Chase Sexton Wins SuperMotocross Playoff 1 in Inaugural Post-Season Race

Jo Shimoda Claims first 250 Class Playoff Victory

The SuperMotocross World Championship kicked off with Playoff 1 of the inaugural post-season, a culmination of Supercross and Pro Motocross seasons. The racing was thrilling on a racetrack built along and across the four-lane zMAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway. 2023 Monster Energy Supercross Champion Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton earned two convincing Moto wins to take the Playoff 1 event overall victory.

Chase Sexton earned perfect 1-1 Moto scores in Charlotte

Chase Sexton earned perfect 1-1 Moto scores in Charlotte to prove he’s the racer to beat in the sport’s first ever post-season. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen returned to racing after taking most of the AMA Pro Motocross season off; he earned second overall with 3-3 moto scores. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis showed top speed as he took home third overall in Concord with 2-4 moto finishes. In 250 Class racing, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Jo Shimoda earned the event win through 4-1 Moto scores in the highly competitive and aggressive 250 class.

The first-ever post season event treated fans to a great start of the premiere off-road motorcycle series. The SuperMotocross World Championship is composed of two Playoff rounds and one Final, raced over the three consecutive weekends. The points payout will double at Playoff 2 and be awarded at triple their normal payout at the Final. When the dust has settled, the 450 Class SMX Champion will earn a cool $1,000,000 championship win bonus and the 250 Class SMX Champion will take home $500,000. The riders competing were seeded based on their combined points of the two 2023 race seasons and allotted points equivalent to one race prior to the start of the post-season.

Ken Roczen led the early laps of the second moto in the 450 Class

Ken Roczen led the early laps of the second moto in the 450 Class.
Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

In the 450 Class’ first moto Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia grabbed the early lead out of the unique split start that funneled 22 riders together at the corner exits of two separate first turns. HBI Racing’s Ty Masterpool ran in second with Chase Sexton in third, Red Bull KTM’s Aaron Plessinger in fourth, and Dylan Ferrandis rounding out the top five. Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence, who had just completed an undefeated AMA Pro Motocross season two weeks prior, was off to a mid-pack start. Within a few laps of the 20-minute plus one lap moto Sexton used the track’s split lane to take the lead from Barcia. From there Sexton put down smooth, fast laps and pulled clear of the field. Just before the Moto’s midpoint Jett Lawrence tipped over on the track’s off-camber corner and remounted back in tenth place. Roczen was the rider on the move, getting up to third place behind Ferrandis as Barcia found himself back in fourth. As the race clock ticked down, Sexton held a lead of more than eight seconds while behind him the battle tightened up for second place. At the checkered it was Sexton, followed by Ferrandis, Roczen, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson, and Plessinger. Lawrence managed to climb back to seventh at the finish.

The second 450 Class Moto and final race of the day saw privateer Ty Masterpool grab the Holeshot ahead of Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo, Roczen and Plessinger. Roczen wasted no time, slipping into second in the first few turns then taking over the lead in the first pass through the track’s long rhythm section. One lap into the Moto Roczen was pulling a gap on the field of Masterpool, Cianciarulo, Anderson, Sexton, and Barcia while Jett Lawrence sat in tenth. On the next pass through the rhythm lane Cianciarulo crashed, handing third place to Anderson. Sexton was on the charge and moved into third as Lawrence reached seventh place back in the pack. Before five minutes was off the race clock Sexton was into second place and looking up the track at Roczen, who held a 5.5 second lead. Sexton inched up on Roczen, then just after the Moto’s mid-point he quickly closed the gap. Sexton used an inside line on the off-camber turn to take over the lead and pull out a comfortable gap. With just over two minutes left on the race clock Lawrence leapt past Roczen to grab second place. Sexton went unchallenged to the checkers to sweep both Motos, take the event overall win and its $100,000 win bonus, and extend his points lead in the post-season.

Jo Shimoda (#30) used 4-1 moto scores to earn the 250 Class victory

Jo Shimoda (#30) used 4-1 moto scores to earn the 250 Class victory at the sport’s first post-season race. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

In the 250 Class’ first Moto, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker grabbed the Holeshot ahead of three Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing teammates Levi Kitchen, Justin Cooper, and Haiden Deegan, as well as Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Ryder DiFrancesco. Kitchen used the track’s split lane to take over the lead on the first lap. Just two minutes into the 20-minute plus one lap Moto the 2023 Eastern Regional 250SX Class and 250 AMA Pro Motocross Champion, Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence, washed out his front end and fell, going from a mid-pack spot to last place in the 22-rider field. Hammaker was next to crash, in a near replay of Lawrence’s fall the lap before. Hammaker’s slide-out dropped him from second place back to sixth. Five minutes into the Moto, Kitchen held first place ahead of Deegan, DiFrancesco, Red Bull KTM’s Tom Vialle, and Jo Shimoda. Just past the race’s midpoint Deegan started applying heavy pressure on Kitchen for the lead while about eight seconds behind them DiFrancesco and Vialle scrapped for third. With just over five minutes left on the race clock Deegan took the lead via a different option in the split lane. Shortly after, a battle for third place saw Vialle emerge with the spot. At the checkers Haiden Deegan grabbed the first-ever SuperMotocross post-season victory, Kitchen earned second, and Vialle took third.

Ryder DiFrancesco took the Holeshot in the second 250 Class Moto but Vialle was around him just after the holeshot stripe. Shimoda, Hammaker, and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Jordon Smith were close in tow. First moto-winner Deegan was in 13th and post-season favorite Hunter Lawrence was 19th after tipping over in the first corner. Shimoda put early pressure on Vialle but could not break through. Between the two racers, the Moto winner between them would take the overall victory and the $50,000 race win bonus. Deegan reached fifth place before the race’s midpoint and, with the front pack still running very close, had the lead within sight. Further back, Hunter Lawrence seemed unable to climb higher than 12th place. With just over six minutes left on the race clock Shimoda used an outside line to pass Vialle in one of the tracks’ wide, sweeping turns. Shortly after that the top four broke away from Deegan, putting the rookie’s chance at an overall win out of reach. Shimoda built a 2.6 second lead by the final lap and cruised into the sport’s history books as the first event winner in SuperMotocross post-season racing.

Jackson Vick earned the win in the SMX World All Stars race

Jackson Vick earned the win in the SMX World All Stars race, a 65cc class of young racers between the age of 8-12. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Between the 450 and 250 Class motos a 65cc World All-Stars invitational race was run on the full SMX track. Cobra Elite’s Gavin McCoy grabbed the early lead of the 22-racer field composed entirely of riders between the ages of 8-12. Munn Racing’s Brycen DeJonge held second early but JK Cycles’ Jackson Vick was on the move and took over second a few turns into the race in the motocross-style section of the course. Within the opening lap Vick had moved into the front spot and from there he pulled away from the field. Late in the 8-minute plus one lap race, Dunlop’s Easton Graves moved into second place and held it to the end with McCoy earning third place.

The SuperMotocross League holds Playoff 2 next weekend, September 16th, in Joliet, Illinois at Chicagoland Speedway. The same seeded riders are guaranteed a spot on the gate and the same LCQ racers will have to battle their way into the points-paying Motos. The overall finishing positions for Playoff 2 will pay double points to the racers. 450 Class racers will rack up points toward winning the $1,000,000 championship win bonus. 250 Class racers will vie for the championship prize of $500,000. With large finishing bonuses all the way down to the 22nd position, the racers will battle harder than ever on the world’s most challenging tracks for their piece of 2023’s total purse of $10,000,000.

Opening Ceremonies at Chicago’s SuperMotocross World Championship Playoff 2 begin at 7:30PM Eastern Time. The event will be broadcast live on Peacock, with two race re-airs – the first on NBC on September 17th at 12:00PM ET and the second airing on CNBC on September 18th at 1:00 AM ET.

Tickets are on sale now to be a part of the sport’s first post season with Playoff 2 up next and then the Final in Los Angeles at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 23rd, where the sport of Monster Energy Supercross got its start back in 1972 with the Superbowl of Motocross. For ticket sales, race information, updates, track maps, and more please go to SuperMotocross.com.

450 Class podium - SuperMotocross - Charlotte

450 Class podium (riders left to right) Ken Roczen, Chase Sexton, and Dylan Ferrandis.
Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

450 Playoff 1 Results

  1. Chase Sexton, LaMoille, IL., Honda (1-1)
  2. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki (3-3)
  3. Dylan Ferrandis, Bedarrides, France, Yamaha (2-4)
  4. Jett Lawrence, Australia, Honda (7-2)
  5. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki (4-5)
  6. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (5-6)
  7. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS (6-8)
  8. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha (8-7)
  9. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha (10-9)
  10. Colt Nichols, Muskogee, OK, Kawasaki (12-10)

450SMX Class Championship Standings

  1. Chase Sexton, LaMoille, IL., Honda (50)
  2. Jett Lawrence, Australia, Honda (38)
  3. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (38)
  4. Dylan Ferrandis, Bedarrides, France, Yamaha (37)
  5. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla. Suzuki (36)
  6. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki (32)
  7. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha (30)
  8. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS (27)
  9. Adam Cianciarulo, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki (24)
  10. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha (22)

250 Class podium - SuperMotocross - Charlotte

250 Class podium (riders left to right) Haiden Deegan, Jo Shimoda, and Tom Vialle.
Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

250 Playoff 1 Results

  1. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki (4-1)
  2. Tom Vialle, France, KTM (3-2)
  3. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (1-5)
  4. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki (7-3)
  5. Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., Yamaha (8-4)
  6. Seth Hammaker, Bainbridge, Pa., Kawasaki (5-8)
  7. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha (2-11)
  8. Hunter Lawrence, Australia, Honda (9-7)
  9. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (12-6)
  10. Pierce Brown, Sandy, Utah, GASGAS (11-10)

250SMX Class Championship Standings

  1. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki (42)
  2. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (42)
  3. Hunter Lawrence, Australia, Honda (39)
  4. Tom Vialle, France, KTM (38)
  5. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha (35)
  6. Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., Yamaha (30)
  7. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki (28)
  8. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (27)
  9. RJ Hampshire, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Husqvarna (26)
  10. Maximus Vohland, Granite Bay, Calif., KTM (25)

SMX World All Stars Results

  1. Jackson Vick, KTM
  2. Easton Graves, KTM
  3. Gavin McCoy, Cobra
  4. Brayton Kreglow, Yamaha
  5. Joseph Vicari, KTM
  6. Carter Gray, Cobra
  7. Jaydin Smart, Cobra
  8. Anderson Waldele, KTM
  9. Beckham Smith, KTM
  10. Brody Bircher, KTM

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

Vialle Grabs First U.S. Victory in 250 Class as Championship Battle Shakes Up

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.

450 class banner bl

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 - Southwick National

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 - Southwick National

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 podium

450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish // Points)

  1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (1-1 // 50)
  2. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda (2-2, 44)
  3. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha (3-3 // 40)
  4. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (4-4 // 36)
  5. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha (10-5 // 27)
  6. Jose Butron, Cadiz, Spain, GASGAS (9-6 // 27)
  7. Chris Canning, Coventry, Conn., GASGAS (8-7 // 27)
  8. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (7-8 // 27)
  9. Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki (5-10 // 27)
  10. 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
  2. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha – 233
  3. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 210
  4. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 176
  5. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM – 147
  6. Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki – 134
  7. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda – 130
  8. Fredrik Noren, Lidköping, Sweden, Suzuki – 124
  9. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha – 118
  10. Lorenzo Locurcio, Valencia, Venezuela, GASGAS – 110

450 Class Highlights – Crestview Construction Southwick National

250 class banner

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.

Tom Vialle - Southwick National

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.comHoleshot, 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 - Southwick National

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 - Southwick National

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 podium - Southwick National

250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)

  1. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM (1-3 // 45)
  2. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (2-2 // 44)
  3. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki (6-1 // 40)
  4. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna (3-4 // 38)
  5. Seth Hammaker, Bainbridge, Pa., Kawasaki (7-5 // 30)
  6. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (4-10 // 29)
  7. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM (8-6 // 28)
  8. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha (5-9 // 28)
  9. Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Husqvarna (11-7 // 24)
  10. Caden Braswell, Shalimar, Fla., GASGAS (9-11 // 22)

250 Class Championship Standings (Round 6 of 11)

  1. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 218
  2. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 213
  3. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna – 205
  4. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki – 198
  5. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 196
  6. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha – 182
  7. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM – 179
  8. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM – 165
  9. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki – 122
  10. Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Husqvarna – 110

250 Class Highlights – Crestview Construction Southwick National

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.

 

Four-Rider Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Roster set for 2023 Pro Motorcross Season

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing will field a complete four-rider roster in the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship, featuring Cooper Webb and Aaron Plessinger in 450MX, alongside 250MX contenders Maximus Vohland and Tom Vialle when the season opens in Pala, California, this Saturday, May 27.

Marking the second stage of the inaugural SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX), which combines both the recently-finished AMA Supercross Championship and 11-round Pro Motocross Championship before the SMX post-season, all four KTM riders will be READY TO RACE when the gate drops on the outdoors.

Two-time premier class Supercross champion and former 250MX champion Webb makes his anticipated return to Pro Motocross riding the KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION at this weekend’s opening round, having sat out the series last year. The 27-year-old was in contention for a third-career 450SX crown when a crash in Nashville ended his indoor campaign prematurely, however, he has been given a clean bill of health by doctors and is excited for the challenge ahead.

COOPER WEBB 02 - RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING

Cooper Webb: “I’m extremely excited to be lining up for the Pro Motocross series. I didn’t compete outdoors last year, so this will be my first time racing it since 2021. I’m super grateful for the team and I to be able to do it together and get back behind the gate. After my crash in Nashville, I’ve been able to take some time off and get fully healthy, cleared, and ready to go. Hopefully, I have some great results with the Red Bull KTM team this summer, we’ll see where it puts us and I can’t wait to see the fans again – I’m looking forward to getting back behind the gate!”

Also in the 450MX division, 27-year-old Plessinger has been focused on taking things outdoors in recent weeks and has made significant progress with the KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION during pre-season testing for Pro Motocross. The fan favorite, who is also a former 250 Class champion, finished seventh in the standings last year and has his sights set on challenging for the title from the outset in 2023. He’s coming off a convincing runner-up result at the final round of Supercross, two weeks ago in Salt Lake City.

AARON PLESSINGER 02 - RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING

Aaron Plessinger: “I’m looking forward to outdoors this year. The team and I have been working hard on the bike’s motocross setting and it’s really coming around now – I like the way it’s working and it should be a good summer. I’ve been waiting for outdoors ever since Supercross started and I can’t wait to get on the gate and show these boys what I’ve got! It’s a good opportunity to get out front and try to get a taste of this red plate, so hopefully we do that at Pala and move to Hangtown with the points lead. We’ve gotta get there first and see how we stack up, but I think we can do really good this year and be title contenders – I’m excited to get going!”

After finishing sixth in the 250MX championship one year ago, Vohland is confident that he can make an additional impact this season riding the KTM 250 SX-F. In his third year with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing competing at the professional level, experience is building for the 20-year-old and he is motivated to make this year count outdoors.

MAXIMUS VOHLAND 02 - RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING

Maximus Vohland: “I can’t wait to get the outdoor season started! I really like racing outdoors, especially getting to go race at Hangtown, which is my home track. I have had a reasonably successful first couple of years, going ninth in my rookie season and sixth last year. My bike is working great, so I’m definitely ready to battle up front, be on podiums, and be in the championship hunt this year.”

There will be a lot of interest in French newcomer Vialle when the gate drops at Round 1, the reigning and two-time MX2 World Champion – who lifted the crown in 2020 and 2022 – due to commence his Pro Motocross career in the U.S. At 22, Vialle successfully completed the 250SX East series and enters the outdoors at 100 percent fitness, putting him in an ideal position to showcase his capabilities in a more familiar motocross environment onboard the KTM 250 SX-F.

TOM VIALLE 02 - RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING

Tom Vialle: “We just finished Supercross racing and had one weekend off, and now we start 11 rounds of motocross racing, starting with Pala this weekend. I am looking forward to the Pro Motocross series because it’s the kind of racing that I am used to and I raced a lot successfully in Europe. It is pretty different splitting the year up between two different racing series, because in Europe we just focus on one series for a whole year. But I’m definitely looking forward to the challenge and really excited for outdoors, because obviously, that’s the racing I know best.”

It’s a welcome return to a full rider line-up for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing after being affected by injuries in the latter stages of Supercross. The combination of Webb, Plessinger, Vohland, and Vialle is a competitive one, with the team working extensively in transitioning to Pro Motocross for the upcoming summer and motivated to strengthen its position leading into the three SMX events later this year.

Ian Harrison, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “I’m really glad everyone is in one piece and healthy, and that the team is able to put forward a full four-rider line-up for the motocross series given we had a turbulent last few rounds in Supercross. We have put in the hours as a team and made a lot of improvements to both our 250 and 450 motocross bike set-up during the off-season and think we are in a really good place to start the season off. The riders have done their work and all four look in good shape, so we should be ready come Pala’s opening round of the season this weekend.”

Source: KTM North America, Inc.

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Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team announces Five-Rider Lineup for 2023 SuperMotocross World Championship Season

Supermotocross Announcement

MURRIETA, CA – December 7, 2022 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – Forming the base of the newly-launched 2023 KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Cooper Webb, Marvin Musquin and Aaron Plessinger put their wheels to the dirt on Tuesday to showcase the new bike and livery in front of the press at the team’s practice facility, RD Field. Joining their premier 450 class teammates for the first official launch as a 250-class duo were Northern California native Maximus Vohland and two-time MX2 World Champion Tom Vialle, both aboard the KTM 250 SX-F.

With even more on the line than ever before with the SuperMotocross World Championship, the five-rider Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team is chomping at the bit for the new season and new format of racing. It will commence with the AMA Supercross season-opener in Anaheim, Calif. on January 7, before spanning 31 events, including the AMA Pro Motocross Championship outdoors, for the remainder of the year.

Webb, a two-time champion in the 450SX class, is back in action and looking for redemption in 2023 as a title contender this season. Since first joining Red Bull KTM Factory Racing in 2019 and claiming a maiden premier class crown, Webb has consistently been a title candidate and the 27-year-old is determined to challenge for a third championship once again.

Joining the squad for his 13th consecutive season in the U.S., French rider Marvin Musquin looks to build on his strong performance in 2022. Musquin, 32, finished fourth in this year’s 450SX standings with a Triple Crown victory to his credit, alongside six podium finishes in total, and he now looks to build upon those results in the new year.

Aaron Plessinger will return for his second season at Red Bull KTM Factory Racing. He earned a season-high of second in the Oakland 450SX Main Event and then later, upon return from injury, delivered multiple podiums in the 450MX class outdoors. The 26-year-old is now motivated to make his mark on 2023 alongside both Webb and Musquin.

Cooper Webb Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

Cooper Webb: “I’m really looking forward to the upcoming season. It’ll be another great year with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team. We had a bit of a rough year last year, but we’re looking to get things back on track for this year. The crew’s been working hard, and we’ve been doing a lot of testing. I’m back with Aldon Baker, so we’re back exactly like we were in 2021 and 2019. I’m looking forward to getting back on top this year, the goal is to go out and try to win a championship again.”

Marvin Musquin Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

Marvin Musquin: “Right now, it’s obviously the off-season with bootcamp and hard training. The team is working hard to learn the bike even more for the second season and we still have a couple of weeks before the racing starts for 2023. We had a trip in Paris and raced – it was nice to get behind the gate and do one race, at least, before the start of the season. I’m still based in California and following the program with DV [David Vuillemin]. I really like the program and DV gets to know me a little more, so hopefully we can be better for next year.”

Aaron Plessinger Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

Aaron Plessinger: “I’m super excited for 2023, I’m ready to get back behind the gate! Supercross was cut short for me last year and I’m looking forward to getting back out there and showing everybody what I can do. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team has put in a ton of work to get this bike to where we need it to be for this year and I’m feeling really good on it. I’ve been back riding for a while now and I’m super stoked on my fitness and where I am on the bike right now. Only good things should come from here on out. We have three new races on the schedule this year, so I’m also really excited for that. I’m looking forward to spending the whole year with my mechanic, Jade, and getting some race wins. He deserves it. The whole team deserves it. I deserve it. We’ve been working hard, so time to let the hard work pay off. I’m just ready to get back out there and do some racing with my boys!”

On the 250 side, Max Vohland continues to gain experience in the professional ranks after claiming sixth overall in the 250MX standings this year. At 19 years of age, Vohland is excited to return to supercross for a third attempt, this year in the 250SX Western Regional Championship, and has his sights firmly set on making an impact throughout the SuperMotocross World Championship season.

Max Vohland Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

Max Vohland: “I’m excited about the 2023 season. We made some significant steps forward at the end of the motocross nationals and have built on that progress in our SX testing this off-season. I’ve been putting in the work at The Baker’s Factory and I look forward to showing what we have done. My goals are to position myself as a front-runner in supercross, be a consistent podium guy for the outdoors, and to try to win the SuperMotocross World Championship.”

Making his anticipated U.S. racing debut in 2023, 22-year-old French rider Tom Vialle is eager for the gate to drop for the 250SX Eastern Regional Championship come February. Based in Florida at The Baker’s Factory alongside his Red Bull KTM teammates, the two-time and current MX2 World Champion also looks ahead to the Pro Motocross season, beginning in May.

Tom Vialle Red Bull KTM Factory Racing

Tom Vialle: “For me, it’s a new life. After winning the title in 2022 in MX2 World Championships, I moved to the U.S. and it was a tough decision, but so far everything has been so good. I’m training in Florida with Aldon and the group at The Baker’s Factory and everything so far, so good. I like it a lot. I enjoy riding supercross, it’s a new discipline for me so I have a lot to learn. I’m doing a good job training with the team and mechanic – everyone is really nice to me, so we’ve really moved forward. I’ve never raced a supercross here in the U.S., so I’m really excited about it. Just to go there and see what it’s going to be like to ride at night in the stadium, and to ride in front of so many fans is going to be a big thing for me. And then I will move to motocross in the summer, I am also excited for that. That will be a new challenge for me – a little bit closer to what I’ve been training for the last four years in Europe – but I’m really excited about racing both SX and MX for the first time in the U.S. For me, a lot of new things are coming and I can’t wait to start racing.”

Ian Harrison, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “We are just a month away from going into the 2023 season. We’re out in California today with all the guys riding, which is nice to see them all healthy and going well. We have made some progress on the bikes and it seems like it’s working well at the moment for the riders – you never know until you go racing. We have a big team, the biggest we’ve had since I’ve been a part of KTM – with five riders. We have 250 riders on each coast, which we are excited about. With the 450 guys, they all seem ready to go, so we just have to keep them safe and keep building until January comes.”

Source: KTM North America, Inc.

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