This week in US powersports racing.
| Jett Lawrence Rebounds to Capture Second Pro Motocross Championship Win of the Season at Thunder Valley |
| Haiden Deegan Grabs Third Straight 250 Class Victory |
| LAKEWOOD, Colo. (June 8, 2024) – The Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, traveled to the Rocky Mountains for Round 3 of the 2024 season, with an early test in the mile-high altitude of Thunder Valley Motocross Park, which sits mere minutes from downtown Denver. The landmark 20th running of the Toyota Thunder Valley National saw a variety of weather conditions, from abundant sunshine to rain and wind gusts, which resulted in another captivating afternoon of action. One week after a big crash ended his undefeated 450 Class record, Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence outdueled his brother Hunter to capture a bounce-back win and re-establish himself in the early season title fight. In the 250 Class, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan continued his winning ways and emerged triumphant once again to open the summer with three straight victories. |
| Moto 1 The first moto of the afternoon got underway with the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing machine of Justin Cooper leading the field out of the first turn for the MotoSport.com Holeshot, closely followed by Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia and Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson. Also giving charge was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger from fourth, followed by the Lawrences in fifth and sixth, respectively, with entering point leader Chase Sexton in seventh aboard his Red Bull KTM. After the first 10 minutes Cooper had opened up a lead of nearly eight seconds over the field, which saw a lot of jockeying for position. Anderson and Hunter Lawrence settled into second and third, respectively, while Jett Lawrence made his way into fourth and kept his rivals within reach. Hunter Lawrence took control of second just before the halfway point of the moto and Jett Lawrence soon followed his brother into third. Behind them, Sexton soon made his way around Anderson into fourth. The Australian siblings started to increase their pace entering the final 10 minutes of the moto, which allowed them to chip away at the deficit to Cooper. The Yamaha rider responded and picked up his pace, which helped stabilize the lead, but the Honda duo didn’t relent. With five minutes to go, Hunter Lawrence initiated a battle for the lead, as Jett Lawrence lurked in third. Hunter acted on the first opportunity that presented itself and took advantage of some lapped riders to seize the lead with three minutes to go. Jett followed into second just a few turns later. For there the brothers quickly distanced themselves from the rest of the field, with Hunter asserting his hold on the top spot in the final stages. The elder Lawrence captured the first moto win of his 450 Class career by eight seconds over Jett, while Cooper followed in a distant third. Barcia parlayed his strong start into a fourth-place effort, with Plessinger fifth. Sexton finished just outside the top five in sixth after late misfortune in the moto. |
 Jett Lawrence (2-1) returned to the top step of the podium in Colorado.Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc. |
| Moto 2 The second and deciding moto started the same at Moto 1, with Cooper leading the field through the first turn to sweep the MotoSport.com Holeshots for the afternoon. Hunter Lawrence slotted into second but it was Sexton who was on a determined move forward. The points leader was able to make a pass on both Jett and Hunter Lawrence to claw his way up to second, which dropped Hunter to third and Jett into fourth, while Anderson lurked in fifth. Sexton then set his sights on Cooper out front, but the Yamaha rider fended off the pressure. From there the field settled in and the pace slowed through the opening 10 minutes. Sexton mounted another attack and looked to attempt a pass on Cooper, but a misjudgment put the KTM on the ground and caused Sexton to lose multiple positions. Hunter Lawrence assumed second, while Jett Lawrence moved into third. Sexton remounted in sixth. At the halfway point of the moto the top three were separated by just two seconds, with all three riders showing patience. Each rider traded momentum as the moto entered its final 10 minutes, with Hunter Lawrence closing to within a few bike lengths of Cooper at times. However, the Yamaha rider never wavered and sustained his advantage. As the moto wore on, Hunter Lawrence started to lose ground and lost his hold of second to Jett Lawrence. The reigning series champion continued his push forward and began to apply pressure on Cooper for the lead with less than five minutes to go. As they navigated lapped riders all three riders sat within a second of one another, which forced Jett Lawrence to make the move and grab the lead with just under two minutes to go. Hunter Lawrence followed suit and dropped Cooper down to third. The brothers went head-to-head for the win once more, this time in opposite positions. A half second separated the siblings as they took the white flag. Jett Lawrence dug deep and carried on to his third moto win of the season by a margin of 1.2 seconds. Cooper finished in third. |
 Hunter Lawrence (1-2) just missed out on his first 450 Class victorybut now sits atop the championship standings. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc. |
| Overall With identical moto finishes the Lawrences finished tied atop the overall classification, but Jett’s second moto triumph (2-1) was the difference maker as it gave him the tiebreaker over Hunter (1-2). It resulted in the second 1-2 finish for the pair through the first three rounds of the season and signified Jett’s 13th career win. Thanks to his incredible starts in each moto, Cooper captured his first career podium result in the premier class in third (3-3). With his third straight podium finish to open his 450 Class career Hunter Lawrence moved atop the 450 Class standings, highlighted by his distinction as the lone rider in the division to finish inside the top five in every moto. His lead sits at six points over Sexton, who finished fifth overall (6-5), while Jett Lawrence climbed from sixth to third by virtue of his win, 16 points behind Hunter. |
 Justin Cooper (3-3) spent most of the afternoon out frontand earned his first career 450 Class podium result. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc. |
| Jett Lawrence, Team Honda HRC “Going into that second moto my legs were shot, but I dug deep and just kept telling myself to stay there [with the leaders]. I capitalized on a mistake by Hunter [Lawrence] and kept going after JCoop [Cooper]. I didn’t necessarily expect to be up here [in first], but it feels awesome after last weekend.” Hunter Lawrence, Team Honda HRC “That little [expletive] got me [laughs]. It was a good run. It was cool to go down to the wire. We made a big change over the week and I think it paid off for both of us [Jett and I].” Justin Cooper, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing “It was an awesome day. I got both holeshots and led for 25 minutes. I tried my best, but they [the Lawrences] were riding too good. I gave it everything I had and I’m really happy with today’s performance.” |
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| 450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish // Points)Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (2-1 // 47)Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (1-2 // 47)Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (3-3 // 40)Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., GASGAS (4-6 // 34)Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., KTM (6-5 // 33)Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (5-8 // 31)Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki (10-4 // 30)Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Husqvarna (7-7 // 30)Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Honda (8-9 // 27)Christian Craig, El Cajon, Calif., Husqvarna (9-10 // 25)450 Class Championship Standings (Round 3 of 11)Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 129Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., KTM – 123Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 113Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 109Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 100Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki – 97Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., GASGAS – 95Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Honda – 89Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Husqvarna – 87Freddie Noren, Lidkoping, Sweden, Kawasaki – 68 |
| Moto 1 The opening moto began with Deegan at the front of the pack to grab the MotoSport.com Holeshot, with pressure coming from Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle in second and Team Honda HRC’s Chance Hymas in third. The lead trio eventually settled into their respective positions as the field started to spread out through the opening 10 minutes. Deegan and Vialle traded momentum early on as the lead hovered around two seconds, but as the moto approached the halfway point Deegan’s consistency allowed him to inch away and build his advantage up to almost four seconds. With their exceptional pace, Deegan and Vialle pulled away from Hymas and the rest of the field to make it a two-rider battle. As they entered the final five minutes, both riders picked up the pace as they tactfully navigated lapped riders. That saw the distance between them fluctuate, which worked to Deegan’s advantage as the lead grew to more than three seconds. However, Deegan slid out and went down briefly, which allowed Vialle to make the pass for the lead. Deegan recovered quickly and remained within striking distance for the win. A fierce battle ensued over the final stages of the moto as Deegan searched for alternate lines. As they came to the white flag Deegan took advantage of an inside line to push Vialle wide and reclaim the lead. Vialle battled back and made one final pass attempt that saw the two riders make contact and put Vialle on the ground. That allowed Deegan to bring home his fourth moto win of the season by 5.8 seconds over Vialle, who remounted quickly, while Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen followed in third. Hymas was fourth, with his Team Honda HRC teammate Jo Shimoda fifth. |
 Haiden Deegan (1-2) captured his third straight win of the season.Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc. |
| Moto 2 The final moto of the day began with Hymas and Deegan side by side coming out of the first turn, from which Hymas earned the MotoSport.com Holeshot and grabbed the early lead. Deegan slotted into second while Kitchen began the moto in third. Vialle started in fifth. With the clear track ahead, Hymas seized the moment and was able to open a lead of more than five seconds over the rest of the field through the opening 10 minutes. Deegan settled into second while Kitchen suffered a tip over that caused him to drop from third to sixth. That allowed Triumph Racing’s Jalek Swoll to move into third, until Vialle made the pass to join the top three just before the halfway point of the moto. Shortly after, Vialle had a brief crash that saw him drop from third to fifth, which moved Swoll back into podium position. While the lead pair enjoyed a comfortable margin over the field, the battle for third intensified between Swoll and Shimoda, from which the Japanese rider prevailed with the position. From there the top three went unchanged. Hymas stormed to his first career moto win with a wire-to-wire victory by a margin of 3.8 seconds over Deegan, with Shimoda in third. Vialle recovered to finish fourth. |
 Chance Hymas (4-1) enjoyed a breakout afternoon with a runner-up effort.Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc. |
| Overall Deegan’s 1-2 effort easily secured his third straight overall win and extended his points lead. Hymas’ moto win capped off a career-best performance in the runner-up spot (4-1) for his first ever podium, while Vialle rounded out the top three (2-4). With his win streak, Deegan enjoys a 23-point lead over Vialle and Hymas, who both moved up the championship standings and now sit tied for second. |
 Tom Vialle (2-4) finished on the podium for the third time this season.Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc. |
| Haiden Deegan, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing “I got a good start [in Moto 2] but Chance [Hymas] was ripping. I had to look at the big picture. We had the overall and now we have three [wins] in a row. The hard work is paying off.” Chance Hymas, Team Honda HRC “I’m speechless right now. I went over the finish line and just broke down. There was a point in time where I didn’t think this was possible. I’m just grateful to be here.” Tom Vialle, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing “Overall the speed was good. Just too many mistakes today. Sometimes that’s racing. The track was really good today and I’m looking forward to next weekend.” |
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| 250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (1-2 // 47)Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda (4-1 // 43)Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM (2-4 // 40)Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Honda (5-3 // 37)Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki (3-7 // 35)Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Triumph (7-5 // 32)Ty Masterpool, Paradise, Texas., Kawasaki (8-6 // 30)Pierce Brown, Sandy, Utah, GASGAS (6-9 // 29)Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM (9-10 // 25)Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., Yamaha (11-11 // 22)250 Class Championship Standings (Round 3 of 11)Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 144Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda – 121Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM – 121Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki – 119Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki – 99Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Triumph – 93Pierce Brown, Sandy, Utah, GASGAS – 84Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM – 73Ty Masterpool, Paradise, Texas, Kawasaki – 69Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Triumph – 60 |
Breakout Weekend for Team Honda HRC at Thunder Valley MX
At the Lakewood, Colorado, Thunder Valley National (round 3 of the AMA Pro Motocross series), all four Team Honda HRC racers enjoyed positive showings that were important steps toward achieving their aspirations for the season. Following the worst outdoor performance of his career last week (and still affected by a hard crash), Jett Lawrence took the 450 overall win and significantly reduced his deficit in the title chase. Hunter Lawrence earned the first 450 moto-win of his career and left the Centennial State with his first premier-class red plate. The 250 class saw Chance Hymas also notch his first moto-win and take his first overall-podium finish. Jo Shimoda tallied his first moto-podium finish and continued a steady progression in overall results (from sixth at round 1, to fifth at round 2, to fourth in Colorado).
Hymas sat in third for the first two-thirds of 250 moto 1, but a late pass by Levi Kitchen left him finishing fourth. Meanwhile, Shimoda advanced from just inside the top 10 on lap 1 to finish just behind his teammate, in fifth. It was Hymas’s CRF250R exiting turn 1 of moto 2 with the lead, and the Idaho native rode well for the entire race, successfully fending off early advances from Haiden Deegan before winning by almost 4 seconds. Shimoda quietly climbed from sixth on lap 1 to a commendable third place, catching Deegan on the last lap and almost making the pass. The Japanese racer earned fourth overall.
The first 450 moto saw Hunter and Jett start fifth and sixth, respectively, and they both moved up one position on the first lap. The brothers steadily advanced, overtaking Jason Anderson, Justin Barcia and Justin Cooper, to put them first and second at the three-quarters mark. Later, Hunter was second out of turn 1 in moto 2, with Jett just behind. Chase Sexton passed them both on lap 1 but went down a couple laps later. Jett passed his brother with six laps remaining, and with four laps left, they both got around erstwhile leader Cooper. Hunter put on a charge against his brother, with Jett responding, and they both did the fastest laps of the race on the last lap, finishing just over a second apart. With the Lawrences’ finish positions flipped from moto 1, they tied on points, with Jett getting the nod in the overall tally thanks to his better moto 2 result.
NOTES
- On Friday, Team Honda HRC attended Media Day for the Thunder Valley National, getting in some track time and participating in interviews. A storm that evening caused some damage at the track, but Team Honda HRC was largely unaffected.
- Once again, a pop-up dealer-activation booth was set up in the Team Honda HRC pits at the Thunder Valley National, this time staffed by Littleton, Colorado, dealership Peak Honda World.
- During morning qualifying, Jett Lawrence posted the fastest 450 lap time, with Hunter Lawrence second. In the 250 ranks, Chance Hymas and Jo Shimoda were third- and fourth-best, respectively.
- In both 450 motos, Jett and Hunter Lawrence occupied the top two positions on the fastest-lap timesheets. Chance Hymas posted the fastest time in the second 250 moto.
- Jett Lawrence’s success this weekend gave Honda sole possession of the record for most premier-class overall wins at Thunder Valley, with six. Other Red Riders to have scored wins include Ivan Tedesco, Ken Roczen (three times) and Jett last year. Honda also now ties Kawasaki for most premier-class moto wins at the track, with 11.
- Hunter Lawrence’s steady results so far this year put him in the title-chase lead for the first time in his career, six points ahead of Chase Sexton, which means his CRF450RWE will wear the red plate at the next round. After losing ground last week due to a crash, Jett Lawrence sits third, having slashed his deficit from 24 to 16. In the 250 ranks, Chance Hymas now sits second in points, 23 behind leader Haiden Deegan. Jo Shimoda is fifth.
- Team Honda HRC is back in action in one week, at the High Point National MX in Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania.
Cooper’s Forward Momentum Continues with First Overall 450MX Podium at Thunder Valley
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper built on last week’s career-best performance with a pair of holeshots and his first overall 450MX podium yesterday at the Thunder Valley National in Lakewood, Colorado. The rookie continues to make forward strides early in the season, earning a 3-3 moto score for third overall at Round 3 of the Pro Motocross 450MX Championship.
Cooper got a strong start to the day, qualifying third in the combined times. From there, he grabbed the holeshot in the first moto and set a blistering pace to build a comfortable gap up front. As the race wore on, the competition was able to close the gap, and he was shuffled to third with five laps remaining. Cooper rode on to finish third and score his second-consecutive moto podium in five tries.
In Moto 2, Cooper grabbed his second holeshot of the day. With the red plate holder hot on his heels in the opening laps, the New Yorker kept cool in the heat of the battle and maintained the lead. He led for most of the race until four laps to go when he was passed by the defending 450MX Champion and then shuffled to third. Cooper rode it home for three straight moto podiums and his first overall 450MX podium finish with a 3-3 score. As the series heads east, he sits fourth in the championship standings and trails the leader by 20 points.
Next up for the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team is Round 4 of Pro Motocross and Round 21 of the SuperMotocross World Series at High Point Raceway in Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania, on June 15.
Jeremy Coker – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team Manager
“It was an absolutely phenomenal day for Justin Cooper. Two holeshots and a total of 23 laps led – that’s pretty amazing. We’ve been so close every weekend and he deserves this podium. Hopefully the next step is a win.”
Justin Cooper – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #32
“It was a really good day. I qualified third and got off to two great starts today. The bike was definitely going up that hill, and it came pretty easily. I was able to lead a lot of laps today and pretty much just tried to run away, but eventually got caught there at the end in both motos, which is a bummer. I definitely got tired there at the end. I need like five more minutes in each moto. It’s something to build off of, though. We’ll just keep working.”
DILAN SCHWARTZ GRABS TOP-TEN RESULT AT THUNDER VALLEY MX
Brea, CA – (June 10, 2024) –Thunder Valley Motocross Park in Lakewood, Colorado hosted Round 3 of the AMA Pro Motocross Season. Nearby lightning storms delayed an event schedule that raced the 450 class before the 250 class. A rain shower before the final moto of the day added to the challenges at the high-altitude track. The track preparation, as has been the trend in 2024, was for a shallower rip and less watering, leading to a track with more high-speed chop, but allowing more passing opportunities.
Race Highlights:
- Twisted Tea Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance
- 450 Class
- Shane McElrath progressed through the day to score strong championship points in the second moto.
- Kyle Chisholm helped put three Suzuki 450s into the top ten at the start of the second moto.
- 450 Class
- Toyota Redlands BarX Suzuki
- 450 Class
- Max Miller used a top-five start to run up front in the first 450 moto.
- 250 Class
- Dilan Schwartz charged through the pack in the first 250 moto to score a top-ten moto result.
- Leo Tucker put in great lap times until a qualifying session crash unfortunately ended his day early.
- 450 Class
Dilan Schwartz (40) matched his season-best overall result as he continues his return from a wrist injury.
Toyota Redlands BarX Suzuki rider Dilan Schwartz (40) started the day with strong lap times in qualifying aboard his Suzuki RM-Z250. Schwartz found himself mid-pack at the start of the first moto but used the track’s line options to charge forward throughout the race. Schwartz crossed the checkered flag with a top-ten result, then followed it up with a strong ride in the second moto to earn a top-fifteen overall result.
“Moto 1 was great!” said Schwartz. “I didn’t have the best start, but made some quick passes and worked my way forward to finish in P10. In the second moto, I had another average start and struggled with my wrist; but I toughed it out for a P18.”
Shane McElrath (12) also matched his season-best overall result so far in the 2024 Outdoor Motocross season.
Twisted Tea Suzuki presented by Progressive racer Shane McElrath (12) steadily improved his speed through qualifying and into the two 450-class motos. McElrath nabbed a top-five start in the second moto, and brought home a top-20 overall result at round three of the 11-round Outdoor season.
“The third round of Outdoors was a little bit better day today,” reported McElrath. “We made some positive changes,, but we’re still struggling with the speed and trying to get comfortable to go the pace. We’re definitely working and figuring things out, so we’re going back to work this week and we are going to keep making progress.”
Kyle Chisholm (11) earned his best overall result of the season in Lakewood.
McElrath’s teammate, Kyle Chisholm (11) grabbed a top-ten start in Moto 2, helping to put all three of the factory Suzuki RM-Z450s in the top ten at the holeshot stripe.
“In the first moto we had a good jump out of the gate, but I shifted quick and actually wheelied, so I ended up having a bad start,” said Chisholm. “In the second moto, I ripped another good jump out of the gate and nailed my shift and went through the first turn pretty well; I was really excited about that, I rode too timidly, and lost few positions in the first few laps. I tried to work my way back up and I passed as many people back as I could. We’ll take the positives and learn from the negatives, and we’ll get back to work this week,” added Chisholm.
Max Miller (87) used two top-ten starts to gain experience running in the front of the competitive 450 pack.
BarX Suzuki 450-class rider Max Miller (87) relied on his Suzuki RM-Z450’s torque to pull a top-five start in the first moto. Miller spent time up front and matched his season-best moto finish. Miller delivered another excellent start in the second moto, exiting turn one in sixth position.
“I had great starts today,” said Miller. “I struggled to find my flow during the motos, but we had big improvements on the starts and my Suzuki ran great all day!”
Schwartz’s BarX Suzuki 250-class teammate, Leo Tucker (154) raced inside the top five in his first qualifying session, and maintained a top-ten lap time in his second qualifying session. An unfortunate crash ended Tucker’s race day before the motos took place.
“The weekend started great on Friday,” said Tucker. “This was my first chance to race Thunder Valley, and I really enjoyed this track. This was also my first race at high elevation, and it’s true how much it affects everything. Saturday my Suzuki was working great in the bumps, and it felt really solid. The second qualifying session came around, and on my second lap I got cross-jumped on a triple and got banged up hard. We made the call to sit out the remainder of this round, and heal up for next weekend.”
“McElrath earned eighteenth overall, and Chisholm finished twentieth overall,” reported Larry Brooks, Twisted Tea/H.E.P. Motorsports/Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance Team Manager. “We can do a lot better than that. This is round three, and we’ll be rolling into round four at Mount Morris, Pennsylvania next weekend and we need to turn things around. So everyone’s going to be working harder this week, and we’re going to make it happen next weekend.”
“Today was a good race for us as a team,” said James Coy, Toyota Redlands BarX Suzuki Team Manager. “The testing we did this past week helped make our RM-Zs even better, and it showed on the track. An unfortunate practice crash ended Leo’s day early though. Dilan earned a top ten finish in the first moto. It’s a great result for us this early in the season. Max rode very well, and is getting stronger with each moto. We’re looking forward to High Point next weekend and then more testing over the break. Good things are coming our way for sure.”
The series now heads to High Point Raceway in Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania. The Suzuki teams plan to carry their momentum from the opening rounds, and improve to deliver stronger results as the summer series crosses the United States.
Please visit SuzukiCycles.com/Racing/Motocross and HEPMotorsports.com for more team news.
Photos by BrownDogWilson Photography
FOURTH OVERALL A SEASON-BEST FOR JUSTIN BARCIA IN THUNDER VALLEY NATIONAL
An inspired performance from Justin Barcia at Thunder Valley saw the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing rider charge to fourth overall in Round 3 of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship, marking his best finish of the 2024 season to date outdoors. It was also a solid weekend out for 250MX teammate Pierce Brown on his way to P8 overall.
- A 4-6 moto scorecard results in P4 overall for Bam Bam!
- Fast starts reward Barcia in both 450MX races this afternoon
- Sixth in the opening moto puts Pierce’s form on display
Barcia placed his GASGAS MC 450F Factory Edition eighth on the charts at the conclusion of qualifying this morning and then rocketed toward the front of the pack in the opening 450MX moto, sitting second in the early stages. He eventually settled in for a fourth-place result, and then backed that up with sixth in the final race, which saw him take home a season-best of P4 overall! Bam Bam is now seventh in the premier class standings.
Justin Barcia: “Thunder Valley was a pretty good day! I qualified decent in the top 10, which I wasn’t thrilled about, but it was okay. I got off to two good starts, charged really hard all day, and the bike was really good. We made a change after the second practice and it was really consistent, so I was able to adapt to different lines today and felt comfortable. We came away with a solid fourth, so it’s good. We want more, so we’re going to keep pushing, and we’ll get there soon!”
Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing’s 250MX team was led by Brown, who qualified in P9 and then went on to take the checkered flag in sixth position at the end of Moto 1. With rain briefly falling at the beginning of Moto 2, he recovered from an average opening lap to salvage ninth, which placed him eighth for the weekend, and PB currently holds seventh in the title race.
Pierce Brown: “It was another mediocre day on paper, but we made some steps forward, riding-wise. In the first moto I ended up sixth, then second moto I was near last and came back to ninth. It felt good, but obviously not where we need to be, and we need a start. I feel like everything else is coming together, so I’m excited to see what we can do at High Point next week.”
Colorado was a frustrating round of sorts for Ryder DiFrancesco, caught up in a multi-rider crash through the first turn in the opening encounter, but battling back to 18th place. He improved to run inside the top 10 during Moto 2, although dropped further down the order in the closing laps and finished 14th. As a result, he was 15th overall in Round 3 of the Pro Motocross season.
Ryder DiFrancesco: “This weekend was okay. I fell in the first turn of Moto 1 and came back to 18th, and then in the second moto I got a better start, ran eighth for around 20 minutes, and then went backward from there. It was better than Hangtown, so we’ll keep improving and get ready for next weekend.”
Next Race: June 15 – High Point, Pennsylvania
CONSISTENCY CONTINUES FOR MALCOLM STEWART AND CHRISTIAN CRAIG IN COLORADO
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing teammates Malcolm Stewart and Christian Craig have further established themselves among the top 10 of 450MX in the 2024 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, with Stewart a picture of consistency for P8 and Craig gaining strength on his way to 10th at Thunder Valley, Colorado.
Stewart continues to impress in his full-time return to the outdoors, charging hard to 7-7 moto finishes at Round 3 and earning eighth overall. He’s drawing closer toward the front of the field on his Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 450 Rockstar Edition, benefiting from increasing confidence and making the most of being at the races, now ranked ninth in the standings.
“Thunder Valley treated me well,” commented Stewart. “Practice was okay considering it’s been 10 years since I’ve been here – I’m probably going to keep saying that for my next few quotes until we get to Unadilla! – and I’m having a good time so far. We went 7-7 for eighth overall, so at the end of the day, all we can do is keep moving forward. I felt like I was in some good battles between sixth to eighth, so we’ll try to be in with those guys and moving forward. I honestly feel like we’re in a good spot and I’m stoked with the team – we made some changes for that second moto and they made the right decisions to help me feel more comfortable again. We’re here to race hard and have fun, then we’ll see where the results are towards the end of the season.”
As for Craig, still working his way back to 100 percent fitness following an extended stint on the sidelines, he raced to his second top 10 result in a row. With his speed elevating and strength in his elbow improving, Craig went 9-10 for P10 overall, which he will be able to further build upon into the middle stages of the season, and he’s currently positioned 11th in the series.
“Today was a positive day,” Craig recalled. “I didn’t have the best qualifying result, but felt pretty confident with my bike and set-up. First moto, I made some quick passes into the top 10 and was battling with my teammate for much of the moto to finish ninth – my best of the season so far. Second moto was similar, I was in ninth for most of it until I was passed toward the end, but overall my speed was better and strength is slowly coming around in my elbow. We’ll keep doing this and improving each week.”
In his first appearance at Thunder Valley, 250MX newcomer Casey Cochran faced added challenges this weekend on his Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 250 Rockstar Edition, while learning the circuit in technical conditions. After qualifying 15th and then being caught up in a first turn pile-up at the beginning of Moto 1, the teenager registered 16-16 scores for 16th overall, and he also sits P16 in the championship.
“I struggled all day, really, and never got too comfortable with the track,” said Cochran. “Never being here before and learning it, that kind of showed, so we’re going to keep our heads high and get ready for next weekend at High Point. We’ll make some progress and come out swinging.”
Next Race: June 15 – High Point, Pennsylvania
JOHNNY GIRROIR AND GRANT DAVIS CLAIM CHEROKEE NATIONAL ENDURO PODIUMS
Round 4 of the 2024 National Enduro Series saw FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Johnny Girroir finish second in the NE Pro1 Class and overall, as Grant Davis also claimed P2 in the NE Pro2 Class at this weekend’s Cherokee National Enduro.
Girroir missed the most recent round of National Enduro last month and returned to action today in Greensboro, Georgia, onboard his KTM 350 XC-F, where he finished 1:28.167s outside of the victory. Despite a steady start, Girroir managed to top the third Test and proved competitive amongst the series regulars for his second podium in four attempts this year.
Johnny Girroir: “My day was good. I started off sleeping in the first Test and was around fifth, so I don’t really know what I was doing there, but other than that we worked our way forward and it was cool! I wasn’t able to line up at the last National Enduro round, but I am happy to be back for this one and will hopefully be at the rest of them.”
FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers contender Davis, meanwhile, came into the Cherokee National Enduro with the NE Pro2 Class points lead following three-straight wins, and placed runner-up this weekend to maintain his position at the top of the standings. He’s still recovering from recently fractured ribs, but was again competitive in class on his KTM 250 XC-F.
Grant Davis: “I just kind of rode around this weekend, tried not to hit my ribs while they’re healing up, and I’ve got the Snowshoe GNCC coming up, which I want to be as strong as possible for. I had a pretty good crash in test four, but the guys were riding good today, and we’re happy to come out of here with second.”
NE Pro1 Class Results
1. Josh Toth, GASGAS
2. Johnny Girroir, FMF KTM Factory Racing
3. Steward Baylor Jr, Kawasaki
NE Pro2 Class Results
1. Nathaniel Tasha, Yamaha
2. Grant Davis, FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers
3. Tyler Palmer, Husqvarna
UPCOMING OFFROAD RACES – JUNE 2024
6/16: U.S. Sprint Enduro Series – Round 6
6/16: U.S. Hard Enduro Series – Round 6
6/23: Grand National Country Series – Round 9
6/29: Silver Kings Hard Enduro
TOM VIALLE AND RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING CONTINUE PODIUM RUN AT THUNDER VALLEY
LAKEWOOD, Colo. – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle has made it three straight 250MX podium results to open the 2024 AMA Pro Motocross Championship after claiming a hard-fought third position overall at Thunder Valley’s third round of the season in Colorado.
Vialle rode his KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to P5 in qualifying and then made steps forward to contend for the race victory in Moto 1, leading in the final stages and falling while challenging for a late pass for the lead. Still, he managed to remount efficiently and cross the line in P2.
Later this afternoon in Moto 2, despite an average start that cost him important time early on and an untimely crash while working his way back through the pack, Tom eventually took the checkered flag in P4. That was enough to secure third place for the round and he now sits tied on points with second in the standings, 23 points outside of the lead.
Tom Vialle: “Overall, the speed was good, just too many mistakes. I crashed in the second moto, then I was catching again and I tipped over in a corner, so I was really mad. But that’s racing and the track was really good, a lot of fun today, so it was pretty nice and I’m excited for next weekend.”
Colorado saw teenager Julien Beaumer match his overall finish from one week ago in scoring ninth position again. The Pro Motocross rookie qualified 12th and then improved to ninth in the opening encounter, before 10th in the final outing was another positive performance. He has now moved to eighth in the championship, motivated to keep inching closer to the front as experience grows.
Julien Beaumer: “Really good riding for me today, but bad starts and early crashes slowed my results down. I’m happy with the progress we made this weekend, so now we’ll get ready for High Point!”
In wearing the red plates on his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION for the first time outdoors and coming off a victory at Hangtown, Chase Sexton displayed his front-running pace once again, but track position and a heavy crash while looking to take charge of Moto 2 resulted in 6-5 scores for fifth overall. He currently sits second in the standings, six points from the series lead following Round 3.
Chase Sexton: “It was nice to have the red plate today, and I felt like we had speed on our side, but it just didn’t come together in the motos. Considering the results, we’re still right there in the championship, so look forward to rebounding at High Point next weekend.”
450MX teammate Aaron Plessinger was also competitive throughout the Thunder Valley weekend, gradually gaining comfort in the middle stages of the first moto on his way to fifth place, and then being affected by his start in the second race. ‘The Cowboy’ recovered from 15th at the end of lap one to finish in P8, which put him sixth overall for the round and he holds fifth in the point standings.
Aaron Plessinger: “Thunder Valley was kind of a struggle in practice, and then I felt better in the first moto. I got a really good start, but fell back and wasn’t really gelling that much until I started clicking off some good laps around halfway and through to the end, so ended up fifth. In the second moto, I royally messed up the start, so that cost me and I paid for it. I came from around 20th place, which in conditions like that being hard and slick, it’s tough to come through the pack. I’ve just gotta put myself in better positions early on and we’ll move on to High Point.”
Next Race: June 15 – High Point, Pennsylvania
MONSTER ENERGY® KAWASAKI RIDERS SCORE TOP 10 FINISHES IN COLORFUL COLORADO
Foothill Ranch, Calif. (June 9, 2024) – Monster Energy® Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Levi Kitchen clinched another moto podium, securing fifth overall with a (3-7) finish. Teammate Ty Masterpool continued progress with his new team and bike achieving the fastest qualifier on the day and seventh overall (8-6). Monster Energy® Kawasaki rider Jason Anderson overcame challenges to finish seventh overall (10-4).
Thunder Valley Motocross Park is a celebrated venue on the AMA Pro Motocross Championship circuit earning global recognition by hosting the 2010 FIM Motocross of Nations. The challenging track offers a unique and demanding racing environment, featuring significant elevation changes with each lap and is the highest elevation of any other SuperMotocross round at over a mile above sea level. Set against the scenic backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, Thunder Valley provides a picturesque and thrilling venue for both riders and spectators, solidifying its reputation as a premier motocross destination.
During the morning qualifying sessions, Masterpool and Kitchen kicked off their day impressively, securing the first and seventh positions. In Moto 1 of the 250MX Class, Kitchen started just inside the Top 10 and Masterpool a few positions behind. After the initial lap, Kitchen, riding No. 47, was in fifth place and focused on catching the lead pack. Masterpool, however, found himself navigating through traffic after a rough start buried him in the pack. As the moto advanced, Kitchen made his way toward the front, ultimately finishing on the podium in third. Masterpool found his rhythm later on, making several passes to finish in eighth place. An afternoon thunderstorm rolled in just before Moto 2, but that didn’t deter the teammates from securing better starts, with Kitchen starting fifth and Masterpool seventh. Early in the race, Kitchen quickly moved into a podium position, but a crash caused him to drop back to sixth, just ahead of the No. 29. Masterpool followed closely behind Kitchen for a few laps before making the pass, finishing sixth in the moto and seventh overall. Kitchen finished seventh in the moto, securing fifth overall.
In the 450MX Class, Anderson began the weekend by securing fourth place in qualifying. In Moto 1, the No. 21 launched off the gate on his KX™450SR to secure sixth place initially, but quickly advanced to second place. As the race progressed, Anderson battled for second place with the Lawrence brothers for a few laps but eventually dropped to fourth. Towards the end of the moto, a late charge led to a mistake, causing Anderson to go down and would finish in 10th place. In Moto 2, Anderson started in 11th place, but quickly moved up to fourth by the end of the first lap. As the track conditions deteriorated, the No. 21 rider had to search for the fastest lines to hold his position. When the checkered flag waved, Anderson finished fourth in the moto, securing seventh overall.
BABBITT’S ONLINE/MONSTER ENERGY®/KAWASAKI TEAM GREEN’S GRANT BAYLOR CLAIMS FOURTH AT THE CHEROKEE NATIONAL ENDURO
Greensboro, Ga. – Round four of the AMA National Enduro Series took place over the weekend under extreme heat in the heart of Georgia at the long-running Cherokee National Enduro, where defending NE Pro-1 champion Grant Baylor would net a top-five overall finish to keep his championship hopes alive.
Baylor’s day would start off promising, as he would finish the first section of the race in the third place overall position before faltering to fourth in section two, still within striking distance of the leaders. While Baylor stayed consistent in the remaining tests of the day, his competition would begin to pull away as the day progressed, forcing the defending champion back to the fourth-place overall spot at the end of the race.
NE Pro2 rider Nick Defeo would struggle to find his flow in the tight Georgia pines but stayed consistent throughout the day and brought home a fifth-place finish in class.
Round Five of the NEPG series will take place on June 30th at the Little Raccoon National Enduro in Wellston, Ohio, where Team Babbitt’s/Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green’s Grant Baylor and Nick Defeo will look to place themselves back on the podium.
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