This week in US powersports racing.
Daniels Dominates, Kopp Makes History at Orange County Half-Mile
Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) was precise to the point of perfection in Saturday night’s blowout win of the Orange County Half-Mile, Round 7 of the 2024 Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing.
While slippery conditions and continually altering lines at Middletown, New York’s Orange County Fair Speedway kept the world’s elite motorcycle dirt track racers guessing all day long, Mission AFT SuperTwins championship leader Daniels was composed and in control throughout.
After sitting atop the leaderboard in practice and qualifying, and then winning his heat and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, Daniels merely needed to get off the line clean and then do his thing in the Main. Once he did, the end result was a drama-free 5.293-second margin of victory.
Daniels’ second triumph of the season also saw him build upon his Grand National Championship advantage on a what was by contrast a frustratingly off day for nine-time champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750), who was forced to rally just to finish inside the top five.
Daniels, who now leads the championship chase 149-133 over Mees, said, “To come here and do what we did all day… These are the days you dream of. It was one of those days when you’re just on, and you feel it no matter what. Man, we’ve been working behind the scenes, and it’s starting to pay off. We put on a clinic, and it feels good. The Estenson Racing Monster Energy Yamaha motorcycle is handling so good. Just a big thanks to everyone. What a day… What a day.”
While Mees battled his way forward from outside the top ten, Briar Bauman (No. 3 Rick Ware Racing/KTM/Parts Plus KTM 790 Duke) got away in second and was the only rider who managed to catch even a fleeting glimpse of Daniels’ immediate escape.
While unsuccessful in his bid to keep pace, the effort to do so catapulted Bauman into the clear himself where he ultimately took second with more than four seconds to spare.
Meanwhile, third place had major ‘Cinderella story’ potential with Billy Ross (No. 29 Mission Foods/Digitale Kawasaki Ninja 650) desperate to fend off Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) in search of a first career premier-class podium in what was his ‘24 debut after suffering an injury shortly before the season opener.
However, that Cinderella story was swapped out for another when the fight for fourth, featuring Mees and Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650), converged with the scrap over third as the contest neared its conclusion.
Gauthier, in just his first race on the Royal Enfield in substitute duty, pulled off a final-corner overtake to steal away third and grab what was instead his first career premier-class podium by an impossibly slim 0.002 seconds. Ross held on for fourth, while Mees pushed Robinson down to sixth by a similarly tight 0.045 seconds at the checkered flag.
Positions seventh through ten went to Brandon Price (No. 92 Memphis Shades/Corbin/OTBR Yamaha MT-07), Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Ohio Indian FTR750), Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Mission Foods/Zanotti Racing Indian FTR750), and Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) in that order.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Reigning Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER champion Kody Kopp (No. 1 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F) etched himself yet another prominent position in the history books.
Already with a strong claim as most decorated rider the category has ever seen, Kopp furthered his argument by equaling Shayna Texter-Bauman (No. 52 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F) for most career Parts Unlimited AFT Singles wins by scoring his 19th triumph in just his 58th attempt.
While Kopp has authored his fair share of runaway wins, #19 ranked among the most lopsided. The Rick Ware Racing star shook free of an early four-rider melee and promptly checked out. Despite cruising to the checkered flag, the Washington native still hit the stripe with more than three-and-a-half seconds in his favor.
Kopp said, “I feel like I’m really focused on this sport in general. I want to keep checking off goals and climbing up the list. Huge shout out to my Rick Ware Racing team. This one is huge for sure. And with four weekends in a row racing, it’s good to start it off with a win. We want to keep working towards that end goal of a championship.”
Second-ranked Chase Saathoff (No. 88 JPG Motorsports Honda CRF450R) and third-ranked Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) finished in their championship standing order at the conclusion of a relatively processional affair despite some early fireworks.
Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) extended that championship mirror to fourth after tracking down New Yorker Justin Jones (No. 91 J&H Racing Husqvarna FC 450).
Even with that disappointment, Jones played a starring role throughout the day and actually looked like the rider beat after winning his heat and the Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda Challenge with style.
Jones led the opening two laps and didn’t go away easily after being dispatched by Kopp, countering momentarily and then tussling with the title fighters for the opening half of the race. While Jones wouldn’t earn a second-career win nearly a decade after taking his first, he did give the home state fans plenty to cheer about en route to a top-five result.
Behind, Travis Petton IV (No. 82 ECG Racing/A.M Ortega KTM 450 SX-F) came home sixth with Hunter Bauer (No. 24 Vinson Construction/American Harley-Davidson Yamaha YZ450F), Jared Lowe (No. 63 BigR/Little Debbie Racing Honda CRF450R), Tarren Santero (No. 75 Vinson Construction/P&M Motorcycles Honda CRF450R), and Evan Renshaw (No. 265 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) completing the top ten.
Kopp continues his march towards an unprecedented third Parts Unlimited AFT Singles title. He now leads by 26 points – more than a full race haul – over second-ranked Saathoff (158-132). Drane is third at 126, followed by Lowe with 108.
Next Up:
Progressive American Flat Track will be right back in action next weekend with the Bridgeport Half-Mile at Bridgeport Speedway in Swedesboro, New Jersey, on Saturday, June 22. Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/bridgeport-half-mile-86133 to secure your tickets today.
For those who can’t catch the action from the circuit, FloRacing is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Sign up now and catch every second of the on-track action, from the first practice to the victory podium, at https://flosports.link/aft.
FOX Sports coverage of the Orange County Half-Mile, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Sunday, June 23, at 12:00 p.m. ET (9:00 a.m. PT).
For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com.
Jett Lawrence Sweeps Motos at High Point for Third Pro Motocross Championship Win in Four Races
An evening of scattered thunderstorms gave way to picture-perfect weather conditions and an ever-changing racetrack on Saturday as the Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, kicked off its East Coast swing with the annual Father’s Day weekend tradition from legendary High Point Raceway. The 47th running of the High Point National Presented by Sustainable Yard Management represented Round 4 of the 2024 season, where the “Country Club of Motocross” welcomed a massive crowd that saw reigning 450 Class Champion Jett Lawrence pilot his Team Honda HRC machine to a 1-1 effort for his third win of the season. In the 250 Class, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Ty Masterpool prevailed with a breakthrough maiden victory that also signified an unprecedented 300th victory for the most successful team in the history of the sport.
Moto 1
The Honda-mounted Lawrence brothers led the field through the first turn to open Moto 1, with point leader Hunter Lawrence inching ahead of Jett to earn the MotoSport.com Holeshot and hold onto the early lead. Behind them, Phoenix Racing Honda’s Dylan Ferrandis battled his way into third. The Frenchman held the position for just over a lap until Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper made the pass. A little more than seven minutes into the moto, Hunter Lawrence lost traction coming out of a turn and stopped briefly, which allowed Jett Lawrence to assume the lead. Moments later, Cooper endured a similar hiccup, which allowed Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton to move into third.
As the moto wore on, the Lawrences increased their advantage over the field as some miscues by Sexton allowed the lead to grow to nearly 20 seconds entering the final 10 minutes of the moto. The distance between Jett and Hunter hovered around two seconds, with some ebb and flow as the pair navigated lapped riders. With three laps to go the intensity picked up, with less than a second between the siblings. They mirrored lap times and took the white flag with eight tenths separating the teammates. Hunter Lawrence went on the attack and looked for alternate lines to attempt a pass, but it was too little too late.
Jett Lawrence captured his fourth moto win of the season a mere seventh tenths ahead of Hunter, while Sexton followed in a distant third, 36 seconds back. Cooper finished fourth, with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger in fifth.
Jett Lawrence (1-1) earned his third win in four rounds
with his second moto sweep of the season.
Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Moto 2
The final moto of the afternoon started with the Muc-Off/FXR/ClubMX Yamaha of Phil Nicoletti leading the field to the MotoSport.com Holeshot before he gave way to Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson. Jett Lawrence then slotted into third, with Hunter Lawrence following into fourth. The Lawrences were quick to pass Nicoletti and take over the remaining podium positions. Sexton followed through into fourth and pressured Hunter Lawrence for third. Sexton made quick work of the points leader to slot into the top three five minutes into the moto.
Sexton continued his push and pressured Jett Lawrence for second, which saw the champ close in on Anderson for the lead. A battle for the top spot ensued and as Anderson looked to fend off Lawrence, it allowed Sexton to make the move past both riders and jump from third to first. Lawrence completed the pass on Anderson and quickly worked his way around Sexton to seize control of the lead 10 minutes into the moto. From there, Lawrence and Sexton settled into their respective positions through the heart of the moto.
With a little more than 10 minutes to go Sexton mounted an attack on Lawrence and made an easy pass to move into the lead. Lawrence gave chase and passed Sexton back, only for Sexton to do the same and put his KTM back out front. Sexton kept a patient Lawrence at bay and as the moto dipped into its final five minutes Sexton lost traction with his front tire and tipped over, which handed the lead back to Lawrence. Sexton remounted in second, but found himself under fire from Hunter Lawrence in third.
Sexton dug deep to get Jett Lawrence back within his sights but the Honda rider managed the lead through to the finish to wrap up his second sweep of the motos this season. He crossed the finish line 3.7 seconds ahead of Sexton, with Hunter Lawrence in third.
Chase Sexton (3-2) finished in the runner-up spot
and chipped away at his deficit in the championship.
Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Overall
Jett Lawrence’s second 1-1 effort of the summer resulted in his third overall win in four rounds and the 14th victory of his 450 Class career and provided back-to-back wins to follow up his worst outing in the premier class in which he crashed and suffered minor injuries. Sexton (3-2) earned the tiebreaker over Hunter Lawrence (2-3) for the runner-up spot, while the elder Lawrence, who is the championship leader, remains the only rider to finish on the overall podium at each round thus far.
With his four straight podium results to start the season, Hunter Lawrence remains atop the championship standings. He holds a six-point lead over Sexton, with Jett Lawrence in third, eight points out of the lead.
Hunter Lawrence (2-3) maintained his points lead
with a fourth straight podium effort.
Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Jett Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“Chase had some good lines [in Moto 2]. It was a bummer to see him go down. It was his race for sure. My shoulder was a bit more fatigued today. I struggled a bit, so it’s good to get the overall and head into the break.”
Chase Sexton, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
“I felt a lot better in the second moto. My speed was much better. Just too many dang mistakes. I just need to be better. We’ll go back to work over the next two weeks and come back stronger. We were better in Moto 2 than Moto 1, which is good, so we’ve got to keep grinding.”
Hunter Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“It’s pretty gnarly out there. In the second moto I just didn’t have the explosive fire like I had in Moto 1. I think that was pretty clear. It was good to minimize the damage [in points] and not do anything silly.”
450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish // Points)
- Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (1-1 // 50)
- Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., KTM (3-2 // 42)
- Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (2-3 // 42)
- Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (5-5 // 34)
- Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (4-6 // 34)
- Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki (7-4 // 33)
- Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Honda (6-7 // 31)
- Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., GASGAS (10-8 // 26)
- Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Husqvarna (9-9 // 26)
- Shane McElrath, Canton, N.C., Suzuki (8-10 // 26)
450 Class Championship Standings (Round 4 of 11)
- Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 171
- Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., KTM – 165
- Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 163
- Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 143
- Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 134
- Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki – 130
- Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., GASGAS – 121
- Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Honda – 120
- Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Husqvarna – 113
- Freddie Noren, Lidkoping, Sweden, Kawasaki – 82
Moto 1
The opening moto of the day got underway with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Nick Romano out front for the MotoSport.com Holeshot, but he was quickly passed by Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing’s Ryder DiFrancesco and the Kawasaki of Masterpool. However, the rider to watch was Team Honda HRC’s Chance Hymas, who clawed his way into the lead before the completion of the opening lap. Well behind was point leader and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rider Haiden Deegan, who started the moto outside the top 20.
As the moto wore on, Hymas, Masterpool, and Team Honda HRC’s Jo Shimoda settled into the top three and all three remained within striking distance of one another as they navigated tricky track conditions. Just as the moto surpassed its halfway point, Hymas had a slight bobble while attempting to navigate lapped riders. With the Honda’s momentum halted momentarily, both Masterpool and Shimoda were able to get by and drop Hymas to third. Behind them, Deegan was on an impressive comeback and managed to claw his way into the top four.
Deegan’s charge forward brought him within reach of Hymas, which forced the Honda rider to respond. With the moto winding down, the battle for second became a three-rider affair between Shimoda, Hymas, and Deegan. A savvy move allowed Deegan to pass Hymas and move into the top three. Deegan then went on the attack against Shimoda. Deegan took advantage of a lapper to make the pass for second and then had two laps to track down Masterpool.
Deegan closed in and took advantage of his first opening to make the move on Masterpool just before the white flag. The Kawasaki rider battled back and kept the fight tight through the finish, but Deegan completed an impressive come-from-behind effort by 2.6 seconds over Masterpool. Shimoda followed in third, with Hymas fourth and DiFrancesco fifth. Deegan posted his fastest lap of the moto on the final circuit, to put the finishing touch on a statement ride.
Ty Masterpool’s (2-1) margin of victory for his first career win was a mere 0.3 seconds.
Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Moto 2
The second moto saw the trio of Muc-Off/FXR/ClubMX Yamaha riders at the head of the pack, with Coty Schock earning the MotoSport.com Holeshot over teammates Jett Reynolds and Mark Fineis. As they jockeyed for position it was the rookie, Fineis, who emerged with the lead for the first time. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle was also in the mix and made quick moves to jump into second and give pursuit of Fineis. Behind the top two, Masterpool was also pushing forward to slot into third. Deegan, meanwhile, found himself on the ground and started outside the top 20 for the second consecutive moto.
Vialle was patient and waited for his opportunity, which he capitalized on to seize control of the lead just over five minutes into the moto. While leading, Vialle landed off-kilter and went down, which handed the lead back to Fineis and dropped the Frenchman to fourth. Fineis’ lead was short-lived as Masterpool made a quick pass to grab the top spot, while Hymas followed from third.
With a comfortable gap on the field Masterpool went down and gave the lead back to Fineis, but quickly remounted in second. Fineis then crashed out from first a short time later, which allowed Hymas to slip past Masterpool and become the moto’s fifth different leader right as it reached the halfway point. Hymas was able to quickly establish a multi-second lead on Masterpool, who settled into second. Behind the leaders, Vialle ran third but faced pressure from a hard-charging Deegan, who once again marched his way into the top five. Deegan bided his time and eventually took advantage of a bobble by Vialle to move into third.
Back up front, Masterpool mounted a charge for the lead with less than four minutes to go and forced a bobble out of Hymas, which allowed the Kawasaki rider to reclaim the lead. With pressure coming from Deegan, Hymas was able to erase the deficit to Masterpool and make it a three-rider battle to the finish. Deegan got by Hymas and was on Masterpool’s rear fender in the final turns, but the Kawasaki rider held off the threat to secure his first career moto win by a mere three tenths of a second. Hymas finished in third.
Haiden Deegan (1-2) was impressive with a pair of come-from-behind
climbs through the field en route to a runner-up finish.
Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Overall
With the moto win, Masterpool (2-1) and Deegan (1-2) finished tied atop the overall classification, but Masterpool earned the second-moto tiebreaker to capture the first overall win of his professional career. He became the 175th rider in Pro Motocross history to earn a 250 Class victory, which also signified the milestone 300th win for the decorated Pro Circuit race team led by Mitch Payton. Hymas secured his second straight podium result in third (4-3).
With three wins and a runner-up finish through the first four rounds, Deegan’s lead in the championship standings sits at 32 points over Hymas. Vialle, who finished fifth (8-4), sits third, 38 points behind Deegan.
Chance Hymas (4-3) now has back-to-back podiums
and sole possession of second in points.
Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Ty Masterpool, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki
“It’s been a rough three to four years. I’m lucky to have a great team around me and just keep my head down. This is proof hard work pays off. I believed in the team around me and in God’s plan and it all worked out.”
Haiden Deegan, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“I’m super proud of Masterpool [for the win]. He’s been through a lot of highs and lows. It was a battle and we took it down to the wire. I made things hard on myself today, but we still showed a lot of speed and extended the points lead, so it was still a good day.”
Chance Hymas, Team Honda HRC
“I felt good on the bike all day. I just got to be better. I’m super glad to be on the podium again and show some consistency. Now I’ve got second all to myself [in the point standings] and I’m ready to come out swinging after the break.”
250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)
- Ty Masterpool, Paradise, Texas., Kawasaki (2-1 // 47)
- Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (1-2 // 47)
- Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda (4-3 // 38)
- Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Honda (3-5 // 37)
- Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM (8-4 // 32)
- Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM (6-8 // 30)
- Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., GASGAS (5-13 // 26)
- Pierce Brown, Sandy, Utah, GASGAS (13-6 // 25)
- Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki (10-9 // 25)
- Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., Yamaha (9-10 // 25)
250 Class Championship Standings (Round 4 of 11)
- Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 191
- Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda – 159
- Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM – 153
- Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki – 144
- Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki – 136
- Ty Masterpool, Paradise, Texas, Kawasaki – 116
- Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Triumph – 116
- Pierce Brown, Sandy, Utah, GASGAS – 109
- Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM – 103
- Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., Yamaha – 82
JOHNNY GIRROIR AND FMF KTM FACTORY RACING EXTEND IN U.S. SPRINT ENDURO ROUND 6
FMF KTM Factory Racing rider Johnny Girroir has extended his advantage in the 2024 U.S. Sprint Enduro Series at CJ Raceway in Newburg, West Virginia, continuing his perfect season across the first six rounds. The weekend also saw FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers’ Gus Riordan and Brandy Richards earn their class victories.
Defending Sprint Enduro Champion Girroir has been dominant on his KTM 350 XC-F this season, topping both days in commanding fashion once again despite a scare in the early stages of Saturday. He gained strength on Sunday and managed to make it six in a row, with just two rounds remaining this year.
Johnny Girroir: “On Saturday I had a pretty high-speed crash in the second cross test and that kind of scared me or shocked me a little bit. I wasn’t riding that great in the beginning anyway, but I picked it back up in the end and it was a day. Today went smoother, kept her off the ground, found some good speed in the cross test, and had a good last enduro test, so it worked out good.”
FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers standout Riordan was the class of the Pro 2 field to lead the way on both days riding his KTM 250 XC-F, establishing an advantage on Saturday and then managing it on Sunday. The reigning champion now holds a 45-point lead in the series following six of eight rounds.
Angus Riordan: “The weekend went well I managed to win the Pro 2 yesterday by about 25 seconds and then today I just maintained. I was up by just a second, so I knew I had to pull something out and I was able to get [Jason] Tino by a few seconds, so I won both days and the overall.”
Richards was consistently strong in Pro Women this weekend to comfortably bring her KTM 250 XC-F with the class victory, unbeaten to date in the U.S. Sprint Enduro Series in 2024 and she has a lead of 68 points in the championship with two races to go.
Brandy Richards: “It was a pretty good weekend. Yesterday was a little bit slippery, but then it dried out. Today was super dusty and super slick and I just made a few mistakes here and there, but overall I had a good time.”
Pro 1 Class Results
1. Johnny Girroir, FMF KTM Factory Racing
2. Cody Barnes, Honda
3. Craig DeLong, Husqvarna
Pro 2 Class Results
1. Angus Riordan, FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers
2. Jason Tino, Husqvarna
3. Collier Martinez, Honda
Pro Women Class Results
1. Brandy Richards, FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers
2. Korie Steede, Husqvarna
UPCOMING OFFROAD RACES – JUNE 2024
6/23: Grand National Country Series – Round 9
6/29: Silver Kings Hard Enduro
CHASE SEXTON REBOUNDS WITH SECOND OVERALL AT HIGH POINT NATIONAL
MT. MORRIS, Pa. – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton fought his way back to the 450MX podium in Round 4 of the 2024 AMA Pro Motocross Championship at High Point Raceway, finishing second overall after delivering 3-2 moto results and leading his share of laps in the second encounter this afternoon.
Riders were met with rutty, technical conditions, but Sexton was up for the challenge on his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION. After racing to third in Moto 1, he was engaged in a spirited battle with defending champion Jett Lawrence throughout Moto 2, before unfortunately tipping over while leading in the closing laps.
Sexton managed to quickly remount and hold onto second position, which was enough to take P2 for the weekend, and he also maintains second in the championship standings – six points outside of the red plate with seven rounds remaining on the outdoor schedule.
Chase Sexton: “Round 4 was better than Thunder Valley, my speed was a little better, but I just made way too many mistakes. These next two weeks, I’ll be trying to rest because I’ve been physically exhausted the last couple of weeks. I’ve gotta get back to 100 percent and we’ll come out swinging for the upcoming middle four races of the season.”
The High Point National was also a convincing one for Aaron Plessinger, recovering from a bad start in Moto 1 to slice his way through the pack to fifth, and he repeated that result in the second outing. Those 5-5 scores placed him fourth overall for the weekend, currently positioned fifth in the point standings and with increasing confidence on his side.
Aaron Plessinger: “Overall, today was the most comfortable I’ve felt on the bike in a long time or, really, ever. I was just gelling. Qualifying went pretty good in seventh, and then in the first moto I really botched the start and had to come from around 20th to fifth. The result didn’t reflect how awesome I was riding, because I felt so good, could really push, and get going! Second one, I got a better start and made my way into fifth early, so it was 5-5 for today. I ended up fourth overall, which isn’t too bad. I’ll take a relaxing weekend off and come back swinging at Southwick – I’m ready for it!”
This weekend was a frustrating one for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 250MX title challenger Tom Vialle, who qualified in fourth position, but had to settle for eighth following a difficult first moto. He stormed to the front of the pack in the early stages of Moto 2, but an untimely error cost him a chance of the race victory, and he took the checkered flag in P4. That placed him fifth overall, now P3 in the championship following four rounds.
Tom Vialle: “High Point was not really a good day. I finished with 8-4 moto results, and went down in both motos. I was leading the second moto and crashed, so we were a little bit better in that one, but that’s not where I want to be, and it’s kind of frustrating. I look forward to Southwick and being back in the sand in two weeks, so hopefully it will be a better race there.”
250MX rookie Julien Beaumer recorded his best career finish to date in sixth overall, continuing to build experience in the professional ranks on his KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION. The teenager charged to sixth in Moto 1 after starting inside the top 10, and then in the final outing he raced forward to eighth position. He sits ninth in the 250MX standings following what was another impressively consistent performance this weekend.
Julien Beaumer: “It was a way better day for me today at High Point. Qualifying wasn’t good, but my starts were better, and I had good rides both times for my best overall of the season in P6. I’m happy with where we’re at right now, so am going to keep building on this. I’m excited to get back to work, try to fix some things that we need to improve on, and try to finish strong for the rest of the season. It will be my first time to Southwick, so I’m going to practice in some sand and be ready!”
Next Race: June 29 – Southwick, Massachusetts
Results 450MX Class – High Point National
1. Jett Lawrence (AUS), Honda
2. Chase Sexton (USA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
3. Hunter Lawrence (AUS), Honda
4. Aaron Plessinger (USA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
8. Justin Barcia (USA), GASGAS
9. Malcolm Stewart (USA), Husqvarna
18. Christian Craig (USA), Husqvarna
Standings 450MX Class 2024 after 4 of 11 rounds
1. Hunter Lawrence, 171 points
2. Chase Sexton, 165
3. Jett Lawrence, 163
5. Aaron Plessinger, 134
7. Justin Barcia, 121
9. Malcolm Stewart, 113
11. Christian Craig, 67
Results 250MX Class – High Point National
1. Ty Masterpool (USA), Kawasaki
2. Haiden Deegan (USA), Yamaha
3. Chance Hymas (USA), Honda
5. Tom Vialle (FRA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
6. Julien Beaumer (USA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
7. Ryder DiFrancesco (USA), GASGAS
8. Pierce Brown (USA), GASGAS
17. Casey Cochran (USA), Husqvarna
Standings 250MX Class 2024 after 4 of 11 rounds
1. Haiden Deegan, 191 points
2. Chance Hymas, 159
3. Tom Vialle, 153
8. Pierce Brown, 109
9. Julien Beaumer, 103
12. Ryder DiFrancesco, 73
15. Casey Cochran, 51
TROY LEE DESIGNS/RED BULL/GASGAS FACTORY RACING TAKES TOP 10 RESULTS FROM HIGH POINT
All three Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing riders finished inside the top 10 at the end of a tough High Point National this weekend, overcoming their share of adversity and led by 450MX charger Justin Barcia with eighth overall, while 250MX prospects Ryder DiFrancesco and Pierce Brown were seventh and eighth, respectively.
- Justin Barcia battles technical conditions for 10-8 scores
- A top-five in Moto 1 and P7 overall the best yet from Ryder D
- Sixth in the final outing a solid finish for Pierce Brown
Bam Bam was quick from the outset in tricky conditions to set the third-fastest time in the opening practice, but fell in the late stages of the session, which made for a long day while managing pain in his knees. After qualifying sixth on combined times, the GASGAS MC 450F Factory Edition rider was still able to collect points across both races, going 10-8 for P8 overall, and he has retained seventh in the championship tally.
Justin Barcia: “Today started really good, P3 in the first practice, but then on the last lap I slid out on a blind jump and got my knee run over, so that was a struggle! I went out for the second session and was in pretty bad pain, so qualified P6 overall, and I knew the motos would be tough. We did everything we could – tape and that kind of thing – to get out there, but both of my knees are extremely weak right now and hurting pretty bad. We salvaged what we were able to today, which is a bit sad because the bike was really good and I thought we could have had a successful day. All-in-all, we scored points, and I’m happy we have a weekend off now so I can sort these knees out, and come out swinging for Southwick!”
A fifth-place score in the first 250MX moto of the weekend was a season-high for Ryder DiFrancesco on his GASGAS MC 250F Factory Edition, also matching his career-best achieved at the same venue one year ago. Ryder recovered from a crash in Moto 2 to salvage 13th, which was enough for seventh overall and his strongest finish of the 2024 outdoor season so far.
Ryder DiFrancesco: “High Point was better than the last few weeks. First moto I took fifth, and then in the second moto, I was running inside the top 10 and went down. That put me seventh overall, which is an improvement, so the goal going into Southwick is to put two solid motos together. It was a good day and I’m ready for a weekend off.”
Alongside Ryder D in 250MX, Pierce Brown qualified inside the top 10, but crashed in the opening encounter and was buried in the pack on his way to greeting the checkered flag in 13th. He was able to rebound in the second race for eighth overall, continuing his consistent run in terms of round results, and is currently positioned P8 in the championship rankings.
Pierce Brown: “We were eighth overall today. The first moto was not great after I fell and just couldn’t find my flow, but we went back to a base setting for Moto 2 and the comfort was there for me again. My start was better and I ended up sixth, so closer to the front, and we’re going to work on fixing our weaknesses during the break before Southwick.”
Next Race: June 29 – Southwick, Massachusetts
NINTH OVERALL AT HIGH POINT NATIONAL DELIVERED BY MALCOLM STEWART
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider Malcolm Stewart went 9-9 for ninth overall at today’s High Point National, marking Round 4 of the 2024 AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Rutted, technical conditions were on the agenda, but it was consistency that was once again the story of Stewart’s day.
Despite qualifying a lowly 17th in relatively muddy conditions, the track began to form up for the motos, where Stewart guided his Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 450 Rockstar Edition to P9 in Moto 1 after gaining track position throughout the race. He once again featured inside the top 10 for ninth at the conclusion of Moto 2, placing him in that same spot overall and he’s also ninth in the title race.
“Today was okay, the track was very, very tough after the rain on Friday night, and it got really rutty out there,” said Stewart. “All-in-all, I had a really good time. We did the best we could, and 9-9 finishes aren’t the results we want, but sometimes when you’re a little bit off this track can work you! We’re safe and we’ll enjoy this weekend off before Southwick – I think I’m going to shine at that one and am looking forward to getting out there in the sand!”
High Point started strongly for 450MX teammate Christian Craig as he was fourth in the first session and then qualified in P9, but unfortunately crashed out of the first in the middle stages. He was able to return to action for this afternoon, salvaging points in 13th place, but will benefit from the scheduled weekend off before Southwick. Craig sits 11th in the championship following the fourth round of the season.
“It was a tough day at High Point,” Craig commented. “I actually felt really good in practice, qualifying went well, and then in the first moto I had two tip-overs and had to keep building through the pack, but unfortunately had a pretty big crash about halfway through and that ended my moto. I hit the ground pretty hard and was shaken up a little bit, but the guys did a good job of getting the bike ready again, and I did what I could in Moto 2. It was a rough day, but we’re healthy, and I feel like my speed is coming along. As long as we can keep these little mistakes away, we’ll have some good results soon.”
It was a similar story for 250MX newcomer Casey Cochran today, starting inside the top 10 until he crashed out of Moto 1 in spectacular fashion, but was thankfully able to remount his Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 250 Rockstar Edition for the final race. He was impressive in charging from 17th on lap one to claim a career-best race result of 11th, which put him P17 overall, and he is 15th in the standings.
“This was my first time here at High Point and overall it wasn’t a bad day,” recalled Cochran. “I felt like I had some pretty good pace and endurance this weekend, we’re making steps in the right direction, and I got my best moto finish yet in Moto 2 even though I crashed out of the first one. We have positives to take away and now we have an off weekend, I will keep working, and come back swinging in Southwick.”
Next Race: June 29 – Southwick, Massachusetts
ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA’S CRAIG DELONG ON PRO 1 PODIUM AT CJ RACEWAY
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing took home two podium finishes at Round 6 of the 2024 U.S. Sprint Enduro Series, with Craig DeLong and Korie Steede finishing third and second, respectively, in Newburg, West Virginia.
DeLong rode his Husqvarna Motorcycles FX 350 to third position on Saturday and improved to second on Sunday, falling just short of the runner-up result on combined times. He’s now positioned P2 in both the Pro 1 and overall championship standings with two rounds remaining.
“Today was really good,” DeLong reflected. “I fell in the second enduro test and probably lost 10 seconds. That really set me back because I was second behind Johnny [Girroir] and that fall dropped me back to third. I had a good cross test and I won the first enduro test today, so I feel I’ve been making good improvements the last few weeks.”
The Pro Women Class saw Steede race to second position on the podium, finishing the weekend strongly on her Husqvarna Motorcycles FX 250, and taking a lot out of the two days of competition. Steede is ranked second in the series following six of eight rounds.
“Overall, it was a super rough weekend for me – I just wasn’t on,” said Steede. “It’s really hard to compete with Brandy [Richards] when you are making a lot of mistakes, so Sunday I tried to turn the day around and grabbed two test wins and had the fastest enduro time in the final enduro test, so at least I improved. We’ll keep working from here!”
Pro 1 Class Results
1. Johnny Girroir, KTM
2. Cody Barnes, Honda
3. Craig DeLong, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
Pro Women Class Results
1. Brandy Richards, KTM
2. Korie Steede, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
Upcoming Offroad Races – June 2024
6/23: Grand National Country Series – Round 9
6/29: Silver Kings Hard Enduro
Petersen Returns to Podium in Superbike Race 2 at Brainerd
Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Petersen returned to the podium with a third-place finish in yesterday’s MotoAmerica Superbike Race 2 at Brainerd International Raceway. His teammate Jake Gagne salvaged points on a tough weekend in Brainerd, Minnesota, with a seventh-place finish.
In Sunday’s Race 2, Petersen got another great start from the second row of the grid to the runner-up spot. The South African rode a strong pace but was passed on Lap 7. He stayed on the heels of the competition for most of the race and ultimately rode on to score third for his fifth podium finish of the season. Petersen’s efforts advanced his position to fourth and within 28 points of the top spot in the hotly contested title chase.
After another less-than-ideal start, Gagne found himself sixth and was shuffled to seventh on the second lap. Despite being unable to ride to his full potential with arm pump issues, the defending three-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion did what he could to salvage points with a seventh-place finish. As the series approaches the halfway mark, Gagne remains within reach of the championship lead, trailing fellow Yamaha rider Bobby Fong by eight points.
The Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing team returns to action in two weeks’ time as racing resumes with MotoAmerica Superbike Round 5 at The Ridge in Shelton, Washington, on June 28-30.
Richard Stanboli – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“Not much to say really. We lost this round, but we’ll move on and smash them at The Ridge.”
Cameron Petersen – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing #45
“It was not a bad weekend for me and the team. I’m happy with the podium in the second race and we’re still right in the hunt for the championship. I will go back to work and show up stronger for The Ridge so we can put up more of a fight. I have to give a massive shoutout to the whole team for all their hard work.”
Jake Gagne – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing #1
“It was another rough day with hand issues, which was definitely a bummer because the bike was awesome here. I’ll get it sorted and back where we belong!”
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