This week in US powersports racing.
Consistency Brings Jett Lawrence Fourth Pro Motocross Championship Victory of the Season at Southwick
SOUTHWICK, Mass. (June 29, 2024) – After a week off, the Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, returned to action for Round 5 of the 2024 season with an annual visit to Western Massachusetts and the iconic sand track at The Wick 338. The 43rd running of the Crestview Construction Southwick National was greeted with overcast skies, cool temperatures, and a huge crowd of passionate fans, which set the stage for another memorable day of racing. In the 450 Class, defending champion Jett Lawrence parlayed 1-2 moto scores into his fourth win of the season for Team Honda HRC, while the 250 Class saw Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan prevail with 1-2 finishes of his own and add to his point lead with his fourth win of the summer.
450 Class
Moto 1
The opening premier class moto began with the familiar sight of Team Honda HRC mounted Lawrence siblings at the head of the pack, with Jett securing the MotoSport.com Holeshot over Hunter. Right behind them was Team Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton. With a clear track ahead of him, Jett Lawrence was able to sprint out to an early lead of more than 2.5 seconds before the completion of the opening lap.
As the moto wore on, the young Australian continued to add to the advantage over his brother, which eventually approached 10 seconds. Behind them, Sexton asserted his hold of third, which allowed the top three to move upwards of 30 seconds over the rest of the field.
Jett Lawrence managed the margin through the final stages of the moto and wrapped up a wire-to-wire effort to secure his fifth moto win of the season by 6.4 seconds over Hunter Lawrence, with Sexton alone in a distant third. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson followed in fourth, with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper in fifth.
Moto 2
It was more of the same to begin the second and deciding moto as Jett Lawrence once again led Hunter Lawrence through the first turn for the MotoSpot.com Holeshot, while Sexton gave chase from third. Sexton was aggressive on the opening lap and made the pass on Hunter Lawrence for second. Right after that he began to look for a way into the lead around Jett Lawrence. Sexton’s forward momentum then stalled out, which allowed Hunter Lawrence to close in and reclaim second.
Hunter’s push wasn’t finished as he got alongside his brother and made the pass on Jett to grab control of the lead. Jett settled into second, while Sexton and his Red Bull KTM teammate Aaron Plessinger pursued from third and fourth, respectively.
The pace remained calm through the heart of the moto but the intensity picked up in the final 10 minutes when Hunter Lawrence briefly went off track. That allowed Jett Lawrence to close in and apply pressure on his brother. Jett was able to make the pass happen with a handful of minutes to go and easily distanced himself, but all eyes were on Sexton who was the fastest rider on the track. Sexton made quick work of Hunter Lawrence to take over second and then set his sights on the lead.
The KTM rider put on a charge to close in on Jett Lawrence and initiate a fight for the lead with less than two minutes to go. Sexton got alongside Lawrence and briefly nosed ahead, but the Honda rider battled back to hold onto the position. Sexton didn’t relent and his persistence ultimately paid off as he seized control of the moto just before time ran out. From there, Sexton checked out over the final two laps.
Sexton took his third moto win of the season by 8.5 seconds over Jett Lawrence, who needed to fend off a late push from Hunter Lawrence on the final lap.
Overall
Jett Lawrence’s consistency proved to be the difference maker in the overall classification as his 1-2 effort was enough to clinch his fourth victory of the season and the 15th of his career, which moved him into a tie with Jeremy McGrath for 10th on the all-time 450 Class wins list. Sexton’s impressive second moto triumph moved him into the runner-up spot (3-1), while Hunter Lawrence maintained his podium streak in third (2-3), which now sits at five races.
The podium finish for Hunter Lawrence allowed him to maintain his lead atop the championship standings, which now sits at just three points over Jett Lawrence and Sexton, who sit tied for second.
Jett Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“I’ve been having to rely on my legs more [managing a shoulder injury] and wore them out. Chase was just riding too strong in that one [Moto 2]. I tried to give him a fight, but this was just one of those races that was his. We’ll need to go back and do some work and come back better.”
Chase Sexton, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
“I felt super good early, then I lost touch a little bit and had to reset to get my flow back. I didn’t expect to catch them that quickly, but I got my flow back and was able to make it happen. I’m glad we came back strong in that second moto to get the win. I’m really happy about that.”
Hunter Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“I was definitely riding my heart out. I was just going for it. This track is really gnarly and it’s tricky to get the bike set up for it. We gave it our all and that’s all I can ask for. We’ll keep working and come back stronger.”
250 Class
Moto 1
The first moto of the afternoon got underway with the red plate of Deegan’s Yamaha leading the field through the first turn for the MotoSport.com Holeshot over his rivals in Team Honda HRC’s Chance Hymas, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen, and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle. The clear track gave Deegan an early advantage that he took full advantage of as the point leader soon established a multi-second advantage over the field.
While Deegan continued to build on his lead Vialle was on the move forward. The Frenchman started the moto in fourth but rode a consistent pace that allowed him to work his way around both Kitchen and Hymas and secure second place. He faced a deficit of just over eight seconds with a little more than 10 minutes left in the moto and was able to ride faster lap times than Deegan, which allowed Vialle to gain ground on the lead. The gap between the top two closed to about five seconds before Deegan responded, emphatically, and pulled away to establish his largest lead of the moto.
Deegan went wire to wire and charged to his sixth moto win of the season by a margin of 15.3 seconds over Vialle. Hymas fended off a late challenge from Kitchen to secure third, while Triumph Racing’s Joey Savatgy rounded out the top five.
Moto 2
The second moto started with each of the top five finishers from Moto 1 at the front of the field exiting the first turn, with Kitchen leading the way. However, a red flag for a downed rider necessitated a restart. When the gate dropped for the second time Kitchen once again put his Kawasaki out front for the MotoSport.com Holeshot, but Deegan went on the attack to take the lead from Kitchen with an aggressive pass. Behind them Vialle slotted into third, with Team Honda HRC’s Jo Shimoda in fourth.
As Deegan started to inch away from the field, Vialle put the pressure on Kitchen and was able to make the pass for second to give chase to Deegan. The Frenchman was able to close in and apply pressure on Deegan, who tucked his front tire and crashed out of the top spot. Vialle was forced to take evasive action but inherited the lead, while Shimoda and Kitchen followed through in second and third, respectively. Deegan remounted in sixth but made a quick pass to move back into the top five.
With the lead in hand, Vialle opened a lead of 4.5 seconds on the field as Deegan continued his recovery effort with a move into the top four and then engaged in a battle with Kitchen for third. Deegan waited for his opportunity and made an easy pass to break into the top three. Vialle was able to stabilize his hold of the lead through the majority of the moto, but Shimoda started to close in the closing minutes and got the gap to within three seconds as Deegan lurked a few additional seconds behind in third. As the pace increased up front Deegan responded and was able to catch Shimoda with two laps to go.
Soon the top three were separated by less than a second and Shimoda found himself alongside Vialle with a pass for the lead. Vialle and Deegan then engaged in a battle for second, still in pursuit of Shimoda out front. As they took the white flag the top three were within 1.5 seconds of one another. As Vialle looked to make a move on Shimoda he slid out and went down, which handed second to Deegan as Vialle remounted in third.
Shimoda closed out his first moto win of the season and his first with Team Honda HRC by a margin of 6.3 seconds over Deegan. Vialle settled for third.
Overall
Deegan’s 1-2 finishes put him atop the overall standings for his fourth win of the season and the sixth win of his career, while Vialle’s late falter from first to third in the final moto relegated him to the runner-up spot (2-3). Shimoda’s Moto 2 triumph vaulted him onto the overall podium for the first time this season in third (9-1).
With another win to his credit Deegan added to his lead in the championship standings, which now sits at 42 points over Hymas, who finished fourth (3-5). Vialle is one additional point back in third, 43 behind Deegan.
Haiden Deegan, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“I look past those doubts [about riding in the sand]. I’m a motivated person and I’m willing to just put in the work. I was stalled out in third [in Moto 2], but then I saw those two guys [Shimoda and Vialle] and knew I had to dig deep at the end to try and make it happen. Tom went down and that’s what I needed for the [overall] win.”
Tom Vialle, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
“I had a great moto and was riding really well. I almost hit a lapper and then Jo [Shimoda] caught me. I tried to make a pass back on him, but I crashed and that was it.”
Jo Shimoda, Team Honda HRC
“I crashed in the first moto and had to do a lot of work. I came out ok on the restart [in Moto 2] and just never gave up. Vialle was getting away from me, but I kept pushing. The last three laps were just insane, but I’m really happy to get the moto win.”
Herrin Wins, Superbike Title Chase Features Four At The Top
Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Josh Herrin won his second Steel Commander Superbike race of the season on Sunday at Ridge Motorsports Park, and it vaulted him into championship contention in what is arguably the closest Superbike Championship in AMA history at this point in the season.
After two races at Ridge Motorsports Park, four riders are separated by just eight points and there’s just a single point between first and second, making it anybody’s game with a two-week break before the series returns at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California, July 12-14.
Herrin won his second race of the year in typical Herrin fashion. He got out front early, made a gap and held it, crossing the line with a tick over five seconds in hand. In addition to being his second win of the year, it was also his sixth podium of the year and his 12th career AMA Superbike victory.
Wrench Motorcycles’ Bobby Fong worked his way to second place with 11 laps to go when he passed Attack Performance/Progressive/Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Petersen. Fong set sail after Herrin and was able to pull back some ground but was never close enough to threaten.
However, second place on the day was enough to move Fong back into the lead in the 2024 Steel Commander Superbike Championship points lead after losing it in what was a rainy debacle for the Californian on Saturday.
Third place went to Petersen, a day after the South African won his third race of the season on Saturday. Petersen was some four seconds behind Fong and another four some seconds clear of Herrin’s teammate Loris Baz. His two podiums in the two races put him squarely in the hunt for the title.
Fifth place went to a rather lonely Sean Dylan Kelly on the TopPro Racing BMW M 1000 RR.
Real Steel Motorsports’ Hayden Gillim was an impressive sixth on his Stock 1000-spec Honda CBR1000RR-R SP after barely beating Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Xavi Forés with the Spaniard finishing seventh.
Five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier rode through the pain of his surgically repaired broken right heel to finish just off the back of Forés and seven seconds clear of three-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Jake Gagne with the latter still struggling mightily with arm pump.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Brandon Paasch rounded out the top 10 finishers.
About that championship we were talking about earlier. How’s this for close? Fong leads Gagne by a single point, 158-157. Petersen is next with 151 and Herrin is fourth with 149, and that all translates to the fact that the top four in the championship point standings are separated by just eight points.
Superbike Race Two
- Josh Herrin (Ducati)
- Bobby Fong (Yamaha)
- Cameron Petersen (Yamaha)
- Loris Baz (Ducati)
- Sean Dylan Kelly (BMW)
- Hayden Gillim (Honda)
- Xavi Forés (Suzuki)
- Cameron Beaubier (BMW)
- Jake Gagne (Yamaha)
- Brandon Paasch (Suzuki)
Quotes
Josh Herrin – Winner
“Obviously, I wish I was further ahead and didn’t do so bad in all four of the rain races we had, but it’s exactly what the championship needs with a fight like this with a bunch of different manufacturers. So, I’m excited for that, especially since Laguna Seca is all of our home rounds. So, it’s going to be a lot of our family there cheering us on. It should be an exciting weekend. Race went great. Tires were great. Everything just clicked today, just like Road America. Like I said all year, we knew Barber was difficult, but every other race we’ve been right there with the exception of the rain. Maybe Dunlop will let us go use the rain track for the end of the year and try to get a little bit better. It’s mainly my fault with all the stupid choices I’ve made with tires the last couple years, running slicks in the rain. I’m just happy to be up here, happy to claw back in the points again. This is the closest we’ve been all year. Thank you to my entire team. Really excited to go to Laguna, not just for the race but Ducati DRE on Monday and hang out with all the Ducati fans and riders. Can’t wait to see you there.”
Bobby Fong – Second Place
“Like Josh said earlier, I need to capitalize on these rain races. I’ve done terrible, and it’s all on me. It’s something that I need to work on. To win this championship, you can’t just be getting 10th in the rain races. I’ve got to do better. That’s plain and simple. I’ve got to do better. But today was great. We rode good. I felt like the bike was quite good. We tried a new swingarm this morning and I was really unsure of it. I’m still unsure of it, but it worked great. We’re always pretty strong at the end of these races. The class is so tight now, you’ve got to qualify on front row to do something, unless you have crazy outright speed. Everybody is so close. When you’re trying to make your way up to Josh (Herrin), it’s basically too late. It’s like World Superbike nowadays. You got to qualify good, like MotoGP. I need to work on my qualifying. I’ve been struggling in qualifying a little bit. What can I say? We’ve got the points lead, but there’s still a lot of races to go. Each weekend, there’s a dogfight up front. You never know what’s going to happen. We’re all on the limit, so anybody can make a mistake. We’re just going to try to stay consistent.”
Cameron Petersen – Third Place
“Yeah, great weekend. Can’t complain with two podiums. The only reason why I’m a little bit frustrated was just we had a bike that was capable of winning both races. The bike felt really good in the beginning. I felt comfortable. Even when Josh (Herrin) came past me I felt like I had a really good rhythm and pace. Was just losing a little bit in the last sector. I was really good everywhere else. About halfway through the race, my left arm just completely locked up. My hand came off the handlebar a few times. It got a little bit scary out there. Just super stoked at the weekend. Like you said, points are close. So, overall, a great weekend. We learned a bunch this weekend and look forward to the rest of the season. Congrats to Josh (Herrin) and Bob (Fong). They rode an incredible race. I think it’s going to be a dogfight for the rest of the season every race we go to, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Cameron Petersen (45) leads Josh Herrin (2). Loris Baz (76), Bobby Fong (50) and the rest of the Steel Commander Superbike field on the opening lap at Ridge Motorsports Park. Photo by Brian J. Nelson
Herrin (2) moved around Petersen (45) and sped off to win his second MotoAmerica Superbike race of the season and the 12th of his career. Photo by Brian J. Nelson
(From left to right) Bobby Fong. Josh Herrin, Bobby Shek and Cameron Petersen celebrate on the Ridge Motorsports Park podium. Photo by Brian J. Nelson
Sunday photos available HERE
Sunday results:
Complete practice, qualifying and race results are available HERE.
JUSTIN BARCIA PRESSES ON TO SEVENTH OVERALL IN THE SANDS OF SOUTHWICK
A determined seventh-place finish at Southwick’s fifth round of the 2024 AMA Pro Motocross Championship was impressive from an injured Justin Barcia in 450MX, as Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing teammates Pierce Brown and Ryder DiFrancesco also pushed hard throughout both 250MX motos.
Strong opening moto result the highlight for Justin Barcia
Bam Bam will now take time out to help his injured knees heal up
PB and Ryder D keep on pushing with top 10 moto scores
Barcia qualified seventh before delivering a convincing P6 result in Moto 1, but was forced to recover from a fall at the beginning of race two. He battled back to 11th by race’s end, which sealed him seventh overall in the ever-challenging Southwick sand, and is currently ranked eighth in the point standings.
After continuing to experience trouble with a pair of knee injuries that have largely affected his outdoor campaign, Bam Bam has opted to sit out the next block of races – aiming to return for his home race at Unadilla in August – in order to allow his injuries to recover properly. Barcia is confident that when he returns onboard the GASGAS MC 450F Factory Edition, he will be even more competitive into the final stages of the series.
Justin Barcia: “Today was an eventful day, a lot of stuff going on! I qualified P7, which was pretty good, and the motos were decent for where we’re at. I was sixth in Moto 1 and then had a first turn crash in the second moto, but made a hard charge to 11th. Unfortunately, I’ve been dealing with some knee injuries since about the week before Salt Lake City, and I’ve been pushing through it. One knee has a torn/sprained MCL, and my other knee had bursitis, with a little bit of a tear in the meniscus – not too bad, nothing that requires surgery. Because of the swelling, two of my tendons finally let go at High Point, but the good thing is that technically they will just scar up and be fine. I haven’t been riding during the week at all, just been trying to race on the weekends for my fans and the crew, but it’s got to the point now that we have a really good bike, my riding is really good, and these knees are holding us back. We want to be better than fifth-to-eighth, so we are going to take some time off. I will still be able to train quite a bit, do PT on the knees, and see what we can do to get better. All in all, they just need some time to heal up, so the goal right now, I would say, is to come back for Unadilla. I won’t miss too many races if everything works out, which I believe it will, and then we’ll come back swinging!”
In 250MX, Brown qualified 10th and then raced his way forward to eighth in the first moto despite not being completely comfortable. The Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing Team made improvements to his bike settings for the unique conditions ahead of Moto 2, where he had to fight from 40th to 12th following an early crash. That landed him P9 overall, sitting seventh in the title race.
Pierce Brown: “In the first moto I struggled, but we made some changes for Moto 2, and I felt a lot better. Unfortunately, I fell on the first lap and had to come back from 40th to 12th, so my riding was there, but obviously it didn’t show on paper. We don’t get sand like this in California, so it is hard to prep properly for this race – we’ll move onto RedBud and keep charging.”
A consistent showing from Ryder D saw him go 10-11 for 11th overall this weekend, continuing to move forward even if a late mistake bumped him down the order on the final lap of the second race. He sits 12th in points on his GASGAS MC 250F Factory Edition with six rounds left to run in the 2024 season.
Ryder DiFrancesco: “Southwick was okay. It was an improvement from last year, I got a little bit better in the sand, but a mistake on the last lap cost me a couple of spots overall. It was a step in the right direction, we had two solid motos, and I’m ready for RedBud.”
Next Race: July 6 – RedBud, Michigan
DOUBLE PODIUM RESULTS FOR RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING TEAM AT SOUTHWICK
SOUTHWICK, Mass. – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing riders Chase Sexton and Tom Vialle both earned podium finishes as the 2024 AMA Pro Motocross Championship resumed at Southwick this weekend, where 450MX Class title prospect Sexton picked up his third moto victory of the year for second overall. Vialle also stood P2 on the podium in the 250MX division.
Sexton qualified on top of the timesheets at the sandiest track on the schedule, and then raced to third position in Moto 1. He came alive in the mid-stages of the second encounter, charging to the front of the pack with five laps remaining, and going on to take the checkered flag in commanding fashion with an 8.528-second winning margin.
That result via a 3-1 scorecard elevated Sexton to second overall for the weekend in Round 5 of the outdoor series riding his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, currently tied for P2 in the title race, and only three points outside of the red plate with six rounds remaining.
Chase Sexton: “This track has never really been my absolute favorite for some reason, but I had to put that behind me after the first moto, because I didn’t want to over-ride the track or push past the limit. In the second moto, I finally started to get a good flow going towards the end, picking some different lines, and it all came together for me. I was able to kind of jump around the track and make it more fun – when you’re doing that you go faster. That was the whole thing for me today and we’re happy to leave here with a moto win this afternoon.”
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Aaron Plessinger also displayed front-running pace at Southwick in qualifying P4, before a crash in the first race proved costly on his way to salvage 12th position. He rebounded in Moto 2 to claim fourth position, which placed him sixth overall once the final tallies were calculated. With confidence on his side, ‘The Cowboy’ currently sits fifth in the point standings.
Aaron Plessinger: “Southwick could have gone better, but also could have been worse! I actually qualified fourth and was really good in practice, then I got a good start in the first moto, but stalled the bike coming down a hill and laid it down. I picked it back up, got some dirt in my goggles, and had to stop for new ones, so finished up 12th. Second moto, rebounded and rode a really, really good race for fourth. I almost caught the boys on the podium and I can’t ask for much more from that one! The first moto could have dictated the day, but it didn’t, and we’ll bounce back again for RedBud!”
Two-time MX2 World Champion Vialle returned to the location of his lone overall win from one year ago, qualifying sixth and then going on to claim 3-2 finishes. The Frenchman led much of the second moto on his KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION on his way to the runner-up result, which placed him second overall. He sits third in the 250MX Class championship, closing in on P2 following his fourth podium of the year.
Tom Vialle: “I had a good first moto and when I got to second it was a big gap to the lead, but it was okay. In the second moto I was leading almost the whole race, before I got stuck a little bit with the lapped riders around three or four laps to go, so Jo [Shimoda] caught me really quick. I tried and really wanted to pass Jo again and fight for the win, but I crashed on the last lap – we were all pushing really hard, so it was a nice race anyway.”
Saturday was more challenging for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rookie Julien Beaumer. He qualified strongly in eighth this morning, but a first turn incident and another late fall saw him finish 18th in Moto 1, before he unfortunately crashed out of the second race altogether. The teenager will seek further medical attention this week and is now positioned 11th in the point standings.
Julien Beaumer: “It was a tough first moto. I crashed in the first turn and then made a good comeback, but crashed late in the moto again and lost my goggles. In Moto 2, I made a bad start, then unfortunately got tagged by another rider as I went down, and was run over. I spent some time in the medical unit, but am happy to be healthy, so we will see the neurologist this week and see if we’re able to race next weekend.”
Next Race: July 6 – RedBud, Michigan
JOHNNY GIRROIR AND GRANT DAVIS LAND LITTLE RACCOON NATIONAL ENDURO PODIUMS
FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Johnny Girroir finished second in the Little Raccoon National Enduro on Sunday, as FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers rider Grant Davis placed P3 in the NE Pro2 Class at Round 5 of the 2024 AMA National Enduro Series.
Held in Wellston, Ohio, the Little Raccoon race was another strong one for Girroir on his KTM 350 XC-F in dry, technical trail conditions, picking up his third podium of the season and winning two tests on Sunday – the first time he has won a test in National Enduro.
Johnny Girroir: “It was a good day. I got my first-ever test win at a National Enduro – two of them today! – so that was cool. I found the ground too many times, but felt like I had some good speed on my side, and we’ll have to find a little more. I’m happy with where I’m at, what I’ve been learning. It has been good to make less mistakes and to learn how to link the trail together, I have had a good time here in the National Enduros.”
Davis continues to lead the NE Pro2 Class standings after picking up a fifth-straight podium in 2024, this time third position on his KTM 250 XC-F. He also won two tests in class, however, a crash in the third test of the day proved costly as he battled to get back into a grove after that fall.
Grant Davis: “It wasn’t too bad this weekend after I crashed pretty hard in the third test, but after that it kind of fell apart for me today. I couldn’t get back in the flow again, although we ended up on the podium and we’ll move on to the next one.”
NE Pro1 Class Results
1. Josh Toth, GASGAS
2. Johnny Girroir, FMF KTM Factory Racing
3. Grant Baylor, Kawasaki
NE Pro2 Class Results
1. Nathaniel Tasha, Yamaha
2. Will Sievenpiper, Kawasaki
3. Grant Davis, FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers
UPCOMING OFFROAD RACES – JULY 2024
7/15: Sprint Enduro World Championship
7/28: National Enduro Series – Round 6
FMF KTM FACTORY RACING TEAM’S TRYSTAN HART WINS SILVER KINGS HARD ENDURO
A second-straight victory in the Silver Kings Hard Enduro was captured by FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Trystan Hart on Saturday, delivering a winning performance at the Silver Mountain Resort in Kellogg, Idaho.
Fresh from his runner-up finish in the Erzbergrodeo, Hart was fifth-fastest in the Prologue and then repeated that result in Thursday evening’s Street Rhythm, before going on to clinch the win following a total of six grueling laps of the highly technical mountain-side course across the weekend.
Friday saw Hart establish himself at the head of the pack and he extended that advantage further on Saturday to over 22 minutes with a total time of 6h31:26.55s. It was a spectacular effort from the defending, three-time U.S. Hard Enduro Champion on his KTM 300 XC-W following three days of hard-fought competition.
Trystan Hart: “Man, what a weekend! It was a long day today, but a relatively smooth day for me. I had a crash that could have been bad, so luckily it wasn’t and we were able to continue on to the checkered flag. We got the win both days and I’m really stoked about that!”
Pro Class results
1. Trystan Hart, FMF KTM Factory Racing
2. Ryder LeBlond, Husqvarna
3. Will Riordan, GASGAS
7. Colton Haaker, Husqvarna
UPCOMING OFFROAD RACES – JULY 2024
7/15: Sprint Enduro World Championship
Jett Lawrence Takes Another Overall Win in the Southwick MX Sand
The 2024 AMA Pro Motocross series was closely fought heading into round 5 in the New England sand of The Wick 338, and by the time the championship left, the battle was even closer. With his fourth overall victory of the year, Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence reduced his deficit in the premier-class title chase to only three points, while Hunter Lawrence continued his perfect podium streak, retaining possession of the points lead. The squad’s 250 riders also had respectable showings aboard their CRF250Rs, Jo Shimoda notching his first moto victory and overall podium of the season, while Chance Hymas tallied 3-5 finishes for fourth overall.
As has been typical of this season, the CRF450RWE race machines of Jett and Hunter Lawrence were in front out of turn 1 in the first premier-class moto, and that’s where they remained throughout the race, with just 6 seconds separating them at the checkers and another 11 back to third place. Once again, Jett and Hunter were 1-2 around moto 2’s first turn, and two laps later, Hunter moved by his brother for the lead. Jett got back by on lap 10, by which time the clouds had started to sprinkle. Chase Sexton managed to pass both Lawrences in the late going, but with the brothers holding on for second and third, Jett earned the overall victory, with Hunter third overall and still in possession of the red plate.
Hymas was third across the first 250 moto’s holeshot line and quickly up to second, while Shimoda was buried in the pack following a first-turn crash, completing lap 1 just inside the top 30. Hymas was displaced by Tom Vialle on lap 7, by which point Shimoda was inside the top 15. At the finish, the Red Riders were third and ninth, respectively. Shimoda enjoyed a pair of stronger starts in moto 2 (the second coming following an early red flag), as he ran second after four laps. The Japanese rider moved by Vialle for the lead with three laps remaining and, following a rousing late battle with Vialle and Haiden Deegan, that’s where he was at the finish, earning his first moto win and overall podium of the season. Hymas was fifth in the moto, good enough for fourth overall.
NOTES
- Woonsocket, Rhode Island, dealership B&B Motorsports staffed a popup activation booth in the Team Honda HRC pits at Southwick.
- Team Honda HRC had a pair of guest riders pitting in their footprint at Southwick: MXGP rider Alvin Ostlund (from JWR Racing) and Japanese rider Takumu Yokosawa (current points leader in Japan 250 MX). Ostlund in particular had a commendable showing, finishing 16th overall in the 450 class.
- Jett Lawrence was second-quickest in the morning’s combined qualifying times, with Hunter Lawrence eighth. Phoenix Racing Honda’s Dylan Ferrandis was fifth-best. In the 250 ranks, Chance Hymas and Jo Shimoda were seventh and 24th, respectively.
- Jett and Hunter Lawrence were first and second, respectively, on the first 450 moto’s lap-time sheet, whereas Hunter had the best time in the second moto.
- In taking the 15th 450 overall victory of his career this weekend at Southwick, Jett Lawrence tied Jeremy McGrath for two records: 10th on the all-time AMA Pro Motocross premier-class win list, and second on the all-time Honda AMA Pro Motocross premier-class win list.
- Hunter Lawrence stretched his status as the only rider this season to have finished on the overall 450 podium at every round.
- Honda has the most premier-class overall wins of any manufacturer at Southwick, now with 16—twice the tally of the next-best brand. Red Riders to have won include Pierre Karsmakers, Marty Smith, Donnie Hansen, Rick Johnson (twice), Jeff Stanton (four times), Jeremy McGrath, Ezra Lusk, Ricky Carmichael (three times) and Jett Lawrence (now twice).
- The 450-class points chase is even closer leaving New England, as Hunter Lawrence is on top, three points ahead of Jett Lawrence and Chase Sexton. In the 250 division, Hymas remains in second place, while Shimoda is fifth.
- The AMA Pro Motocross series now heads to Buchanan, Michigan’s RedBud MX for the traditional Independence Day Weekend round.
450 Overall Results
- Jett Lawrence (Hon)
- Chase Sexton (KTM)
- Hunter Lawrence (Hon)
- Justin Cooper (Yam)
- Dylan Ferrandis (Hon)
- Aaron Plessinger (KTM)
- Justin Barcia (Gas)
- Phil Nicoletti (Yam)
- Harri Kulas (KTM)
- Kyle Webster (Hon)
—
- Gert Krestinov (Hon)
- Alvin Ostlund (Hon)
- Cullin Park (Hon)
- Jeremy Hand (Hon)
- Tyler Stepek (Hon)
450 Championship Points (after 5 of 11 rounds)
- Hunter Lawrence: 213
- Jett Lawrence: 210
- Chase Sexton: 210
- Justin Cooper: 176
- Aaron Plessinger: 162
- Dylan Ferrandis: 152
- Jason Anderson: 148
- Justin Barcia: 148
- Malcolm Stewart: 133
- Fredrik Noren: 90
—
- Cullin Park: 39
250 Overall Results
- Haiden Deegan (Yam)
- Tom Vialle (KTM)
- Jo Shimoda (Hon)
- Chance Hymas (Hon)
- Jordon Smith (Yam)
- Joey Savatgy (Tri)
- Levi Kitchen (Kaw)
- Ty Masterpool (Kaw)
- Pierce Brown (Gas)
- Casey Cochran (Hus)
—
250 Championship Points (after 5 of 11 rounds)
- Haiden Deegan: 238
- Chance Hymas: 196
- Tom Vialle: 195
- Levi Kitchen: 177
- Jo Shimoda: 174
- Ty Masterpool: 146
- Pierce Brown: 133
- Jalek Swoll: 124
- Jordon Smith: 115
- Joey Savatgy: 111
Monster Energy Kawasaki Test Rider Broc Tickle Returns to AMA Pro Motocross
Monster Energy® Kawasaki test rider Broc Tickle will participate in select rounds of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship starting this weekend in his home-state race at the RedBud National in Buchanan, Michigan. Tickle will compete to elevate the team’s KX™450SR testing efforts in competitive conditions.
![240703 Broc Tickle - Monster Energy Kawasaki [3]](https://motorsportsnewswire.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/240703-Broc-Tickle-Monster-Energy-Kawasaki-3-.jpg)
Tickle, who previously rode for Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki in 2011, achieved one win, seven podiums, and nine Top 10 finishes, culminating in his first career championship clinching the AMA Supercross 250 Western Region on his KX™250. Moving into Pro Motocross, Tickle secured three Top 5 finishes, seven Top 10 finishes, and finished seventh in the championship standings. He then advanced to the 450 class for the 2012 Monster Energy Supercross season, riding a Pro Circuit-built KX™450. In the 450SX class, Tickle achieved seven Top 10 finishes and placed ninth in the AMA Supercross championship. In Pro Motocross, he earned nine Top 10 finishes, five Top 5 finishes, and four podiums, finishing fifth in the championship before transitioning to a different team.
In the summer of 2021, Tickle returned to the Monster Energy Kawasaki team as a test rider. Since then, he has been a crucial asset in the development of the new KX™450SR, bringing his extensive racing experience and technical knowledge to the team.
“I’ve been testing for Monster Energy Kawasaki for the last few years,” said Tickle. “The team is always working hard to find the best settings for the KX™450SR and we are elevating our testing by lining up on the starting gate. The team is dedicated to getting the most out of our race bikes and this is just another step in that commitment to excellence.”
Tickle will return to Pro Motocross on the #938 KX™450SR, featuring a custom patriotic D’Cor graphics kit, at his home-state race at RedBud this weekend, and will line up again at Budds Creek. The team is confident that Tickle’s involvement will provide valuable insights and help optimize the performance of the KX™450SR in race conditions.
AMA Announces 2024 U.S. Junior Motocross Team
The American Motorcyclist Association is pleased to announce the 11 members of the 2024 United States Junior Motocross Team at the FIM Junior Motocross World Championship, which is set to run on July 12-14 at the Circuit Kamperweg Heerde in the Netherlands.
“We have put together an incredibly talented team full of world-class riders to compete at this year’s FIM Junior Motocross World Championship,” AMA Deputy Director of Racing Mike Burkeen said. “I know this group of racers will represent the United States well and we look forward to going out to the Netherlands and competing on the global stage.”
Representing the U.S. in the 125cc class are Brennon Harrison (KTM), Chace Lawton (Yamaha) and Patrick Joseph Shipley (Yamaha).
Chase Dashiell (KTM), Wyatt Duff (KTM), Easton Graves (KTM) and Braxtyn Mes (Husqvarna) will compete on behalf of the U.S. in the 85cc class.
Seeking victory in the 65cc class are Austin Keller (KTM), Jaydin Smart (Cobra), Eidan Steinbrecher (KTM) and Joey Vicari (KTM).
“It has been my honor to lead Team USA as Team Manager for the last few years!” U.S. Junior Motocross Team Manager Jeff Cernic said. “I am looking forward to our representing the USA with grace and class for years to come!”
The 2024 FIM Junior Motocross World Championship will pit the fastest up-and-coming motocross riders across the globe against one another. For more information on the intense racing event, visit the FIM event website.
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