen Mischler (No. 13 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) and Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R). From that point on, the race became a two-rider duel for top honors.

While Kopp controlled the bulk of the tense contest from the front, the Honda pilot threw in a few late haymakers, including a skittering, crisscrossing double lead change that got the fans on their feet with less than 30 seconds remaining on the clock.

But a last-lap encore wasn’t in the cards, as a minor moment on Saathoff’s part with two laps to go allowed Kopp just enough air to power to the checkered flag firework-free.

Kopp said, “Chase is a helluva competitor. He was my fiercest rival and competitor growing up on 85s, 250s, and 450s. Man, that was probably the most fun race I’ve ever had – we were squaring each other up. I hope it was a fun one to watch.”

Mischler held off Kopp’s charging teammate, Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F), to pick up his second consecutive podium, while Estenson Racing Yamaha’s Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) charged his way forward to fifth after getting off the line in ninth.

Dallas winner Lowe came home sixth, while Brunner’s Estenson Racing Yamaha teammate, Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), took seventh. Cole Frederickson (No. 151 Lehmann Racing/Miller Tree Service Honda CRF450R) fifth eighth, followed by Justin Jones (No. 91 NRC Racing/Elder Trucking KTM 450 SX-F).

Kopp’s closest title rival, Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F) was the final rider in the top ten. That allowed Kopp to press his advantage up to a healthy 19 points (127-108) with Whale third at 102 and the on-form Saathoff fourth with 97.

Next Up:

Progressive American Flat Track will conclude its two-weekend California swing by going directly from the season’s final Short Track into its first Mile with the Legendary Sacramento Mile at Cal Expo in Sacramento, California, on Saturday, May 13. Visit https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/7818909/the-mission-foods-legendary-sacramento-mile-powered-by-law-tigers–sacramento-sacramento-mile to secure your tickets today.

FOX Sports coverage of the Ventura Short Track, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Saturday, May 13, at 2:30 p.m. ET (11:30 a.m. PT).

For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com.

Second 250SX Title in Two Weeks for Team Honda HRC

On a dramatic evening in downtown Denver, Team Honda HRC continued its dream 2023 AMA Supercross season, collecting the 250SX West Region crown at the hands of Jett Lawrence (on the heels of Hunter Lawrence clinching the 250SX East crown last week). Meanwhile, Chase Sexton notched his second 450SX win in as many weekends and his third in four races. With title rival Eli Tomac suffering an injury, Sexton took over the points lead with one round remaining.

Following a poor start in the 250SX West main event, Lawrence was 10th on the first lap, but he knew he only needed a 10th-place finish in order to clinch the title. Riding safely to avoid jeopardizing the title, the young Australian was ninth after one lap, eighth a lap later, and he moved into seventh six laps in. At the halfway point of the 21-lap race, Lawrence sat in third place, and he held that position to the finish, celebrating his fourth AMA crown as he crossed the finish line.

In the 450SX main event, Sexton sat in sixth place after one lap, having been delayed in turn 1. He advanced to fourth by lap 3, and after Eli Tomac pulled off with an injury a lap later, the Illinois native found himself in second. He moved into the lead on lap 7 and rode smoothly to the finish, winning by over eight seconds. Meanwhile, Nichols rode extremely well early on, nabbing a strong start and running in the top five until suffering a scary crash. Fortunately, following a few scary moments, the Oklahoma native turned out to be relatively okay, and he looks forward to racing at the series finale.

NOTES

- Chase Sexton, Colt Nichols and Jett Lawrence all took part in Media Day Friday

- Many riders and team members were sporting special stickers honoring the late Wills Fedrick, the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Paddock Manager who lost his life last week.

- A week after taking the 250SX East crown, Hunter Lawrence attended the Denver race to cheer his brother on to his championship. Hunter made a guest appearance in the booth for the broadcast during the 250SX West main event but left in time to congratulate Jett by the podium.

- Daytime qualifying saw Team Honda HRC top the combined times in both classes yet again, with Sexton best in 450SX and Lawrence quickest in 250SX West. Nichols was a solid seventh in the premier division.

- In 250SX West heat 2, Lawrence was caught up in a pile-up shortly after the start and remounted in around 15th place. He went into damage-control mode, riding fast but controlled until reaching fourth place on the penultimate lap, and holding that spot to the finish—two behind SmarTops/MotoConcepts Honda’s Mitchell Oldenburg. KBR-sponsored Red Rider Luke Kalaitzian transferred from ninth place, and TDMX-back Brandon Ray made it in from the last-chance qualifier.

- In the second 450SX heat race, Sexton and Nichols emerged from turn 1 in third and fourth places, respectively. After one lap, Sexton was up to second, and he took over the lead around the midway mark, then rode to a 1.5-second winning margin, with Nichols tallying a solid third-place finish. Also advancing from the heat was Fire Power Honda’s Dean Wilson, while SmarTop/MotoConcepts Honda’s Anthony Rodriguez and TiLube/Storm Lake Honda’s Michael Hicks made it through from heat 1.

- Sexton’s 450SX win is his fifth this year and the sixth of his career. Lawrence’s third-place finish is the 22nd 250SX podium result of his career.

- Sexton’s win moved Honda into a tie with Kawasaki for first on the Denver premier-class win list, with two.

- Sexton and Lawrence both participated in the post-race press conference.

- Team Honda HRC now heads west to Salt Lake City for the final AMA Supercross round of the year, with Sexton holding a seven-point lead in the 450SX title chase. Hunter and Jett Lawrence have already clinched the 250SX East and West titles, respectively, but they’ll have a chance to go head-to-head since the finale is also an East-West Showdown.

Chase Sexton “I think some of my crashes earlier in the season were caused by being negative and not having confidence in myself to win these races. In the middle of the season, I was definitely questioning whether I could lead and win an entire main event. I had some time to reset after Seattle and just clear my head. We got a little bit of testing done and I felt super solid on the bike. You have to try and stay positive when things like that are happening, and I knew I could dig myself out of it. It’s never over until it’s over. Obviously, we have another round, so we’ll just have to go there and do the best we can.”

Colt Nichols “Denver was going pretty good until it wasn’t. I made really good progress all day. I’ve been feeling more like myself on the bike the past two weeks. I just got tangled with another rider going for third place; it was a weird racing incident. I felt like I had a good shot of getting on the podium tonight, but I’ve just got to keep pushing. I’m a little banged up but excited to go racing next weekend.”

Jett Lawrence “The heat race didn’t go as planned. One guy went left, I went left, and I just had nowhere to go. I was happy to at least qualify though. In the main event, the ruts after the gate were wrecked, and there were only a few good ones left. I found a decent one but just spun getting on the dirt, and there went my start! I knew I only needed 10th or better, so I could take my time and not push it. Once I got into third and saw where the other guys were, there wasn’t much traction left in the dirt, and I didn’t want to push it. We didn’t quite equal Hunter when he won his championship, but we’re still happy to walk away with the number 1 plate.”

Lars Lindstrom – Team Manager “This will probably go down as one of the most difficult mixes of emotions for any race that I’ve ever been involved in. First and foremost, my hat goes off to Jett on winning his fourth consecutive 250 championship—simply incredible, and I’m so excited to see him join the 450 ranks! He was in a class of his own this season, and it’s perfect timing for him to move up. In the 450 class, it has been shocking how many riders have gotten injured in the last few weeks, and it was terrible to see what happened to Eli. He’s a true legend in our sport, and I wish him a speedy recovery. Chase got his fifth win of the season, showing again that he’s deserving of any success that’s coming to him. It’s a long, grueling season, and he’s been strong throughout. Next weekend will be very interesting, that’s for sure.”

AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Announces 2023 Nominees

The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the list of nominees for the Class of 2023, and that voting is now open.

The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame selection committees have put forward 16 nominees from eight areas of influence: Ambassadors & Industry, Design & Engineering, Dirt Track, Leadership & Rights, Motocross & Supercross, Off-Road, Road Racing and Specialty Competition.

Nominees include:

Competition:

- Jim Belland (Dirt Track)

- Ryan Dungey (Motocross & Supercross)

- Eraldo Ferracci (Road Racing)

- Barry Hawk (Off Road)

- Grant Langston (Motocross & Supercross)

- Brent Thompson (Dirt Track)

- Ryan Young (Specialty Competition)

Non-Competition

- Rita Coombs (Ambassadors & Industry)

- Robert Coy (Ambassadors & Industry)

- Michael Czysz (Design & Engineering)

- Travis Pastrana (Ambassadors & Industry)

- Rodney Roberts (Leadership & Rights)

- Paul Schlegel (Ambassadors & Industry)

- Rick Sieman (Leadership & Rights)

- Buddy Stubbs (Ambassadors & Industry)

- Barry Willey (Design & Engineering)

“The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame nominees for 2023 include a diverse and accomplished group of men and women who’ve demonstrated exceptional achievements in competition, advocacy and promotion of the sport of motorcycling,” said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. “They have contributed significantly to the advancement of motorcycling in various areas, from excelling in dirt track, motocross and road racing competition, to advocating for motorcyclists’ rights, to creating enduring events that have helped grow motorcycling, to creating innovative motorcycle designs. We’re honored to recognize this year’s nominees and eagerly anticipate announcing the Class of 2023 soon.”

Voting for the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of 2023 is now open. Eligible voters include previous Hall of Fame inductees, members of the AMA and AMHF Boards of Directors, and members of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Category Selection Committees. AMA Life Members with at least 25 years of consecutive membership are also eligible to vote but should update their contact information to receive the latest updates and announcements pertaining to the voting process.

Voting ends Sunday, June 18 at 11:59 p.m.

Voting results will be announced soon after voting closes, and the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held on Sept. 15, in Pickerington, Ohio.

To vote on this year’s nominees, visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com/hall-of-fame-class-of-2023.

Tomac Sidelined with Injury at Denver Supercross

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac was on course for another top result at the penultimate round of Monster Energy AMA Supercross last night in Denver, Colorado. Unfortunately, the reigning 450SX champ and points leader was forced to withdraw from the main event with an injury, ending his title hopes as he will be sidelined to return to full fitness.

Tomac headed to his home-state supercross round at the Empower Field at Migh High feeling good and holding an 18-point lead in the championship. He qualified third overall and got a flying start in his heat race, leading the first four laps and ultimately crossing the line second. In the main event, he got another great start and quickly claimed the lead. Tomac was running a good pace up front before unfortunately rupturing his Achilles tendon on Lap 3. He withdrew from the race and was evaluated on-site by the Alpinestars Mobile Medical Unit. Tomac sought further evaluation and will undergo surgery today to repair the injury. An update on his status will follow at a later date.

This Week in Powersports Racing – The Week of April 30, 2023

News and stories from Powersports racing in the United States.

Hunter Lawrence Clinches 2023 AMA 250SX East Region Championship

During today’s AMA Supercross round at Nissan Stadium, Team Honda HRC rider Hunter Lawrence clinched the 250SX East Region Championship with yet another main-event victory. His teammate, Chase Sexton, won the 450SX main event on the same day. Of the nine East Region events held so far this season, Lawrence has ridden his CRF250R to the win in seven, and he finished third at the other two. The series finale is still to be run, but Lawrence’s 56-point lead in the title chase is too large for any rider to overcome.

This is Lawrence’s third season with Team Honda HRC. A native of Landsborough, in Queensland, Australia, he campaigned the 2016 European Motocross Championship as a 16-year-old, then moved up to the MX2 class the following season, earning attention when he finished second overall at the U.S. round in Florida. He switched to the 114 Motorsports Honda satellite squad for 2018 and finished third in the final standings despite missing several races. He topped the MX2 class at the Motocross of Nations that same year, before relocating to the U.S. with his family, so that he and his brother Jett could ride for the Factory Connection Honda satellite team . Although his bids for an AMA title were initially thwarted by injuries, his speed was obvious, and he and Jett were promoted to the factory squad for the 2021 season. Since then, Hunter has been consistently fast, finishing in the top three in every AMA championship he has campaigned with the squad. This much-deserved 2023 crown is his first in AMA racing.

“I just want to say thank you, from the bottom of my heart,” Hunter Lawrence said on the podium after the race. “Everyone that is with me now was with me when I was at my lowest of lows, so this is incredible. I can’t say I dreamed of this as a kid, because I didn’t know this was possible. I’m choked up; this is just surreal. This weekend has been incredible—the perfect day. I just want to celebrate this with everyone I love and care about—the whole team. This means the world.”

This marks the 13 th time that Honda has won the AMA Supercross East Region support-class title, with Lawrence joining past Red Riders including Brian Swink, Doug Henry, Davi Millsaps, Trey Canard, Justin Barcia, Wil Hahn, Malcolm Stewart, Justin Bogle, Chase Sexton and Jett Lawrence . (Jett currently races a Team Honda HRC CRF250R in the AMA 250SX West Region and has a chance to clinch that title next week in Denver.)

“On behalf of everyone at American Honda and HRC, I’d like to extend a huge congratulations and thank you to Hunter,” said Brandon Wilson, Manager of Sports and Experiential at American Honda. “Of course it’s always an incredible feeling for a manufacturer and team to win a championship, but this one is particularly sweet, simply because Hunter has had to overcome so much to earn it. His family has made incredible sacrifices, moving first to Europe and then to the United States . As the older brother, Hunter has often had to blaze the trail, but he has consistently maintained a positive attitude, even when dealing with injuries and other setbacks. We’re all extremely proud of him, and we look forward to much continued success.”

Lawrence’s 2023 250SX East Championship comes in a season during which Honda marks the 50th anniversary of its first production motocross bike, the CR250M Elsinore, which Gary Jones rode to Honda’s first AMA Motocross Championship in 1973.

Chase Sexton Wins Nashville Supercross and Takes Over Second Place in Championship

Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton took the Round 15 win in a rare daytime Monster Energy AMA Supercross race in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Supercross series returned to Nashville. Daytime opening ceremonies kicked off the second-ever Supercross race in the Music City. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac led early but earned second at the checkered flag at Nissan Stadium. Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen delivered another podium performance and earned third place points toward both the 17-round 2023 Supercross season as well as the inaugural 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship. In the penultimate round of the Eastern Regional 250SX Class season, Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence was picture-perfect for the race win and the points needed to seal his first Monster Energy AMA Supercross championship.

Chase Sexton’s Nashville Supercross win moved him into second place in the championship standings. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Eli Tomac grabbed a clear Holeshot and sprinted early to establish some breathing room on the pack of Tank Masters Red Line Oil Next Level KTM’s Kevin Moranz, Team Honda HRC’s Colt Nichols, Chase Sexton, Twisted Tea Suzuki Progressive Insurance’s Kyle Chisholm and Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia. Team Tedder Monster Energy Mountain Motorsport’s Justin Hill got an incredible drive down the first rhythm lane and was into third place before the second corner. Absent was Red Bull KTM’s Cooper Webb, second in the championship points; Webb had been taken out of the event earlier by a tough crash in his Heat Race.

Tomac distanced himself from the pack as Sexton moved past Justin Hill to take over second just three minutes into the race. Sexton sat over four seconds back but set his sights on Tomac. A minute later Tomac had a near-crash in the whoops. The challenging track had created a lot of crashes through qualifying and racing. Tomac’s scare convinced him to lower his aggression, as he reported on the podium after the race.

Just over five minutes into the 20-minute plus one lap race Barcia moved forward into third place. Up front, Sexton steadily cut down the lead. The next few laps shook up the race as Sexton made it to Tomac’s rear fender just as Barcia crashed hard off the Dragon’s Back. Barcia was out just as Roczen nabbed third from Justin Hill. From there the race leaders held their spots on the slick, dry track. Sexton earned his fourth win of the season and moved into second in the championship standings. Tomac lost three points to Chase but extended his points lead to 18 due to Webb earning zero in Nashville.

Hunter Lawrence made it a Team HRC Honda sweep by taking the Nashville win and also the 2023 Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

When the gate dropped for the Eastern Regional 250SX Class, Hunter Lawrence grabbed the Holeshot but Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Jordon Smith quickly charged up to him. In the third corner Smith bumped his way past and into the lead ahead of Lawrence and Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin. A minute and a half into the 15-minute plus one lap race Smith held first ahead of Lawrence, Smith, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Jo Shimoda, and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan. With a 49-point lead and only one Eastern Regional 250SX Class round remaining after Nashville, Lawrence could finish as low as 20^th and still claim the title. But Lawrence looked like he wanted to go out with a win, and hounded Smith up front. Shimoda moved into third behind them and Deegan fought to get past Martin for fourth.

With 9:30 remaining on the race clock Smith overcooked a turn in the sand section and went off the track and into the Tuff Blox. He didn’t fall, but the mistake and correction to get back on the track cost him two positions. Lawrence took over the lead but suddenly Shimoda was on a tear and looking like he might soon fight for the front spot. Fire Power Honda’s Max Anstie, the winner at the previous round, had made his way into sixth and reached Deegan’s rear wheel just before Deegan made his own move and passed Martin for fourth place.

Late in the race Lawrence had built a comfortable lead while Shimoda, Smith, and Deegan ran close enough that each of their positions were in jeopardy. The riders circled the final laps without major mistakes. Lawrence brought home the race win and with it his first Monster Energy AMA Supercross title. Shimoda earned his first podium of the season after missing most of it due to injury, and Smith took the final podium spot.

Only two rounds remain in the season. The 450SX Class racers line up again inside Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado next Saturday, May 6^th before the 2023 Supercross Championship Final Presented by Utah Sports Commission at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah on May 13^th. Two champions remain to be crowned, one in the 450SX Class and one in the Western Regional 250SX Class.

The two rounds will also pay points toward the all-new SuperMotocross World Championship which encompasses the Supercross season, the AMA Pro Motocross season, two Playoff races and a Final to determine the sport’s first SuperMotocross World Champion in September.

All 31-rounds of the SuperMotocross World Championship are streamed live on Peacock and select rounds are broadcast on NBC, USA Network, and CNBC. The 450 class racers battle for a one million dollar payout to the winner, and the 250 class racers all battle in a single class for a $500,000 prize to the winner in that class.

Tickets are available now alongside video highlights, race results, the complete SMX schedule, and more at SupercrossLIVE.com.

450SX Class podium (riders left to right) Eli Tomac, Chase Sexton, and Ken Roczen. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

450SX Class Results

1. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda

1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha

1. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki

1. Colt Nichols, Murrieta, Calif., Honda

1. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM

1. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki

1. Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Honda

1. Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki

1. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Suzuki

1. Josh Hill, Huntersville, N.C., KTM

450SX Class Championship Standings

1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha (338)

1. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda (320)

1. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (304)

1. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki (280)

1. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS (267)

1. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki (242)

1. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (213)

1. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM (172)

1. Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki (170)

1. Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Honda (165)

250SX Class podium (riders left to right) Jordon Smith, Hunter Lawrence, and Jo Shimoda. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Eastern Regional 250SX Class Results

1. Hunter Lawrence, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Honda

1. Jo Shimoda, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki

1. Jordon Smith, Ochlocknee, Ga., Yamaha

1. Haiden Deegan, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha

1. Max Anstie, Cairo, Ga., Honda

1. Jeremy Martin, Rochester, Minn., Yamaha

1. Tom Vialle, Murrieta, Calif., KTM

1. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki

1. Henry Miller, Rochester, Minn., Honda

1. Cullin Park, Clermont, Fla., Honda

Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship Standings

1. Hunter Lawrence, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Honda (224)

1. Haiden Deegan, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha (168)

1. Max Anstie, Cairo, Ga., Honda (166)

1. Jordon Smith, Ochlocknee, Ga., Yamaha (141)

1. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki (132)

1. Jeremy Martin, Rochester, Minn., Yamaha (128)

1. Nate Thrasher, Livingston, Tenn., Yamaha (120)

1. Tom Vialle, Murrieta, Calif., KTM (111)

1. Cullin Park, Clermont, Fla., Honda (109)

1. Coty Schock, Dover, Del., Honda (89)

NASHVILLE SUPERCROSS HITS SOUR NOTE WITH JUSTIN BARCIA

Several of the AMA Supercross series frontrunners endured costly crashes at Nashville, and unfortunately, that included Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing Team’s Justin Barcia.

- After Justin’s big win in East Rutherford last weekend the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing Team was looking to add to their string of recent successes

- Justin Barcia ends up in 21^st spot after a hard crash in the main event

- Michael Mosiman sat out the action in Nashville

450SX

Things were looking good again for Justin Barcia and his MC 450F Factory Edition machine early in the day, as he qualified third-fastest, and then backed that up with a win in his heat race. After a strong start to the main, he quickly worked his way into fourth place, and then into third place by lap six. Unfortunately, shortly after that, he had a hard crash in the dragon’s back section of the track. Despite being assisted by the Alpinestars Mobile Medical crew, he was unable to continue.

250SX East

After injuries earlier in the season, Michael Mosiman is back in the saddle and continues to prepare for the upcoming AMA Pro Motocross season.

Next Event (Round 16): May 6, 2023 – Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colo.

Results – 2023 AMA Supercross Championship, Round 15

250SX East – Main Event Results

1. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 17 laps; 2. Jo Shimoda (Kawasaki) +03.857; 3. Jordon Smith (Yamaha) +05.305

450SX – Main Event Results

1. Chase Sexton (Honda) 23 laps; 2. Eli Tomac (Yamaha) +14.513; 3. Ken Roczen (Suzuki) +29.756 … 11. Justin Starling (GASGAS)… 13. Tristan Lane (GASGAS)… 21. Justin Barcia (GASGAS)

Championship Standings – After 15 Rounds

250SX East

1. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 224 points; 2. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 168 points; 3. Max Anstie (Honda) 166 points … 19. Michael Mosiman (GASGAS) 51 points

450SX

1. Eli Tomac (Yamaha) 338 points; 2. Chase Sexton (Honda) 320 points; 3. Cooper Webb (KTM) 304 … 5. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) 267; 21. Justin Starling (GASGAS) 66 … 29. Tristan Lane (GASGAS) 13

LOWS AND HIGHS FOR TALON HAWKINS IN NASHVILLE SUPERCROSS

Throw in everything from soft and wet conditions in the morning, to hard to dry in the afternoon of the unusual day race, and Nashville provided plenty of opportunities for an exceptional educational experience for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team rookie, Talon Hawkins.

250 SX

After a tough go in the heat race, where Talon made contact with another rider, he returned to score a win in the LCQ aboard his FC250. In the main event, he had to work from the rear after getting pushed wide in the first turn, and he improved from 22^nd to 12^th at the finish.

“The race had a lot of ups and downs, that’s for sure, but that’s part of learning and this is my first year doing this. We’re learning a lot and I’m glad I’m getting time to see time on the pro tracks,” said Hawkins. “I went down in the heat. I came together with another rider. It happens. It’s racing. So, I had to go through the LCQ, and I ended up coming out with a win, and it was cool to be able to put my FC250 up on the podium and talk about it. In the main event, I was on my way to a good start, and unfortunately, I got pushed out wide and into a Tuf-Blox. I had to come from dead last to 12th. There were some good moments to take away from this race, and let’s get back to work.

450 SX

Christian Craig and Malcolm Stewart are both still sidelined and are continuing their recovery and/or preparation for future events to come in ’23.

\Next Event (Round 16): May 6, 2023 – Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colo.

Round 15 Results: Nashville

250 SX East Results

1. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 2. Jo Shimoda (Kawasaki) 3. Jordon Smith (Yamaha) … 12. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

450 SX Results

1. Chase Sexton (Honda) 2. Eli Tomac (Yamaha) 3. Ken Roczen (Suzuki)

250 SX Rider Point Standings 1. Hunter Lawrence – 224 points 2. Haiden Deegan – 168 points 3. Max Anstie – 166 points … 13. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 73 points

450 SX Rider Point Standings 1. Eli Tomac – 338 points 2. Chase Sexton – 320 points 3. Cooper Webb – 304 points … 11. Christian Craig – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 150 points 28. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 15 points

TOM VIALLE SEVENTH IN TOUGH NASHVILLE FOR RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Round 15 of the 2023 AMA Supercross Championship in Nashville proved to be a difficult day that unfolded for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, with Tom Vialle racing to seventh in the 250SX East Main Event, and two-time 450SX title-winner Cooper Webb crashing out of Heat 1.

After qualifying in P8, Vialle powered his KTM 250 SX-F to a sixth-place result in the opening Heat race of the event, which transferred the French rookie directly into the Main Event. The Tennessee circuit further deteriorated with each gate-drop, making for an added challenge come Main Event time, where Vialle went on to secure seventh place. He currently sits eighth in the standings.

Tom Vialle: “I crashed in practice, so the beginning of the day wasn’t as expected, but recovered well in the Heat race with a fourth, before I was docked two positions because I didn’t see the red cross flag. That gave me a tough gate pick for the main, and I came around the first corner in eighth or ninth. I was close to sixth, although ended the race in seventh. The track was very sketchy and I lost a bit of time in the dragon’s back section, but overall, an average result here and one more chance to race Supercross for the season in two weeks’ time.”

Title challenger Webb stormed out of the gates and led the opening 450SX Heat race of the day, before going down soon afterward on lap one. The 27-year-old was then transferred from the stadium to the hospital for further evaluation, unfortunately, ruled out for the remainder of the round, and he is now positioned third in points. An additional update once he has seen his doctor will follow.

The KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION of Aaron Plessinger was a non-starter in Nashville, recovering from his incident last weekend in East Rutherford, and he is intending to return to action next Saturday in Denver, Colorado.

Next Race: May 6 – Denver, Colorado

Results 450SX Class – Nashville 1. Chase Sexton (USA), Honda, 23 laps 2. Eli Tomac (USA), Yamaha, +14.513 3. Ken Roczen (GER), Suzuki, +29.756 OTHER KTM 5. Justin Hill (USA), KTM 10. Josh Hill (USA), KTM 12. Kevin Moranz (USA), KTM 18. Max Miller (USA), KTM

Standings 450SX Class 2023 after 15 of 17 rounds 1. Eli Tomac, 338 2. Chase Sexton, 320 3. Cooper Webb, 304 OTHER KTM 7. Aaron Plessinger, 213 8. Justin Hill, 172 14. Josh Hill, 116 18. Kevin Moranz, 81

Results 250SX East Class – Nashville 1. Hunter Lawrence (AUS), Honda, 17 laps 2. Jo Shimoda (JPN), Kawasaki, +3.857 3. Jordon Smith (USA), Yamaha, +5.305 OTHER KTM 7. Tom Vialle (FRA), KTM

Results 250SX East Class 2023 after 9 of 10 rounds 1. Hunter Lawrence, 224 2. Haiden Deegan, 168 3. Max Anstie, 166 OTHER KTM 8. Tom Vialle, 111

Gaige Herrera Dominates NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Four-Wide Nationals at Charlotte

Gaige Herrera extended the perfect start to his breakout rookie season by delivering the Vance & Hines/Mission Suzuki team its second consecutive Pro Stock Motorcycle class win Sunday onboard his Gen III Suzuki Hayabusa at the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Concord, NC.

Race Highlights

- Gaige Herrera dominated the weekend by topping qualifying and winning a second straight race in his first career NHRA four-wide race appearance.

- Eddie Krawiec qualified second to lock out the top two starting spots for the Vance & Hines/Mission Suzuki team and finished in third place.

Gaige Herrera (79) captures his second win in a row in his first four-wide race in Charlotte.

Under the NHRA’s unique four-wide racing format, the first two motorcycles to cross the finish line, barring a redlight jumpstart, advance to the next round regardless of lane pairing. In the final round four-wide quad, the first motorcycle to cross the finish line wins.

Unfazed by his inexperience in four-wide racing, Herrera displayed more of the speed and poise that have vaulted him to the top of the Pro Stock Motorcycle standings by qualifying number one for the second race in a row with a 6.735 seconds/201.52 mph run on Saturday.

In the first round of eliminations, Herrera won his first-round quad matchup with a strong 6.754-second/201.13 mph run to easily advance past runner-up Kelly Clontz (6.874-seconds/196.04 mph), who also moved to the second round.

Herrera advanced to his second career final round thanks to some luck in the semi-finals after his motorcycle slowed when his kill switch lanyard became detached and shut off the engine near the end of the run. Despite the hiccup, his 6.857-second/170.02 mph run was good enough to advance into the final round along with runner-up Matt Smith (6.916-seconds/194.60 mph).

Continuing his dominance, Herrera blasted to a second straight race win with a hammer-blow 6.71-second/202.00 mph pass that easily covered the other three bikes in the final round quad. Matt Smith finished runner-up with a 6.780-second/199.61 mph run, followed by Krawiec in third (6.784-seconds/199.37 mph) and Steve Johnson (6.810-seconds/197.54 mph) in fourth, capturing the four top finishing positions for Suzuki.

Exuding confidence and calmness that belies his rookie status, Herrera is taking his incredible start to the season in stride. “It’s definitely more than I expected. I’ve got all the confidence in the world in the Vance & Hines/Mission Suzuki team, but as far as me being able to hold my composure and show the results of all the hard work they do back at the shop, it’s a lot to take in.”

Herrera is also adapting to the techniques required to ride a Pro Stock Motorcycle consistently fast. “Every pass has a learning curve. I’m still working on how to make little changes with my body during a run that won’t affect the motorcycle’s elapsed time or top speed. The Gen III Suzuki Hayabusa is a dream to ride, and if I leave the line going straight, I know it’s going to be a good pass. I have one of the best bikes out there, so I’ll try to make it three in a row in Chicago.”

Making the final for the first time in this early season, Eddie Krawiec (7) finishes third.

After struggling with an inconsistent performance at the end of the 2022 season, Krawiec has turned a corner with his motorcycle’s performance this season after chasing and fixing some hard-to-diagnose issues.

Capitalizing on improvements made to his Suzuki Hayabusa after the opening round in Gainesville, Krawiec posted a strong 6.765-second/197.77 mph qualifying performance to claim the second starting position.

In the first round, Krawiec staged a come-from-behind win in his quad matchup against Hector Arana, Jr., Ron Tornow, and Angie Smith. He advanced to the second round with a 6.822-second/200.02 mph run, along with runner-up Arana (6.914-seconds/199.55 mph).

Improving on his first-round speed, Krawiec advanced to the finals with a 6.784-second/199.73 mph run to defeat runner-up Steve Johnson (6.806-seconds/198.00 mph).

Krawiec trailed his teammate in the final round, finishing in third place in the quad with a 6.784-second/199.37 mph pass.

“We fixed some things on my bike and are running a completely different setup now than last year, so I’ve got to relearn what makes it happy,” Krawiec said. “As we do that, it’ll get better and better. It’s good to have a fast motorcycle and that’s now in view. I’m not looking for it with binoculars anymore.”

Vance & Hines/Mission Suzuki crew chief Andrew Hines praised Herrera’s performance and his perfect start to the season.

“Gaige is on fire. He’s a rookie. He’s got nothing to lose and nothing to prove. He just goes out there and races,” Hines said. “We had a lot of time off after Gainesville, a lot of time to go through all our engines and figure out which ones were the best. We brought our two A-game pieces to this race that we knew were ready to go and to be class leaders. The new Gen III Hayabusa body is allowing both riders to make flawless runs, and our Vance & Hines horsepower is shining. These are the two best race bikes we’ve brought to the racetrack in a long time. The clutch tune-up I have in Gaige’s bike is working very well. We’ve just got to adapt the setup on Eddie’s bike a little bit better and we’ll be good to go for Chicago in a few weeks.”

After two of 15 rounds, Herrera and Krawiec currently sit first and third in the Pro Stock Motorcycle standings with 255 and 135 points, respectively.

The Vance & Hines/Mission Suzuki team will be back in action May 19-21 at the Gerber Collision and Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance at Route 66 Raceway in Elwood, IL.

For the latest Suzuki team news, race reports, and information visit SuzukiCycles.com/Racing/Drag-Racing.

450SX TITLE BID OF RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING’S COOPER WEBB ENDS FOLLOWING NASHVILLE EXIT

MURRIETA, Calif. – Two-time 450SX champion Cooper Webb’s 2023 AMA Supercross Championship title challenge has come to an early ending following his crash at Nashville on Saturday, the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider now taking the time to recover from a concussion sustained in the incident.

Webb has thankfully been cleared of any additional major injuries following his exit in the opening Heat race of the night, however, the 27-year-old who won the premier class title with Red Bull KTM both in 2019 and 2021 will be absent from the upcoming final two rounds of the 2023 season.

Cooper Webb: “As many of you saw, I suffered a concussion last night in Nashville. I am thankful everything else has checked out okay. This will unfortunately put an end to my SX season. It hurts to have it end like this, but I can hold my head high knowing that I gave it my all.”

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager, Ian Harrison, echoed Webb’s sentiments, acknowledging that safety is paramount for the team’s riders, despite the disappointment of being ruled out of contention this late in the 17-round Supercross season.

Ian Harrison: “It’s definitely not the end to the 2023 Supercross Championship season that the team had hoped for, but we are very relieved that Cooper is okay after what had the potential to be a very nasty accident, as he was really going for it when he went down in a racing incident. Our riders’ health and safety are very important to the team, so knowing he is going to be okay is a huge weight off everyone’s shoulders. Obviously, we were really looking forward to taking the championship hunt all the way down to the final Supercross race in Salt Lake City, but unfortunately, that won’t be the case this year. It’s disappointing, but we will turn our focus towards our 250 riders’ final Supercross races of the season, as well as supporting Aaron Plessinger as he heals from his crash at the previous round in New Jersey, and get a jump start on preparing for the upcoming Pro Motocross Championship season.”

This season has marked a spectacular return to form for Webb riding the 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, securing nine podium finishes over the course of the opening 14 rounds, which included two 450SX Main Event victories in Tampa and Arlington, respectively. He entered Nashville ranked second in the standings, 11 points outside of the red plate prior to his fall.

The 2023 AMA Supercross Championship now heads to Denver, Colorado, for the penultimate round of the series this weekend, before the final round in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Saturday, May 13, will draw the curtains on this year’s championship.

FMF KTM FACTORY RACING TEAM ENDURES CHALLENGING PRIMM NGPC ROUND

PRIMM, Nev. – The FMF KTM Factory Racing Team experienced a challenging day in the Nevada desert for round six of the 2023 AMA National Grand Prix Championship (NGPC), with Mateo Oliveira 11th in the Pro Class and defending champion Dante Oliveira credited 14th position.

Ending the opening lap in third position, the elder Oliveira brother would climb his way into the race lead by lap four. An unfortunate fueling issue then dropped the number one bike down the order and eventually to 14th position, where he would finish. Dante retains the points lead in the Pro Class, currently holding an 18-point advantage.

Dante Oliveira: “Round six started off solid for me, ran third for the first few laps and grabbed the lead around the 50-minute mark, then ran into trouble on that same lap, so went in and got that sorted. Came back out, tried to charge, but all-in-all it was a tough day. We’ll be back for the next one.”

The story was similar for the second FMF KTM Factory Racing team rider, Mateo Oliveira, who began the race in fifth place, remaining inside the top five on his 450 XC-F until lap five when he was also struck by a similar problem, which relegated him to 10th by race’s end. He sits eighth in the point standings.

Mateo Oliveira: “We were moving in the right direction today for round six of the NPGC Series, ran up front, and proved that we can be right there in the fight. Next round we’ll come out swinging.”

The weekend in Primm saw an exceptional ride from KTM-mounted Mikayla Nielsen, who took home the top honors in the Pro Women’s Class and extended her series lead, while Kaitlyn Jacobs secured the final step of the podium in third.

Round 7: Delta, Utah – May 19-21, 2023

Results: Round 6

Pro Results 1. Cole Martinez, HON 2. Justin Hoeft, YAM 3. Zach Bell, KAW OTHER KTM 10. Mateo Oliveira, KTM 14. Dante Oliveira, KTM

Pro Women Results 1. Mikayla Nielsen, KTM 2. Ava Silvestri, GAS 3. Kaitlyn Jacobs, KTM

Pro Championship Standings 1. Dante Oliveira, 143 2. Cole Martinez, 125 3. Ryan Surratt, 119 OTHER KTM 8. Mateo Oliveira, 78

ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA’S AUSTIN WALTON CONTINUES NGPC FORM WITH FOURTH PLACE AT PRIMM

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Austin Walton has continued his run of form in the 2023 AMA National Grand Prix Championship (NGPC) round at Primm, notching another top-five result with his fourth-place ride in Nevada.

Walton completed the opening lap of the race in P6 and would progressively pick his way through the field to end up in fourth by lap five. It was there that Walton would see out the race, crossing the line in fourth position by the race’s end and retaining P4 in the Pro Class standings.

“All done here with the NGPC round six here in Nevada,” Walton commented. “I’m in a positive headspace, it was a tough day with the heat and how rough the track was, though we made improvements – we keep making improvements – and it’s all positive. The team is working hard, so am I, and we keep making great progress. Today I walked away with fourth place, which isn’t exactly where I expect to be, though we’re getting better and better each round and moving in the right direction toward that top step.”

Meanwhile, a strong start for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Dalton Shirey saw him sitting in third place throughout the opening stages of the race, before being caught out by an unfortunate fueling issue on lap five. Shirey returned to the field soon afterward and put on a charge, ending the Primm event in ninth position.

“Today I started off with a great start,” recalled Shirey. “Dante Oliveira and Justin Hoeft set a solid pace that I struggled to match, so I was happy to sit tight in that third position. That was before I realized that I had the problem, then I hauled the mail to get back into the race. We’ll get them at the next one!”

Next Round (7): Delta, Utah – May 21, 2023

Pro Results

1. Cole Martinez, HON

2. Justin Hoeft, YAM

3. Zach Bell, KAW

4. Austin Walton – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

…

9. Dalton Shirey – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

Pro Championship Standings

1. Dante Oliveira, 143

2. Cole Martinez, 125

3. Ryan Surratt, 119

4. Austin Walton – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 104

…

9. Dalton Shirey – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 72

Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Jo Shimoda Secures Fifth Career Supercross Podium at Nashville SX

Foothill Ranch, Calif. (April 30, 2023) – The upbeat tunes of Music City echoed through the early morning sky of downtown Nashville, Tennessee, for Round 15 of the Monster Energy® Supercross Championship where Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Jo Shimoda reached another career milestone after clinching his fifth career Supercross podium with a second-place finish. Teammate Chris Blose continued his string of top-10 finishes with a consistent eighth-place result. In the 450SX Class, Monster Energy® Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson rebounded from crashes early in the day to earn sixth place while his teammate Adam Cianciarulo put on a come from behind performance to finish in eighth.

With showers early in the week soaking the Nashville track and an early start time, Saturday morning track conditions presented riders with a tacky top layer combined with a slick base. When 250SX Class qualifying sessions began, the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki duo of Shimoda and Blose were quick to experiment with a variety of different lines and rhythm lane runs. Shimoda placed green on top of the leaderboard during the first qualifying session as he set the fastest time of the morning with a 54.092 lap time. When the timed qualifying practices concluded, Shimoda was third fastest (53.407) with Blose recording the sixth-fastest lap time (53.976).

In the first 250SX heat race, Blose emerged from Turn 1 running in third and quickly distanced himself with the leaders from the rest of the field. The No.57 showed consistency and speed as he managed to stay competitive against the top-two riders. With no real threat from behind, and a comfortable gap to the riders ahead, Blose rode a steady and controlled race, crossing the finish line in third and securing his spot in the main event.

At the start of 250SX Heat 2, Shimoda was fifth heading into the first turn. Buried in the pack, the young Japanese-born rider displayed impressive race craft as he kept the opposition behind and moved into fourth place during the opening laps. As racing progressed, the No.30 closed in on a top-three position and began to apply immense pressure in efforts to take over third place. The crowd inside Nissan Stadium roared as Shimoda and former 250 Class champion Alex Martin engaged in a multi-lap battle until Shimoda made a mistake due to the slick track conditions, ending his run for a third-place finish. The No.30 tried to close the gap to third once more but with little time remaining, he settled for fourth.

When the gate dropped on the 250SX Main Event, Shimoda and Blose launched their KX™250 race machines to strong fourth and fifth place starts. Running in fourth, Shimoda wasted no time in making his way forward by skillfully passing Martin in the opening rhythm section to take third place. Blose on the other hand, shuffled back to eighth place. Keen on returning to his podium ways, Shimoda deployed an impressive charge, gradually closing in on the leaders with each lap. Once he was within a few bike lengths of the lead group, the No.30 put on a masterclass in technique and race strategy as he capitalized on the back and forth racing ahead to maneuver into second place. Meanwhile, Blose engaged in a fierce battle with Tom Vialle for seventh place, fighting tooth and nail to gain ground. Despite his best efforts, Blose crossed the finish line in eighth place, while Shimoda finished in second. With his fifth career 250SX Class podium, Shimoda proved once again that he’s still a force to be reckoned with.

“My jump out of the gate wasn’t the best, but I stayed focused and kept pushing forward. I made some great passes and was able to work my way up to second place. It feels amazing to have fought my way back to the front of the pack and earn a podium finish. I couldn’t have done it without the support of my team and my fans. I’m mostly happy to be back on the podium where I know I belong and I’m excited to carry this momentum into the final round.”

– Jo Shimoda

“I got a decent start in the Main Event, but some silly mistakes during the opening lap shuffled me back. I did my best to regain some positions once the race settled down, but I couldn’t find the right opportunity to attempt a pass. I’m proud of the effort I put in and that I was able to keep my consistent run of top-10 finishes intact. The team and I will do some extra work on the starts this week so we’re better prepared to battle up front during the final round in two weeks.”

– Chris Blose

Monster Energy Kawasaki riders Anderson and Cianciarulo continued their recent success in qualifying sessions as both KX™450SR riders quickly adapted to the track’s challenging conditions. During the first timed session of the morning, the Kawasaki duo made their mark with times inside the top-10 and turned up the speed for the second session as Cianciarulo placed his Kawasaki near the top spot of the leaderboard with the second fastest lap time (52.889). Anderson wasn’t far behind, and although a mistake in the whoops momentarily threw him off course, the No.21 still managed to claim the seventh quickest lap with a 53.490.

The No.9 of Cianciarulo utilized the power of his KX450SR at the start of 450SX Heat 1 to rocket out to a third-place start and quickly began pressuring the riders ahead. With the front three riders jockeying for the lead during the opening lap, a mistake from the leaders ahead allowed Cianciarulo to move into second and build a comfortable gap in front of the competition. The No.9 continued to log consistent laps through to the checkered flag, securing a second-place finish.

When the gate dropped on 450SX Heat 2, Anderson placed green towards the front once more as he reached the first turn in third. Narrowly escaping chaos behind him, Anderson set his sights forward and began to close the gap to second during the opening lap. Unfortunately, the quickly deteriorating track conditions saw Anderson get cross-rutted in the middle of the opening rhythm section and fall off the side of the track. Battered and bruised, the New Mexico native left the heat race early to recover and prepare for the 450SX LCQ.

When the 450SX LCQ gate dropped, Anderson again rocketed out to a superb start, this time reaching the first turn in second. A determined Anderson quickly moved into the lead before the end of the opening lap and immediately built a decent gap from the riders behind. Looking to put the mistakes from earlier in the day behind him, the No.21 rode a smooth and consistent race through to the checkered flag to take the race win and transfer into the Main Event.

In the 450SX Main Event, the Monster Energy Kawasaki duo faced early adversity with Anderson starting in 11th and Cianciarulo tipping over in the first turn. Unfazed by the daunting task at hand, Cianciarulo quickly gained ground to move from 22nd to 12th place, behind his teammate, by the second lap. As they worked their way up the field, the Kawasaki teammates engaged in an exciting multi-lap battle that culminated in Cianciarulo passing Anderson for ninth just before the long whoop section. Despite the intense competition, Anderson mounted his own charge and eventually overtook Cianciarulo to finish in a respectable sixth place, while Cianciarulo finished in a solid eighth place, earning Monster Energy Kawasaki two top-10 results.

“Today was a tough day, but I didn’t let the earlier setbacks get to me and I knew I had to give it my all in the Main Event. My body was sore heading into the Main Event, but I raced with everything I had, and I’m happy to have salvaged a top-10 finish for the team. It’s not the result I wanted, but sometimes it’s just about picking yourself up and pushing through no matter what. I’m proud of the effort we put in, and we’ll come back stronger next race.”

– Jason Anderson

“I was feeling great in qualifying and happy with how I was riding, but unfortunately I made a small mistake entering the first turn during the Main Event and had to battle my way through the pack. I found a good flow early in the race and managed to get into the top-10 and put on a good battle for the fans against my teammate. As the track continued to deteriorate, I made a couple of mistakes that cost me some time. Overall, I’m proud of how I was able to fight back and salvage some points with an eighth-place finish. We’ll regroup and come back stronger next race.”

– Adam Cianciarulo

Championship, Double Win for Team Honda HRC at Nashville SX

Team Honda HRC collected its third win-sweep of the season at the Nashville Supercross, and this one was even better than the first two. Not only did Chase Sexton and Hunter Lawrence top the 450SX and 250SX East classes, respectively, but Lawrence also clinched his first-ever AMA championship one round early. To top it all off, Colt Nichols notched a fourth-place result in the premier division–the best of his career.

Sexton got a fifth-place start in the 450SX main event and was in third the first time across the line. By the end of lap 3 he had powered his CRF450RWE by Justin Hill through the whoops, and then he set his sights on title-rival Eli Tomac. He closed in on the reigning champ and moved by at the halfway point. From there, the Illinois native rode flawlessly on a treacherous track, ultimately winning by 14.5 seconds. Meanwhile, Nichols enjoyed a strong start, slipped back a few spots, then rebounded to move up to fourth place by the finish.

Lawrence nailed the 250SX East main-event holeshot aboard his CRF250R but was quickly passed by Jordon Smith. The Australian waited patiently before taking advantage of a lap-6 pass opportunity and assuming the lead. Masterfully navigating the dry, slippery, technical conditions that rewarded his technical prowess, Lawrence pulled ahead to win by 3.9 seconds and celebrate with his family and team.

NOTES

- The Nashville Supercross featured an early schedule, which meant the Team Honda HRC crew left their hotel at 5:40 a.m.

- For Supercross weekend in Music City, Hunter Lawrence did an amazing collaboration with Gibson Guitar. On Friday, he starred in a meet-and-greet at Gibson Garage, where he signed autographs for fans and was presented with a special guitar. Then on race day, Lawrence wore special Alpinestars gear inspired by the 1979 signature Les Paul guitar of Tool guitarist Adam Jones. Jones is also a visual artist and animator who has created cover art for the band’s albums and directed many of their videos. Lawrence is a huge fan of the band, and he also wore a helmet featuring artwork by Jones.

- Chase Sexton, Colt Nichols and Lawrence took part in Media Day Friday, although rain during the week meant that there was no riding, in order to protect the track for race day.

- Team Honda HRC hosted former Redondo Beach Police Department motorcycle officer Bill Turner at Nashville. Turner, who recently retired, is a longtime friend of several team members and Honda associates, and he was heavily involved in an Africa Twin-based police-bike project that the RBPD is spearheading. During a small ceremony in the Honda pits, Turner was presented with a special plaque that featured several factory CRF components.

- Jett Lawrence was on hand in Nashville to cheer his brother on to his championship.

- Several Honda managers made the trip from the company’s Alpharetta, Georgia, Powersports Division headquarters, and watched the race from a suite.

- Former Honda and Factory Connection team manager and mechanic Dan Betley was also in Nashville, and he visited some of his friends and former colleagues in the Team Honda HRC pits.

- Everyone at Honda and HRC sends their heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Wills Fedrick. The Monster Energy AMA Supercross Paddock Manager lost his life during the week leading up to the race. Fedrick was invariably a huge help in the pits, and a pleasure to spend time with. He’ll be missed.

- During morning qualifying, Team Honda HRC once again topped the combined times in both classes, with Sexton best in 450SX and Lawrence quickest in 250SX East. Nichols ended up 10th in the premier division.

- The second 250SX East heat race saw Lawrence exit turn 1 in third (behind two other Hondas) and move into the lead on the first lap. From there, he rode perfectly to the win, with Fire Power Honda’s Max Anstie two seconds back. The fifth-through-seventh spots were taken by Phoenix Racing Honda riders Jace Owen, Caden Braswell and Coty Schock, followed by Moto Academy’s AJ Catanzaro. The first heat advanced three Red Riders: Red Research Group’s Luke Neese, Valley Ford Truck’s Jeremy Hand and Phoenix’s Cullin Park. TiLube/Storm Lake Honda’s Henry Miller and Michael Hicks made it through the last-chance qualifier, making it 12 CRF250Rs out of 22 bikes in the main event.

- Sexton suffered a poor start in the second 450SX heat race but was up to third by the end of lap 1. A lap-6 pass on Ken Roczen moved him into second, which is where he finished. Colt Nichols was fourth in the first heat race.

- Sexton’s 450SX win is his fourth this year and the fifth of his career. Lawrence’s victory in 250SX is his seventh of the year (in just nine races!) and the 12th of his career.

- Sexton and Lawrence both participated in the post-race press conference.

- Team Honda HRC now heads west to Denver for the penultimate AMA Supercross round of the year, in Denver. Jett Lawrence has an opportunity to clinch the 250SX West title a round early (he currently has a 39-point lead). Meanwhile, Sexton’s win, combined with the injury to Cooper Webb, moved him up to second in the premier division, and he’ll be shooting for another win in order to eat into Eli Tomac’s 18-point advantage.

Smith Scores Fifth Podium of Season

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Jordon Smith returned to the podium, finishing third at the penultimate round of the 250SX East Championship at the Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. His rookie teammate Haiden Deegan had another strong performance in the challenging conditions and crossed the line fourth.

With rain preceding the 15th round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship, riders were met with challenging track conditions for the day race schedule. Smith got off to a flying start topping free practice and qualifying second in the combined times. He grabbed the holeshot in the first 250 heat race of the day and led from start to finish. The North Carolinian got another great start in the main event in second and quickly claimed the lead. Smith led the first five laps but unfortunately went off track and rejoined in third. The veteran kept his cool in the changing conditions and tried to charge back to the runner-up spot, but ultimately crossed the line third for his fifth podium of the season.

Deegan qualified fourth and had a good start in his heat race, slotting in behind his teammate to finish second. In the main event, he didn’t get off the gate as he had hoped but was in the top five. The Californian kept pushing and made his way to fourth with an outside pass after the whoops. He tried to close the gap on the frontrunners, but there wasn’t enough time, and he crossed the line fourth. Deegan maintains his runner-up position in the 250SX East Championship as the regional class gets a weekend off before the season finale in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Next weekend Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Levi Kitchen returns for Round 8 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross 250SX West Championship and the 16th round of the SuperMotocross World Championship at the Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado, on May 6.

Jordon Smith Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing “We started bright and early this morning, but it was a good day for us. I was right there with the top times in each practice and won the heat race. Then I got off to a great start in the main, passed for the lead, and led the thing for maybe five or six minutes. I made a mistake and went off the track and got a little tight after that. The track was really gnarly. It was really hard to keep pushing all the way through the main event, especially with a little bit of arm pump. The track just broke down a lot. The track crew tried fixing it, but it was just soft and hard at the same time. One of the rhythm sections was already foot-peg deep which they fixed before the main event, so it was constantly changing, and you had to stay on your toes the whole main. I’m happy to get my fifth podium of the season and battling for the win. It’s been a long time since I’ve been consistently on the podium, so I’m not taking that for granted. We’re just going to keep working.”

Haiden Deegan Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing “It was a good day overall. Qualifying was alright, and then the heat race was good. I had good speed and got second. In the main event, I got a bad start and tried to push through, but I just didn’t have enough time at the end. I ended up getting close, which was good. It was the first time I was able to catch the front guys, so I’m happy with that. The track did break down a lot more than I thought it was going to, watching previous videos of this place. It had quite a bit of ruts, and it was hard-packed, dry, and sketchy. So fourth place on the day. We will just keep getting better.” Jensen Hendler Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 250 Team Manager “The weekend went, with Smith ending the day on the podium and Deegan fourth. They qualified great, with Smith second and Haiden fourth, and they both raced Heat 2 and finished 1-2 to get great gate picks for the main. They both had good starts, and Smith found himself in first on the first lap, but a small mistake shuffled him back to third. He put in a late charge to try and secure second but was a little short and finished third, which is great to go into the final round with a podium. Haiden fought his way through some guys to finish fourth. It’s not what he wanted, but he can continue to fight and go for a podium spot at the finale.”

Tomac Strengthens Title Defense in Nashville

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac rode a smart race in challenging conditions at the Nissan Stadium to take a runner-up finish at Round 15 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship in Nashville, Tennessee. The reigning 450SX Champion’s 11th podium of the season bolstered his title defense, giving him an 18-point lead with two rounds remaining.

Rain in advance of the event made for challenging track conditions, but Tomac showed strength straight away and topped the first two sessions. He ultimately qualified fourth on the combined timesheets and then got off to a flying start, grabbing the holeshot and the first 450 heat race win. In the main event, the reigning champ grabbed another holeshot and set a blistering pace up front to have over a three-second lead on the first lap. He continued to throw down some fast times and built a comfortable gap up front. As the race wore on, the competition closed the gap and ultimately passed him a couple of laps after the halfway mark. Tomac continued to ride his own race in the challenging conditions, crossing the line comfortably in second to head to the penultimate round in his home state of Colorado with an 18-point lead in the championship.

Eli Tomac Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing “We had a very solid day. I had great starts for the heat race and the main event, and I got out to the lead early. I was setting a good pace, and then I made one or two mistakes in the whoops. I backed down my pace a little bit, and then Chase was able to slide right by me. Overall, I was really happy with my riding, and the motorcycle on the starts has been awesome.

It was a very tough track, too, because it went from a soft surface and then it turned into a dry surface, so that’s what made it hard. The transitions were soft, but at the same time, you had to manage traction. It was tough. It ended up biting quite a few guys, and I’m just happy to get out of here safe.”

Jeremy Coker Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team Manager “Nashville was a good race for us. The whole day went very smooth. It’s scary to see competitors go out the way we saw with (Cooper) Webb. During the main, Eli pulled the holeshot and was riding great. He got into lapped traffic, and that allowed Chase (Sexton) to catch us. At that point, Eli calculated his risk versus reward and was smart enough to finish right where we needed.”

Kyle Peters Claims Fourth Consecutive AMA Arenacross Championship

The American Motorcyclist Association congratulates Phoenix Racing Honda’s Kyle Peters, who claimed the 2023 AMA Arenacross National Championship, his fourth straight title.

Peters closed out the 2023 AMA Arenacross National Championship two weeks early with a 2-1 main-event performance at the Salem, Va., round. Although winning titles has become the norm for 30-year-old Peters over the last few years, this one was special as it came on the heels of a vertebrae-injury recovery and took place in an arena just two hours from his hometown of Greensboro, N.C.

“To be able to do it the way I did it in front of my whole family and to be able to share that with them and share the victory, share the overcoming of all the obstacles, the adversity,” Peters said. “It was so incredible.”

Shortly after his 2022 title, Peters suffered a burst fracture injury of his C5 and C6 vertebrae April 9 at the St. Louis AMA Supercross round that forced him to have six vertebrae fused and spend six days in the ICU. The North Carolinian worked his way back for the AMA Arenacross opener in November, where he claimed his first of seven wins prior to securing the title, taking first in both motos.

Peters clinched the title with 368 points through 12 rounds.

Two weeks later the new-look AMA Arenacross had its 2022-23 season finale.

“Under new ownership, the 2023 AMA Arenacross season was a huge success,” said AMA Deputy Director of Racing Mike Burkeen. “A solid TV package and new technology has laid the foundation for bringing Arenacross back to its former glory.”

For more information on AMA Arenacross, visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com/arenacross.

Full list of 2023 AMA Arenacross class champions:

- Micro 3 (7-8) Limited Lorenzo Alves

- 85cc (9-15) Open Amari Arnold

- Vet (30+) Jonathan Chism

- Micro 2 (4-6) Limited Beau Dorn

- 85cc (9-12) Gage Dunham

- Mini Sr. (12-15) Gage Dunham

- 50cc Aircooled (4-8) Limited Collins Knuth

- 2-Stroke (14+) Gannon Lawson

- Schoolboy 1 (12-17) Gannon Lawson

- 65cc (7-9) Bensyn Levan

- 250 B Kaden Lewis

- 450 B Kaden Lewis

- Schoolboy 2 (12-17) Kaden Lewis

- Supermini (12-16) Grant McDonald

- Senior (40+) Robby McQuary

- Pro Sport Kyle Peters

- Masters (50+) Wayne Seboa

- B/C Open Bradley Sharma

- Open A Jordan Smith

- 65cc (10-11) Eidan Steinbrecher

- 65cc Open (7-11)

- Eidan Steinbrecher Micro E (4-8) Limited Luke Taylor

- Micro Open (4-8) Limited Luke Taylor

- 250 C Gavin Wayland

- 450 C Gavin Wayland

- College (18-24) Jason White

Daniels, Mees Continue Battle for Supremacy at Ventura Short Track

Progressive American Flat Track will conclude its early-season run of four Short Tracks with the inaugural Ventura Short Track this Saturday, May 6, at Ventura Raceway in Ventura, California.

It’s somewhat unusual to have four Short Tracks throughout an entire campaign, let alone in the opening six races. The first three delivered huge thrills and significant developments for the 2023 Championship, and the same can be expected again this weekend.

Together with the Mission Dallas Half-Mile presented by Roof Systems, this year’s first four ovals have already begun to reshuffle the pecking order. Current Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle title leader Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) and reigning premier-class champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) have earned two wins apiece and currently rank 1-2 in the standings.

Mees comes in with soaring confidence after having gotten the better of Daniels in their most recent two matchups. That said, rising star Daniels has shown no real weaknesses or made any major mistakes, allowing him to build up an early-season advantage with no finish worse than second. That’s a mighty high standard that promises to ratchet up the pressure on Mees (and everyone else) should he continue to perform at that level.

Two-time Champion Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 890 Duke) expected a rollercoaster of a season when he originally committed to racing a developing platform in the KTM 890 Duke. And while he’s gotten that, he’s continued to be a factor, securing a pair of podiums and three top-five finishes in the bike’s earliest days. He should only get better as the season evolves and Bauman is better able to exploit the bike’s inherent strengths.

JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) is the season’s only winner other than Daniels and Mees. While that came in the TT discipline in which he stands as one of the sport’s all-time greats, Beach also won a pair of Short Tracks a season ago. He’s more than capable of doing the same this weekend, which would be the ideal way to rebound back after crashing out of podium contention in Dallas.

Independent Indians pilots Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750) and Ben Lowe (No. 25 Rackley Racing/Mission Foods Indian FTR750) line positions 5-8 in the standings. The first three have already stood on the podium this season while Lowe came close with a fourth of his own.

Meanwhile, the factory Royal Enfields of Johnny Lewis (No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) and Ryan Wells (No. 94 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) have earned a top five and multiple top tens already in their first season of Mission SuperTwins competition – while demonstrating the potential to place even higher.

And finally, Short Track extraordinaire Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Martin Trucking/Castrol Harley-Davidson XR750) will be back on track this weekend. While he piloted a Yamaha MT-07 to a pair of top tens at the DAYTONA ST opener, he’ll be armed with the venerable Harley-Davidson XR750 this weekend with designs on adding yet another chapter to its multi-decade legend.

Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER

The Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER class has emerged as a red-hot battleground for manufacturers in recent seasons, and 2023 is shaping up to be one to remember in that regard.

First it was the KTMs, with Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F), Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) and Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F) sweeping the season’s first four race wins.

Then it was the Hondas, as the American Honda-backed Turner Honda trio of Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), and Morgen Mischler (No. 13 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) struck back by locking down the podium in Dallas.

Who will be next? While both KTM and Honda will look for further successes, there’s a real chance that other marques will now take their turn in the spotlight.

The Estenson Racing Yamaha team that secured back-to-back Parts Unlimited AFT Singles titles in ‘20-’21 courtesy of the aforementioned Daniels still boasts one of the most talented line-ups in the paddock with Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) and Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F).

And the 1st Impressions Husqvarna Racing effort feels primed for a huge weekend with Chad Cose (No. 49 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450) regularly running up front and James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450) having already earned a runner-up finish at the Senoia ST earlier this season.

There will be plenty to keep fans entertained at the track on Saturday, including the second round of Royal Enfield’s Build. Train. Race. (BTR) program, the return of the Grand National Hooligan Championship (GNHC), numerous vendors, plenty of food and beverage options, music, and motorcycle parking.

General Admission Grandstand tickets are just $40 (kids 12 and under $5), while Reserved Grandstand tickets are just $10 more.

Pit Pass Upgrades are also available for purchase, which provide all-day access to the pits where fans can scope out the world’s fastest dirt track motorcycles and get up close and personal with the stars of the sport.

Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/ventura-short-track-61345 to purchase your tickets today!

Gates will open for fans at 6:00 p.m. ET (3:00 p.m. PT) with Opening Ceremonies scheduled to begin at 9:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. PT).

FOX Sports coverage of the Mission Dallas Half-Mile presented by Roof Systems will air earlier in the day on FS1 on Saturday, May 6, at 11:00 a.m. ET (8:00 a.m. PT). The Ventura Short Track will premiere on FS1 one week later, on Saturday, May 13, at 2:30 p.m. ET (11:30 a.m. PT). As always, both broadcasts will feature in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras.

For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com.

This Week in Powersports Racing – The week of April 23, 2023

News and stories from Powersports racing in the United States.

Justin Barcia Masterful in the Mud of the East Rutherford Supercross

Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia captured lightning in a bottle and took the win at Round 14 of the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season in front of die-hard fans who braved rain and a thunderstorm delay.

Fireworks and dry ground gave way to thunderclouds and thick mud at a thrilling mudder inside MetLife Stadium. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac finished second on the rain-drenched and deep-rutted track inside MetLife Stadium. Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen found enough track through the standing puddles to take home third place in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The riders earned points for both the Supercross season and also the inaugural SuperMotocross World Championship. In the season’s first of two East/West Showdowns, Fire Power Honda’s Max Anstie took his career-first win over the top racers from both regional divisions.

Justin Barcia was brilliant in the mud and earned his first win of the 2023 season. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

In an unprecedented weather delay, thunderclouds approaching MetLife Stadium required the racers on the starting line of the 250SX Class East/West Showdown to evacuate the starting area. The riders, along with every spectator in the stadium, retreated to cover for what turned out to be a 1.5 hour delay to the racing as the clouds dumped rain on the track.

When the gate finally dropped for the 450SX Class Main Event, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson officially took the holeshot but it was Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton who immediately established himself as the race leader. The deep mud and chaotic first lap shuffle saw Barcia jump into the lead for a moment before Ken Roczen took it over. Barcia dropped back to third, but before the first pass through the whoops Barcia cut under Sexton. The two bikes made light contact and Sexton went down as half the pack raced past him.

Roczen stretched out his lead; just two and a half minutes into the race he held a three second gap over Barcia in the abbreviated 17-minute plus one lap race. Points leader Eli Tomac quickly established himself in third place ahead of Yamaha Truck Central LLC’s Benny Bloss, Fire Power Honda’s Dean Wilson, and Next Level Racing KTM’s Kevin Moranz. Red Bull KTM’s Cooper Webb was fighting his way up from seventh place and Sexton had recovered from his tip over and ran eighth.

Less than four minutes in, the top three, Roczen, Barcia, and Tomac, had separated from the field while Sexton and Webb scrapped for fifth. Sexton quickly moved past Webb and set his sights on Bloss in fourth place.

Barcia’s wide-open riding style agreed with the brutal conditions, and six minutes into the race he was on Roczen. Barcia made the identical move on Roczen that he used on Sexton, but when Barcia took over the top spot Roczen stayed upright. From there Barcia pulled steadily away while Tomac inched closer to Roczen. Sexton was into fourth, but 23 seconds back from Tomac, with Webb in fifth 24 seconds back from Sexton.

The race action was with Tomac. The Yamaha rider got to Roczen’s rear fender with just over three minutes left on the race clock. After an exciting battle, Roczen tipped over in the whoops and Tomac took over the spot. Roczen was quickly back up without being in danger of losing the podium-place position.

From there the riders individually fought the track and did their best to preserve their motorcycles in the mud. Barcia took the win, his first since Houston 2021. Tomac earned second place, and stretched his points lead to 11 over Cooper Webb. Roczen carded his fourth podium finish of the season with a third.

Max Anstie brought back his early-season speed and turned it into an exciting East/West Showdown win inside MetLife Stadium. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

The East/West Showdown was a thrilling race that was worth the wait of the weather delay. Max Anstie grabbed the holeshot on the rain-drenched track. Red Bull KTM’s Max Vohland was in second with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire right behind. The Lawrence brothers were up front and after one muddy lap Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence ran in fourth and Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence held fifth. The race made history as the first showdown of brothers who each led their division, but those brothers sat outside the top three at the start of the race.

Almost three minutes into the race, which was shortened to 12-minutes plus one lap, Jett Lawrence took advantage of a Hampshire mistake and took over third place. Three minutes later Jett Lawrence was pressuring Vohland for second as Anstie stretched out his lead to over six seconds. Hampshire applied pressure to take over third, but Jett Lawrence broke free from him again and got around Vohland for second place. Four and a half minutes remained on the race clock.

Hampshire was quickly around Vohland and chasing after Jett Lawrence. Hunter Lawrence soon pressured Vohland for the spot as Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan closed on them both. With just over two minutes left, Anstie held a nine second lead while Deegan crashed trying to cut under Hunter Lawrence.

In the closing minutes Jett Lawrence put in an amazing drive. He erased Anstie’s lead down to .9 seconds as they headed out on the final lap. Jett lost touch tossing his goggles but with a final surge pulled alongside Anstie in their last pass through the whoops. Anstie had the inside line in the next corner and accelerated back into the lead heading into the final corner.

Hampshire was still close to Jett Lawrence and charged hard to that last corner. Hampshire tried to scrub speed and duck underneath but slid out in a dramatic splash. The crash tripped Jett and his bike over onto Hampshire’s bike. Jett was quick to pull his bike free and accelerate away just as his brother entered the corner.

At the end Anstie took his first-ever Supercross win, Jett Lawrence got going in time to hold onto second place, and Hunter Lawrence crossed just behind his brother in third.

Round 15 delivers a rare day-race inside Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. on Saturday, April 29. The race will pay points to both the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross season as well as the all-new 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship. Every race is streamed live on Peacock, with NBC, USA Network, and CNBC broadcasting select rounds.

Tickets are on sale for the final three Supercross rounds, scheduled for the next three weekends and culminating inside Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah on May 13. For ticket sales, the full schedule, race results, video highlights, and more please visit SupercrossLIVE.com.

450SX Class podium (racers left to right) Eli Tomac, Justin Barcia, and Ken Roczen. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

450SX Class Results

1. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS

1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha

1. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki

1. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda

1. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM

1. Shane McElrath, Oakland, Fla., Suzuki

1. Kevin Moranz, Topeka, Kans., KTM

1. Benny Bloss, Oak Grove, Mo., Yamaha

1. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM

1. Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Honda

450SX Class Championship Standings

1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha (315)

1. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (304)

1. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda (294)

1. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS (265)

1. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki (259)

1. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki (225)

1. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (213)

1. Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki (155)

1. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM (154)

1. Christian Craig, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna (150)

250SX Class podium (racers left to right) Jett Lawrence, Max Anstie, and Hunter Lawrence. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

East/West Showdown Results

1. Max Anstie, Cairo, Ga., Honda (East)

1. Jett Lawrence, Zephyrhills, Fla., Honda (West)

1. Hunter Lawrence, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Honda (East)

1. Max Vohland, Granite Bay, Calif., KTM (West)

1. Enzo Lopes, Chesterfield, S.C., Yamaha (West)

1. Haiden Deegan, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha (East)

1. Carson Mumford, Simi Valley, Calif., Kawasaki (West)

1. Cullin Park, Clermont, Fla., Honda (East)

1. Jo Shimoda, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki (East)

1. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki (East)

Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship Standings

1. Hunter Lawrence, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Honda (198)

1. Haiden Deegan, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha (149)

1. Max Anstie, Cairo, Ga., Honda (148)

1. Nate Thrasher, Livingston, Tenn., Yamaha (120)

1. Jordon Smith, Ochlocknee, Ga., Yamaha (120)

1. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki (117)

1. Jeremy Martin, Rochester, Minn., Yamaha (111)

1. Cullin Park, Clermont, Fla., Honda (96)

1. Tom Vialle, Murrieta, Calif., KTM (95)

1. Coty Schock, Dover, Del., Honda (83)

Western Regional 250SX Class Championship Standings

1. Jett Lawrence, Zephyrhills, Fla., Honda (176)

1. RJ Hampshire, Minneola, Fla., Husqvarna (137)

1. Enzo Lopes, Chesterfield, S.C., Yamaha (118)

1. Levi Kitchen, Havana, Fla., Yamaha (112)

1. Max Vohland, Granite Bay, Calif., KTM (104)

1. Cameron McAdoo, Sioux City, Iowa, Kawasaki (101)

1. Mitchell Oldenburg, Godley, Tex., Honda (99)

1. Pierce Brown, Sandy, Utah, GASGAS (98)

1. Cole Thompson, Brigden, Ont., Yamaha (73)

1. Derek Kelley, Riverside, Calif., KTM (70)

Monster Energy Signs on as Presenting Sponsor of SuperMotocross World Championships Finals and Extends Title Partnership with Supercross

Monster Energy, the official energy drink of Supercross and Pro Motocross, and title sponsor of Monster Energy Supercross, has expanded its relationship with the premier off-road racing series to include the SuperMotocross World Championship Finals through 2025. The inaugural year of the SuperMotocross World Championship will feature playoff events in Concord, NC on September 9^th and Joliet, IL on September 16^th. The World Championship Final will follow on Saturday, September 23, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, long credited as the birthplace of Supercross. This new form of racing is defined by what will become the world’s most challenging tracks, designed to test athletes both physically and mentally. Monster Energy will have a presence as the official energy drink throughout the final three rounds and the new finals logo will include the Monster Energy Claw and be titled SuperMotocross World Championship Finals Fueled by Monster Energy. The long-term partnership with Supercross began in 2007 and has had significant success and growth across the 17-round season in premier sporting venues around the country. The new relationship keeps Monster Energy as the title sponsor of Supercross through the 2025 season. “We are excited to continue our relationship with Monster Energy at Supercross and welcome them as partners on the SuperMotocross World Championship Finals,” said Dave Muye, Vice President of Global Partnerships at Feld Entertainment. “As we continue to evolve and elevate the sport, it is important to have engaged, long-term, and supportive partners like Monster Energy that can share in its overall vision and growth. As we collectively usher in the next chapter of our sport, we are looking enthusiastically toward the future and what is in store for our industry, athletes, teams, and fans.” “Monster Energy Supercross and the AMA Pro Motocross Championship are of terrific importance to Monster Energy,” said Dave Gowland, Vice President, Motorsports Marketing, Monster Energy. “Since our partnership began in 2007 and Monster Energy became the official energy drink and title sponsor, we have collectively been promoting and growing the sport all over the world. With that, we are very enthused that Monster Energy will continue as the title sponsor of Supercross through 2025 and will also be part of the newly-created SuperMotocross World Championship. We are thrilled to be a part of it as we watch racers test their skills, conditioning, bravery, and take the sport to an entirely new level. Drop the gate and Unleash the Beast!” Going forward, Monster Energy will continue to have a significant presence on track and within all facets of the events, including the broadcast on the NBC family of networks and streaming on Peacock. Monster Energy will also maintain its robust at retail program in each city, including various consumer offers. In most markets, fans can purchase a can of their favorite Monster Energy product at a participating retailer and recycle it at the event to gain access to FanFest, which opens six hours prior to the races. At both Supercross and the SuperMotocross World Championship Finals, Monster Energy will continue to have exciting consumer engagements, including Freestyle Motocross exhibitions, BMX big air competitions, Skateboarding, MMA events, and opportunities for fans to sample the newest products in the lineup. Monster Energy’s impressive roster of athletes across a multitude of sports, many who are huge fans of Supercross, Pro Motocross and now the SuperMotocross World Championship, will continue supporting various racing events throughout the year.

TOP FIVE FINISH FOR ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA RIDER CRAIG DELONG AT BLACK BUFFALO NATIONAL ENDURO

A hard crash in the fifth test proved to be costly for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider Craig DeLong, although the Pennsylvania rider rebounded for a solid fifth-place finish at this weekend’s Black Buffalo National Enduro, held on the beautiful, but rocky terrain of the Buffalo Ranch.

DeLong came into the race with a sore tailbone, and the rocky terrain didn’t help the matter.

“It was an okay day; I tried to stay off the ground but I didn’t quite do that,”commented DeLong. “This was a new venue, so it was new to me and it turned out to be rockier than I expected.”

DeLong came into the race with a few aches and pains.

“Everybody has those, so you just have to put up with it and ride it out,”added DeLong. “I think I was fourth most of the day, but I had a crash in the fifth test and bent my bars. That kind of sealed my fate.”

Next Round (4): Arrington, VA – May 14, 2023

Black Buffalo National Enduro – Results

NE Pro1 Class

1. Grant Baylor (KAW)

2. Ryder Lafferty (GAS)

3. Ricky Russell (YAM)

…

5. Craig DeLong – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA’S DALTON SHIREY CONTINUES HARE & HOUND DOMINANCE WITH JERICHO VICTORY

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider Dalton Shirey has continued his run of dominance at Round 3 of the 2023 AMA National Hare & Hound Championship, with the defending champion taking a third-straight victory in Jericho, Utah, on Saturday.

Shirey started the event off strong equipped with his FX 450, ending the hour-long opening lap in second position. From there the Californian began his charge, battling opening lap leader Tyler Lynn throughout the day, before taking control late and opening a 19-second victory margin by the checkered flag.

The overall win in Round 3 adds to Shirey’s perfect start to the season, as he is yet to drop a round in this year’s AMA National Hare & Hound Championship. He now holds a 37-point advantage in the Pro Class championship standings.

“Today was a great success, it was a good day,” Shirey said. “Tyler got the holeshot, so I pulled in behind him and followed him through the dunes, which was good, as I was able to watch him and gauge my pace off of him. I capitalized on a mistake he made, took the lead, then he got me back on the opening lap. I regrouped, got back into his dust, then with six miles to go he made another mistake, which I took advantage of, and pinned it from there on to the finish. Overall, I’m stoked on the day!”

Husqvarna Motorcycles-mounted Britney Gallegos landed second position in the Pro Women’s Class and sits second in the Pro Women’s Championship standings.

Round 4: May 13 – Jericho, Utah

Pro Class Results – Round 3

1. Dalton Shirey – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

2. Tyler Lynn (KAW)

3. Zane Roberts (BET)

Pro Class Championship Standings

1. Dalton Shirey, 90 points

2. Carter Klein, 53

3. Joseph Wasson, 50

BARCIA MASTERS THE MUD IN EAST RUTHERFORD SUPERCROSS

The Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing Team had to wait out a lightning delay and deal with a downpour, but the results were worth it as Justin Barcia took the 450 main event win in extremely muddy conditions.

- Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing Team records its first main event win of the 2023 AMA Supercross season

- Justin Barcia was fast in his home race, whether in wet or dry conditions

- Pierce Brown finished 11^th in the 250 East/West Shootout

450SX

Judging by the third place and second-place finishes at the previous rounds in Glendale and Atlanta, Justin and the team had high hopes heading into East Rutherford, NJ, located just outside New York City. Thunderstorms caused a delay for the scheduled start of the main events, and a steady downpour made a quagmire of the track. But after getting a strong start out of the gate, and sizing up the leader for the first six laps, Justin Barcia and his MC 450F Factory Edition took over the lead and stretched it to a 14-second advantage at the finish.

Justin Barcia:“I don’t remember practice. I don’t remember the heat race. But I remember that main event! I got out there and was battling with the boys, took the lead, rode away, and took the win. It was very special. The team crushed it, mud-prepped quick, and it was an awesome race. I don’t really know what else to say because I’m very happy!”

250SX East/West For Pierce Brown and his MC 250F Factory Edition, the night was a bit more challenging. After qualifying fifth, and finishing fourth in his 250 West heat race in the dry conditions, things were looking good. Unfortunately, a midpack start, followed by a crash, resulted in an 11^th-place finish.

Pierce Brown: “It wasn’t an ideal night in New York. I did all right in the heat, with a fourth-place finish. We had a couple of hour delay before the main event. It rained hard, so the track was pretty wet when we got out there. I got off to an okay start…midpack. I was trying to go through the pack and collided with a rider about three or four laps into the race and fell. That set me back pretty far. I think I got up in last or second-to-last. After that I put a charge on and did all I could do and ended up 11th.”

Next Event (Round 15): April 29, 2023 – Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn.

Results – 2023 AMA Supercross Championship, Round 14

250SX East/West Shootout – Main Event Results

1. Max Anstie (Honda) 14 laps; 2. Jett Lawrence (Honda) +10.091; 3. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) +10.824… 11. Pierce Brown (GASGAS)

450SX – Main Event Results

1. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) 18 laps; 2. Eli Tomac (Yamaha) +14.742; 3. Ken Roczen (Suzuki) +25.396… 14. Justin Starling (GASGAS); 20. Tristan Lane (GASGAS)

Championship Standings – After 14 Rounds

250SX East

1. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 198 points; 2. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 149 points; 3. Max Anstie (Honda) 148 points … 16. Michael Mosiman (GASGAS) 51

250SX West

1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) 176 points; 2. RJ Hampshire (Husqvarna) 137 points; 3. Enzo Lopes (Yamaha) 118 points … 8. Pierce Brown (GASGAS) 98

450SX

1. Eli Tomac (Yamaha) 315 points; 2. Cooper Webb 304; 3. Chase Sexton (Honda) 294 … 4. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) 265; 23. Justin Starling (GASGAS) 54; 32. Tristan Lane (GASGAS)

KODY KOPP AND MAX WHALE TAKE TOP FIVE FINISHES FOR RED BULL KTM IN DALLAS HALF-MILE

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing duo Kody Kopp and Max Whale each claimed top five results in AFT Singles during the fifth round of the 2023 American Flat Track Championship, with the Dallas Half-Mile featuring at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Texas.

Following a difficult qualifying session, defending champion Kopp regrouped in the opening Heat race of the night, securing a direct transfer to the Main Event after a third-place finish. From there, it was a determined ride from Kopp onboard his KTM 450 SX-F to a fourth-place result in the fast-paced Main Event, maintaining his AFT Singles points-lead five rounds into the season.

Kody Kopp: “We ended up P4 on the night and I was super happy with my riding. We started the Main Event as far back as 10th on the lap charts, just had to dig because it was totally different riding and the line was up really high in the Main Event. I just had to go to work, fought my way through the pack to make seven passes all the way up to fourth place, and had some great battles! I really closed in on the leaders over the last few laps, was within about two-tenths of a podium position, so that was huge progress. Hats off to my whole team, we’re really looking forward to these next rounds now.”

Red Bull KTM teammate Whale began the day inside the top five at the conclusion of qualifying, continuing his early season form. A fifth-place ride in the opening Heat of the night set him up well for the Main Event, where he would also charge through the pack on his way to a fifth-place result, retaining third in the standings as the series next heads to Ventura, California.

Max Whale: “Dallas started out pretty good, qualifying fifth, and then I sort of struggled a little bit in the Heat, but was able to finish fifth again. I fought really hard in the Main Event, was outside of the top 10 on the first lap, and came through to fifth. To bring it home fifth was a really good night, for what could have happened being so far back early on. We salvaged a strong points finish, the team worked really hard all day, and I’m looking forward to the next one.”

Next Race: Ventura Short Track – Ventura, California – May 6, 2023

Round 5 Results

AFT Singles Main event 1. Trent Lowe, Honda 2. Chase Saathoff, Honda 3. Morgen Mischler, Honda 4. Kody Kopp, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 5. Max Whale, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing OTHER KTM 7. Dalton Gauthier, KTM 9. Shayna Texter-Bauman, KTM 13. Travis Petton IV, KTM 15. Clarke Morian V, KTM 16. Justin Jones, KTM 17. Logan Eisenhard, KTM

2023 AFT Singles Point Standings 1. Kody Kopp, 102 points 2. Dalton Gauthier, 98 3. Max Whale, 86 OTHER KTM 11. Justin Jones, 40 13. Logan Eisenhard, 25 14. Shayna Texter-Bauman, 22 16. Travis Petton IV, 19 18. Hayden Gillim, 14 22. Hunter Bauer, 11 24. Clarke Morian V, 10 25. Tanner Dean, 9 30. Olin Kissler, 4

FMF KTM FACTORY RACING’S BEN KELLEY SIXTH AT BLACK BUFFALO ENDURO

Working his way back into enduro racing form after a serious leg injury he sustained at the start of the season, FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Ben Kelley slowly improved with each test to claim a determined sixth-place finish at this weekend’s Black Buffalo National Enduro in Kingston, Arkansas.

Riding his KTM 350 XC-F, Kelley was finished consistently between sixth and seventh in most of the tests, finishing the race just 15 seconds out of fifth overall.

Ben Kelley: “It was an okay day; I’m just trying to get back into enduro mode and get back up to speed. I just need to get more comfortable reading the trail and sending it. I was just a little bit uncomfortable all day, maybe had too stiff of a setting. We kind of softened it up a little after each test and I felt like I got a little more comfortable with each one.”

Round 4: May 14 – Arrington, Virginia

NE Pro1 Results 1. Grant Baylor, KAW, 1:33:28.226 2. Ryder Lafferty, GAS, +25.217 3. Ricky Russell, YAM, +53.20 OTHER KTM 6. Ben Kelley, KTM, +1:15.239 7. Steward Baylor, KTM, +25.509

COOPER WEBB AND MAXIMUS VOHLAND DELIVER RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING EAST RUTHERFORD TOP FIVES

The skies opened and mother nature emerged at round 14 of the 2023 AMA Supercross Championship, making for challenging conditions for the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team in East Rutherford, where 450SX title challenger Cooper Webb finished in fifth position, while Maximus Vohland claimed fourth and Tom Vialle 14th in the 250SX East/West Showdown.

After qualifying sixth, two-time champion Webb launched out of the gates in the opening 450SX Heat of the night, maintaining a strong pace to secure second position. In the time between the dry Heat race and the Main Event, heavy storms in the region made for a rain-soaked racetrack ahead of the delayed Main Events.

Posting a calculated ride for a strong haul of points, Webb methodically picked his way through the ruts throughout the technical 18-lap affair on his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, landing a fifth-place finish by race’s end, and remaining right in the 450SX championship hunt. He’s still second overall, 11 points outside of the lead with three races to run.

Cooper Webb: “What a crazy turn of events with the insane weather tonight, making racing conditions extremely tough. Not the way I’d hoped tonight would go as my goal was to close in on the championship and not lose points. We at least made it out in one piece and given the horrible racing conditions, I guess fifth overall wasn’t too bad. I need to rebound and throw everything at this championship next week in Nashville.”

In the first 250SX East/West Showdown of the season, both Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team contenders were on hand, including Vohland and dual MX2 World Champion, Vialle. Posting strong lap times and Heat race results throughout the day’s proceedings, Vohland and Vialle took their KTM 250 SX-F machines to P5 and P14 respectively in the rain-delayed Main Event.

Maximus Vohland: “It was a good day overall for me, third in qualifying and third in my heat race – being the Showdown, the Heat is like a mini Main Event, so to get third there was great. I was thinking we’d get a dry Main Event, and then we had a weather delay where we were waiting for an hour to go out – the track was just getting worse and worse – but yeah, in the position I’m in I had nothing to lose, so I went out there and had fun. I knew I needed a good start, which I got, then was flirting around that podium spot, although the way it turned out I finished in fourth. So I’ll take it, made some good points, feel confident in my riding, and am excited for Colorado.”

Tom Vialle: “We had to wait quite a while tonight before the start of the Main Event, and then off the start, I spun really bad, which meant I started last. From there it was tough with lots of water on the track making it hard to pass, which put me in 14th place overall. I didn’t do much after the start – it was about survival after that – so I’m looking forward to Nashville now.”

The other KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION of Aaron Plessinger experienced a difficult day in New Jersey, with the #7 sitting out the night program following a crash earlier in the day. Plessinger underwent preliminary medical evaluation at the track and will now return home for further analysis.

Next Race: April 29 – Nashville, Tenessee

Results 450SX Class – East Rutherford 1. Justin Barcia (USA), GASGAS, 18 laps 2. Eli Tomac (USA), Yamaha, + 14.742 3. Ken Roczen (GER), Suzuki, +25.396 OTHER KTM 5. Cooper Webb (USA), KTM 7. Kevin Moranz (USA), KTM 9. Justin Hill (USA), KTM 18. Josh Hill (USA), KTM

Standings 450SX Class 2023 after 14 of 17 rounds 1. Eli Tomac, 315 points 2. Cooper Webb, 304 3. Chase Sexton, 294 OTHER KTM 7. Aaron Plessinger, 213 9. Justin Hill, 154 14. Josh Hill, 103 19. Kevin Moranz, 70 29. Marvin Musquin, 11

Results 250SX East/West Showdown – East Rutherford 1. Max Anstie (GBR), Honda, 14 laps 2. Jett Lawrence (AUS), Honda, +10.091 3. Hunter Lawrence (AUS), Honda, +10.824 4. Maximus Vohland (USA), KTM, +11.324 OTHER KTM 14. Tom Vialle, KTM

Standings 250SX East Class 2023 after 8 of 10 rounds 1. Hunter Lawrence, 198 2. Haiden Deegan, 149 3. Max Anstie, 148 OTHER KTM 9. Tom Vialle, 95

Standings 250SX West Class 2023 after 7 of 10 rounds 1. Jett Lawrence, 176 2. RJ Hampshire, 137 3. Enzo Lopes, 118 OTHER KTM 5. Maximus Vohland, 104

Monster Energy® Kawasaki Riders Conquer the Conditions at Storm Stricken East Rutherford SX

Double Wins For Fores, Dreher, Beaubier And Wyman At Road Atlanta

There were three first-time winners in MotoAmerica racing on Saturday at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. On Sunday, those three became two-time victors as Xavi Fores, Avery Dreher and Ezra Beaubier showed that their first wins definitely weren’t flukes.

Also doubling up was Kyle Wyman with the H-D Screamin’ Eagle-backed New Yorker winning a second Mission King Of The Baggers race on Sunday to go with his Saturday victory.

Supersport – Fores Times Two

Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Xavi Fores followed up his debut Supersport win on Saturday with another flawless performance on Sunday. The Spaniard started slower than in yesterday’s race but finished with a bit more comfort as he topped Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Stefano Mesa by 1.4 seconds after 18 laps of Road Atlanta.

Mesa, meanwhile, had worked his way past Squid Hunter’s Josh Hayes for second place on the final lap with Hayes ending up third for a second time on the weekend. Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Tyler Scott was fourth after finishing second on Saturday.

Michael Gilbert Racing’s Michael Gilbert was fifth, matching his effort from race one.

Fores leads the title chase with 50 points, 17 ahead of Mesa and Scott, who are tied for second, and 18 ahead of Hayes.

Mission King Of The Baggers – Wyman Again

H-D Screamin’ Eagle’s Kyle Wyman rode his Harley-Davidson Road Glide to victory after passing Indian Motorcycle/Progressive/Mission Foods’ Tyler O’Hara on the opening lap and sped to his second successive Mission King Of The Baggers victory at Road Atlanta.

O’Hara finished 1.830 seconds behind Wyman with Sac Mile/SDI Racing/Roland Sands/Indian’s Bobby Fong third. Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson teamsters Hayden Gillim and James Rispoli finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

With his third straight victory, Wyman now leads the championship point standings with 75 points, eight points clear of Rispoli and 10 points ahead of Gillim. Defending Mission King Of The Baggers Champion O’Hara is 14 points behind in fourth place.

Stock 1000 – Beaubier Is Double Trouble

Ezra Beaubier admitted surprise that he won his first career Stock 1000 race on Saturday. On Sunday, the youngest of the two Beaubier brothers came back to Road Atlanta filled with the confidence of a race winner. And he turned all of that into a second win in a row on his Orange Cat Racing BMW M 1000 RR, this time over Geoff May Racing’s Geoff May by six seconds with the 25-year veteran of the sport announcing his retirement from racing this weekend.

Taylor Knapp Racing’s Taylor Knapp put his BMW on the podium with an impressive ride to third, 6.2 seconds behind Beaubier and two seconds ahead of fifth-placed Kaleb De Keyrel. De Keyrel was running second and right behind his Orange Cat Racing teammate Beaubier when he got into turn 12 too hot on the final lap and ran straight, losing three places to May, Knapp and fourth-placed Travis Wyman.

Beaubier’s perfect 50 points puts him 14 points ahead of May and 17 clear of Travis Wyman.

REV’IT! Twins Cup – Landers Rebounds

Rodio Racing – Powered By Robem Engineering’s Rocco Landers suffered an engine failure while leading Saturday’s REV’IT Twins Cup race. On Sunday, he came out with guns blazing and completely dominated the race, beating his teammate Gus Rodio by 4.166 seconds. Third place, for the second straight day, went to Cycle Tech’s Hayden Schultz, who was 8.31 seconds behind championship leader Rodio at the end of the 12-lap race.

Defending class champion and Saturday’s race winner Blake Davis crashed early in the race but was able to remount his N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto Yamaha YZF-R7 to finish 11th.

After four races, Rodio leads the title chase with 85 points – 26 more than Schultz and 29 ahead of Davis.

Junior Cup – Dreher X Two

Turns out that Avery Dreher liked winning so much he decided to do it again with the Bad Boys Racing rider earning his second straight Junior Cup win on Sunday with a .949-second victory over Max Van, who was second for the second straight day.

Bicknese Racing’s Hayden Bicknese was third for the second day in a row, just 1.080 seconds from victory.

With his two wins, Dreher leads Van by 10 points heading to Barber in a month’s time.

Quotes…

Ezra Beaubier – Stock 1000 Winner

“Well, I hope it becomes a habit. Honestly I woke up today just with a completely different feeling. I finally had the confidence. I can do this now. I can run with these guys. I just felt really good. We found some stuff with the bike last night and it was really positive. In warmup, I basically matched my fastest lap of the race yesterday in warmup. I wasn’t really pushing super hard, so I felt super good going into the race, super confident. I felt like I could rip off a bunch of the 1:26s in the race, and I was able to execute that. In the beginning, I tried to pull out and see if I could get a gap, and I really wasn’t able to, so I just kind of backed it down and sat there. Then towards the end of the race, tried to pick it back up again. I saw on my pit board that Kaleb was right there on me. On the last lap on the back straight, I felt him in my draft and started almost panicking a little bit. I tried to run a defensive line. Then he ended up running off in the last turn, which is a huge bummer not to go one and two as the Orange Cat BMW’s. But it was a great race and a great weekend for me. I hope to have many more of these.”

Avery Dreher – Junior Cup Winner

Honestly, I went into the race with the same mindset, the same strategy as yesterday. I tried to fall in line at the beginning of the race, but they caught us towards the middle, so it was the same pack as yesterday. I’m glad we were going a lot faster than yesterday. Towards the end of the race, I felt like I had some pace to break away, so I made the move into 10A. I looked back once or twice. Saw that I had a gap and just put my head down. Happy with the result. Good job to Max and Hayden. Looking forward to Barber.”

Rocco Landers – REV’IT! Twins Cup Winner

“Yesterday, I knew I was kind of screwed on lap one. I felt the thing starting to lose power off the start and then again on turn seven, but those days happen. It’s infuriating sometimes, but you got to bounce back. You have a good day after this. It kind of polishes it off and makes everything feel a whole lot better. But you lose 25 points and end up having a DNF. It’s not the end of the world, but it’s a bummer, and a day like today actually makes that feel a whole lot better. I didn’t even know I was racing until I think last weekend. I was literally hanging insulation and my dad comes in and goes, ‘Hey, Matt called and he wants to know if you want to fill in for Ben Gloddy for the week.’ I was like, ‘Definitely!’ I didn’t know if I was going to be racing. It’s an incredible opportunity. I feel very grateful towards Matt for giving me that opportunity. My mechanic Chad worked super hard along with Matt all weekend to give me the best bike they could. We’ve made very positive changes every time I’ve got on the bike. Every time I’ve ridden it, it’s felt better and better and better. My dad actually flew in Friday afternoon, and I didn’t know he was going to be there, so that helped out and made it a whole lot more fun. Days like this are what you always want, so let’s hope we can have some more of these, depending on how long I’m filling in here.”

Xavi Fores – Supersport Winner

“Today was slightly worse on my start. I did a mistake releasing the clutch and I couldn’t get any positions. I was fourth at the end of the first part of the circuit. Then on the back straight, I felt strong on the brake like yesterday, so I couldn’t pass Josh (Hayes) and stay fighting for the podium at the beginning. It was not that easy to pass Stefano (Mesa) and Tyler (Scott), especially on the back straight, because Stefano is quite fast on the straight. He is quite aerodynamic. I was trying to stay there, there, there. He did a small mistake shifting on the exit of turn seven, so I got a chance to pass him on the braking. Then I was so focused to pass Tyler because he was riding fast, but he was a little bit like aggressive all the time. I said, okay, if I pass him, I can push hard and I can make him go to the limit. So, that was my target for today. I don’t know why, from one lap to the other I got some gap to the second one. I don’t know if we got a slow rider, and I got that benefit. But, after that, I start to keep my pace all the time. I didn’t do any mistakes. It was a nice victory. It wasn’t easy because I was pushing really, really hard. Today was much faster than yesterday – 29 low all the time. We did a couple of 28s, maybe. Credit to the guys fighting for the podium with me because we set a fast pace all the weekend, and especially today on the second race. It’s nice to fight with them. It’s nice to have a group of four or five riders fighting for the podium, because everyone can learn from each other. This is the important. This gives spectacle to the class, gives some show to the class. This is something that we need for the crowd. So, thank you so much to all the team. They did an amazing work. Ducati, HSBK Warhorse, and especially thanks to Paolo Ciabatti, who sent me a guy from Ducati for this weekend in order to set up my bike. Especially after Daytona I didn’t feel so much comfortable on the bike. So, we changed completely the bike from there and I felt straightaway quite fast. Now time to go back home and see my baby and my family.”

Kyle Wyman – Mission King Of The Baggers Winner

”That’s how you want to do it, aside from the challenge was a little bit of a throwaway, but we won every session and won both races. That’s kind of how you want to do it. I kind of wheelied on the start and had to roll out of it. Didn’t quite get the launch I wanted. Went to the brakes a little bit sheepishly, I would say, for turn one and Tyler got the wheel underneath me. I haven’t ridden behind Tyler in what feels like a long time. I don’t think at all this year and maybe even towards the end of last year not so much. So, just to see that thing. There were a couple places where I felt like our strength in that first sector really showed. Even on the warmup lap, I felt like if I wanted to get a run over turn five, I needed to give myself a little bit of space actually because we’ve got pretty tall gearing through there. So, I kind of gave myself a little bit of space. Gave myself an opportunity to see where the strengths and weaknesses were between the two of us. I had a pretty good run on the back straightaway. He touched the rev limiter in one of his gears and kind of got me a little bit of a run down the back straight, it seemed like. I hit my shifts pretty good, but he might have missed one and it got me alongside of him going through nine. We were kind of side-by-side going through ten. We were both fighting for the position a little bit. He ended up taking the extra bite that put him off the track but kept it on two wheels and ended up second. But from there, I had about a second gap and then built it up to two, or 2.6. Then just kind of managed the pace from there. Went a little bit quicker today than yesterday, as did everybody I think went quicker today. I had a side quess of a 29 and didn’t quite get it this weekend, but it’s no big deal if we got the W.”

Gagne Wins MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Thriller At Road Atlanta

Four riders battled to the bitter end on Sunday at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in what was the most exciting Medallia Superbike race in recent memory. And when the smoke cleared after 15 intense laps it was defending two-time Superbike Champion Jake Gagne crossing the finish line first on his Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha YZF-R1, just half a second ahead of yesterday’s winner Cameron Beaubier on the Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR.

Just prior to the finish, it was anybody’s race when the four ran together down the backstraight and through the 180-mph kink when Beaubier’s line pushed him wide and nearly forced Josh Herrin off the track. That left a giant hole between Beaubier and Herrin to go through, and Gagne went through it. Herrin recovered but couldn’t get his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati stopped for the chicane and his off-track excursion allowed Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz to pass him, putting Scholtz third and Herrin fourth at the finish line. Scholtz was .850 of a second behind Gagne with Herrin some two seconds behind after getting his Panigale V4 R back on track.

The win was Gagne’s first of the season and the 30^th MotoAmerica Superbike victory of his career and it put him into a tie with Beaubier at the top of the championship standings after one round and two races. The pair both have 45 points with the series heading to Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama, May 19-21.

Scholtz and the Westby Racing crew worked hard over the course of the weekend and the South African said they’d made huge progress over the course of the three days. He was rewarded with a podium finish on Sunday.

Herrin was also happy on Sunday afternoon, despite missing out on the podium. The two races were just his second and third outings on the new Ducati Panigale V4 R and he landed on the podium in Saturday’s race.

Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante was fifth on Sunday, some three seconds ahead of Tytlers Cycle Racing’s PJ Jacobsen and his teammate Corey Alexander.

The returning Toni Elias was eighth on the second Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000 with Aftercare Scheibe Racing’s Ashton Yates and Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim rounding out the top 10.

Notably missing from the results was Gagne’s Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha teammate Cameron Petersen. The South African’s difficult weekend ended early when his Yamaha YZF-R1 caught fire just a few laps into the race.

With Gagne and Beaubier tied atop the standings with 45 points, Herrin is third with 29 points, two ahead of Scholtz and eight ahead of Escalante.

Superbike Race 2

1. Jake Gagne (Yamaha)

1. Cameron Beaubier (BMW)

1. Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha)

1. Josh Herrin (Ducati)

1. Richie Escalante (Suzuki)

1. PJ Jacobsen (BMW)

1. Corey Alexander (BMW)

1. Toni Elias (Suzuki)

1. Ashton Yates (BMW)

1. Hayden Gillim (Suzuki)

Quotes…

Jake Gagne – Winner

“Got off to another good start, and me and Cam (Beaubier)… those first couple laps, five or six laps, Cam knew I wanted to push the pace. Any opportunity Cam could to shove it in me and he was great going into (turn) 10A. I was struggling big time down into there, so he passed me a bunch of times there. We were side by side through one, through 10A, 10B a couple times. So, it was fun battling. I haven’t had that close of racing in a while. Those first couple laps, I kind of forgot about everybody else. I wasn’t even looking at my pit board. I thought it was just kind of me and Cam. Then all of a sudden, midway through, Herrin comes by, and I still see plus zero. So, I didn’t know if it was (Mathew) Scholtz behind us, but somebody was. So, I’m like, ‘We’ve got a whole pack here.’ The bike was awesome. My drives are awesome. I was still struggling on the brakes, but I think that was just because of me and after a couple laps, I was really pumped up. So, I kind of tried to just chill and relax and tried to just breathe and watch what those guys were doing a little differently and watch them battle each other. For the last lap, it was hard to really have a plan. Obviously, both of those bikes were really fast and really strong down into 10 through the kink. So, I was kind of just hoping for the best. I figured maybe they both would have a little braking battle in there and I could drive up under the bridge, but it was nuts. Like Cam said, with the wind, I didn’t really know what happened. I just saw them kind of hit and then they parted. The seas parted and I just shot down the center of them, and from then on out, I led into 10A. Like I said, my bike was really good driving up over the hill and just protected the inside line. It was fun. That was really fun racing, close racing. I haven’t had stuff like that in a lot of years, actually. Racing with guys like this that I’ve spent my whole career racing with all these guys, so it was fun. I’m sure we put on a good show. Again, I think luck was on my side a little bit with those guys coming together, for sure. But I’m glad everybody stayed on track because that’s scary. 180 miles an hour something scary could happen there. So, I’m just glad we all brought it home. Good start to the year. We scored points in the first two races, so I can’t complain.”

Cameron Beaubier – Second

“At the beginning, I was doing everything I possibly could to hang onto Jake (Gagne). He just had some pace. Luckily, my bike was fast and every time I would get close to him, I just went for a pass. He made me look dumb. Rode around the outside of me a couple times. That didn’t feel good, but I’m sure it looked good on TV. That was a wild race. Then I settled down, and tried to control the race because I knew my bike was fast and I was good on the brakes. I was struggling in some other spots, but I was doing the best I could with what we have right now. My bike was super-fast. I was trying to get to those last three laps and then put my head down and be good on the brakes and try to hold them off. Then (Josh) Herrin came by me and got in another pretty good battle with us. Man, that last lap was so hairy. I’m just super happy everyone’s safe after that one. He ran me a little wide on the straightaway, and then I went into the fast right-hander pretty tight. I went to lean in, and he was on the outside of me. I just didn’t turn. I pushed the front a little bit. It was terrifying. He was right on the outside of me, and I ran him wide. I was afraid I ran him off the track. You’re doing 180 miles an hour through that corner. So, I glanced over my shoulder. Saw he was good, and then Jake and him blew by me on the brakes. There was nothing I could do to fight Jake going through the last section. Glad everyone is safe. Super stoked to get out of here with a one-two. Didn’t really even know what to expect coming into this round. Just massive thank you to the Tytlers BMW guys. It was an interesting off-season riding at a different track than I’ve ever ridden at doing some testing and stuff, other than Buttonwillow. So, just looking forward to the rest of the season.”

Mathew Scholtz – Third

“To be honest, the first couple laps I was just hanging on. We made quite a few changes from the first race. I was just still feeling out what the bike was kind of doing. I felt like the strong parts of the track for me, I was really, really quick, but the weaker parts I was losing a lot of time. So, I was just literally going backwards and forwards. I really didn’t have a spot that I could kind of pass in, unless something happened, which it did, and I managed to capitalize on that. But otherwise, starting from where we were on Friday to where we ended up now, I think we made huge strides forward on the motorcycle. So, I just have to give a big shout out to the Westby Racing team. Of course, after the pre-season testing, we thought we were dialed in. Then we came here, and we were struggling. There were a few bits that we tried to change, and we didn’t manage to figure that out until the second restart of this race now. So, at least now we’re confident heading into the rest of the season. I’m just happy to be up here on the podium now. I know it was pretty awesome watching these guys battle it out. Hopefully from the next race on, I’ll be part of that. Just thank you to the Westby Racing team. Hopefully we’ll be challenging these boys next race.”

Mees Adds to Half-Mile History with Dallas Half-Mile Triumph

Reigning Grand National Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) penned the latest chapter of a career of Half-Mile heroics with a victorious run in Saturday night’s Mission Dallas Half-Mile presented by Roof Systems at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas.

The premier-class king was one-fourth of an early scrap for the lead in the Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle Main Event, along with a trio of Yamaha-mounted challengers in JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), and Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Corbin/Vinson Construction Yamaha MT-07).

The opening stages of the contest proved to be a battle of extreme high and low lines. The high line showed itself to be the fast track up the order initially before giving way to a high-risk, high-reward tight-rope line at the bottom.

Just prior to half-distance, Mees and Daniels exploited that tricky low line to break free and settle into a rematch of their Senoia shootout. Meanwhile, Beach and Bromley fell into a five-rider fight for the final spot on the podium after being reeled in by the charging Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), and Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 890 Duke).

Daniels made a couple of determined attempts to zero in on Mees but never got quite close enough to make a serious attempt at an overtake. A small bobble on the part of Daniels with less than a minute remaining gave the champ a bit of breathing space. He was then ceded even more as his young rival called off the assault to accept second.

The triumph was the 34th Half-Mile win of Mees’ historic career, placing him just one shy of the all-time record held by Scott Parker.

Afterward, Mees said, “Honestly, this was one of the hardest races to win. Going into Turn 1 and through Turn 2, you had to be so delicate going into the corners. You had to hit your brake mark right, get your throttle position right, and if you messed it up, it screwed your whole momentum up. It was definitely a hard race to win.

“Hats off to my entire team. We had a little mess up in Arizona, but we came back pretty strong all day long.”

Adding to Mees’ big evening was the misfortune of Beach, who crashed out of podium contention and dropped from second to fourth in the championship standings in the process.

Robinson – who wasn’t even sure he’d be able to ride in Dallas after getting banged up in practice crashes at the previous two rounds – earned the final spot on the box. Bauman railed his way around the outside to climb to fourth in the end with Fisher behind in fifth.

Bromley ended his impressive run in sixth, while positions 7-10 were filled by Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750), Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing/2 Wheelz KTM 890 Duke), Ben Lowe (No. 25 Rackley Racing/Mission Foods Indian FTR750), and Kolby Carlile (No. 36 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07), in that order.

Daniels continues to hold down the championship lead with 113 points in his pocket following his 1-1-2-2-2 start. Mees now ranks second with 96 points, while two-time champ Bauman (78) also edged ahead of Beach (76) for third.

Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER

Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) can finally call himself a Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER Main Event winner after repeatedly knocking on the door of that landmark achievement for years.

Lowe’s maiden Progressive AFT victory headlined a race that represented a monumental reversal of fortune compared with the four that led into it.

After getting off to a slower-than-expected start to the season, the American Honda-backed Turner Racing team entered the day with just one podium between its talented trio of Lowe, Morgen Mischler (No. 13 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), and Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R).

They tripled that number in a single outing in Dallas after fighting back in furious fashion at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. The three immediately went to the front and turned the first half of the race into a glorified poster shoot for the team, running side-by-side-by-side with the field struggling to stay in their wake.

Lowe eventually shook free while the pack closed in on second-placed Saathoff and third-placed Mischler, but they ultimately held strong to secure the podium lockout.

Lowe said, “I’m so happy, and I think the entire team is so happy – it’s going to be a party in our pit area tonight. The whole Turner Racing team pulled it together. We were kind of on the struggle bus at the beginning of the season, but we definitely made a big improvement on this one with the three of us on the podium. I can’t thank the team enough.”

Meanwhile, the championship’s usual suspects struggled mightily before finally coming good in the end. Defending champ Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) ran as low as eighth, while Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F) and Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) found themselves buried outside the top ten.

Kopp and Whale finally found their groove, weaving their way up through the field with Kopp earning fourth at the checkered flag, just 0.172 seconds short of the podium. Aussie Whale came home just behind his teammate, outdueling Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) to complete the top five.

Meanwhile, Gauthier executed a charge of his own to finish in seventh, while Chad Cose (No. 49 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450), Shayna Texter-Bauman (No. 52 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 450 SX-F) and Brunner’s Estenson Racing Yamaha teammate Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) rounded out the top ten.

As a result, Kopp continues to lead a tight title fight over Gauthier (102-98) with Whale third (86) and Brunner fourth (78). Not surprisingly, the Turner Racing entrants made a big push in the rankings, as they are now positioned fifth (Saathoff – 76), sixth (Lowe – 57), and seventh (Mischler – 56) and still very much in the hunt.

Next Up:

The 2023 Progressive American Flat Track season will tackle its fourth and final Short Track of the year with its first-ever trip to Ventura Raceway in Ventura, California, for the inaugural Ventura Short Track on Saturday, May 6. Visit https://www.tixr.com/promoters/americanflattrack to secure your tickets today.

FOX Sports coverage of the Mission Dallas Half-Mile presented by Roof Systems, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Sunday, April 30, at 11:00 a.m. ET (8:00 a.m. PT).

For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com.

Honda Sweeps 250SX East-West Showdown Podium at Muddy East Rutherford Supercross

When a rain-and-lightning storm hit the East Rutherford Supercross just before the 250SX East-West Showdown was scheduled to start, the event turned into something of an unknown, and while the eventual winner was something of a surprise, the bike was the same one that had topped 11 of the 13 races run until that point. Fire Power Honda’s Max Anstie rode his CRF250R flawlessly in the sloppy conditions to earn his debut AMA Supercross victory, and he was followed across the finish line by fellow Red Riders Jett and Hunter Lawrence, the Team Honda HRC racers stretching their respective points leads in the West and East Regions. In the 450SX division, Chase Sexton tallied a fourth-place finish aboard his CRF450RWE, while Colt Nichols ended the long night in 16^th place.

When the delayed 250SX main event finally ran, Anstie emerged from turn 1 with the lead, and while the Lawrence brothers were both in the top 10, they and the rest of the pack were immediately covered in muck. Jett and Hunter completed lap 1 fourth and fifth, respectively, and Jett was up to third by lap 3. He took over second just past the halfway point and closed on the leading Anstie, nearly passing him two turns before the finish, only to be taken down in the final turn by another rider attempting a last-second pass attempt. Jett remounted in time to retain second, and Hunter took advantage of the opportunity to finish third.

In the 450SX main event, Sexton got a good jump and took the holeshot but was quickly overtaken by Ken Roczen. Sexton was then knocked down by another rider, but he remounted and completed lap 1 in eighth place. He steadily advanced through the pack, climbing to fourth place by the checkered flag, while Nichols survived to take 16th.

NOTES

- After a close call last week at Atlanta that saw him get out of shape in a set of rollers, Hunter Lawrence needed a midweek trip to the emergency room for an injured groin. The Australian also elected to stay off the bike during the week.

- Race organizers used the East Rutherford round to raise awareness for the work done by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Team Honda HRC had special “Love Moto Stop Cancer” graphics prepared by Throttle Jockey, and Renthal prepared special gold-colored, Limited Edition-Hard Ano handlebar and sprockets.

- Race day was also the birthday of American Honda Manager of Sports & Experiential Brandon Wilson, who was on hand for the event.

- Belleville, New Jersey, dealership Motorcycle Mall had a dealer activation booth in the Team Honda HRC pits at the New Jersey Supercross, where they displayed Honda powersports products, engaged with fans and customers and held a giveaway.

- The Lawrence brothers were the fastest riders in qualifying for their respective 250SX classes, with Jett topping the West region (and also taking the best 250SX time overall, by nearly seven-tenths of a second), while Hunter was best in the East region. In the premier-class ranks, Chase Sexton was third-best in qualifying, with Colt Nichols 10th.

- The Lawrence brothers both finished second in their respective 250SX heat races. Jett started sixth in the West heat, slipped back to seventh and then mounted a charge that carried him all the way to the runner-up spot, just behind the winner. Hunter started third in the East heat, quickly moved up to second and ultimately finished just behind the winner. Fire Power Honda’s Max Anstie was seventh, followed by Phoenix Racing Honda’s Jace Owen and TiLube/Storm Lake Honda’s Michael Hicks. Red Riders took the top three spots in the last-chance qualifier, with Phoenix’s Coty Schock and Cullin Park sandwiching Red Research Group’s Luke Neese.

- Sexton was first out of turn 1 in the second 450SX heat race, and he pulled steadily ahead to win by over eight seconds. Meanwhile, Nichols had finished a solid fourth in the first premier-class heat, with Honda-mounted, Valley Ford Truck-sponsored Jeremy Hand eighth.

- Anstie’s win added him to the list of Red Riders to top the support class in East Rutherford–a list that includes Brian Swink, Justin Bogle, Malcolm Stewart and Chase Sexton. Anstie’s victory also grew Honda’s record as the manufacturer with most East Rutherford support-class wins, to five.

- Both Lawrence brothers took part in the post-race press conference.

- In the 250SX East title chase, Hunter Lawrence now has a lead of 49 points—nearly two races!—with a very realistic chance of clinching the crown next week in Nashville. Jett Lawrence has a 39-point lead in the 250SX West points battle and could clinch his championship in Denver the following week. In the premier division, Sexton still sits third, 21 points behind the leader and 10 behind second place.

Media contact:

Danny Gonzalez // Jonnum Media // danny@jonnummedia.com // +1 (805) 915-7889

450SX Results

1. Justin Barcia (Gas)

1. Eli Tomac (Yam)

1. Ken Roczen (Suz)

1. Chase Sexton (Hon)

1. Cooper Webb (KTM)

1. Shane McElrath (Suz)

1. Kevin Moranz (KTM)

1. Benny Bloss (Yam)

1. Justin Hill (KTM)

1. Dean Wilson (Hon)

—

1. Colt Nichols (Hon)

1. Jeremy Hand (Hon)

450SX Championship Points (after 14 of 17 rounds)

1. Eli Tomac: 315

1. Cooper Webb: 304

1. Chase Sexton: 294

1. Justin Barcia: 265

1. Ken Roczen: 259

1. Jason Anderson: 225

1. Aaron Plessinger: 213

1. Adam Cianciarulo: 155

1. Justin Hill: 154

1. Christian Craig: 150

—

1. Dean Wilson: 149

1. Colt Nichols: 120

250SX Results

1. Max Anstie (Hon)

1. Jett Lawrence (Hon)

1. Hunter Lawrence (Hon)

1. Max Vohland (KTM)

1. Enzo Lopes (Yam)

1. Haiden Deegan (Yam)

1. Carson Mumford (Kaw)

1. Cullin Park (Hon)

1. Jo Shimoda (Kaw)

1. Chris Blose (Kaw)

—

1. Luke Neese (Hon)

1. Coty Schock (Hon)

1. Michael Hicks (Hon)

1. Jace Owen (Hon)

250SX East Region Championship Points (after 8 of 10 rounds)

1. Hunter Lawrence: 198

1. Haiden Deegan: 149

1. Max Anstie: 148

1. Nate Thrasher: 120

1. Jordon Smith: 120

1. Chris Blose: 117

1. Jeremy Martin: 111

1. Cullin Park: 96

1. Tom Vialle: 95

1. Coty Schock: 83

—

1. Henry Miller: 72

1. Jace Owen: 67

1. Chance Hymas: 60

1. Jeremy Hand: 52

1. Michael Hicks: 51

1. Caden Braswell: 44

250SX West Region Championship Points (after 7 of 10 rounds)

1. Jett Lawrence: 176

1. RJ Hampshire: 137

1. Enzo Lopes: 118

1. Levi Kitchen: 112

1. Max Vohland: 104

1. Cameron Mcadoo: 101

1. Mitchell Oldenburg: 99

1. Pierce Brown: 98

1. Cole Thompson: 73

1. Derek Kelley: 70

—

1. Anthony Rodriguez: 40

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