This Week in Powersports Racing – The week of January 7, 2024

This week in US powersports racing.

Jett Lawrence Wins Anaheim 1 Supercross and Makes Rookie History – RJ Hampshire Nabs Victory in Western Regional 250SX Class

Anaheim, Calif., (January 6, 2024) Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence became the first athlete to win his first 450SX Class Main Event with a decisive victory at the opening round of the 17-round 2024 Monster Energy Supercross season.

Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson earned second place in front of a packed Angel Stadium. Red Bull KTM’s Chase Sexton earned the final podium spot in the first race of the year that marks the 50th anniversary season of AMA Supercross. Each Supercross race also pays points toward the 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship. In the Western Regional 250SX Class, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire earned the first win of that 10-round championship.

Second Place 450SX Class – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
“I definitely didn’t want him [Cooper Webb] to pass me [for second]. So I think we kind of slowed our pace down trying to have that battle for a second and let Jett get that little three-second gap… But at the same time I [made a few] mistakes and stuff like that, and Cooper was able to get on me and be able to get close enough to make that pass. But I think me, Coop, and Jett, for a good 15 minutes of that moto were pretty even. It was tough to make time.” – Jason Anderson, describing his battle with Cooper Webb for second place before Webb crashed.

Third Place 450SX Class – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
“I come out here to win and be up front, so not only Jett, but everybody else, I gotta go out there and race as hard as I can and try and win. But I’m happy to be on the podium. It wasn’t, like I said, my best riding, but it’s a long season; and like last year shows, you gotta be there for every race. I feel like my consistency is better this year, I just gotta get a little bit more speed. I had really good speed last year and now we gotta get that back and we’ll be in a good spot.” – Chase Sexton when asked about the importance of preventing Jett from getting momentum early in the season.

In the opening round of the Western Regional 250SX Class RJ Hampshire racked up first place points and the early-season lead. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Jordon Smith battled up to a second place. Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen brought home the third place spot for his new team for 2024.

First Place 250SX Class – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
“I know how fast it can change and how up and down it is… Stay level headed and take next weekend the same as we took this weekend. Stay in the fight, give myself a chance. If the win’s there, awesome, if not, take what the night gives me. …[I’m just trying to] enjoy this. Especially enjoy an Anaheim 1 victory, which was massive.” – RJ Hampshire downplaying the importance of one win to establish himself early in the season as the front runner.

Second Place 250SX Class – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
“RJ had a pretty big lead by the time I got into second. There’s wasn’t a whole lot of seperator on the track tonight. It was tough to get that long rhythm but I mainly wasn’t focused on going for the win I was just focused on putting my laps in, just trying to stay focused in the whoops. They were not hard tonight but they got tricky in the Main Event. They were pretty tore-up.” – Jordon Smith.

Third Place 250SX Class – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
“I think I got more in me for sure, but tonight was still positive… To get it back together after that heat race incident, and early on I panicked pretty bad in that main. These guys [Hampshire and Smith] were riding really good, too. They blew by me, so I had to regroup, which was a positive for me also. But like RJ said there are ups and downs and it’s a long season, so to get out of here healthy with a podium, I can’t complain.” – Levi Kitchen, when asked if he has more under the hood for future races.

Round two takes the action to Oracle Park in San Francisco on January 13^th. The racing starts earlier this year and the Opening Ceremonies kick-off round two at 8:00 p.m. EST. Every round of the 17-round Monster Energy Supercross season also serves as the first 17 rounds of the 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship. After its launch in 2023, the SuperMotocross League combines the excitement of the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross season, the 11-round AMA Pro Motocross season, two Playoff Rounds, and one Final to crown an overall winner in both the 450SMX and 250SMX Classes. All 31 SuperMotocross World Championship rounds will be streamed live on PeacockTV, with select rounds also broadcast or streamed domestically on NBC, USA Network, CNBC, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app. CNBC will air next-day encore presentations of all 31 rounds of 2024 racing. For international coverage, the racing is available through the SuperMotocross Video Pass (supermotocross.tv) live and on-demand, in both English and Spanish. Tickets are on sale now for all sixteen remaining Monster Energy Supercross events. For tickets, race results, video highlights, feature stories, and airtimes on Peacock, NBC, USA Network, and CNBC please go to SupercrossLIVE.com.

ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA’S RJ HAMPSHIRE EARNS ANAHEIM 1 250SX WEST VICTORY

Victory for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire in the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship season-opener at Anaheim 1 marked an exceptional start to his season in 250SX West, as 450SX teammates Malcolm Stewart and Christian Craig each experienced their share of adversity at the opening round.

Hampshire was fast as soon as bikes were on-track at Angel Stadium, with the title contender rocketing his Husqvarna FC 250 Rockstar Edition to second position during the afternoon’s qualifying sessions.

That momentum continued for Hampshire into his Heat Race, where he pieced together a ride that very nearly earned him the win, before crossing the line in second place and setting the stage for a strong Main Event.

Launching out of the gates for a top three-start, Hampshire exercised patience in the opening laps and allowing the race to unfold, before making his way into the lead and taking control from there, eventually capturing the victory and taking hold of the series leader’s red plate heading into Round 2.

“A1 was awesome for me and it was a dream of mine to win Anaheim 1 and leave with the red plate,” commented Hampshire. “Super-happy with the day, felt awesome on my Husqvarna and am thankful for the whole team, they’ve been crushing it for me and it shows tonight. I took what the night gave me and it gave me a win, so I’m happy with where we are at, there’s a lot of good things going right now, and we’ll stay level-headed heading into San Fran next week.”

Stewart made his welcome return to competition at Anaheim 1 after spending the majority of last year on the sidelines due to injury, with the number 27 looking fit and ready to attack 2024. He opened proceedings by posting the 10th-fastest qualifying time, before charging to an impressive third position in his Heat Race.

An unfortunate fall on the opening lap of the Main Event for Stewart after being collected in a pile-up made for a difficult outing, as the Husqvarna FC 450 Rockstar Edition pilot was tasked with a come-from-behind ride as he remounted toward the rear of the field. He showed immense heart and fought until the final lap, where he recovered to an inspired 11th-place finish.

“I got the first one out the way and it’s been a whole year since I’ve raced,” noted Stewart. “We ended up 11th after going down on the first lap, got back up and then went down again. But honestly, I’m just glad to be back racing, I rode good in the Main Event, but the results weren’t there. We have something to build off now, the team’s been working really hard and we had a great off-season. The results don’t show that, but I have 16 rounds left to show what we can do. I started like this in 2022 and came back for third in the championship, so tonight was just unfortunate, but these races happen, and now we’ll start stacking up top fives and podiums to get right back up in the mix.”

Premier class teammate Craig entered this season after a grueling off-season in Florida by recording a time that landed him P14 in qualifying, converting that into a seventh-place finish in the first Heat Race of the night, which would transfer him directly into the Main Event. Unfortunately, it would not go as planned for Craig, who withdrew during the early stages and was credited with 20th position.

Next Event (Round 2): January 13, 2024 – Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif.

Round 1 Results: Anaheim

250SX West – Main Event

1. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

2. Jordon Smith (Yamaha)

3. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki)

450SX – Main Event

1. Jett Lawrence (Honda)

2. Jason Anderson (Kawasaki)

3. Chase Sexton (KTM)

…

11. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

20. Christian Craig – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

250SX West Rider Point Standings

1. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 25 points

2. Jordon Smith (Yamaha) – 22 points

3. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) – 20 points

450SX Rider Point Standings

1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) – 25 points

2. Jason Anderson (Kawasaki) 22 points

3. Chase Sexton (KTM) 20 points

…

11. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 11 points

20. Christian Craig – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 2 points

CHASE SEXTON PODIUMS ON DEBUT WITH RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING AT ANAHEIM 1

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton claimed a podium finish of third position in his first appearance with the team in tonight’s opening round of the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship at Anaheim 1, directly ahead of teammate Aaron Plessinger in P4 at the conclusion of the 450SX Main Event. 250SX West rookie Julien Beaumer placed a solid sixth at the season-opener.

Defending Supercross champion Sexton debuted the number 1 plate onboard his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, posting the second fastest lap-time following the afternoon’s qualifying sessions.

A costly fall in the first turn of his Heat Race had Sexton down the order, and meant he would have to charge from the rear of the field to get back into transfer position. True to champion form, he would do just that, surging his way into sixth place by the time the checkered flag flew.

A top-five start in the Main Event put Sexton right in the fight as the gates dropped, moving forward as the race unfolded. With consistency a main contributor to winning titles, he posted a calculated ride on the technical Anaheim circuit to seal third place at Round 1.

Chase Sexton: “I come out here to win and be up front, but I’m happy to be on the podium coming out of Anaheim. As we saw last year, it’s as much about consistency as speed, and we know what we need to work on – I feel much more solid this year and I think we’ll be in a really good spot. It was a positive start to my career at Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and I’m excited to keep progressing as the rounds continue in these early stages of the season.”

For teammate Plessinger, P12 was the result following qualifying, as the Ohio native looked to begin his season on the front foot. A mid-field start in his Heat Race saw the number 7 claw his way into the top five, racing to a solid second-place finish to enter the Main Event.

Plessinger benefited from a strong start in the final, only to be shuffled back to the tail-end of the top 10 as he rounded the first turn. Another charge through the field was in order, as he steadily made his way through the pack and into fourth place, which is where he would finish to start his 2024 campaign.

Aaron Plessinger: “A1 was a good start to the season! I felt great all day, and then yeah, Heat Race went great, got second behind Kenny [Roczen], but came from a ways back, then got a good jump in the Main Event, but kind of forgot how to go around a first corner… Got shuffled back to about 10th, and then came back strong to fourth. I’m pumped on it, good start to the season, and we’ve got some homework to do, but I’m looking forward to San Francisco and hopefully getting it on the podium.”

Qualifying marked an impressive 250SX debut for Beaumer on the Western Region, who powered his KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to the third-fastest time in convincing fashion. A holeshot in the second Heat Race of the night resulted in a promising ride toward the front of the pack on his way to second place.

The 17-year-old launched out of the gates once again in the Main Event to the holeshot, leading the opening laps. The rookie held his own as he challenged for a podium position throughout the majority of the race, before eventually taking the checkered flag in sixth place.

Julien Beaumer: “Obviously this is A1, so I was a bit nervous at first – the Heat Race was nerve-wracking, but felt good overall. I felt good in the Main Event and got the holeshot, which made things a little scary, but I feel like my pace was good in the beginning. I made a little mistake around halfway and got passed, but just settled in from there. I am happy with sixth and the goal for next weekend is to be in the top five.”

Anaheim 1 also saw the opening stop of KTM Junior Supercross, presented by Wells Fargo, where 15 talented young racers took to the track onboard the KTM SX-E 5, as Ethan Fisher, Dillon Chapman, and Logan Moore featured on the podium.

Next Race: January 13 – San Francisco, California

Results 450SX Class – Anaheim
1. Jett Lawrence (AUS), Honda, 20 laps
2. Jason Anderson (USA), Kawasaki, +7.188
3. Chase Sexton (USA), KTM, +13.815
OTHER KTM
4. Aaron Plessinger (USA), KTM
14. Justin Hill (USA), KTM

Standings 450SX Class 2024 after 1 of 17 rounds
1. Jett Lawrence, 25 points
2. Jason Anderson, 22
3. Chase Sexton, 20
OTHER KTM
4. Aaron Plessinger, 18
14. Justin Hill, 8

Results 250SX West Class – Anaheim
1. RJ Hampshire (USA), Husqvarna, 15 laps
2. Jordon Smith (USA), Yamaha, +3.138
3. Levi Kitchen (USA), Kawasaki, +5.004
OTHER KTM
6. Julien Beaumer (USA), KTM
18. Talon Hawkins (USA), KTM
20. Lux Turner (USA), KTM

Standings 250SX West Class 2024 after 1 of 9 rounds
1. RJ Hampshire, 25 points
2. Jordon Smith, 22
3. Levi Kitchen, 20
OTHER KTM
6. Julien Beaumer, 16
18. Talon Hawkins, 4
20. Lux Turner, 2

CONSISTENT RESULTS FOR TROY LEE DESIGNS/RED BULL/GASGAS FACTORY RACING TEAM AT AMA SUPERCROSS SEASON-OPENER

AMA Supercross roared back into action at the famed Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, this Saturday, as the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing Team entered the fray with Justin Barcia securing seventh place in the 450SX ranks, with new recruit Ryder DiFrancesco taking ninth place in 250SX West.

Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing Team’s Justin Barcia finishes with seventh place at the season-opener
Ryder DiFrancesco races to ninth place in 250SX West Class on first outing with GASGAS
Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s MXGP World Champion Jorge Prado delivers P13 in Supercross debut

The buzz surrounding the opening round was in the air as riders met for the first time in months, hitting the track for the opening qualifying session of the year eager to showcase the improvements made throughout the off-season. For Barcia, limited seat time following his recovery from injury saw him land P13, equipped his GASGAS MC 450F Factory Edition.

Fifth position in his Heat Race earned Barcia a direct transfer into the Main Event, where he would charge hard all race long inside the top 10 and translate his pace into a seventh-place result to begin his 2024 challenge

Justin Barcia: “Anaheim 1 was a stressful day and mostly because of the unknown… I didn’t have the strongest off-season I’ve ever had in my career, but I just used my veteran skills and had a good day! Qualifying wasn’t where I wanted to be, but I kept a cool head and had a decent Heat Race. And then in the Main Event, I made some good passes there and then had a good battle with Chase [Sexton], Aaron [Plessinger], and a couple of other guys, then tightened up a little bit at the end there. All-in-all, I was happy to get a top 10 and the goal for the season is to build as we go.”

Piloting his GASGAS MC 250F Factory Edition for the first time in race conditions, DiFrancesco was on the gas from the outset, improving from 11th in qualifying and racing to a sixth-place finish in the opening 250SX Heat Race of the year.

A top-10 start saw DiFrancesco battling for position throughout the entirety of the Main Event, pushing hard to move his way up the order. Ninth place was the result by the conclusion of the race, banking a solid amount of points and experience as the series next heads to San Francisco.

Ryder DiFrancesco: “It was a good night for A1, the first round is always a bit nerve-wracking, and it’s just the little things, like making it through the Heat Race into the Main Event. They’re things that no one really thinks about, so that was a huge check-off for me, and I know I have a lot more in me! Ninth isn’t where I want to be, but I ran fifth or sixth for half the race and I’m now stoked for San Francisco.”

Lining up for his first career start in 450SX, all eyes were on defending MXGP World Champion Jorgo Prado as the Spaniard debuted in the tight confines of Supercross. After posting the ninth-fastest qualifying time, The Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing rider signaled his intentions early, and a solid eighth place in his Heat Race resulted in a direct transfer to the Main Event.

Prado powered out of the gates to one of his patented fast starts in the Main Event, mixing it up amongst the top Supercross riders in the world as he battled for position. Noting the track deterioration during the race, he gained invaluable experience under the lights of Angel Stadium, and finished in 13th place.

Jorge Prado: “First-ever Supercross race is done, and what an experience! It’s so different from what I am used to, and it was just a day of building. I felt good in practice every time, and then the night show the track was so different. I’m used to riding the test tracks with a harder base and different whoops, so every time I tried to go through these ones, they were so different, which made it difficult and unpredictable. I didn’t find a good flow in the Main Event, but got a good start. I think next week we will move in the right direction, especially with having one race under my belt, and P13 I think is not a bad start.”

Results – 2024 AMA Supercross Championship, Round 1

450SX Results – Anaheim I SX
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda)
2. Jason Anderson (Kawasaki)
3. Chase Sexton (KTM)
7. Justin Barcia (GASGAS)
13. Jorge Prado (GASGAS)

450SX Championship Standings (After Round 1)
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) 25pts
2. Jason Anderson (Kawasaki) 22pts
3. Chase Sexton (KTM) 20pts
7. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) 15pts
13. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 9pts

250SX West Results – Anaheim I SX
1. RJ Hampshire (Husqvarna)
2. Jordon Smith (Yamaha)
3. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki)
9. Ryder DiFrancesco (GASGAS)

250SX West Championship Standings (After Round 1)
1. RJ Hampshire, 25pts
2. Jordon Smith, 22pts
3. Levi Kitchen, 20pts
9. Ryder DiFrancesco (GASGAS) 13pts

Jett Lawrence Makes History at Anaheim 1 Supercross

Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence made history at the highly anticipated opener to AMA Supercross’s 50th anniversary season, becoming the first rookie to win in his premier-class indoors debut. Meanwhile, in his first official ride aboard the factory Team Honda HRC CRF250R, Jo Shimoda fought through the pack to finish fourth in the 250SX West division. The Anaheim 1 Supercross was not as kind to Hunter Lawrence, as a series of misfortunes prevented him from advancing to the main event, but he’s determined to come back strong next week to show his true potential in San Francisco.

Jett came out swinging in the 450SX main event, with an impressive holeshot aboard his CRF450RWE. The 20-year-old Australian sensation led every lap with his signature smooth, collected style, perfectly managing the gap to the riders behind him and crossing the finish line with a 7-second margin. Also impressive was Dylan Ferrandis, who finished in the top five in his debut with Phoenix Racing Honda.

In the 250 main event, Shimoda got a good jump out of the gate but was shuffled to the outside of the first turn and found himself out of the top 10 early on. The Japanese rider remained calm and settled into a good pace, working his way forward throughout the main event to eventually threaten for a podium position, although he ultimately settled for a close fourth place when the checkers flew. Other Red Riders to finish in the top 10 were SmarTop/MotoConcepts racers Mitchell Oldenburg (eighth) and Carson Mumford (10^th).

NOTES

Both Hunter and Jett Lawrence were featured in Friday’s pre-season press conference, as was Team Honda HRC manager Lars Lindstrom. Afterward, Jo Shimoda joined his teammates for a riding session on the new track.
Anaheim 1 was the debut of the new Lawrence Brothers Supercross VIP experience, which was sold out. Included is early VIP check-in and privileged entry to the Lawrence Factory Fan Zone, a meet-and-greet with the Lawrence brothers, a track walk, lunch and more. Additional information is available here.
To recognize his status as reigning SuperMotocross 450 Champion, Jett ran a purple number plate with a fluorescent-yellow number 18 on his CRF450RWE. The Australian will run the yellow digits all season, although the background will switch to red next week in San Francisco, designating him as the series points leader.
Huntington Beach Honda, a popular Southern California Powerhouse dealer, set up a pop-up activation booth in the Team Honda HRC pits, where they displayed a Talon side-by-side and engaged with fans and customers.
Team Honda HRC was pleased to host Doug and Elva Lawrence, grandparents of Hunter and Jett Lawrence. The elder Lawrences were finishing up a two-month stay in the U.S. that included a trip to the Grand Canyon and a Mississippi River paddleboat ride, as well as helping out at the Dog Pound compound where the brothers train. (I always taught Dazzy it’s important to earn your keep, and that came back to bite me,” Doug joked.) Anaheim 1 was their first AMA Supercross. Also on hand were Jo Shimoda’s parents, Yoichi and Ai.
Jett Lawrence notched the fastest time in free practice and both qualifying practices. Hunter Lawrence was eighth, and Jo Shimoda was fourth-quickest in 250SX West qualifying. Also of note was Phoenix Honda’s Dylan Ferrandis, with 11th in 450SX, while SmarTop/MotoConcepts Honda riders Mitchell Oldenburg and Carson Mumford both qualified in the top 10 in 250SX West.
NBC’s opening show included a feature on the Lawrence family, with Team Honda HRC manager Lars Lindstrom interviewed live.
During the opening ceremonies, reigning SuperMotocross champ Jett Lawrence was introduced with a boxing theme, including audio by prizefighting announcer Michael Buffer. Wearing a boxing-style robe, Jett descended through the stands before mounting his bike and riding onto the field.
The first 450SX heat race saw Hunter Lawrence get a strong start, only to be taken down by another rider in turn 1. By the time Hunter remounted, he was at the back of the pack, and he ran out of time to get into a qualifying position before the checkered flag flew. Jett Lawrence took the heat-2 holeshot but was quickly overtaken by Cooper Webb. Jett conceded ground in the early laps but then closed back up to Webb near the end, only to tip over and lose a spot to finish third.
Other 450SX Red Riders to qualify through the heats were Phoenix Racing Honda’s Dylan Ferrandis, Fire Power Honda’s Dean Wilson and SmarTop/MotoConcepts Honda’s Vince Friese. In the last-chance qualifier, Hunter Lawrence got a poor start and ended up just failing to qualify.
Shimoda sat in sixth place after the first 250SX West heat-race start, but he tipped over on the first lap and was near the back of the field. After remounting, he advanced through the pack and moved into qualifying position before the finish. Also advancing through the heats were SmarTops/MotoConcepts Honda riders Carson Mumford and Mitchell Oldenburg, as well as STR Racing privateer Lance Kobusch.
Jett Lawrence turned the fastest lap time in his heat race and the 450SX main event.
With his premier-class victory, Jett joined a long list of other Honda-mounted Anaheim winners, including Marty Smith, Donnie Hansen, David Bailey, Johnny O’Mara, Rick Johnson, Jeff Stanton, Jeremy McGrath (four times), Ezra Lusk (twice), Mike LaRocco, Ricky Carmichael (three times), Kevin Windham (twice), Ken Roczen (twice) and Chase Sexton.
While Jett is the only rookie to win in his debut, there are 10 other riders who earned their first premier-class wins at Anaheim: Gaylon Mosier, Kent Howerton, Donnie Hansen, David Bailey, Johnny O’Mara, Damon Bradshaw, Chad Reed, Josh Grant, Ken Roczen and Jason Anderson.
Jett participated in the post-race press conference.
Next up for Team Honda HRC is AMA Supercross round 2 this Saturday in San Francisco.

ROCZEN CHARGES THROUGH THE PACK FOR A TOP-TEN SUZUKI RESULT

The opening round of the 2024 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season was greeted by clear skies and good track conditions inside Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. The 17-round Supercross season also pays points to the 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship, which starts its second-ever season with the Anaheim 1 Supercross.

Race Highlights:

Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki
- 450 Class
  - Ken Roczen won his heat race convincingly. After a crash on the opening lap of the main event, Roczen passed 12 riders to secure top-ten championship points.
Twisted Tea Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance
- 450 Class
  - Shane McElrath earned a direct transfer to the main then backed that up with fast, consistent laps throughout the main.
  - Kyle Chisholm holeshot the LCQ and put in a strong ride in the main.
Toyota Redlands BarX Suzuki
- 450 Class
  - Derek Drake transferred directly out of his heat race and earned a top-15 result on the night.
  - Kyle Chisholm holeshot the LCQ and put in a strong ride in the main. BarX Suzuki
- 250 Class
  - Anthony Bourdon nearly grabbed a top-ten in his first-ever US Supercross race, finishing with an 11th-place result.
  - Max Miller delivered one of the most exciting races of the event with an LCQ performance that had the fans on their feet.

Ken Roczen (94) dominated his heat race with a win. A setback early in the main led to a strong ride to claim a top-ten result.

Ken Roczen was fast from the first practice, landing inside the top five in both qualifying sessions and in the overall qualifying order. Roczen dominated his heat race and showed his speed to challenge for another season-opening win at Anaheim, just as he did for Suzuki in 2015. In the main, two riders came together in the first rhythm section and Roczen got tangled up in their crash. Working forward from 22nd position, Roczen fought back to a top-ten finish amongst one of the most-stacked rider fields in recent history.

“My night was going great! A heat race win and a good start going into the first turn, but I couldn’t turn and was midfield, and then my front tire got ripped away from me by another rider,” said Roczen. “My bike was bent, and my bar mounts were twisted. I gave everything I had but as the track got chewed up and rutty I had a hard time. I made it back to tenth and salvaged what we could. The only way I wasn’t going to finish this race was if my handlebar was ripped off. Other than that we were moving forward! Thank you to my team we will keep it cool and be ready for next weekend.” added Roczen.

Shane McElrath (12) transferred directly into the main from his heat race.

Shane McElrath’s second year on the Twisted Tea Suzuki RM-Z450 got off to a strong start. McElrath started inside the top ten, then put in strong, steady laps to earn championship points and earn a solid start to the 2024 season.

“Man it was a great start to the year,” exclaimed McElrath. “I’m excited about where we’re at, but really where we started – it’s a big gain over last year just being able to ride with intensity and aggression. We know where we’re at now, we can make some changes, and I feel it’s all up from here. I’m excited, I’m really excited.”

Kyle Chisholm launched off the gate of the LCQ to put his RM-Z450 up front. Chisholm rode smart and kept a steady lock on second place to put his Suzuki into the main event.

“In the main, I didn’t get the start I wanted,” said Chisholm. “It took me a little bit to get into the groove; then I got some strong laps through the middle and last part of the race. We’ll get back to work this week and just try getting things better and race again next week, so it’s all good.”

Derek Drake (52) was smooth and composed in his rookie 450 Supercross race.

Derek Drake took his 450-class skills into Supercross for the first time and used Anaheim 1 to mark his entry into the 450 class. Drake qualified directly out of his heat and delivered an impressive top-15 result amid the crowded field.

“A1 was a solid start for my 450 Supercross debut,” remarked Drake. “It was nice to make it straight to the main out of the heat race. I felt strong all day and put in a solid result to build off of for the rest of the season!”

Anthony Bourdon (100) made his AMA Supercross debut and rode well on the challenging Anaheim track.

Anthony Bourdon picked the BarX Suzuki RM-Z250 for his attack on the Monster Energy AMA Supercross series. At one point Bourdon topped the leaderboard in his qualifying session and earned the second spot in each session. Bourdon put that speed to good use and came within one spot of a top-ten finish in his debut ride.

“Wow, my first Anaheim 1 is done, and what a race it was!” exclaimed Bourdon of his first experience with AMA Supercross. “Racing here has always been a dream, and qualifying for the final directly from the heat was a relief. I had a good start in the main but stalled the bike in the second lap which broke my concentration. I raced well, I was consistent all race, and I realized I had the speed for an even better result. Overall, I am incredibly happy with a P11 in Anaheim and can’t wait to race in San Francisco.”

Max Miller led the LCQ until a small mistake set him back to fourth. Miller used the right racecraft going into the final 180-degree turn but another rider snuck around him and ended Miller’s night early.

“In the heat race I got hung up in the tough blocks and made a few mistakes that kept me away from a qualifying position,” reported Miller. “I got off to a great start in the LCQ and battled my way into the lead. I had a little gap when I tucked the front tire in the first corner after the whoops. I got up fairly quickly, so I only lost a handful of positions. I managed to get to fourth and tried my best to make all the right race decisions. In the last turn, I came into the corner tight to the tough blocks, but when I pushed wide I almost hit the third-place rider while he was cutting down out of the corner. This gave the fifth-place rider just enough time to sneak around the inside and snag the final transfer spot. I’m upset I couldn’t make it happen at A1, but I’m fired up for San Francisco!”

“The bikes are working well, our riders are riding solid, we just had some mishaps in the main event,” said Larry Brooks, the Twisted Tea/H.E.P. Motorsports/Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance Team Manager. “Ken Roczen started the night off well. He was good in practice and finished fourth in timed practice, just a couple of tenths off the leader. In the heat race, he holeshotted and ran away with it. He was riding amazingly. Then in the main event, he got together with another rider, and crashed. He almost got sucked up into the rear wheel of another rider’s motorcycle. He got going probably 30 seconds behind the last-place rider, so we were almost a lap down. He came back to finish in tenth place. It was an amazing ride. The bike was twisted up from hitting the ground so hard, but Ken just never gave up.”

“I am really happy to get the first race in the books,” said Toyota Redlands BarX Suzuki Team Manager James Coy. “Tonight has reinforced what we already knew. The potential we have in our racers and Suzuki motorcycles is very encouraging. We just need to keep working hard to achieve those results.”

The Suzuki racers and teams are charged up and ready for round two, at Oracle Park in San Francisco on January 13th. The Suzuki teams are ready to deliver more strong rides and move their RM-Zs up higher in the championship standings.

Please visit SuzukiCycles.com/Racing/Motocross and HEPMotorsports.com for more team news.

Smith Kicks Off 2024 Season with Runner-Up Finish at Anaheim 1

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Jordon Smith launched his 2024 250SX West title campaign with a second-place finish at yesterday’s Monster Energy AMA Supercross season opener in Anaheim, California. Unfortunately, his teammate Nate Thrasher crashed in the main event and withdrew from the race.

It was 2016 since Smith last raced a 250SX West season opener at Angel Stadium, and it was a welcome return as the North Carolina rider topped the time sheets in the first qualifying session. He ultimately qualified eighth in the combined times but then got a flying start to grab the holeshot in the heat race. Smith rode on to take the first race victory of the season aboard the all-new 2024 YZ250F and got another good start in the main event. Although he was shuffled to fifth in the first few turns, he made his way forward on a track that was difficult to pass on and was second after the halfway mark, where he would finish.

Thrasher had a solid qualifying in sixth and finished third in that first heat race of the evening. In the main event, he was fourth after the start but found himself sixth a couple of laps later. Thrasher kept pushing but unfortunately crashed around the halfway point and withdrew from the race.

Next weekend, the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team heads north to San Francisco, California, for Round 2 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and the SuperMotocross World Series at Oracle Park on January 13.

Jordon Smith
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“It was a good start to the year at A1. There’s always a lot of nerves coming into here, but I felt really good all off-season. I really feel like I’ve been riding the best that I have in my life, but you can still get nervous. The coast is stacked. There are a lot of fast guys, and you just never know. We worked a lot on starts this year, and it paid off today. I got the holeshot in the heat and came out with a good start in the main. I got shuffled back a little bit in the first two turns, but yeah, it was a good first race. Overall, I’m really happy with my day, happy with the bike, and happy with everything. I’m ready to go home and keep building off of this.”

Nate Thrasher
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“It was a tough Anaheim 1. We were just struggling a bit in practice, but I felt pretty good going into the night show. We finished third in the heat and got a decent start in the main, but unfortunately, I crashed about halfway through the race. I hit a kicker on the hip jump and went down pretty hard. I’m feeling pretty sore, but we’re all good for next weekend. It’s not how we wanted to start the season, but that’s racing. We’ll come back stronger in San Francisco.”

Webb Scores Solid Points at Anaheim 1

Webb hit the ground running at Angel Stadium and was third in the combined times. From there, he got a great start and kept cool under pressure to win his first heat race at the revered venue. In the main event, he got another good start in third and was on the heels of the runner-up rider, and kept trying to make his way forward on a track that was difficult to make passes on. Unfortunately, Webb crashed in the final laps but quickly rejoined in sixth, where he would finish to score some valuable points in the championship.

His teammate Cooper also showed strength at the opening round, which kicks off his first entire season in the premier class. The New Yorker qualified fifth but didn’t get off the gate as he was hoping for in his heat race and finished seventh. With a less-than-ideal gate pick for the main, he found himself caught behind an early race pile-up and was 16th after the first lap. Undeterred, Cooper put his head down to make his way up to eighth, where he would finish.

Tomac had a solid first race back, qualifying sixth. With chaos in the first turn of the first 450SX heat race collecting multiple riders, he didn’t get the start he hoped for, but he made his way from sixth to fourth. In the main event, he had the seventh gate pick and was 11th after the start. The multi-time champ fought his way up to eighth and ultimately crossed the line ninth.

Cooper Webb
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“Today was a great day. Qualifying went really well. I was second and third, which was awesome for me, and then I won my heat race. I’ve never won a heat race at A1, so that was really cool. In the main event, I got off to a decent start. I was in third place and trying to get around Jason (Anderson) the whole race. It was kind of us three the whole time – me, him, and Jett (Lawrence). I was trying to make passes, but I just couldn’t make anything stick. Then I had a big crash there at the end. I don’t really know what I did, maybe hit a kicker or something, but all I know is the front went over, and I took a big hit. I’m lucky to be feeling alright. I’m just a little beat up, but nothing crazy, and I still salvaged some decent points. Overall, I’m really happy with my riding. I felt like I was one of the best guys tonight, so I’m super stoked about that and ready for 16 more rounds.”

Justin Cooper
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“The day started really well. I felt really good in practice and qualified fifth, so that was really good. From there, I wouldn’t say the day went south, but I didn’t get the best of starts and got seventh in the heat. In the main, I had a poor gate pick, so I kind of got shuffled to the outside and was part of that pileup. Then I just had to work my way through the pack. I felt really good in the main, honestly. I had a good flow, clicked off as many guys as I could, and got up to eighth, and that’s where I stayed. I’m happy with the progress and most importantly, happy to get through the first one safe. It’s definitely something to build on, and I’m excited about how I was riding today.”

Eli Tomac
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“It was great to be back on the gate, but I underperformed, to say the least. We will be back stronger next week.”

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