This Week in Powersports Racing – The week of March 31, 2024

This week in US powersports racing.

Tomac and Webb Enjoy Stellar 1-2 Finish at St. Louis Supercross

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s 450 team enjoyed another 1-2 finish, with Eli Tomac leading the way to score his first win of the season by sweeping all three main events at last night’s final Triple Crown of the season in St. Louis, Missouri. His teammate Cooper Webb joined him on the podium with a runner-up finish (5-6-2) and was crowned this year’s Triple Crown Champion with his overall score from all three rounds. Looking at the bigger picture, the North Carolina rider’s second-place finish also made gains in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross 450SX Championship as he closed the gap to eight points from the leader. Their rookie teammate Justin Cooper joined them in the top 10 with a ninth overall finish (9-10-9) in the tricky conditions at The Dome at America’s Center.

Tomac had a strong start to the day and qualified fourth in the combined times. In the first race of the night, he got a great start in the runner-up spot and claimed the lead after the front-runner went down on Lap 2. The multi-time champion kept cool under pressure and rode to his first victory of the evening. In race two, he got another good start in third and made his way to the runner-up spot by Lap 3. Tomac continued to run a strong pace and crossed the line second, but ultimately was credited with the win after the race leader was assessed with a penalty for jumping the finish line while a red cross flag was waving at the end of the race. In the final main event, Tomac grabbed the holeshot to lead wire-to-wire and secure the overall victory with his third win of the evening. His first win of the season and 52nd premier class supercross victory moved him back up to fourth in the 450SX points standings.

Webb also had a strong start to the day, qualifying third. Unfortunately, he did not get off the gate as he had hoped in the first main event and found himself 11th after the first lap. The North Carolina rider put his head down and fought his way up to a top-five finish. In the second main event, Webb got a much better start in the top five and advanced to third, but unfortunately went down just after the halfway mark and rejoined in eighth. Undeterred, the two-time 450SX Champion fought his way back forward to fifth but, along with other riders, was assessed a penalty for jumping the finish line while a red cross flag was waving and he was credited with sixth. Webb got an even better start in the final race of the evening in third and made the pass for second after the halfway mark. He started to close the gap on his teammate but would cross the line second for another stellar 1-2 finish for the team. It was also a top night for Webb, who earned the overall points lead in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross three-event Triple Crown series and an important points haul in the 450SX Championship. He moved to within eight points of the championship leader with five rounds remaining.

Their rookie teammate Justin Cooper also showed speed early and was second in qualifying. The New Yorker didn’t get off the gate as he had hoped in the first race and also ended up on the ground, but he kept pushing to break the top 10 and cross the line ninth. In the second main event, he got a great start to claim the lead. Cooper led the first lap and was trying to maintain a podium position but was ultimately shuffled to fifth. After the halfway mark, he went down in front of the mechanics’ area, rejoined in 11th, and then made his way back to 10th. With a less-than-ideal-gate pick, Cooper was 11th after the start of race three and would cross the line ninth to end the night ninth overall and remain eighth in the points standings with his eighth top-10 finish.

After the series’ break, the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team returns to action on April 13 for Round 13 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and the SuperMotocross World Series at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

Jeremy Coker – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team Manager
“It was an unbelievable night! It was a beautiful scene to see Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing go 1-2, not only in that final race but in the overall. It was unfortunate that Jett (Lawrence) went down, but that’s part of racing. I’m so proud of our team. It was an incredible effort, and we’re looking to keep it rolling.”

Eli Tomac – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #3
“It was an outstanding weekend for us here in St. Louis. We were finally able to get an overall win. I just felt really good the whole day – from qualifying to all three main events. Our starts were on point tonight, the riding was on point, and I was just back to my old self. So I’m just really happy to deliver a win for the team. I was getting in a bit of a slump or a rough patch, or whatever you want to call it. I feel like I’m back now, and I’m excited for the end of this series.”

Cooper Webb – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #2
“It was an insane triple crown today; they always are. The first main event, I just didn’t get a good start and made a lot of mistakes. I charged hard, but it wasn’t a great result. In the second one, I put myself in a good spot and then had a fall. I was super frustrated but got back up, made a pass, and got another fifth. We had an incident with the red cross flag, so I don’t know what I actually got. I just knew in the last one that I had to execute a start and honestly just win; that was my goal. I got a great start, rode behind Chase (Sexton) for a while, and was able to get around him. I was catching Eli in the end, but it was just a solid second place. Obviously, it was a huge night for the points, and for the team to go 1-2 is really special. It will be great to go into this break and come back swinging.”

Justin Cooper – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #32
“It was an up-and-down day. Qualifying went pretty well, and I felt good on the bike. My starts were kind of hit-and-miss. My speed was good, and I was able to lead a few laps in the second main, but I was on the ground in the first two mains, and that didn’t help things. So yeah, it was just an up-and-down night. We’ll keep working and look to come back after the break.”

SHANE McELRATH DELIVERS TOP-TEN RESULT AT ST. LOUIS SUPERCROSS

The Dome at America’s Center played host to Round 12 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross season. The final covered stadium of the season was also the third and final 2024 Triple Crown-format Supercross race. The legendary St. Louis dirt was excellent, though the soft soil rutted up more than was typical for the venue.

Race Highlights:

Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki
- 450 Class
  - Ken Roczen adapted to some dramatic twists at the Triple Crown and came back to earn a top-five result in Race 3.
Twisted Tea Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance
- 450 Class
  - Shane McElrath brought home his second top-ten result of the year, earning a better result in each race as the evening progressed.
  - Kyle Chisholm completed his 200th Supercross main event start, and earned his season-best Triple Crown race result in Race 3, when the track was at its toughest.
Toyota Redlands BarX Suzuki
- 450 Class
  - Derek Drake had impressive speed, but an existing injury held him back from a top performance in St. Louis.
- 250 Class
  - Anthony Bourdon was fast and consistent, continuing to impress during his first year of racing in America.
  - Max Miller earned points in St. Louis to move up one position in the championship.

Ken Roczen (94) had great speed at the St. Louis Supercross and put it all on the track in the night’s final race.

Ken Roczen (94) was caught up in a second-turn pile-up in Race 1. Roczen came off his Suzuki RM-Z, but didn’t hit the ground. Unbeknownst to Roczen, hard contact with another bike in the pile-up damaged his radiator. His Suzuki survived the 12-minute plus one lap race, but overheating caused some power loss. Due to the quick turn-around time, the Triple Crown rules allow each rider a spare bike. Roczen struggled in Race 2 riding his back-up bike. By Race 3, Roczen had his back-up bike dialed in and delivered a solid top-five result.

“Tough weekend in St. Louis,” said Roczen. “The Triple Crowns can cause chaos, and we were on the receiving end of it. It will be nice to reset on the off-weekend to go into the home stretch of the championship firing on all cylinders.”

Shane McElrath (12) ran with the front runners and improved his result in each of the three races.

Shane McElrath (12) had a night of steady progression and improvement inside The Dome at America’s Center. When the final checkered flag flew, McElrath used his Suzuki RM-Z’s power and precise handling to pull in his season-best Triple Crown individual race result with a seventh place.

“Overall, it was a pretty good day for us in St. Louis,” said McElrath. “We made set-up changes yesterday at press day, and all day today, and my Suzuki just kept getting better. I’m really excited about that, what we’re learning, and the positive changes we’re making. I feel I was competitive today, and I kept getting better with each race. I kept getting more aggressive, and my last race was my best one. Also, I had three good starts tonight, which I’m really pumped about; we’ve been working on starts and it’s nice that work paid off tonight. My starts are feeling a lot more natural now, and we’re building up that muscle memory. I’m excited for a weekend off to rest and recover, give my mind a break, and come back ready at Foxborough, because we have some more work to do.”

Kyle Chisholm (11) moved his Twisted Tea Suzuki RM-Z450 up two positions in the championship standings.

Kyle Chisholm (11), like both of his teammates, delivered his best result in the final race of the night. And like McElrath, Chisholm topped his previous season-best race finish to end the night on a high note.

“My Suzuki RM-Z worked really well for me all day,” reported Chisholm. “The St. Louis dirt was a little softer than normal this year, so it was a little more rutted than I’d say a typical St. Louis track would be. But overall, the dirt had really good traction, it was loamy, and was enjoyable to ride. I liked it. I finished 14th overall and moved up two spots in the points, which is always good. My riding was good in the last moto, so I was happy with that. And just a side note stat: tonight was my 200th Supercross main event start, 250 and 450 combined. Another little fact on top of that, my first Supercross ever was here in St. Louis in 2006; where I had a top-ten finish. It’s cool that my first one was here in St. Louis and that I also hit the 200 main milestone here. It made me look back, and it’s great my career has gone on as long as it has.”

Derek Drake (52) was unable to match previous high points in his rookie 450 Supercross season.

Derek Drake (52) had a poor start in the Last Chance Qualifier earlier in the day to get into the Triple Crown’s night show. Drake moved steadily forward through the pack in the LCQ but ran out of time. Drake was unable to secure a transfer spot, despite logging fast lap times.

“St. Louis was another tough one,” admitted Drake. “It’s difficult to get the results I want while only being able to ride on Saturdays due to my back issue. I’m looking forward to getting that fixed and getting back to 100%!”

Anthony Bourdon (100) was consistent and fast in each race in St. Louis.

Anthony Bourdon (100) put in another impressive performance in his rookie US Supercross season. Bourdon was consistent and earned points to hold his top-ten position in the championship standings.

“I started the weekend off the right way with an eighth overall position in timed practice, which was my best of the season,” said Bourdon, “I am disappointed about this Triple Crown because I think I could have done better. I had bad starts all weekend, which didn’t help. It has been difficult physically for me because I couldn’t train like I wanted to for the last two weeks after a big crash in training. I will begin training normally again to be ready in three weeks for the next 250 West round in Nashville.”

Max Miller (87) showed great speed for a rookie, qualifying directly into the night show thanks to fast lap times in the morning qualifying sessions.

Max Miller (87) earned his season-best Triple Crown race finish in Race 2. It was Miller’s second-ever Triple Crown event and he earned points to move him up in the championship standings.

“St. Louis was a step in the right direction,” declared Miller. “I qualified for the Triple Crown night show straight through daytime qualifying. I finished 15th in Race 1, and 13th in Race 2. I started Race 3 with some carnage and went down. I made my way to 17th but then had a mishap on the final lap that caused me to finish 21st. I earned 17th overall on the day.”

“Shane McElrath finished tenth overall,” reported Larry Brooks, Team Manager for the Twisted Tea/H.E.P. Motorsports/Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance team. “I’m super stoked for Shane; he’s riding to his potential now. Everything we thought he was able to do at the beginning of the year – he’s getting there. With the way we now have the bike set up, and a few different things, he’s starting to take advantage of that and ride the Suzuki like we thought he could. Ken Roczen had a really difficult day. On the opening lap at the first moto Roczen jumped into the back of another rider [who was slowed from a pile-up], and that punctured a hole in his left radiator. All the coolant came out of the bike, and it overheated. It didn’t break, but it definitely lost power. That setback ruined Ken’s night because we had to switch to the spare bike, and had issues for the rest of the night. Ken finished 12th overall. Kyle Chisholm rode consistently, just like Chiz does, and he finished 14th overall. It definitely wasn’t the night we thought we were going to have, and I know our team and our riders are way better than the performance we put out there. We’re going to tuck our tail, go home, work hard, and come back stronger.”

“Tonight was another good race,” said James Coy, the Toyota Redlands BarX Suzuki Team Manager. “The Triple Crown format really makes it exciting. Our Suzuki RM-Zs are working great, and we are going in the right direction. This upcoming break will be good for the mechanics and riders to rest up and be ready for the last push to the end of the season.”

The Supercross season takes one weekend off, then returns to racing on Saturday, April 13th inside Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The Suzuki teams will be ready to deliver more strong performances at the final five races of the 17-Round 2024 Supercross season.

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

Photos by BrownDogWilson Photography

MONSTER ENERGY®/PRO CIRCUIT/KAWASAKI RIDER LEVI KITCHEN DOMINATES THE FINAL TRIPLE CROWN OF THE SEASON IN ST. LOUIS

Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Levi Kitchen continued his momentum, dominating the St. Louis Triple Crown by executing near perfect starts, leading every lap, sweeping the weekend and further extending his points lead in the Western Regional 250SX Class. Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green™ rider Drew Adams triumphed through yet another severely rutted track claiming his second 250SX Futures race win of the season, and Monster Energy® Kawasaki riders Jason Anderson and Adam Cianciarulo claimed 11th (4-7-19) and 22nd (22-DNS-DNS), respectively after mid-race crashes removed them from contention.

The Dome at America’s Center, located in the heart of downtown St. Louis, Missouri, stands as a renowned venue for a variety of events, from conventions to concerts and sports competitions. This past weekend, it once again became the epicenter of adrenaline-pumping action as Monster Energy AMA Supercross made its return to the venue. The rider always look forward to the facilities and central location The Dome provides along with some of the best dirt the championship has to offer.

In the 250SX Class, Kitchen started the day off strong by qualifying second fastest overall to line up for the three races of the Triple Crown format. At the start of Race 1, Kitchen had a great start, slotting into the second position as he crossed the holeshot line. The No. 47 remained close to the leader, quickly overtaking the lead before the end of the first lap. Kitchen quickly began to create a gap from the competition, crossing the finish line first to start the night off with a win for Kawasaki. In Race 2, the No. 47 nearly captured the holeshot, quickly took command of the lead and never looked back, running a flawless race from start to finish, securing the win by more than four seconds. Coming into Race 3, Kitchen launched his KX™250 out of the gate, claiming the holeshot and never looking back. Kitchen ran another remarkably flawless race considering the deteriorating track conditions, securing his third and final win of the night, sweeping the Western Regional 250SX class Triple Crown event, and extending his series points lead.

In the 250SX Futures Class, Adams started off the weekend strong qualifying second overall. In the Main Event, Adams had a subpar start crossing the holeshot line in the eighth position. Adams began maneuvering through the pack, quickly racing his KX™250 into a podium position. By Lap 3, the No. 300 of Adams caught another Team Green racer, Reven Gordon, and quickly overtook the lead. Adams maintained his pace and took home the win by nine seconds, claiming his second 250SX Futures Main Event win of the season. Gordon battled for podium after leading laps early and ultimately finished in fourth.

In the 450SX Class, Anderson and Cianciarulo kicked off the day qualifying seventh and eighth, respectively. In Race 1 Cianciarulo secured a third place start and Anderson in ninth. A few turns later, a rider crashed in front of Cianciarulo, causing him to crash into the downed rider and sending him off the bike. In the incident the No. 9 injured his ankle, taking him out of the race and the remainder of the event. Anderson charged hard through the remainder of the race, finishing fourth. In Race 2, Anderson secured another ninth place start, and began to battle throughout the remainder of the race initially crossing the finish line with third place position and sat in third overall going into the third and final race. Following the race five of the top contenders were penalized for jumping on a red cross flag and Anderson was credited in seventh. At the start of Race 3, Anderson was cross jumped in the first rhythm lane off the start causing him to crash and forced a stop in the mechanic’s area for adjustments. Anderson returned to the race and began battling his way back through the field to finish 19th. The No. 21 was credited with a 11th place overall.

“It was another great weekend with my Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team. Back to back wins and now a Triple Crown under my belt feels great. The team and I have been working so well together, I couldn’t be more stoked. Winning all three with nearly flawless races and extending the points lead is exactly how I wanted to head into this break. I felt so good on my KX™250 all day and I’m excited to see which is the best coast at our East/West shootout here in a few weeks in Nashville.”

– Levi Kitchen

“After a promising start to the night in Race 1 and 2, Race 3 I had a big crash off of the start and then all hell broke loose. The red cross flags were hard to see, so I was penalized for jumping those which is super frustrating on a night that could have been a podium. There are five more races left in the season, so it’s time to get back to work and get ready for Foxborough.”

– Jason Anderson

“I felt so good in practice here in St. Louis and had such a great jump in Race 1. Oldenburg went down right in front of me as I was jumping into the turn and I had nowhere to go. The bike landed on my ankle and that was it for me. I tried to get back out there but my ankle was too swollen to fit in the boot so I had to call it for the night. I’m super bummed about the situation, but I’m glad it didn’t end up worse and we will be ready to go in a few weeks. Thanks to my team and everyone for their support, and again a special thanks to my mechanic of the past four years, Justin Shantie, and wish him the best of luck with his next chapter.”

– Adam Cianciarulo

ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING’S RJ HAMPSHIRE CLAIMS FOURTH IN ST. LOUIS

A fourth-place result saw Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider RJ Hampshire only marginally finish outside of the 250SX West podium in St. Louis’ final Triple Crown round of the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship, as Malcolm Stewart equaled his best finish of the year with seventh overall in 450SX.

The afternoon saw Hampshire qualify on top of the timesheets, setting the tone for what would be another competitive night on his Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 250 Rockstar Edition. He recovered from an average start in the opening encounter for fourth and then repeated that result in Race 2, before P2 in Race 3 saw him credited fourth overall to retain second in the championship, just 15 points outside of the red plates.

“My riding was pretty good all day, but not my starts,” Hampshire commented. “4-4-2 is not going to get it done, so we will have a couple of weeks off and focus on the three rounds left [in the western region]. Get out of the gate better and I feel like I could have won tonight, but I didn’t execute when it was time to go, and we will be better at Nashville.”

Stewart, meanwhile, continued his fight in the 450SX division equipped with the Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 450 Rockstar Edition, qualifying ninth and then registering 7-9 finishes across the first two races of the evening. An eighth-place score in the final encounter resulted in him claiming seventh overall, in line with his best finish of the 2024 season to date.

“St. Louis was okay for me,” said Stewart. “We struggled a little bit on the starts, just trying to get up there to run with those guys. I’m going to enjoy this upcoming weekend off, clear my head in the outdoors, and come back swinging for the last five rounds. I know we keep saying it, but we’re here in the fight and ain’t ever gonna give up.”

Round 12 of the season also saw the Supercross Futures back on track, where Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing newcomer Landon Gibson impressed on his way to second position on the podium, as Casey Cochran took the checkered flag in seventh place.

“It was such a great experience,” Gibson reflected. “I was tense the first two laps, but after that I got into a groove and I feel like I deserve this, so I’m really happy with the result and to finish on the podium.”

Next Event (Round 13): April 13, 2024 – Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts

450SX – St. Louis Results
1. Eli Tomac (Yamaha)
2. Cooper Webb (Yamaha)
3. Hunter Lawrence (Honda)
4. Aaron Plessinger (KTM)
5. Chase Sexton (KTM)
6. Justin Barcia (GASGAS)
7. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

450SX Rider Point Standings after Round 12
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) – 244 points
2. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) – 236 points
3. Chase Sexton (KTM) – 224 points
6. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) – 198 points
9. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) – 138 points
11. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 130 points

250SX West – St. Louis Results
1. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki)
2. Jo Shimoda (Honda)
3. Jordon Smith (Yamaha)
4. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
7. Julien Beaumer (KTM)
8. Ryder DiFrancesco (GASGAS)

250SX West Rider Point Standings after Round 7
1. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) – 156 points
2. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 141 points
3. Jordon Smith (Yamaha) – 130 points
6. Julien Beaumer (KTM) – 93 points
13. Ryder DiFrancesco (GASGAS) – 65 points

CRAIG DELONG LANDS ON PRO 1 CLASS PODIUM IN WARRIOR SPRINT ENDURO

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Craig DeLong finished third on the Pro 1 Class podium and fourth overall in Round 3 of the 2024 U.S. Sprint Enduro Series at the Warrior Sprint in Semora, North Carolina, as teammate Korie Steed finished P2 in the Pro Women Class.

DeLong was third in the Pro 1 Class after Day 1 and then dropped to P4 on Day 2, which still placed him P3 for the weekend on his Husqvarna Motorcycles FX 350. In terms of the overall classification, he went 3-5 for the weekend and is determined to keep sharpening his craft in the Sprint events.

“This weekend was okay for me and the result was good in the end,” DeLong said. “These things are tough, but they’re something I have to learn and get used to. We will keep working to improve from here, especially in the Enduro Tests. I rode really well in the Cross Test, felt decent there, so that’s definitely something to build upon.”

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Pro Women Class entry Steede also landed a podium result at the Warrior Sprint, positioned second on both Saturday and Sunday to stand second overall for the weekend on her Husqvarna Motorcycles FX 250.

“Saturday we made huge strides with speed,” Steede commented. “It definitely showed in the results. Then today, I definitely struggled a little bit, but all-in-all it was a really good weekend for me. Coming from the first Sprint, we’ve made huge strides and I’m feeling better every weekend. I had a pretty big get-off in the last enduro test, but other than that it was a really good weekend.”

Pro 1 Class Results
1. Johnny Girroir (KTM)
2. Liam Draper (Yamaha)
3. Craig DeLong – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

Women’s Pro Class Results
1. Brandy Richards (KTM)
2. Korie Steed – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
3. Ava Silvestri (GASGAS)

Upcoming Offroad Races – April 2024
4/7: National Grand Prix Championship – Round 4
4/7: National Enduro Series – Round 2
4/7: National Hare & Hound Championship – Round 3
4/14: Grand National Cross Country Series – Round 5
4/21: U.S. Sprint Enduro Series – Round 4
4/21: National Hare & Hound Championship – Round 4
4/28: Grand National Cross Country Series – Round 6
4/28: National Grand Prix Championship – Round 5
4/28: U.S. Hard Enduro Series – Round 3

SIXTH OVERALL CAPS OFF SOLID ST. LOUIS TRIPLE CROWN FOR JUSTIN BARCIA

Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia finished sixth in the third and final Triple Crown stop of the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship, with teammate Ryder DiFrancesco matching his 250SX West season-best result with P8 overall.

Supercross takes on final Triple Crown round of the season
Sixth overall for Bam Bam following 6-4-10 scorecard
Ryder D matches his best result of the year in 250SX West

Despite qualifying down the order in 14th position, Barcia meant business once the gates dropped on the trio of Main Events and was consistent on his way to sixth in Race 1. He once again factored inside the top 10 on his way to fourth place in the second race, before 10th in Race 3 capped off his night. That placed Bam Bam sixth overall on his GASGAS MC 450F Factory Edition, still positioned ninth in the standings.

Justin Barcia: “St. Louis was a little difficult in practice, being an extremely tough track, really soft and rutted. We had to make little changes throughout the day, and I got really comfortable by the second Main Event. We’re making a lot of progress, so now we’ve gotta make it happen for a result – we never give up and we’ll keep at it.”

Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing teammate Ryder DiFrancesco qualified 10th this afternoon and then improved on that to post seventh-place scores across the opening two races of the night. An early fall while in top-five contention saw him finish 12th, which saw him credited eighth overall for the weekend. He’s now ranked 13th in the point standings after equaling his best result of the year on the GASGAS MC 250F Factory Edition.

Ryder DiFrancesco: “Tonight was good. We had three very good starts and that was a plus. In the first one I went back to seventh, and then in the second race I ran third for a long time, but was seventh again. In the last one, I went down on the first lap, came back to 12th and that gave me eighth overall, so it was a lot better. Starting up front makes things a lot easier and I had fun tonight!”

St. Louis also saw the Supercross Futures back in action, where GASGAS-backed Cole Davies claimed another podium finish in third position. After winning Anaheim 2 and then placing second at Daytona, it was his third top-three result of the year onboard his GASGAS MC 250F.

Results – 2024 AMA Supercross Championship, Round 12

450SX Results – St. Louis SX
1. Eli Tomac (Yamaha)
2. Cooper Webb (Yamaha)
3. Hunter Lawrence (Honda)
4. Aaron Plessinger (KTM)
5. Chase Sexton (KTM)
6. Justin Barcia (GASGAS)
7. Malcolm Stewart (Husqvarna)

450SX Championship Standings (After Round 12)
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) 244pts
2. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) 236pts
3. Chase Sexton (KTM) 224pts
6. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) 198pts
9. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) 138pts
11. Malcolm Stewart (Husqvarna) 130pts

250SX West Results – St. Louis SX
1. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki)
2. Jo Shimoda (Honda)
3. Jordon Smith (Yamaha)
4. RJ Hampshire (Husqvarna)
7. Julien Beaumer (KTM)
8. Ryder DiFrancesco (GASGAS)

250SX West Championship Standings (After Round 7)
1. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) 156pts
2. RJ Hampshire (Husqvarna) 141pts
3. Jordon Smith (Yamaha) 130pts
6. Julien Beaumer (KTM) 93pts
13. Ryder DiFrancesco (GASGAS) 65pts

FMF KTM FACTORY RACING AND JOHNNY GIRROIR RACE TO WARRIOR SPRINT VICTORY

FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Johnny Girroir has continued his winning ways in Round 3 of the 2024 U.S. Sprint Enduro Series, topping the Pro 1 Class and the overall convincingly as FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers teammates Gus Riordan and Brandy Richards also stood on the top step of the podium.

Defending champion Girroir has been in career form to date this season onboard his KTM 350 XC-F, controlling the Warrior Sprint in Semora, North Carolina, across both days on his way to a third-straight victory in the series this year. As a result, he leads the Pro 1 and overall championship standings.

Johnny Girroir: “Yesterday I made some mistakes and just wasn’t flowing, but I went to bed last night a little frustrated and told myself I have to hit my marks today. I had one close call in the early tests, but other than that it was a mistake-free day, I put some solid tests in and I’m happy. It feels good to be three-from-three and we want to keep this momentum going.”

FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers’ Riordan – last year’s Pro 2 title winner – was also once again in winning form, managing to top the Pro 2 Class on his KTM 250 XC-F, as did teammate Richards in the Pro Women’s Class this weekend. They too currently lead the U.S. Sprint Enduro Series.

Gus Riordan: “It was good, I was able to win the round in Pro 2, and it was a positive weekend overall. I started out a bit slow, but other than that I was happy with how things went, the conditions were nice and dry, so I’m satisfied with Round 3.”

Brandy Richards: “This weekend was definitely a good time. The Cross Test was tricky with it being super-slick, and the Enduro Test was really rough with all the tree roots as well. It was the first time that I’ve actually felt comfortable in the Enduro Tests, so it was a great weekend for me.”

Pro 1 Class Results
1. Johnny Girroir, KTM
2. Liam Draper, YAM
3. Craig DeLong, HQV

Pro 2 Class Results
1. Angus Riordan, KTM
2. Jason Tino, HQV
3. Jack Edmondson, GAS

Women’s Pro Class Results
1. Brandy Richards, KTM
2. Korie Steede, HQV
3. Ava Silvestri, GAS

TOP-FIVE SCORES FOR AARON PLESSINGER AND CHASE SEXTON IN ST. LOUIS TRIPLE CROWN

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing pair Aaron Plessinger and Chase Sexton both completed tonight’s final Triple Crown round of the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship season inside the top five on combined scores, with Plessinger fourth and Sexton fifth following an action-filled night of 450SX competition.

The afternoon saw Plessinger 10th quickest on combined qualifying times, before he established himself at the front of the pack in Race 1 for a third-place score. He continued that form with eighth in the second race after a post-race penalty of two places for jumping on a red cross flag, and then rode his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to sixth in Race 3. That placed him fourth overall, currently sitting P6 in the championship standings.

Aaron Plessinger: “It was pretty wild tonight! I was struggling throughout the day and then went out in the first one and rode pretty good in the first part actually, snuck by for third. In the second one, I got a pretty bad start, ended up sixth before I was docked, and then in the last one I worked my way forward to sixth. Overall, I felt good in the second two mains, fourth isn’t horrible and now we get a weekend off, which I’m excited for.”

After qualifying in fifth position, defending 450SX Champion Chase Sexton’s night came undone early when he was caught up in a multi-rider incident on the opening lap of Race 1. That saw him take the checkered flag in P10, before rebounding for fifth in race two following a two-position penalty post-race, also for jumping on the red cross flag. Race 3 saw him battle to third place, which sealed him fifth overall for the round, and he maintains P3 in the points race – now 20 points outside of the lead.

Chase Sexton: “Overall it was a rough day. I qualified fifth, then crashed in the first Main Event and got 10th, then I went 5-3. I’m ready for a weekend off and we’ll come back swinging.”

250SX West rookie Julien Beaumer starred at the beginning of Race 1 by taking over the lead on lap one, before eventually finishing in sixth place. The second race saw him put forward a solid effort for eighth after completing lap one as far back as P15, and then in the final outing he took P7, also earning that same result overall and marking his fourth seventh-place finish in a row. The 17-year-old now sits sixth in the points onboard his KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION.

Julien Beaumer: “Tonight was good, especially because this afternoon wasn’t my best in qualifying. I got two out of three good starts, was consistent all night, and didn’t make too many mistakes. In the second main I had to fight from the back, but I’m happy with my improvements and look forward to going to the next one.”

Next Race: April 13 – Foxborough, Massachusetts

Results 450SX Class – St. Louis
1. Eli Tomac (USA), Yamaha
2. Cooper Webb (USA), Yamaha
3. Hunter Lawrence (AUS), Honda
4. Aaron Plessinger (USA), KTM
5. Chase Sexton (USA), KTM
6. Justin Barcia (USA), GASGAS
7. Malcolm Stewart (USA), Husqvarna

Standings 450SX Class 2024 after 12 of 17 rounds
1. Jett Lawrence, 244 points
2. Cooper Webb, 236
3. Chase Sexton, 224
6. Aaron Plessinger, 198
9. Justin Barcia, 138
11. Malcolm Stewart, 130

Results 250SX West Class – St. Louis
1. Levi Kitchen (USA), Kawasaki
2. Jo Shimoda (JPN), Honda
3. Jordon Smith (USA), Yamaha
4. RJ Hampshire (USA), Husqvarna
7. Julien Beaumer (USA), KTM
8. Ryder DiFrancesco (USA), GASGAS

Standings 250SX West Class 2024 after 7 of 10 rounds
1. Levi Kitchen, 156 points
2. RJ Hampshire, 141
3. Jordon Smith, 130
6. Julien Beaumer, 93
13. Ryder DiFrancesco, 65

Double Podiums for Team Honda HRC at St. Louis Triple Crown SX

Despite the frustration of a couple of misfortunes denying Jett Lawrence a top finish in the 450SX class, the third and final Triple Crown race of the 2024 AMA Supercross season—held this weekend in St. Louis—included very positive aspects for Team Honda HRC, with Hunter Lawrence and Jo Shimoda both tallying their best results of the year thus far.

The wild first 450SX race saw Hunter Lawrence’s CRF450RWE exit turn 1 with the lead, while Jett was in fifth. A lap 1 pileup delayed Jett, costing him a couple of positions, and Hunter went down on the following lap. Impressively, Jett was up to second place by lap 10, and he held on for a runner-up finish, while Hunter took an eighth-place result. Race 2 began with a Jett Lawrence holeshot, but Justin Cooper snuck by on the second straight. Jett got back by through a rhythm section on the next lap and went on to notch a comfortable win, only to be demoted to third for missing a red-cross flag over the finish-line jump. Several other riders received similar penalties, with Hunter benefitting with a second-place result. Hunter and Jett were about fifth and sixth to start race 3, but Justin Barcia made contact with Jett in a 180-degree corner, sending the Australian to the ground. Hunter rode in fourth place for most of the race, tallying 8-2-4 scores for third overall—the first podium result of his young premier-class career. Jett slowly circulated the track for 21^st place, but his 2-3-21 scores were good for eighth overall.

Jo Shimoda put his CRF250R in front down the start straight in the 250SX West division’s first race, but he went wide in turn 1 and completed lap 1 in third place. On lap 7 he displaced Juju Beaumer for second, then held that spot to the finish. Shimoda was fifth out of turn 1 in race 2 and lost a spot shortly afterward. He had climbed into podium position by the midway point, and he held off a late RJ Hampshire attack to finish third. Shimoda was third across the holeshot line in race 3, and that’s where the Japanese rider stayed for all 11 laps, his 2-3-3 scores netting him a season-best second-overall result.

NOTES

This week’s dealer staffing a pop-up activation booth in the Team Honda HRC pits was Lou Fusz Honda, from O’Fallon, Illinois.
Louis was a 250SX Futures round, and a number of talented amateur Red Riders were entered. The top finisher among them was SLR Honda’s Parker Ross, in 13^th, with teammate Alvin Hillan one spot back.
Yet again, Jett Lawrence was the top 450SX qualifier, with the best times in both sessions. Hunter Lawrence was 15^th, while Jo Shimoda set the fifth-best time in the 250SX West class.
Jett set the fastest lap times in the first two 450SX races.
Despite a costly race 3 in St. Louis, Jett Lawrence headed home with a lead in the 450SX points standings, though it was halved from 16 to 8. Hunter Lawrence moved into the top 10 in the same class, and Jo Shimoda retained fifth in 250SX West.
The AMA Supercross series now gets its second weekend off of the year, giving the riders time to regroup and recoup. Next up is round 13 in Foxborough, Massachusetts, April 13, when Chance Hymas will compete in 250SX East.

Eli Tomac Makes Historic Return to Top Step of the Podium in St. Louis
Levi Kitchen Sweeps 250SX Class Races

St. Louis Mo., (March 31, 2024) Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac took his first win of the season, and his first since returning from his 2023 Achilles injury, with 1-1-1 Race scores at the St. Louis Triple Crown Supercross. With the win at Round 12, Tomac became the sixth different rider to win in this highly competitive season.

The Dome at America’s Center hosted what will be the final 2024 race under a covered stadium. The soil was soft but dry for great racing at Round 12 of the 17-round season. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb earned second overall with (5-6-2) Race finishes inside The Dome at America’s Center. With the finish Webb captured the championship-within-a-championship 3-Round Triple Crown title. In the race format that combines the finishes from three separate Races, Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence earned his career-first 450SX Class podium with (8-2-4) Race finishes. The unpredictability of the Triple Crown format showed a few new wrinkles in St. Louis with five riders getting docked positions in Race 2 due to red cross flag infractions. Also, big crash in Race 3, when Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence was t-boned, caused a big change in the point standings. Cooper Webb now trails Jett Lawrence now by only eight points. In the Western Regional 250SX Class, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen was nearly picture-perfect throughout the night; he took the overall win with 1-1-1 Race wins.

Second place 450SX Class (5-6-2) – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc. “It was a crazy night. The first two [Races] didn’t go my way – the second one, especially. I was running a good spot, fell over, and just – these Triple Crowns, you never know what can happen, and that’s what the team just told me, is, ‘Don’t give up. Go in there in this last one and give it your all.’ And it worked out. You know obviously I don’t know what happened to anybody yet [in terms of crashes in Race 3], but I just know me and Eli were out front – me, him and Chase – and we were in the clear. [It] just felt great to ride. I rode really well in that last one. Eli was really clicking his laps and made the pass on Chase, which was great. And I got to second and we started clicking some good laps there at the end but, you know, a second place is good tonight. I’ll take it, especially after the first two [Races]. To win this Triple Crown championship’s all new, so it’s pretty cool. Hopefully we keep the ball rolling.” – Cooper Webb

Third place 450SX Class (8-2-4) – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc. “Man, it’s awesome. We had a little bit of an upgrade, I’d say, from the second moto to the third one with the Red Cross flag [penalty on some other riders]. But hey, I’ve been on the bad end of that deal many a time, so we’ll take it. That was a pretty good feeling. I’m bummed to not have Jett up here with me. We all saw what happened, that sucks, but yeah I’m honored to be sharing the podium with Tomac and Webb. You know, I watched these guys racing on this stage when I was still in Australia as a kid, so it’s pretty cool. We’ll take it, try and build, and we’ll try and get a really legitimized one next time we’re back [after the break].” – Hunter Lawrence The Western Regional 250SX Class held its seventh round and Levi Kitchen followed up his previous round’s win with an impressive victory in St. Louis. Team Honda HRC’s Jo Shimoda fought his way to a second-place overall result with 2-3-3 Race finishes. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Jordon Smith used 3-2-4 Race finishes to capture the final spot on the podium.

First place 250SX Class (1-1-1) – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc. “That was insane. I mean, I’m pretty speechless right now. That was for Austin Forkner back home. I hope he’s healing up good. I know he’s the only other one to do that [sweep the 250SX Class Triple Crown], so yeah man, that was sick. Three good starts and then going into the last race – those lappers, I actually came together pretty bad with one right before the triple. And I if I would have missed the triple, RJ would have been right on me. So I had to send it – I still made it somehow. All in all though, man, what a day! Carrying the momentum from Seattle and I’m in a really good spot. I feel really good on the bike. Thanks to the whole Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki team, all my friends and family… This is pretty surreal so I’m going to soak this one in.” – Levi Kitchen

Second place 250SX Class (2-3-3) – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc. “Honestly that was the main thing for me [getting good starts finally]. It’s just, like, I just couldn’t do it [at previous rounds]. And then today – three good starts; still not a Holeshot or anything like that, but I think once I can get a start I know I can fight with those guys. The track was gnarly. I had a couple of sketchy moments, I think everybody did, but yeah thanks so much to my [team]. We’re getting better each week and so it’s a good confidence booster and yeah [next up is] Nashville [for the 250 West class].” – Jo Shimoda

Third place 250SX Class (3-2-4) – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc. “Last weekend was tough, man, that crash was gnarly, and throughout the week I was pretty sore. So I’m just glad to be here in front of the fans and riding the tough track again. These tracks have been really, really tough this year, and soft, and man it’s kind of survival [mode] out there at times… I’m happy to come away with the third. Congrats to Levi, he rode awesome tonight. Man, it’s hard to beat a guy that gets three holeshots, you know?… We’re going to go back and do our homework with this couple of weeks off and see if we can’t come back a little better for these last three. I’d just like to give it up to the whole team… It takes a tribe to be out here, so thank you guys, and we’ll be back next week.” – Jordon Smith, when asked about his crash at Seattle. In the third SX Futures race, where top amateur racers compete for points toward their pro license, Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Drew Adams took back-to-back wins after his victory at the Daytona SX Futures round; Adams took the win just one day shy of his 16^th birthday. Rockstar Husqvarna’s Landon Gibson finished in second place in the St. Louis single-race format event. Troy Lee Designs GASGAS’s Cole Davies took the final podium spot with a late-race pass for the position.

First place SX Futures Class – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc. “Yeah, it was definitely a pretty bad start, [that’s] on me. But I just tried to work through [the pack] really good. And I got the triple on the first lap; that was probably the whole race right there. Then I just got up front and just started riding smooth, you know? I didn’t have to really do the big lines or [anything] but just stay smooth, and [make] no mistakes, and it worked out well.” – Drew Adams, when asked about his start. The 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship takes next weekend off before resuming for the final five rounds on five consecutive weekends. Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts hosts Round 13 on Saturday, April 13^th. The event will mark the return of the Eastern Regional 250SX Class for its Round 6. The SX Futures will also race in Foxborough in their fourth event before the SX Futures championship race at the final Supercross event inside Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah. Every Supercross race also pays points toward the 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship. The SMX post-season racing venues have recently been announced and tickets go on sale this coming Tuesday, April 2.

Every SuperMotocross round will be available to watch live on Peacock TV; each is also available on-demand to catch up or rewatch rounds of the thrilling 2024 season. Select Supercross races are also available streaming or via broadcast on NBC, USA Network, CNBC, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app. Live audio coverage for each Supercross race can be heard via NBC Sports Audio on SiriusXM Channel 85. International coverage, in both English and Spanish, can be found live and on-demand through the SuperMotocross Video Pass (supermotocross.tv). Nothing matches the excitement and all-day fun of attending a Monster Energy AMA Supercross event. Tickets are available now for the remaining rounds. To purchase tickets and for race results, video highlights, feature stories, and expert insights, please go to SupercrossLIVE.com.

Kyle Peters Ties AMA Arenacross Record with Fifth-Consecutive Championship

The 2024 AMA Arenacross series wrapped up on Friday evening at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, where Kyle Peters rode the Phoenix Racing Honda CRF250R to his fifth-consecutive title. The achievement ties a record held by past Arenacross greats Dennis Hawthorne and Buddy Antunez, who won their last crowns in 1990 and 2001, respectively.

2024 Kyle Peters AMA Arenacross Champ_15

Each of the Greensboro, North Carolina, native’s crowns has come in different ways. He dominated last year’s championship, clinching it with two rounds remaining, despite having to overcome a broken neck suffered the previous off-season. Conversely, this year was hard-fought since the December 1 opener in Boise, Idaho. Peters faced adversity including crashes, run-ins with other riders, an injured thumb, and severe anxiety from self-imposed pressure to win. In addition, title-rival Ryan Breece opted to compete aboard a 450cc machine, a decision (allowed by the rules) that turned out to be an advantage given that several of the tour stops were held at elevation. In the end, Peters still managed to take his fifth crown, with just a five-point margin.

“They’re all special and have their special meaning in their own way, but this one was definitely the toughest on me, mentally, just from all the adversity I faced,” said Peters, who turns 31 one week from today. “Things didn’t really seem to be going my way, and I always kind of felt like I was on my back foot. It was really tough, and a few rounds from the end, I was thinking, ‘It’s not looking good.’ Thankfully, Lord willing, I was able to get it done, and to pull through was amazing.”

Including the 2019 title by Jace Owens, this marks the sixth-consecutive crown for David Eller’s Salisbury, North Carolina-based Phoenix Racing Honda team.

2024 Kyle Peters AMA Arenacross Champ_10

“On behalf of everyone at American Honda, congratulations to Kyle for his fifth in a row, and to David and the entire Phoenix Racing Honda crew for their sixth in a row,” said Brandon Wilson, manager of Racing and Advertising at American Honda. “Kyle has become a juggernaut in Arenacross, but no one should make the mistake of assuming what he’s doing is easy. The fact that he was able to pull it off despite the challenges he faced says a lot about his perseverance and determination, as well as the professionalism of his team. A big thank-you to everyone involved.”

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