Thank you for stopping by. Take a look at the left side of the site and connect with me on social media.

Additional menu

SCOTT LUKAITIS - POWERSPORTS, MOTORSPORTS & RACER - MARKETING, MEDIA & MANAGEMENT

Powersports, Motorsports & Racer Marketing, Management, and Media

You are here: Home / All Posts / This Week in Powersports Racing – The week of August 27, 2023

This Week in Powersports Racing – The week of August 27, 2023

posted on

This week in US powersports racing.

Gavin Towers Dominates Final Scouting Moto Combine Gathering of 2023 Season from Ironman Raceway

The 2023 MX Sports Pro Racing Scouting Moto Combine, presented by U.S. Air Force Special Warfare, hosted its final gathering of the summer on the eve of the Tucker Freight Lines Ironman National, the 11th and final round of the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. The highly regarded development program has helped foster the budding professional career of many young racers by providing a platform to showcase the sport’s most promising prospects. The gathering at Ironman Raceway featured the Combine’s latest breakthrough effort as newly signed Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rider Gavin Towers put forth a dominant 1-1 performance to become the program’s sixth different winner.

Prior to hitting the track for a pair of 25-minute-plus-two-lap motos, the invited group of 24 top A & B Class prospects were given invaluable insights into training, nutrition, and media engagement in a classroom-style setting. Additionally, riders were divided into five groups and assigned one of five combine coaches – Buddy Antunez, Michael Byrne, Broc Glover, Chad Reed, and Broc Tickle – for mentorship from some of the sport’s most respected and successful former pros.

230826 Ironman Raceway hosted the final Scouting Moto Combine of the 2023 season

Ironman Raceway hosted the final Scouting Moto Combine of the 2023 season.
Photo Courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing

Ironman Moto Combine banner

Moto 1

One could argue that Towers is the best starter in amateur motocross, well known for his ability to get a perfect launch out the gate and position himself at or near the front of the field. That prowess was on full display at Ironman as Towers emerged from the first turn to open Moto 1 with the holeshot ahead of Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Krystian Janik. The lead pair soon pulled away from the field, with Towers able to put some distance between himself and Janik to establish a comfortable hold on the top spot.

A battle for third soon emerged as New Zealand rider Cole Davies, riding a Yamaha, came under pressure from Husqvarna rider Landon Gibson. The fight for third then turned into a three-rider affair as NSA Yamaha Amateur Factory Team rider Avery Long was on a charge to the front after starting outside the top five. Long made the move on Gibson for fourth and set his sights on Davies. Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Enzo Temmerman added himself into the mix as well and fought hard with Long for a couple laps before the Yamaha rider got the upper hand and eventually made his way into third at the halfway point of the moto.

The top three remained unchanged through the closing stages of the moto, as Towers built a double-digit lead over the field that he managed with ease. The Yamaha pilot enjoyed a wire-to-wire effort to capture the Moto 1 win 14.7 seconds ahead of Janik, who ran second through the entirety of the moto. Long rounded out the top three, with Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Drew Adams in fourth and Temmerman in fifth.

230826 Newly signed Star Yamaha rider Gavin Towers

Newly signed Star Yamaha rider Gavin Towers dominated
with a pair of wire-to-wire victories.
Photo Courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing

Moto 2

As riders roared out the starting gate for the final moto of the day it was once again Towers leading the field to the holeshot, this time with NSA Yamaha Amateur Factory Team rider Logan Best and Adams in tow. As Towers took advantage of the clear track to sprint away on the opening lap, Best and Adams engaged in battle for second that saw Adams secure control of the position. Behind them, Janik was mired deep in the field after some early misfortune and never factored into the race.

It didn’t take long for Towers and Adams to assert themselves at the head of the pack while Long was on another impressive climb through the field, starting sixth and clawing his way up to third after just a few laps. Temmerman was able to latch onto him in fourth.

The running order didn’t change through the remainder of the moto. Adams was able to keep Towers honest, but it was another wire-to-wire ride for the Yamaha rider who wrapped up a totally dominant afternoon by eight seconds over Adams. Long followed with another third-place result.

Drew Adams' consistent 4-2 finishes

Drew Adams’ consistent 4-2 finishes landed him in the runner-up spot.
Photo Courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing

Overall

Towers’ 1-1 performance comes on the heels of a breakthrough first title at the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship just a few weeks ago and effectively solidifies his position as one of the top prospects in amateur motocross. A consistent afternoon for Adams landed him in the runner-up spot (4-2) while Long’s resiliency in each moto was rewarded with third overall (3-3).

230826 Avery Long's come-from-behind effort

Avery Long’s come-from-behind effort in each moto resulted in third overall (3-3).
Photo Courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing

Ironman Moto Combine Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)

  1. Gavin Towers, Venetia, Pa., Yamaha (1-1 // 50)
  2. Drew Adams, Chattanooga, Tenn., Kawasaki (4-2 // 40)
  3. Avery Long, New London, Minn., Yamaha (3-3 // 40)
  4. Enzo Temmerman, Visalia, Calif., Kawasaki (5-4 // 34)
  5. Landon Gibson, Peachtree City, Ga., Husqvarna (8-6 // 28)
  6. Leum Oehlhof, Oak Hills, Calif., Yamaha (7-7 // 28)
  7. Cole Davies, New Zealand, Yamaha (6-9 // 27)
  8. Logan Best, North Port, Fla., Yamaha (12-5 // 25)
  9. Alexander Fedorstov, Hallandale, Fla., Yamaha (9-8 // 25)
  10. Collin Allen, Clayton, Texas, Yamaha (10-11 // 21)
230826 Ironman Combine overall podium

Ironman Combine overall podium finishers and their coaches (left to right):
Drew Adams with Broc Tickle, Gavin Towers with Chad Reed,
and Avery Long with Buddy Antunez.
Photo: Align Media

For information about the Pro Motocross Championship, please visit ProMotocross.com and be sure to follow all of the Pro Motocross social media channels for exclusive content and additional information on the latest news:

DOUBLE PODIUMS FOR AARON PLESSINGER AND TOM VIALLE TO CLOSE OUT 2023 AMA PRO MOTOCROSS SEASON

 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammates Aaron Plessinger and Tom Vialle both claimed third-place results to conclude the 2023 AMA Pro Motocross Championship on the podium at today’s Ironman National, with fan favorite Plessinger also finishing P3 in the final 450MX standings.

Plessinger qualified in sixth place at the 11th and final round of the season, before powering his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to two strong starts across the two-moto format, battling for the race lead early on in both motos. After spirited rides in each race, the Ohio native finished with 5-3 moto results, securing third place overall for the day.

A strong season highlighted by three round podiums sees Plessinger finish the 450MX series in third position, with the number 7 having to overcome moments of adversity throughout the year to eventually earn a career-high result in the premier 450 Class.

With his combined results across both the 2023 AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross championships, Plessinger enters the inaugural SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) Finals series as the second seed in the 450 division, with the first of three events to take place at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s zMAX Dragway on Saturday, September 9.

Aaron Plessinger: “I’m pumped to finish this season’s outdoor championship on the box! We experienced a few ups and downs this year, which is all part of racing, although continued to fight and ended up with P3 overall in the championship. My first motos remained the difficult part of the day, which was the same deal today, although we rebounded well in moto two for third place. Onto the SMX playoffs now, I’m stoked and intrigued to see what the tracks will be like, and excited to take the sport to all-new venues also.”

In 250MX, dual MX2 World Champion Vialle capped off a successful debut season in AMA Pro Motocross, beginning the Ironman National by setting the seventh-fastest qualifying time onboard his KTM 250 SX-F. A solid start resulted in a third-place finish in the opening moto, before having to charge through the field for P4 in the second moto and taking third overall for the final round.

Vialle showed immense speed throughout his maiden campaign on U.S. soil, which culminated in an overall win at Round 6 of the season in the sands of Southwick. Posting a string of consistent finishes, the Frenchman was ranked sixth place overall in the final season standings.

Tom Vialle: “I really didn’t know what to expect this year, to be honest, racing my first season of Pro Motocross. Learning how these guys race, learning the tracks at every round for the first time, and then how to set the bike up over here too. Racing Supercross in the winter and motocross through the summer, this was all new to me, so I am very happy to finish my season here at Ironman with a podium, also to get the win in Southwick, and to come out of my first full season in America healthy.”

250MX teammate Maximus Vohland shadowed Vialle in qualifying by posting the eighth-fastest time, before two calculated rides saw the Californian achieve an 8-8 moto scorecard, which earned him P8 overall for the round. In what marked a consistent season, Vohland ended the series in seventh place overall.

Maximus Vohland:“It was a tough weekend here in Ironman. I had to fight back to eighth in moto one after going down in the opening lap carnage, then in the second moto I really charged hard, was in sixth, and then an off-track excursion cost me a couple of places. Seventh overall for the championship, I would’ve liked for more, although I was happy with the improvements I made this year and now we’ll come back for the SMX playoffs next up.”

With their performances across both the AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross championships, Vialle and Vohland enter the SMX Finals P6 and P7, respectively in the 250 category.The Ironman National marked another invaluable learning experience for 250MX Class newcomer Julien Beaumer, who qualified in 12th position, before racing to 15th in the first moto after being caught up in an opening lap crash. A top-five start in moto two saw the teenager on-pace with the front-runners, before an untimely fall resulted in an early retirement from the race.

Julien Beaumer: “The weekend here at Ironman was decent for me. I qualified in 12th place and felt pretty good, before I got caught up in the opening lap pile-up in moto one, so I had to come back through the field, which I did before I went down again. I recovered to 15th and then in moto two, I got a great start, ran fourth and then dropped to seventh, where I was comfortable. Then I ended up having a crash, which took me out, but all-in-all I learned a lot these last two nationals, especially around the intensity these guys carry, and I’ll take these lessons into next year’s Supercross season. I’ve got a great team behind me, who have my back at all times, so I’m excited for the future.”

Next Race: September 9 – Concord, North Carolina (SuperMotocross Playoff 1)

Results 450MX Class – Ironman National
1. Jett Lawrence (AUS), Honda, 1-1
2. Chase Sexton (USA), Honda, 2-2
3. Aaron Plessinger (USA), KTM, 5-3
OTHER KTM
14. Jess Pettis (CAN), KTM
21. Max Miller (USA), KTM
26. Kevin Moranz (USA), KTM
31. Crockett Myers (USA), KTM
34. Anthony Rodriguez (VEN), KTM

Results 250MX Class – Ironman National
1. Jo Shimoda (JPN), Kawasaki, 1-1
2. Haiden Deegan (USA), Yamaha, 2-3
3. Tom Vialle (FRA), KTM, 3-4
OTHER KTM
8. Maximus Vohland (USA), KTM, 8-8
18. Derek Kelley (USA), KTM
20. Josh Varize (USA), KTM
21. Julien Beaumer (USA), KTM, 15-DNF
25. Slade Smith (RSA), KTM
28. Cameron Durow (RSA), KTM
29. Matti Jorgensen (USA), KTM
30. Hunter Cross (USA), KTM
31. Brock Bennett (USA), KTM
32. Marcus Phelps (USA), KTM
33. Leo Tucker (USA), KTM
34. Gerhard Matamoros (GRE), KTM
35. Jesse Jacobsen (USA), KTM

Standings 450MX Class 2023 after 11 of 11 rounds
1. Jett Lawrence, 550 points
2. Dylan Ferrandis, 399
3. Aaron Plessinger, 386
OTHER KTM
12. Cooper Webb, 147
31. Max Miller, 26
40. Dante Oliveira, 15
42. Christopher Prebula, 12
43. Tyler Stepek, 11
44. Jess Pettis, 11
47. Brandon Scharer, 7
48. Kevin Moranz, 7
52. Trevor Schmidt, 4
69. Jeffrey Walker, 1
71. Anthony Rodriguez, 1

Standings 250MX Class 2023 after 11 of 11 rounds
1. Hunter Lawrence, 419 points
2. Justin Cooper, 399
3. Jo Shimoda, 393
OTHER KTM
6. Tom Vialle, 306
7. Maximus Vohland, 295
24. Derek Kelley, 46
25. Josh Varize, 34
27. Slade Smith, 28
28. Julien Beaumer, 28
36. Jimmy Decotis, 13
37. Brock Bennett, 12
40. Matti Jorgensen, 7
41. Lux Turner, 7
44. Preston Boespflug, 4
46. Marcus Phelps, 2

Jett Lawrence Completes Fourth Perfect Season in Pro Motocross Championship History at Ironman Raceway

A multitude of history was made at Indiana’s Ironman Raceway on Saturday as the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, came to a close with the Tucker Freight Lines Ironman National. Headlining the 11th and final round of the summer was the completion of the fourth perfect season in American motocross history as Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence captured moto wins 21 and 22 to put the finishing touch on what will be one of the most memorable championship campaigns the sport has ever witnessed. In the 250 Class, Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence completed his own championship journey to cap off a historic feat for the Australian duo as the first ever siblings to sweep each respective title. To top it all off, Honda became the first manufacturer to successfully claim every championship in a single season following a sweep of the trio of titles up for grabs in Monster Energy Supercross earlier this year.

450 class banner bl

Moto 1

The penultimate moto of the season for the 450 Class kicked off with an incredible start by Jett Lawrence who easily grabbed the MotoSport.com Holeshot ahead of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger and Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton. A torrid pace in the opening laps saw Lawrence move out to a 1.7 second lead while Sexton was able to fight his way around Plessinger for second.

The Honda duo were in a class of their own and easily distanced themselves from the rest of the field. They traded fast laps, and each enjoyed better sections of the track, creating a bit of a yo-yo effect with the gap. Sexton was able to move within just over a second, but Lawrence responded and picked up the pace significantly to move out 4.4 seconds ahead of his teammate. Behind them, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson made moves from a fifth place start to break into podium position with a pass on Plessinger.

Back up front, Lawrence added to his lead over the second half of the moto and soon found himself more than nine seconds ahead of Sexton as time ran out on the moto clock. While the leaders found themselves well ahead of the rest of the field, the battle for third persisted as Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis was on a torrid charge to the podium. The Frenchman started ninth and was impressive in his forward progression, which culminated with a pass on Anderson for third inside the final 10 minutes of the moto.

Lawrence enjoyed another wire-to-wire effort to capture moto win 21, crossing the line 5.8 seconds ahead of Sexton, with Ferrandis a distant third. Anderson followed in fourth, while Plessinger rounded out the top five.

Jett Lawrence - Ironman National

Jett Lawrence became the third rider in Pro Motocross history
to complete a perfect season.
Photo Courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing / Align Media

Moto 2

All the key players emerged at the front of the field to start the final moto of the season, with Ferrandis snagging the MotoSport.com Holeshot ahead of Lawrence, Sexton, and Plessinger. Just a few turns into the race Ferrandis crashed hard, which ended the Frenchman’s race and handed the lead to Lawrence as Sexton and Plessinger settled into second and third, respectively.

Lawrence put the hammer down on the opening laps to establish a 1.5 second lead over Sexton as the rest of the field settled into race pace. As each lap passed, Lawrence’s margin grew, little by little, and soon sat at more than four seconds approaching the halfway point of the moto. Sexton kept his teammate honest, which allowed both riders to distance themselves from Plessinger in third.

As the final 10 minutes of the season approached Sexton had chipped away to gain about a second on Lawrence and was the fastest rider on the track at this point of the moto. The gap between the teammates continued to shrink and soon dipped under three seconds, partially impacted by the leaders navigating through lapped traffic. As the final five minutes approached the gap was just 1.4 seconds, but as he’s done for much of the year Lawrence was able to pick up the pace again and pull back out. As time ran out on the moto clock the lead had grown to 3.4 seconds with just two laps to go.

Lawrence looked to manage the lead on the final lap as Sexton went all out and started to gain ground. However, it was too little too late for Sexton as Lawrence completed the perfect season with moto win 22. The final margin of victory was 1.7 seconds. Plessinger finished in a distant third.

Chase Sexton - Ironman National

Chase Sexton captured his sixth runner-up finish of the season (2-2).
Photo Courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing / Align Media

Overall

The most dominant and impressive rookie season in 450 Class history saw Lawrence join elite company with the sport’s rarest feat. He becomes just the third rider in 52 seasons to go undefeated, joining AMA Hall of Famers Ricky Carmichael, who compiled two perfect seasons, and James Stewart. Lawrence’s 11 career wins already place him into a tie for 15th all time after just one season of competition.

Sexton’s sixth runner-up finish (2-2) of the season capped off an impressive summer for the Supercross Champion, despite missing three races with injury. He failed to finish off the podium just once in eight starts. Plessinger rounded out the overall podium in third (5-3) for his third podium result of the season.

Lawrence’s final margin in the 450 Class standings is 151 points over Ferrandis, while Plessinger earned his best-career championship finish in the premier class in third.

Aaron Plessinger - Ironman National

Aaron Plessinger finished third overall (5-3) at his home race.
Photo Courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing / Align Media

Jett Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“[The perfect season] doesn’t feel real. I started off so nervous hitting the gate [in Moto 2]. I don’t know how I led the first lap. Now we’re undefeated. To all the people who doubted me, here we are now. Also, congrats to Hunter [Lawrence]. No one deserved that [250 Class] title more than him.”

Chase Sexton, Team Honda HRC
“Jett upped the game a bit [this season]. I had to play catch up when I came back [from injury], but then he got better. You haven’t seen the last of me winning [in Pro Motocross]. I’m determined to come back stronger next season.”

Aaron Plessinger, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
“I don’t know what it is, but I love these second motos. I ride way better in the second motos than the first, so I’ve got to get that figured out. I heard these home fans every lap, it was amazing. I’m really happy with what we accomplished this season.”

HRC Team - Ironman National
450 Podium - Ironman National

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. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (5-3 // 36)
  4. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki (4-4 // 36)
  5. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (6-6 // 30)
  6. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha (7-8 // 27)
  7. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., GASGAS (11-5 // 26)
  8. Dylan Wright, Canada, Honda (8-9 // 25)
  9. Phil Nicoletti, Cochecton, N.Y., Yamaha (12-7 // 23)
  10. Harri Kullas, Estonia, Yamaha (9-12 // 21)

450 Class Championship Final Standings

  1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 550
  2. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha – 399
  3. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 386
  4. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda – 338
  5. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 328
  6. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha – 255
  7. Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki – 242
  8. Fredrik Noren, Lidköping, Sweden, Suzuki – 219
  9. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki – 207
  10. Grant Harlan, Justin, Texas, Yamaha – 176
250 class banner

Moto 1

The first moto of the 250 Class saw Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Ryder DiFrancesco lead the field to the MotoSport.com Holeshot ahead of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing ride of Tom Vialle and the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki duo of Seth Hammaker and Jo Shimoda. Deep in the field was championship point leader Hunter Lawrence, who started 17th aboard after being forced to avoid a crash in the first turn. The early adversity also impacted Lawrence’s primary title rival, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper, who was one of several riders collected in the incident and forced to fight his way forward from well outside the top 20.

With his first opportunity to lead a Pro Motocross moto DiFrancesco took hold of the top spot and managed a lead for the opening nine minutes before Vialle closed in and made the pass. Vialle was followed by Shimoda, who dropped his teammate to third. From there a battle for lead ensued as the international duo engaged in a spirited fight, with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rookie Haiden Deegan lurking in third. As the moto approached its halfway point the top three on the track were separated by a mere 1.5 seconds.

Shimoda ramped up his aggression and managed to make the pass on Vialle, which put the Frenchman into the clutches of Deegan. The battle for second saw both riders swap lines throughout the track, trading bursts of momentum. Meanwhile, Shimoda moved out to a one-second lead. Behind them, Lawrence broke into the top 10, while Cooper remained mired in 15th.

Deegan mounted another charge to make the pass on Vialle and then looked to erase a 2.1 second deficit to Shimoda with less than 12 minutes remaining. Deegan made an initial push to close the gap, but Shimoda responded and continued to build on his advantage as the moto wore on and eventually moved ahead by nearly 7.5 seconds. From there the top three settled into their respective positions while Lawrence’s climb through the field continued to the cusp of the top five in sixth.

Shimoda’s single-best-moto of the season saw the Japanese rider take the seventh moto win of his career and his second of the season, crossing the line 7.6 seconds ahead of Deegan, followed by Vialle in third. Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Austin Forkner finished in fourth, while Lawrence clawed his way up to fifth. Cooper managed to fight his way back to 13th, but it wasn’t enough to keep Lawrence from clinching the championship with his top-five result.

Jo Shimoda - Ironman National

Jo Shimoda wrapped up the season with the first win of 2023 for both he
and Kawasaki following the Japanese rider’s first ever 1-1 outing.
Photo Courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing / Align Media

Moto 2

The final 250 Class moto of the summer started off with a sweep of the MotoSport.comHoleshots by DiFrancesco with Shimoda right on his rear fender ahead of Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Levi Kitchen. A persistent Kitchen went on the attack against Shimoda and made the pass before setting his sights on DiFrancesco. Shimoda bided his time in third, several positions ahead of all his rivals in the battle for the overall as Vialle sat sixth, Deegan seventh, and Lawrence 10th.

After settling into a groove Shimoda’s pace ramped up again. He caught the leaders and made a quick, savvy move to reclaim second from Kitchen. He proceeded to close in on his teammate for the lead and apply pressure. The top three pulled away from the rest of the field and sat more than five seconds clear of fourth.

Shimoda started to look for a way around DiFrancesco, but the rookie withstood the attack initially. However, Shimoda’s persistence paid off and he took control of the lead with 18 minutes remaining. Kitchen then made the move on DiFrancesco for second and looked to track down Shimoda once more. At the turn of the midway point of the moto Shimoda’s lead hovered around two seconds over Kitchen, while Cooper rebounded from his adversity filled first moto with a move into podium position, which dropped DiFrancesco to fourth.

With a little more than 10 minutes to go Kitchen crashed out of second and was forced to retire from the moto, which moved Cooper up to second and Vialle up to third. For Shimoda the dominance continued through the remainder of the race as he wrapped up the first moto sweep of his career, finishing 2.1 seconds ahead of Cooper, while Deegan made a late pass on Vialle to nab third. In his first moto as champion, Lawrence savored the moment and cruised home to a ninth-place finish.

Haiden Deegan - Ironman National

Haiden Deegan wrapped up Rookie of the Year honors with a runner-up finish (2-3).
Photo Courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing / Align Media

Overall

Shimoda’s maiden 1-1 performance and third career win proved significant for Kawasaki, which had yet to win throughout Monster Energy Supercross and the first 10 rounds of Pro Motocross, and helped the manufacturer avoid its first winless season since 1981. Deegan’s late pass for third in Moto 2 allowed the newly crowned Rookie of the Year to finish in the runner-up spot (2-3), while Vialle ended his first year on American soil with his third podium result in third (3-4).

While Shimoda enjoyed the spoils of victory, it was Lawrence who savored the celebration of a championship. The veteran Australian captured seven victories over the course of the summer and eight podium finishes to finish the season with a final margin of 20 points over Cooper, who earned his fourth career championship podium result, while Shimoda earned a second straight championship podium finish in third.

Team Honda HRC is now in the midst of a three-year winning streak for 250 Class titles following back-to-back crowns by Jett Lawrence in 2021 and 2022.

Tom Vialle - Ironman National

Tom Vialle completed his first season of U.S. competition in third (3-4).
Photo Courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing / Align Media

Hunter Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“I saw the chaos in the second turn. I saw blue bikes and then the No. 32 and thought, ‘That sucks.’ I was way, way back, trying to be patient and trying not to rush anything. Man, what a year. Never say die, never give up. It’s unbelievable. So honored to thank the team with five championships, and the year’s not done.”

Jo Shimoda, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki
“I’m so happy to end the last race like this. I got two good starts and it turned into a 1-1. It’s been a long, great season and I’m excited for the SMX rounds.”

Haiden Deegan, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“This year’s been crazy. To be honest, I woke up sick as a dog, but there ain’t no quit in me. I’m going to fight until the end. This year’s been hard, but I never gave up. I’m going to go home, work my butt off, and come back swinging next year.”

Tom Vialle, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
“It’s nice to finish the season on the podium. This track was sick. I’m really looking forward to coming back and having a better season next summer.”

Hunter Lawrence - 250 MX Champ - Ironman National
250 Podium - Ironman National

250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)

  1. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki (1-1 // 50)
  2. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (2-3 // 42)
  3. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM (3-4 // 38)
  4. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (13-2 // 30)
  5. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (5-9 // 28)
  6. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki (9-6 // 27)
  7. Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Husqvarna (11-5 // 26)
  8. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM (8-8 // 26)
  9. Seth Hammaker, Bainbridge, Pa., Kawasaki (6-12 // 24)
  10. Stilez Robertson, Bakersfield, Calif., Yamaha (12-11 // 19)

250 Class Championship Final Standings

  1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 419
  2. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 399
  3. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki – 393
  4. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 371
  5. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha – 322
  6. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM – 302
  7. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM – 295
  8. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna – 288
  9. Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Husqvarna – 221
  10. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki – 208

While the sport’s regular season has drawn to a close, its first ever postseason awaits in a matter of 14 days. The inaugural SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs will commence with three rounds of postseason competition, beginning on Saturday, September 9, with Playoff 1 from Charlotte’s zMAX Dragway. Playoff 2 will take place one week later, on Saturday, September 16, from Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois, before the SMX Finale on Saturday, September 23, from the hallowed grounds of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Coverage from all three events will be streamed live on Peacock, in addition to network coverage from Charlotte and Los Angeles on USA Network. Tickets can be purchased at www.SuperMotocross.com.

For information about the Pro Motocross Championship, please visit ProMotocross.com and be sure to follow all of the Pro Motocross social media channels for exclusive content and additional information on the latest news:

JUSTIN BARCIA WRAPS UP MX SEASON WITH A TOP-FIVE MOTO FINISH AT IRONMAN

The Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing Team wrapped up a tough injury-plagued outdoor season at Ironman Raceway in Crawfordsville, Indiana, with a goal of building momentum for the upcoming inaugural SuperMotocross playoffs.

  • Despite missing nine races, Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia goes into the playoff races in the tenth overall spot; while Pierce Brown is the 15th ranked 250 rider after missing seven races
  • Justin Barcia had an 11-5 score at Ironman for seventh overall
  • Pierce Brown’s 17-10 moto scores gave him 13th overall for the day

250 MX

After qualifying just outside the top ten of the talent-laden 250 class, Pierce Brown’s first moto got off to a rough start when he went down with a cluster of riders in the second turn. After remounting his MC 250F Factory Edition, he made his way back to 17th. In moto two, he got off to a better start and was 14th at the end of the first lap. From there, he picked off four riders, making his way to tenth at the finish.

Pierce Brown: “The first moto was a little bit rough. I got tangled up with some riders after the start which was unfortunate. I had to start from basically dead last, and was able to make it up to 17th. Not a good moto, but I was happy with my riding. In moto two it wasn’t a great start or a terrible start, but I was able to make some passes and ended up tenth. So, for how the last couple motos have been I’m pretty happy with how I rode in moto two and how it went so hopefully we’re building some momentum for the SuperMotocross rounds.”

450 MX

In his third race back since returning to action, Justin Barcia qualified tenth aboard his MC 450F Factory Edition on the fast and flowing Ironman circuit. Unfortunately, a crash early in moto one dropped him deep into the 40-rider pack. He salvaged what he could for the moto by charging his way back to 11th at the finish. In moto two, a much better start had him running in the top four, and he dropped one spot to finish fifth at the checkers.

Justin Barcia: “I had a tough first moto. I got into a little pile-up and came back to 11th. It definitely wasn’t happy with that. In the second moto, I had a decent start and rode really hard. I found some decent lines, had a good flow going, and ended up fifth. I was definitely happier with the second moto considering where I was at a couple weeks ago to now. Not bad, but I definitely have a lot of work to do. I’m looking forward to SuperMotocross and getting back to my winning self.”

Next Event (SuperMotocross Round 1): September 9, 2023 – zMax Dragway in Concord, N.C.

Results – 2023 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, Round 11

250 MX

1. Jo Shimoda (Kawasaki) 1-1; 2. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 2-3; 3. Tom Vialle (KTM) 3-4 … 13. Pierce Brown (GASGAS) 17-10; 23. Mark Fineis (GASGAS) 21-20; 27. Gage Linville (GASGAS) 24-27

450 MX

1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) 1-1; 2. Chase Sexton (Honda) 2-2; 3. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) 5-3… 7. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) 11-5; 15. Jose Butron (GASGAS) 39-11; 20. Romain Pape (GASGAS) 40-15; 42. Raimundo Trasolini (GASGAS) 35-DNS

Final Championship Standings

250 MX

1. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 419 points; 2. Justin Cooper (Yamaha) 399 points; 3. Jo Shimoda (Honda) 393 points… 19. Pierce Brown (GASGAS) 76 points;30. Michael Mosiman (GASGAS) 20 points; 36. Tyson Johnson (GASGAS) 13 points; 45. Joel Rizzi (GASGAS) 3 points; 48. Mark Fineis (GASGAS) 2 point

450 MX

1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) 550 points; 2. Dylan Ferrandis (Yamaha) 399 points; 3. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) 386 points … 11. Jose Butron (GASGAS) 152 points; 14. Lorenzo Locurcio (GASGAS) 110 points; 17. Romain Pape (GASGAS) 90 points; 19. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) 67 points; 30. Chris Canning (GASGAS) 27 points; 53. Jacob Runkles (GASGAS) 4 points; 62. Cody Groves (GASGAS) 3 points; 70. Jakub Teresak (GASGAS) 1 point

JALEK SWOLL LEADS THE WAY FOR ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA WITH 7TH-PLACE OVERALL

The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team finished up their 2023 Pro Motocross campaign at Ironman Raceway, with Jalek Swoll leading the charge, as RJ Hampshire opted to sit out another round ahead of the upcoming SuperMotocross playoffs.

250 MX

After starting inside the top 15 of moto one on his FC250, Jalek Swoll fought his way to an 11th-place finish. Jalek got off to a much better start in moto two, and battled to a fifth-place score, giving him seventh overall for the day, and cementing a ninth-overall tally for the season. He also goes into the SuperMotocross season in the 11th overall spot in the 250 class standings.


“It could have been a lot better with a start in the first moto, but it was an okay day. I feel like I kind of struggled with the flow of the track all day. It came around a bit in moto two, and I’m happy with it. P5, so not bad. It’s something to end the season on and carry into SMX.,” said Swoll. “I feel like I need to get my starts dialed in and I can’t keep messing up the first motos. We’ll come out swinging for SMX and try to end the year on a good note.”

Talon Hawkins matched his best-ever moto finish in moto one, finishing in tenth. But a crash early in moto two made for a long slog to a 19th-place score. But he did finish in 12th overall for the series in his rookie campaign.

“Wow. I definitely like to make it hard on myself in the second moto. But I got a top ten in the first one, and I was riding well all day. I had my best overall qualifying of the year, so that’s a positive to take away. I also matched my best moto finish, I just needed to put it together for the second one. Unfortunately, I had a crash on the second lap and pretty much came from dead last up to 19th,” said Hawkins.“This is a tough game, but I’m ready to get back on the track in the next couple of weeks for SuperMotocross.”

The second Pro Motocross National was a tough one for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team newcomer Casey Cochran, but he’ll use to experience to learn and build toward future events.

“It was a rough weekend as far as the racing. I had too many crashes, but we’ll bounce back and learn from the situations that we put ourselves in,” said Cochran.

Next Event (SuperMotocross Round 1): September 9, 2023 – zMax Dragway in Concord, N.C.

Round 11 Results: Ironman

250 MX Results

1. Jo Shimoda (Kawasaki), 1-1
2. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha), 2-3
3. Tom Vialle (KTM), 3-4
…
7. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 11-5
16. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 10-19
19. Jorgen Talviku (Husqvarna), 19-16
37. Casey Cochran – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 28-39
39. Peyton Jackson (Husqvarna), 38-34


450 MX Results

1. Jett Lawrence (Honda), 1-1
2. Chase Sexton (Honda), 2-2
3. Aaron Plessinger (KTM), 5-3
…
27. Justin Rodbell (Husqvarna), 20-28
29. John Adamson (Husqvarna), 26-23
37. Scott Meshey (Husqvarna), 32-40


250 MX Rider Point Standings
1. Hunter Lawrence – 419 points
2. Justin Cooper – 399 points
3. Jo Shimoda – 393 points
…
8. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 288 points
9. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 221 points
12. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 129 points
29. Jorgen Talviku (Husqvarna) – 26 points
47. Casey Cochran – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 2 points
49. Kai Aiello (Husqvarna)– 2 points


450 MX Rider Point Standings
1. Jett Lawrence – 550 points
2. Dylan Ferrandis – 399 points
3. Aaron Plessinger – 386 points
…
29. Anton Gole – 29 points
54. Luke Renzland – 4 points
55. John Adamson – 4 points
59. Tanel Leok – 3 points
63. Scott Meshey – 3 points
64. Justin Rodbell – 3 points

MONSTER ENERGY®/PRO CIRCUIT/KAWASAKI RIDER JO SHIMODA TAKES THE OVERALL WIN AT THE FINAL ROUND OF AMA PRO MOTOCROSS

Foothill Ranch, Calif. (August 27, 2023) – Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Jo Shimoda brought home the overall win and the first two-moto sweep of his career at the final round of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship at Ironman MX on Saturday. Teammates Ryder DiFrancesco, Seth Hammaker and Austin Forkner finished sixth (9-6), ninth (6-12) and 11th (4-35) to round out the season in the 250 Class. Monster Energy® Kawasaki riders Jason Anderson and Adam Cianciarulo wrapped up the Pro Motocross season in the 450 Class finishing fourth (4-4) and fifth (6-6) overall, respectively. 
Located in Crawfordsville, Indiana, Ironman MX originally started in 1995 as an iconic GNCC track known for its elevation changes and steep jumps and now is a favorite amongst the Pro Motocross paddock as the finale.  During qualifying, Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki riders filled the Top 11 positions with Hammaker placing third, less than a second behind the top qualifier, Shimoda placing fifth overall, DiFrancesco placing ninth, and Forkner 11th.

At the start of 250 Moto 1, DiFrancesco shot out of the gate, grabbing his second holeshot of the season, with Shimoda, Hammaker and Forkner quickly in tow. DiFrancesco held the lead for the first four laps, as his teammates Shimoda and Hammaker battled for the remaining podium spots. DiFrancesco soon fell back to third, moving Shimoda up into second. Forkner began maneuvering his KX™250 through the field, quickly making his way into the Top 5. Shimoda battled with the No. 128 of Tom Vialle for a few laps until he overtook the lead and began to walk away from the rest of the field, finishing with a staggering 7.5 second lead to secure the win. Hammaker remained in the fourth position until a mistake on the last lap that sent him off his machine, which he quickly remounted and finished sixth. Forkner made a remarkable charge finishing fourth, and DiFrancesco finished ninth. 
In Moto 2, DiFrancesco would claim another holeshot with Shimoda following closely in third, Hammaker ninth and an early fall sent Forkner to the back of the field. Shimoda and DiFrancesco battled for a few laps until the No. 30 overtook the lead where he progressively pulled away from the pack. DiFrancesco lost a few positions falling back to sixth, where he would stay for the remainder of the moto. Hammaker made minor mistakes throughout the moto, finishing 12th. Forkner made his way through the field until a costly mistake sent him off his machine, which ultimately retired him from the moto. Shimoda would maintain his lead, crossing the finish line in first, clinching Kawasaki’s first overall win of the season.
“Honestly I don’t have words for how this feels. Thank you to my Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team and everyone behind me. I couldn’t have asked for better motos going 1-1. I am so stoked to finish off the motocross season on a high note. I’m ready to switch gears and do it again at SuperMotocross in a few weeks.”    – Jo Shimoda 
“I had great starts and decent motos today. I know I can be up front, so my Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team and I will put in work for the upcoming SMX rounds.”– Ryder DiFrancesco
“I had a great first moto until my crash and I was lucky to salvage sixth. The second moto was brutal, but I fought hard to get through it on my KX™250. I’m 
ready to reset and go back to work and prepare for SMX.”- Seth Hammaker
“I had a great first moto, and then in the second moto had nothing but problems. We took some steps forward and need to limit the ones going backwards. I’m leaving healthy and will get ready for the next.”– Austin Forkner

Monster Energy® Kawasaki riders Jason Anderson and Adam Cianciarulo started off the weekend strong on their KX™450SR machines qualifying fourth and fifth and were ready for one last battle in Pro Motocross for the season. 
In Moto 1, both Anderson and Cianciarulo came out with great Top 5 starts to be in position to challenge at the front of the pack. Anderson charged his way into the third position for the first half of the moto, but fell back to fourth near the end where he would finish. The No. 9 continued to persevere through the heat at a steady pace, but eventually fell back to sixth where he would finish. 
At the start of Moto 2, Cianciarulo would secure the sixth position, while Anderson had an early jump, catching himself in the gate and leaving the line last. By the end of Lap 1 Anderson already made his way from the 38th position into the Top 10. Remarkably by Lap 3, Anderson broke into the Top 5, passing teammate Cianciarulo in the process. The No. 9 progressively battled with the No. 69 of Phil Nicoletti for a few laps, until he made the pass for sixth where he would finish. The No. 21 continued to charge for the remainder of the moto, finishing fourth after an impressive comeback.
“I made a few mistakes that kept me off the podium this weekend, but we have the speed to be up front. I’m stoked to be improving and now it’s time to switch gears to SMX.”– Jason Anderson
“It’s been a rewarding year with my Monster Energy® Kawasaki team. Our work is far from done, but I’m happy with the progress we made this season. Next stop, Charlotte!”– Adam Cianciarulo
Share
Verified by ExactMetrics