News and stories from Powersports racing in the United States.
Jett Lawrence’s Perfect Start in 2023 Pro Motocross Championship Continues with Third Straight Moto Sweep at Thunder Valley
The 2023 Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, traveled more than a mile high for its third round of the summer with an annual visit to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and scenic Thunder Valley Motocross Park, just outside Denver. The Toyota Thunder Valley National always provides an early test for the world’s fastest racers thanks to its elevation, but the end result on the track was more of the same from the Team Honda HRC siblings of Jett and Hunter Lawrence. The Australian duo continued their dominant starts to the season, with each capturing their third victory to remain unbeaten in the overall classification. Jett’s perfect start to his rookie 450 Class campaign continued, while Hunter closed out the 250 Class in emphatic fashion.
Moto 1
The opening moto once again saw the Honda of Jett Lawrence at the front of the field as the championship leader secured another MotoSport.com Holeshot ahead of Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Cooper Webb. A hard-charing Webb was aggressive early and made the pass on Cianciarulo to move into second. Behind them, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger were both pushing to get into the mix and came together, which sent both riders to the ground and deep into the field.
Back up front, Lawrence moved out to a lead of more than four seconds over Webb just five minutes into the moto, while Cianciarulo was forced to contend with Toyota of Redlands/BarX/Suzuki’s Derek Drake in a battle for third.
Lawrence’s lead grew to double digits at the halfway point of the moto and he never looked back. He went wire to wire for the fourth time this season and extended his unbeaten moto streak to five by 31.6 seconds over Webb, with Cianciarulo following in a season-best third. Plessinger rebounded from his early misfortune to finish fourth, while Sport Clips/Beachview Treatment/Airline Vacuum Kawasaki’s Ty Masterpool finished fifth after starting in the rear of the field following a tip over in the first turn.
Jett Lawrence remained perfect en route to a third straight 1-1 effort.
Photo: Align Media
Moto 2
Light rain greeted riders to start the final moto, as Lawrence stormed to his fifth MotoSport.com Holeshot in six tries this season, ahead of Manluk Rock River Yamaha’s Grant Harlan, Cianciarulo, and Ferrandis. A lot of jockeying for position unfolded on the opening lap, but eventually Cianciarulo positioned himself in second with Ferrandis third, followed by the KTMs of Webb and Plessinger.
As everyone behind him engaged in battle, Lawrence jumped out to a lead of more than 2.5 seconds and easily controlled the race at the head of the pack. Cianciarulo continued to give chase from second while Webb made his way around Ferrandis for third. The battles didn’t end there as Plessinger clawed his way from fifth to second during the first 10 minutes, with Webb following through into third. Also garnering attention was Masterpool, who surprised his factory counterparts with a charge up to fourth.
At the halfway point of the moto Lawrence enjoyed a comfortable lead of eight seconds over Plessinger, who firmly held on to the second spot. Webb ran third but was forced to fend off a hard-charging Masterpool, who soon took control of the position. Ferrandis then followed through into fourth.
It was smooth sailing for Lawrence out front, as he compiled his fifth wire-to-wire performance of the season and kept his undefeated record intact with a winning margin of 11.9 seconds over Plessinger. The battle for third came down to the final corners as Ferrandis made a late, last lap pass on Masterpool to steal the position.
Aaron Plessinger finished in the runner-up spot following 4-2 finishes.
Photo: Align Media
Overall
Lawrence’s third 1-1 sweep to open his rookie campaign in the premier division has been further highlighted by the fact he’s led every single lap of competition. He’s also rewriting the history books with the single-most-impressive start to a 450 Class career in history. Plessinger’s stellar second moto vaulted him into the runner-up spot overall (4-2), while Webb helped put a pair of KTMs on the podium in third (2-5).
Lawrence’s maximum point total after three rounds has allowed him to open a 34-point lead in the championship standings over Ferrandis, who finished fifth overall (7-3). Webb remains third, 38 points out of the lead.
Cooper Webb made it two KTMs on the podium in third (2-5).
Photo: Align Media
Jett Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“An awesome day here. I got an even better start in the second moto. I couldn’t really push as hard as I wanted to because the rain made it a bit greasy, so I focused on maintaining. It was a fun day. The Lawrence boys did it again.”
Aaron Plessinger, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
“I hate to have [the crash] happen in that first moto. Dylan [Ferrandis] and my lines came together and we hit. It was a racing incident. That one hurt though, he hit me pretty hard. Then we just came out and ripped that second moto. It was a good day. I didn’t keep it off the ground, but we still ended up on the podium.”
Cooper Webb, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
“It was a struggle in the second moto, but we did the best we could and fought hard. I’m happy to be on the podium again, it’s great. It’s not easy to get up here, a lot has to happen, but it feels good when you are.”
450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish // Points)
- Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld.,Australia, Honda (1-1 // 50)
- Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (4-2 // 40)
- Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (2-5 // 38)
- Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (3-6 // 35)
- Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha (7-3 // 34)
- Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki (5-4 // 34)
- Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha (6-8 // 28)
- Grant Harlan, Justin, Texas, Yamaha (8-7 // 27)
- Fredrik Noren, Lidköping, Sweden, Suzuki (10-10 // 22)
- Lorenzo Locurcio, Valencia, Venezuela, GASGAS (12-9 // 21)
450 Class Championship Standings (Round 3 of 11)
- Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 150
- Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha – 116
- Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM – 112
- Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 109
- Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 98
- Lorenzo Locurcio, Valencia, Venezuela, GASGAS – 67
- Fredrik Noren, Lidköping, Sweden, Suzuki – 63
- Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki – 62
- Derek Drake, San Luis Obispo, Calif., Suzuki – 58
- Grant Harlan, Justin, Texas, Yamaha – 56
Moto 1
The first moto of the afternoon got underway with a multi-rider incident that collected some of the class’ top competitors, including Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawaskai’s Jo Shimoda, and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle, and also impacted Hunter Lawrence, who stayed on two wheels.
Out front, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan emerged with the MotoSport.com Holeshot ahead of his teammates Justin Cooper and Levi Kitchen. A brief tip over caused Deegan to lose the lead a drop a couple positions, but he remounted quickly in third behind new leader Cooper and Kitchen. Deegan then went back on the attack and passed Kitchen for second. Behind the leaders, Lawrence fought through the early adversity to position himself in sixth.
As the field settled in through the first 10 minutes of the moto the Star Yamaha contingent occupied the top four spots in the running order, with Lawrence pressuring from fifth. The Honda rider continued to push the pace and passed the Yamaha of Jordon Smith for fourth. He then set his sights on Kitchen in third. As the halfway point of the moto approached, a three-rider battle for second took shape with Deegan, Kitchen, and Lawrence. Lawrence moved into podium position with a pass on Kitchen and was then all over the rear fender of Deegan. After a couple laps of patience Lawrence made an assertive move to take control of the runner-up spot. He faced a 10-second deficit to Cooper with 13 minutes left.
As Cooper and Lawrence strengthened their hold on the top two positions the attention shifted to an incredible rise through the field by Shimoda. The Kawasaki rider methodically worked his way forward after the crash off the start and was able to climb all the way into the top three in the closing minutes of the moto.
Cooper took his first moto win of the season by 2.7 seconds over Lawrence, who made an impressive push late to close the deficit, with Shimoda in a hard-fought third. Deegan settled for fourth, while Kitchen rounded out the top five.
Hunter Lawrence wrapped up his third overall win with another Moto 2 victory.
Photo: Align Media
Moto 2
The second moto started cleanly with Cooper at the front of the field for the MotoSport.com Holeshot, pursued by Kitchen and Lawrence. A swap for second occurred briefly between Lawrence and Kitchen, but the Yamaha rider fought back. A short while later Lawrence reclaimed the position and became the benefactor of a tip over by Cooper, who went down and gave up the lead. He remounted just outside the top 10.
With the lead in hand, Lawrence was able to inch away from Kitchen, while Smith slotted into third. As the moto reached the 10-minute mark a battle for third emerged between Smith and Team Honda HRC’s Chance Hymas, from which the rookie prevailed with the position.
Lawrence continued to strengthen his hold on the lead as the moto wore on, which left the battle for second to come down to Kitchen and Hymas. The Honda rider closed in briefly, but Kitchen responded to keep him at bay.
A drama free moto for Lawrence saw the Australian capture a third consecutive Moto 2 win, 4.7 seconds ahead of Kitchen who kept Lawrence honest the whole race. Hymas recorded a career-best result in third. Cooper recovered from his first-lap crash to finish fourth.
Justin Cooper was the best he’s been this season with a runner-up finish (1-4).
Photo: Align Media
Overall
Season-best 2-1 moto finishes landed Lawrence atop the overall podium once again for his third straight win to open the season and the fourth victory of his career. Cooper’s resiliency in the final moto was enough to give him the runner-up spot (1-4). One year removed from his podium debut at this event, Kitchen landed on the overall podium for the second time in his career in third (5-2).
Lawrence extended his lead in the championship standings to 16 points and is now chased by Cooper, who moved into second place. Deegan dropped to third, 27 points out of the lead.
Levi Kitchen earned his second career podium finish in third (5-2).
Photo: Align Media
Hunter Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“I didn’t want to run [Cooper] over [after the crash], so I tried to go around him. After that I just rode my own race. Definitely made life a lot easier getting a good start. I’m stoked.”
Justin Cooper, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“It was a great day. I rode really good all day and I’m happy with the bike. I bent my levers a bit [in the crash] and couldn’t use my front brake for a couple laps. After a few laps I got my controls back and started finding my flow again and made a push to the front. I did what I could. I gave it all I had.”
Levi Kitchen, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“In that first moto I feel like I left a little on the table. I didn’t ride my greatest. In the second [moto] I tried to get another good start and lock in with [Cooper] and Hunter [Lawrence]. I got into some lappers and lost a lot of time, then my buddy Chance [Hymas] was keeping me honest. That was a fun race. I’m really stoked on how the day went.”
250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)
- Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld.,Australia, Honda (2-1 // 47)
- Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (1-4 // 43)
- Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha (5-2 // 38)
- Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki (3-8 // 33)
- Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda (11-3 // 30)
- Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM (7-5 // 30)
- Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., Yamaha (6-6 // 30)
- Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (4-9 // 30)
- RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna (8-7 // 22)
- Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Husqvarna (10-10 // 22)
250 Class Championship Standings (Round 3 of 11)
- Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld.,Australia, Honda – 137
- Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 121
- Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 110
- Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki – 95
- RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna – 94
- Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha – 88
- Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM – 83
- Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM – 68
- Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda – 63
- Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki – 63
The 2023 Pro Motocross Championship will make its east coast debut next Saturday, June 17, with the Father’s Day tradition at famed High Point Raceway in Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania. The GEICO Motorcycle High Point National will conclude the first month of action for the summer as the fourth round will be streamed live, exclusively on Peacock, beginning with Race Day Live, presented by MotoSport.com, at 7 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. ET, and followed by 4.5 consecutive hours of uninterrupted race coverage beginning at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET.
RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING TEAM CHARGES TO DUAL 450MX PODIUMS AT THUNDER VALLEY
LAKEWOOD, Colo. – The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team charged to a pair of podium results in Round 3 of the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship, with Aaron Plessinger and Cooper Webb claiming second and third positions in the 450MX Class, while Maximus Vohland finished with a consistent sixth place in 250MX.
Plessinger piloted his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to seventh on the 450MX overall qualifying timesheets, before launching to a top-five start in the opening moto. A collision sent the number seven down the order, however, a spirited ride back through the field resulted in fourth place.
A drama-free race in the second moto saw Plessinger successfully navigate the technical, rutted Colorado circuit, with a second-place finish enough to secure his best overall of the 2023 season in P2. He’s currently fourth in the standings following the opening three rounds.
Aaron Plessinger: “It was a good day overall here in Colorado. First moto was unfortunate, because I took a line that just went into Dylan [Ferrandis’] line – I didn’t see him coming, and then we slammed into each other. His bike was on top of me, but I got back going and managed to salvage fourth. Second moto, I got a decent start, made a few passes and felt good, then with a few laps to go I just wanted to keep it on two wheels for second. Overall, it was a great day and I’m happy.”
Premier class teammate Webb began his Thunder Valley race day with sixth in qualifying, before starting out the opening moto in second place. It was there that he would remain, locking down second and carrying added confidence into the second moto of the afternoon.
Showers emerged and created difficult conditions for the 450MX field by the time the second moto arrived, with Webb posting a calculated ride throughout the 30-minute plus two-lap affair, finishing in fifth position for the final step on the overall podium in P3. He’s also ranked third in the championship.
Cooper Webb: “My day was quiet, but the result was positive in the end. I struggled a little bit all day, but here we are back on the podium, which is awesome. I didn’t really expect to be in this position, so we’ll take it, and keep it rolling into High Point.”
In the 250MX Class, Vohland put in a consistent day at Thunder Valley, qualifying eighth following the morning sessions on his KTM 250 SX-F. After a mid-pack start in the opening moto, he raced his way forward, making a series of passes before securing seventh place by race’s end. A better start in the second moto saw Vohland go two positions better, landing a 7-5 scorecard for sixth overall, which places him seventh in points.
Maximus Vohland: “The track was super-gnarly today with the deep ruts, but the crew here did a really great job preparing it. The 250MX Class is a dogfight right now and starts are critical, because there isn’t a lot of separation between everybody, so overall, I’m happy with my day and am feeling comfortable on the bike. I’m looking forward to High Point – I feel strong and fast, so I’m excited.”
Thunder Valley proved to be a challenge for Pro Motocross newcomer Tom Vialle, who qualified in P11, although was caught up in a crash at the start that took down a sizeable portion of the 250MX field. During his charge back toward the front, the Frenchman experienced another fall, which would signal the end of his Colorado race weekend. Vialle is P8 in the standings and is aiming to continue at High Point next weekend.
Tom Vialle: “I actually felt really good on the track today from the first practice, although unfortunately, I had a crash on the start straight during the first moto, which took down a lot of riders. My bike was banged up after that – it was a big crash. I came back from last to around 16th, then with two laps to go I made a mistake and crashed again. I hurt my left wrist, although it’s nothing serious, but I was unable to do the second moto after riding the sighting lap. It wasn’t really painful, but my wrist felt weak, so we decided to not line up and hopefully I can ride next week at High Point, which is the goal.”
Next Race: June 17 – Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania
Results 450MX Class – Thunder Valley National
1. Jett Lawrence (AUS), Honda, 1-1
2. Aaron Plessinger (USA), KTM, 4-2
3. Cooper Webb (USA), KTM, 2-5
OTHER KTM
15. Tyler Stepek (USA), KTM
17. Max Miller (USA), KTM
25. Jeffrey Walker (USA), KTM
27. Trevor Schmidt (USA), KTM
29. Zack Williams (USA), KTM
33. Dawson Drayott (USA), KTM
Results 250MX Class – Thunder Valley National
1. Hunter Lawrence (AUS), Honda, 2-1
2. Justin Cooper (USA), Yamaha, 1-4
3. Levi Kitchen (USA), Yamaha, 5-2
OTHER KTM
6. Maximus Vohland (USA), KTM, 7-5
15. Derek Kelley (USA), KTM
17. Slade Smith (RSA), KTM
21. Marcus Phelps (USA), KTM
24. Ethan Lane (GB), KTM
25. Blaze Cremaldi (USA), KTM
27. Hunter Cross (USA), KTM
33. Bryson Raymond (USA), KTM
35. Nicholas Inman (USA), KTM
37. Tom Vialle (FRA), KTM
41. Josh Varize (USA), KTM
Standings 450MX Class 2023 after 3 of 11 rounds
1. Jett Lawrence, 150 points
2. Dylan Ferrandis, 116
3. Cooper Webb, 112
4. Aaron Plessinger, 109
OTHER KTM
19. Dante Oliveira, 15
22. Tyler Stepek, 11
23. Christopher Prebula, 10
27. Max Miller, 7
36. Jeffrey Walker, 1
Standings 250MX Class 2023 after 3 of 11 rounds
1. Hunter Lawrence, 137 points
2. Justin Cooper, 121
3. Haiden Deegan, 110
OTHER KTM
7. Maximus Vohland, 83
8. Tom Vialle, 68
22. Derek Kelley, 14
26. Slade Smith, 7
28. Josh Varize, 4
30. Marcus Phelps, 2
FOURTH KEEPS CRAIG DELONG IN NATIONAL ENDURO CONTENTION FOLLOWING CHEROKEE
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Craig DeLong remained a solid fourth overall in the standings after finishing fourth in the NE Pro1 class on his FX 350 at this weekend’s Cherokee National Enduro in Greensboro, Georgia, Round 5 of the 2023 AMA National Enduro Series.
DeLong took a solid win at the previous round in Virginia, but struggled to find his groove in Georgia, where a driving rain storm forced the cancellation of the sixth and final test. He clawed his way up to within four seconds of third place, but in the end, settled for fourth position.
“I didn’t start that great, I was eighth after the first test and just started building from there,” said DeLong. “I just rode my race and I actually closed up on Steward [Baylor] in the fourth test, but it just wasn’t enough. We got rained on in the morning and it wasn’t too bad, but during test four it was coming down pretty hard – just super dark in the woods.”
Back from an injury that forced him to miss the previous two rounds, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing teammate Trevor Bollinger raced to a solid sixth-place position at the Cherokee Enduro.
Bollinger started strong and sat in second overall early in the race, but heavy rains and a late start number took their toll on Bollinger onboard his FX 350, as he eventually settled for a sixth-place result.
“I didn’t race the last two rounds, so I started pretty far back,” commented Bollinger. “It rained in the first test and the leaders were already through the test when it started raining, so felt I was going to lose a lot of time, but I ended up third in that test. I was sitting second after two tests, before it started raining in that fourth test and by the time I got in the test it was just downhill. I think it was a combination of the late start row and me not riding the mud good made us just kind of fall off there at the end.”
Next Round (6): Cross Fork, PA – July 23, 2023
Cherokee National Enduro – Results
NE Pro1 Class
1. Grant Baylor (GAS)
2. Josh Toth (GAS)
3. Steward Baylor (KTM)
4. Craig DeLong – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
…
6. Trevor Bollinger – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
Overall Championship Standings
1. Grant Baylor, 131 points
2. Josh Toth, 112
3. Ryder Lafferty, 103
4. Craig DeLong – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 98
Herrera’s Win Streak Ends with Runner-Up Finish at NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals
After qualifying number one and racing his Gen 3 Suzuki Hayabusa into the finals for the fourth straight race, Vance & Hines/Mission Suzuki rider Gaige Herrera’s perfect Pro Stock Motorcycle season finally came to an end with a runner-up finish at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway in Bristol, TN.
Race Highlights
- Gaige Herrera qualified number one for the fourth race in a row, winning the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, and finishing runner-up in his fourth straight final-round appearance.
- Eddie Krawiec qualified third and advanced to the second round of eliminations, and now sits second in the season championship points.
- Steve Johnson won Top Eliminator on the debut of his Suzuki Gen3 Hayabusa, continuing Suzuki’s strong 2023 season showing in the class.
After taking the top spot in qualifying for the fourth time, Gaige Herrera (79) falls short in the final.
Through the opening three races of the season, Herrera set the Pro Stock Motorcycle class on fire, running the table with three consecutive top qualifying performances and race wins. He looked set to continue that streak in Bristol after topping qualifying for the fourth time with a 6.808-second/198.61 mph run on Saturday. During Saturday’s qualifying rounds, Herrera also won the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, a specialty race pitting the semi-final round winners from the prior race against each other in the first and final rounds of qualifying for additional prize money and bonus points towards the championship.
Herrera advanced out of the first round with a 6.816-second/195.73 mph run against Ron Tornow, who set no time. Facing Chase Van Sant in the second round, Herrera posted a 6.805-second/196.99 blast, his fastest of the weekend, to easily advance against his fellow rookie’s 6.976-second/193.10 mph run. Herrera then defeated Angie Smith (6.933-seconds/196.07 mph) in the semi-finals with a 6.845-second/195.73 mph run to advance to a fourth-straight final round.
Steve Johnson (5) captures his first victory of the season debuting his new Gen3 Hayabusa.
In the finals, Herrera committed a rare and uncharacteristic riding error, the first in his sensational rookie campaign, with a redlight foul on the starting line that handed the win to veteran Suzuki rider Steve Johnson, debuting his new Gen3 Hayabusa. Suzuki congratulates Johnson on the win in the all-Suzuki final.
“Andrew Hines and the entire Vance & Hines/Mission Suzuki team had my Hayabusa on rails this weekend. I was cutting great lights all day, but unfortunately rolled in a little too deep and got the redlight,” Herrera said of this finals race. “In a strange way, losing takes a little pressure off my shoulders because now everyone’s not looking at me like I’m going to win them all. I’m still disappointed in myself for going red. That’s one way I hate to lose. But we’ll regroup and head to Norwalk looking to come back strong.”
After a strong qualifying, Eddie Krawiec (7) takes a lot of positive data from Bristol.
Eddie Krawiec qualified third on Saturday with a 6.855-second/198.03 mph run, then defeated his first-round opponent Kelly Clontz (7.033-seconds/192.80 mph) with a 6.864-second/196.50 mph run.
Facing Johnson in the second round, Krawiec got a late start off the starting line, his 6.870-second/196.99 mph run not quick enough to chase down Johnson’s slower 6.899-second/192.85 mph pass.
The holeshot loss left Krawiec ruing what might have been, losing a chance to advance deeper into the elimination rounds after other riders faltered in earlier rounds.
“We struggled a bit on a couple of runs in qualifying but by Q4 we had my Hayabusa into its tuning window. The rider just screwed up in the second round. A 0.060-second light is not acceptable in my opinion. I should have been in the 30s,” Krawiec said. “I didn’t get it done and lost my opportunity to go further this weekend. I will be better at the next race. I have a great motorcycle in the Suzuki, and this is the most confident I’ve felt leaving a race this season.”
Crew Chief Andrew Hines was philosophical about the loss and confident that rather than be taken as a setback, this round is an opportunity for rider reflection and improvement.
“We got a Mission #2Fast2Tasty win and a runner-up finish this weekend. That’s a result any team would be happy to take. I said early in the season that Gaige would eventually find a flaw in his riding that he would learn from, and he now knows what that feels like,” Hines said. “He started off this weekend on a track he’d never been on, and that’s bumpy. Gaige had some riding and shifting issues in qualifying. He said, ‘I’m never doing that again.’ The redlight is another one of those moments he can learn from, and that will make him a better rider. It’s not anything to hang his head down about. It’s part of racing. All in all, our Vance & Hines/Mission Suzuki team is doing a fantastic job of ensuring he has a great Suzuki motorcycle underneath him. We know we’re going to be fast and consistent every time we go up to the starting line.”
After four of 15 rounds, Herrera and Krawiec currently sit first and second in the Pro Stock Motorcycle championship standings with 488 and 272 points, respectively.
The Vance & Hines/Mission Suzuki team is back in action June 22-25 at the NHRA Summit Racing Equipment Nationals at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park in Norwalk, OH.
Historic Dominance for Team Honda HRC at Thunder Valley National
Jett Lawrence enjoyed yet another impeccable performance at Colorado’s Thunder Valley National, continuing a thus-far flawless beginning to his 450 career, as he qualified fastest and led every lap of both motos. It was a record-setting day, as Lawrence bettered the four-moto-win debut mark set by Jeff Ward when he was a premier-class rookie in 1985. In the 250 division, Hunter Lawrence took his third-consecutive overall win, this one coming with an impressive 2-1 moto tally that was even better than his showings at the two California events. Riding at what was essentially his home race, Chance Hymas shrugged off a nasty, multi-rider crash at the start of moto 1, and then turned in the best performance of his young professional career, notching his first podium moto finish and his first top-five overall finish.
Jett nailed the holeshot in the first 450 moto and immediately set sail on his CRF450RWE. Riding smoothly and calmly, he steadily grew the gap on second place, eventually winning by over half a minute. The second moto saw more of the same, although his margin of victory this time around was “only” 12 seconds.
The first 250 moto started with a start-straight pile-up that slowed Hunter and put Hymas on the ground, leaving them 10th and last, respectively. Hunter was up to sixth after one lap, and he proceeded to pass some of the class’s top riders, arriving to third by lap 6. Getting around Haiden Deegan took some time, but Hunter was able to do so without falling. By then, the leader was too far ahead to catch. Meanwhile, Hymas put on an inspiring charge through the pack, eventually finishing just outside the top 10 on a track where passing was difficult. The second outing saw both Red Riders start much better, with Hunter’s CRF250R third across the holeshot line and that of Hymas sixth. Lawrence was into the lead by the end of lap 1, and he rode expertly to win by nearly five seconds. Fourth after lap 1, Hymas passed Jordon Smith four laps later and held strong to the end for third, the best result of his young career.
NOTES
- For the second race in a row, Chase Sexton stayed home, recovering from the effects of a concussion incurred in a testing crash. The team looks forward to having the Illinois native back with them soon.
- Team Honda HRC riders Jett Lawrence, Hunter Lawrence and Chance Hymas all took part in media-day activities on Friday, giving them the opportunity to get some time on the tricky, rutted track.
- Thunder Valley is notable for its 6,100-foot elevation, presenting challenges for teams, as the thin air robs horsepower. Team Honda HRC brought Bob Reichmann and Gil Lujan (engine technicians that don’t attend every round), and the riders reported being pleased with their bikes. Of course, the elevation also tests rider fitness, although the relatively mild temperatures (68 to 72º Fahrenheit for the motos) helped in that regard. There was a bit of precipitation, but not enough to cause serious mud problems.
- Greenwood Village dealership Fay Myers Motorcycle World set up a pop-up activation booth in the Team Honda HRC pits, where they displayed powersports products and engaged with fans and customers.
- Once again, Jett Lawrence posted the fastest 450 qualifying time in morning practice. In the quarter-liter ranks Hunter Lawrence was second-best, while Hymas was sixth.
- Jett had a scary moment during practice, when he struck a trackside safety light. Though the contact caused him some pain, he was fortunate to avoid serious injury.
- Jett posted the fastest lap times in both 450 motos, and Hunter had the best time in the second 250 moto.
- Between them, the Lawrence brothers led every lap in three of four motos at Thunder Valley, or 45 of 61 laps. Even more impressively, Jett has led every one of the 92 laps run thus far in the 2023 AMA Pro Motocross 450 series.
- Jett’s success moved Honda into a tie with Kawasaki and Suzuki for most 450 overall wins at Thunder Valley, with five each. Other Red Riders to win the class at the venue include Ken Roczen (three times) and Ivan Tedesco. This is the fourth year in a row that Honda won the 450 class at Thunder Valley.
- Hunter joined four other Honda riders to have taken the 250 overall win at Thunder Valley: Justin Barcia, Eli Tomac, Jeremy Martin and Jett Lawrence.
- Jett has another overall win at Thunder Valley, as last year saw him go 2-2 for the 250-class victory.
- Hunter extended his career tally of 250 overall wins to four, his moto-win total to 10, and his moto-podium mark to 31.
- Motocross Action test rider Josh Mosiman finished a respectable 34th overall on a CRF450RWE test bike, posting 31-34 moto finishes.
- Jett now enjoys a best-possible 150-point tally, already putting him 34 points ahead of second place with only three rounds having been run. Hunter’s 137-point total gives him a 16-point lead of the next-best 250 rider.
- Once again, both Lawrence brothers participated in the post-race press conference.
- Following the race, most of the Team Honda HRC members headed to dinner to celebrate the wins and the birthday of Engine R&D Technician Gilbert Lujan.
- Round 4 of the AMA Pro Motocross series—the High Point National—takes place next weekend in Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania, where Team Honda HRC will attempt to extend their dual win streaks.
450 Overall Results
- Jett Lawrence (Hon)
- Aaron Plessinger (KTM)
- Cooper Webb (KTM)
- Adam Cianciarulo (Kaw)
- Dylan Ferrandis (Yam)
- Ty Masterpool (Kaw)
- Garrett Marchbanks (Yam)
- Grant Harlan (Yam)
- Fredrik Noren (Suz)
- Lorenzo Locurcio (Gas)
—
- Jeremy Hand (Hon)
450 Championship Points (after 3 of 11 rounds)
- Jett Lawrence: 150
- Dylan Ferrandis: 116
- Cooper Webb: 112
- Aaron Plessinger: 109
- Adam Cianciarulo: 98
- Lorenzo Locurcio: 67
- Fredrik Noren: 63
- Ty Masterpool: 62
- Derek Drake: 58
- Grant Harlan: 56
—
- Chase Sexton: 44
- Ryan Surratt: 33
250 Overall Results
- Hunter Lawrence (Hon)
- Justin Cooper (Yam)
- Levi Kitchen (Yam)
- Jo Shimoda (Kaw)
- Chance Hymas (Hon)
- Max Vohland (KTM)
- Jordon Smith (Yam)
- Haiden Deegan (Yam)
- RJ Hampshire (Hus)
- Jalek Swoll (Hus)
250 Championship Points (after 3 of 11 rounds)
- Hunter Lawrence: 137
- Justin Cooper: 121
- Haiden Deeegan: 110
- Jo Shimoda: 95
- RJ Hampshire: 94
- Levi Kitchen: 88
- Max Vohland: 83
- Tom Vialle: 68
- Chance Hymas: 63
- Ryder DiFrancesco: 63
MONSTER ENERGY® KAWASAKI RIDERS EARN FIRST PODIUMS OF THE 2023 AMA PRO MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP AT ROUND 3
Foothill Ranch, Calif. (June 11, 2023) – Round 3 of the AMA Pro Motocross series unfolded in Lakewood, Colorado at the famous Thunder Valley Motocross Park. At over 5500, ft. above sea level, green hills and colorful rocks encompass the track. MonsterEnergy® Kawasaki rider Adam Cianciarulo conquered the deeply rutted track to claim fourth overall (3-6) with a Moto 1 podium. Cianciarulo maintains fifth place in the AMA Pro Motocross Championship, just 11 points back from fourth. In the 250 Class, MonsterEnergy®/Kawasaki/Pro Circuit rider Jo Shimoda earned a Moto 1 podium on his way to earning fourth overall (3-8) and Ryder DiFrancesco secured 11th overall (9-11). Carson Mumford and Jett Reynolds’ day would be cut short due to crashes in qualifying and Moto 1, respectively.
Thunder Valley Motocross Park is historically known for being one of the premier motocross racing venues in the United States. The park first opened in 2005 and quickly became a favorite among racers from all over the world. The track is known for its stunning views of the surrounding landscape and natural elevation changes. Thunder Valley Motocross Park has become a fan-favorite venue due to its challenging nature and support of the local motocross community. In the morning qualifying session, Cianciarulo demonstrated elite talent, riding his KX™450SR to a second place position with a time of 2:17.107 followed by another Kawasaki of Ty Masterpool qualifying third.
In Moto 1, Cianciarulo secured another one of his typical great starts in third place as he rounded the first turn. As the thunder clouds began to develop over the horizon, Cianciarulo was locked in, hitting his marks where he would begin to develop a gap from his competitors behind. The No. 9 came through the finish, securing his first moto podium of the season in third place.
As Moto 2 was about to begin, large thunderhead clouds crept over the track and produced small amounts of rain. As the gate dropped, Cianciarulo accelerated into the first turn, putting together another great start. The No. 9 came blistering out of the first turn in fourth place and quickly made his way to second position. As Cianciarulo battled with the former 450MX champion Dylan Ferrandis, the track began to deteriorate producing brutal bumps and ruts Heavier rain drops started to fall during the second half of the race and the No. 9 made a few minor mistakes dropping him to the sixth position where he would finish the second moto, fourth overall for the weekend. Kawasaki Team Green rider Masterpool had a break-through ride aboard his KX™450 challenging for a podium position all the way to the last lap, ultimately finishing in fourth place and sixth overall.
“Lakewood is one of my favorite stops of the season, but today did not go the way I wanted. We are making progress with my MonsterEnergy® Kawasaki team and a fourth overall is trending in the right direction. My KX™450SR was great all day and with the minor adjustments we made, it was a blast riding. Onto the next battle on the east coast.”
– Adam Cianciarulo
The MonsterEnergy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki riders were eager to conquer the soft dirt in the early morning qualifying sessions. Shimoda demonstrated his pace early on, securing a third place time of 2:17.586. DiFrancesco adapted quickly to the Thunder Valley track in his first appearance at this venue to attain a position among the top 10 with a time of 2:18.793, for ninth place. Jett Reynolds would finish his qualifying session in 14th place with a time of 2:21.359. Unfortunately, Carson Mumford’s qualifying session came to an abrupt halt as a result of a severe crash over the finish line during the first qualifying session which would ultimately take him out of the competition for the remainder of the day.
At the start of Moto 1, the racers rocketed out of the gate, fixated on seizing the holeshot. As the riders clustered together towards the first turn, a competitor made contact with the No. 124 of Reynolds, forcefully bringing him to the ground with several other riders including his teammate, Jo Shimoda. Unfortunately, Reynolds’ day was cut short following the incident. Meanwhile, as the race progressed, Difrancesco positioned himself among the top 5 riders right from the beginning of the first lap. On the other hand, Shimoda faced a challenging start near the back and quickly found himself in 12th place as Lap 2 commenced. Undeterred, the No. 30 focused and steadily began overtaking competitors each lap. Although Difrancesco battled up front against the leaders, he gradually started losing pace. As the checkered flag waved in the first moto, Shimoda remarkably secured his first podium of the season, finishing in an impressive third place. The No. 75 of Difrancesco finished in ninth place.
The second moto proved to be a challenging start for both Shimoda and DiFrancesco. Exiting the first corner, the No. 30 found himself in seventh place, while the No. 75 trailed in 12th. However, as the riders settled into the demanding and rugged track, an error by the leader presented an opportunity to make up some ground. With time running out and the track becoming increasingly brutal, Shimoda and DiFrancesco were determined to secure the best possible positions to maximize their points. DiFrancesco found himself in the 11th spot, steadily maintaining his respective position, crossing the finish line in the same spot. Meanwhile, on the roughest segment of the track, Shimoda’s front wheel washed out on a treacherous rut, resulting in a drop from fourth to eighth place on the final lap of the second moto where the No. 30 concluded the race.
“I had a great weekend and I’m extremely satisfied with the progress we are making. The track presented challenges with its rough and rutted conditions, but that’s my jam. I am excited to carry this momentum into the upcoming rounds. Thank you to my MonsterEnergy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team who have been with me on this journey. See you next weekend.”
– Jo Shimoda
“It was an unfortunate weekend to say the least. The first qualifying session took a turn for the worst as I blew a foot off in the deep rut of the finish line jump, causing me to eject from the bike. I tried getting back on track in the second qualifying session, but I was banged up. No serious injuries, but I had to call it a day. Thank you to everyone who supports me and we will be back soon.”
– Carson Mumford
“This was my first time racing Thunder Valley and I had a great time. The track conditions were incredibly soft, and ruts were deep, but my KX™250 performed flawlessly. The motos went well and I am happy with our progress as we wrap up Round 3. I can’t thank my team enough for the support and ready to continue building into future rounds.”
– Ryder DiFrancesco
“Tough weekend for me. I felt great all morning until a Moto 1 collision caused me to go down before the first turn, ultimately sidelining myself for the remainder of the day. Not sure how it happened, but when everyone is fighting for the holeshot, things can take a turn for the worse quickly. Huge thank you to my team for keeping my KX™250 running immaculate all weekend.”
– Jett Reynolds
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