This week in US Powersports racing
Jett Lawrence Kicks Off SuperMotocross World Championship with an Impressive Victory
| Concord, N.C., (September 7, 2024) Team Honda HRC Progressive’s Jett Lawrence returned to racing in grand style by taking the overall win at Playoff 1 of the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship Finals, fueled by Monster Energy. After missing most of the Pro Motocross season, the defending SMX Champion showed he hasn’t lost speed or endurance with a thrilling battle for the final moto win and overall victory at zMAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway. |
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| The SuperMotocross Playoff 1 at zMAX Dragway delivered great weather and a challenging track for the top athletes to start their post-season battle for $5.5 million in total prize money. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac dominated the first 450SMX moto on the high-speed, hybrid SuperMotocross track. He led most of the second moto but finished in the runner-up spot after a fierce battle with Lawrence. SuperMotocross event results are determined by a combined two-moto score, so Tomac earned second overall with (1-2) moto finishes. The freshly-crowned AMA Pro Motocross champion, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton, was in the mix in both 20-minute plus one lap motos. Sexton had to settle for a third overall when the two leaders pulled away from him late in the final moto. In the 250SMX Class, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan delivered two impressive moto charges after mid-pack starts in both motos; Deegan took both 250SMX moto wins in convincing fashion to earn the 250SMX overall win. |
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| First place 450SMX Class (2-1) – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc. “I surprised myself more than you guys, I think. That race pace [was] a little different than practice. But that’s so cool. I remember back in 2023 I was saying I really wanted to battle Eli in outdoors, and this is as close as we get to outdoors, so it was a really cool thing to do. I could say a goal checked off, or a little check off the bucket list, you could say. I’m just super pumped to be up here again, and yeah, I’m back!” – Jett Lawrence, from the podium after his second moto win. |
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| Second place 450SMX Class (1-2) – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc. “I felt really good. It was close. The rhythm section got me. [Jett] was better in the sand, too, but I felt like I kind of could have survived that. But that rhythm section, as soon as I started missing my big quad, and then I wasn’t able to actually do the over-over so well, [I lost time], so [I’m] trying to learn from it. Either way it was a really fun day, [and I] felt really good on the motorcycle. That was so cool just to be having that flow again… [when asked why he stopped jumping the quad in the track’s rhythm lane] On the step-on step-off, the landing of it just got a little bit deep in the bottom of the transition. And then I wasn’t comfortable to go off the ramp and really gas it. So, I was too conservative, I was playing it safe, and it cost me.” – Eli Tomac |
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| Third place 450SMX Class (4-3) – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.“We definitely have a lot to improve on. I felt a little bit like a re-run of Chicago last year, by trying super hard but I wasn’t really going that fast. So [I] gotta find some more comfort, but these guys are riding really well. They honestly just smoked me today, so gotta get better. We have two more rounds, the ones that really count, obviously this one is just single points, then double points and triple points, so just trying to improve and really capitalize in that last race.” – Chase Sexton, when asked if he felt comfortable on the SuperMotocross track. In 250SMX Class racing, Haiden Deegan swept both motos with exciting come-from-behind charges that had him working his way past nearly all the top racers. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Julien Beaumer led several laps in the first moto and battled up front in the second to score his first professional podium finish. Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen pulled an early gap on the field in the second moto but had to settle for second place when Deegan caught and passed him in the final minutes of the race. |
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| First place 250SMX Class (1-1) – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc. “Yeah, we gotta go back to work this week. When I get back, we’re working. Because even though I went 1-1 today there’s a lot of errors that were made and I’m not happy about it… But it was nice to win the first one, that was a good goal [to] check off the list.” – Haiden Deegan, when asked about his two mid-pack starts. |
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| Second place 250SMX Class (2-4) – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc. “Yeah, it’s very important leading those laps and getting good starts like that. It’s very important for confidence, and after that first moto I had a lot of confidence. I just made too many mistakes in those early laps [of the second moto], [then] got it going a little bit in the middle, and just [on] that last lap made another big mistake. But I was able to hold off Jo [Shimoda]; he’s riding great, and same with Haiden, they’re all riding great today, so I’m very excited to be up here and ready for Dallas.” – Julien Beaumer, when asked how important confidence will be going forward after earning his first professional podium. |
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| Third place 250SMX Class (5-2) – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc. “You never know. It’s racing. I actually didn’t know I was that great at the beginning. I felt like I couldn’t actually get away. But it was a decent race. I’m happy to kind of bounce back after the first one. It’s a little emotional getting a holeshot and getting a red flag [after the first start of the opening moto]. If there’s one [event at which] to be a tick off, it would definitely be this one. We’ve got double points and then triple points, so [I’m] looking forward to the next two.” – Levi Kitchen, when asked if he thought he was going to win the second moto early in the race when he pulled out a healthy lead. Between the professional races a select group of promising young amateur racers competed in the 65cc World All-Stars event. Unlike the two-moto event of the pros, these young racers between the ages of 7 to 11 years old lined up for one 8-minute plus one lap moto on the same track on which the professionals competed. |
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| KTM’s Chase Brennan crossed the finish line in a very close second place. After a jumping infraction penalty was given to another rider, Brennan’s performance earned him the win in the 65cc World All-Stars race. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc. SuperMotocross Playoff 2 pits the racers against one another next Saturday, September 14th, at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. The racing intensifies as the points payout doubles in Playoff 2. And just seven days after that, the racers compete in the SuperMotocross World Championship on September 21st at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The final event pays triple-points for the overall results then pays out the huge prize of $1 Million for the top step of the 450 SMX Class and $500,000 for the 250 SMX Class. The only thing better than catching a SuperMotocross World Championship Finals event in person is making a weekend out of it and getting deeper into the action. General admission tickets, camping & travel packages, plus VIP-level access opportunities are available for the final two races of the series. Please visit supermotocross.com for more information. If you can’t catch the action in person, each SuperMotocross League event is available live and on-demand on Peacock, with coverage also found on USA Network, CNBC, and NBC. The SuperMotocross World Championship can also be viewed live in Spanish domestically on Telemundo Deportes YouTube, X and Facebook channels. For international coverage, the racing is available through the SuperMotocross Video Pass (supermotocross.tv) live and on-demand, in both English and Spanish. For more information on tickets, race results, video highlights, points standings, and airtimes please visit supermotocross.com. |
Jett Lawrence Returns From Injury With Amazing Win at SMX Opener
Just 66 days after undergoing surgery for a thumb injury, Team Honda HRC Progressive rider Jett Lawrence turned in an impressive overall win during playoff 1 of the SuperMotocross World Championship at North Carolina’s zMax Dragway, giving the 2025 CRF450R its first-ever overall victory in U.S. professional racing. The success was earned via 2-1 finishes, the moto 2 result coming after a late pass on moto 1 winner Eli Tomac, and it showed that Lawrence—the defending SMX 450 champion—has lost none of his trademark speed or competitiveness during his recovery process. Hunter Lawrence rode to 3-6 finishes for fourth overall in the same class, while Jo Shimoda notched a steady 3-5 tally for fourth overall in the 250 ranks. Chance Hymas suffered from poor starts and ended the day 18th overall, determined to improve at playoff 2.
Aboard their twin 2025 CRF450R race machines, Jett and Hunter emerged from the split start second and third in the first 450 moto, and Hunter quickly moved by Jett to assume second place. After trailing his older brother for several laps, Jett eventually got back around, and the brothers went on to finish in second and third. Jett was again second off the moto 2 start and was quickly passed by Eli Tomac. He powered by Justin Cooper early in the race to retake second and began dogging Tomac, eventually taking over the lead heading into the sand section and going on to the moto and overall wins. Hunter rode the entire race just a few spots back, finishing sixth in the moto and fourth overall.
After a red-flag restart of the first 250 moto, Shimoda emerged from the split start in third place, then quickly advanced to second. RJ Hampshire got by him in the sand, and Haiden Deegan moved by shortly after. After regaining a position due to a Hampshire crash, the Japanese rider finished a comfortable third. Meanwhile, Hymas was buried in the pack after the start but managed to work his way up to 13th by the finish. Shimoda was fifth after the moto 2 start, lost a couple of positions early on, and then regained them back, finishing a close fifth for eighth overall. Once again plagued by a poor start, Hymas finished the moto in 20th, for 18th overall.
NOTES
- On Friday morning, American Honda announced that Progressive is the factory race team’s title sponsor and unveiled their race bikes with new Progressive branding. The sponsorship is part of a multifaceted agreement that extends beyond racing, with Progressive involved in an array of Honda’s initiatives, including support of its Demo Ride events and Rider Education Centers.
- Team Honda HRC Progressive was back to full strength at Charlotte, with both Jett Lawrence and Jo Shimoda returning from injury. All four riders participated in the press conference on Friday morning.
- American Honda had a large contingent of guests on hand at Charlotte, from several different groups. From Alpharetta, Georgia, were associates from the Power Sports and Products North American headquarters, including Vice President & Business Unit Lead Yuichiro Ishii. From Timmonsville, South Carolina, were associates from the Honda of South Carolina Manufacturing side-by-side production plant. From Swepsonville, North Carolina, were associates from the Honda North Carolina Manufacturing plant that produces ATVs and select power-equipment products. Purchasing staff from both facilities were also on hand.
- Also in attendance at Charlotte were approximately 70 employees from Team Honda HRC Progressive sponsor TrueTimber, including founder and CEO Rusty Sellars.
- Displayed in the Team Honda HRC Progressive pits at Charlotte was an amazingly intricate cardboard CRF250R created by Seth Atkins. After spotting Atkins’s work on his Cardboard Motorsports social-media channels, Honda invited him and his family to be guests of the team at the event.
- Jett Lawrence’s CRF450R was wearing the yellow number 1 on a blue background, highlighting his status as the reigning 450 SMX champ.
- Granite Falls dealership Honda of North Carolina staffed a pop-up activation booth in the Team Honda HRC Progressive pits at the Charlotte race.
- Jett and Hunter Lawrence ended the morning qualifying sessions second and fifth in the 450 class, respectively, while Shimoda and Hymas were ninth and 14th, respectively, in the 250 division.
- Honda has the record for most wins of all manufacturers during past AMA Supercross, AMA Pro Motocross and SuperMotocross racing in the Charlotte area, at six. Past premier-class Red Riders to have won there include Jean-Michel Bayle (twice), Jeremy McGrath (three times) and Chase Sexton.
- Because riders carry a certain number of points into the SMX Playoffs from the regular season, and Jett missed most of the AMA Pro Motocross series with injury, his overall win at the SMX opener doesn’t give him the points lead in the postseason. The Australian sits second to former teammate Chase Sexton in premier-class points (45-41), with Hunter Lawrence one more point back, in third. Shimoda and Hymas are fourth and 18th, respectively, in the 250 class.
- Two more races remain for Team Honda HRC Progressive this season, with the next one coming in one week in Fort Worth, Texas.
Speed on Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s side in SMX Playoff 1
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire set the pace in 250SMX qualifying at Playoff 1 in the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX), on a day where results didn’t match the potential of all three active team riders when the final checkered flag flew.
Hampshire was exceptional on Saturday morning at Charlotte’s zMAX Dragway in qualifying his Husqvarna FC 250 Rockstar Edition fastest on combined times. This year’s AMA Supercross 250SX West Champion was then racing toward the front of the pack in Moto 1, until a crash cost him any chance of a podium finish, and he remounted for P10. Moto 2 saw RJ claim eighth, which placed him ninth overall and he now sits P10 in the series.
“Today started off really good, qualifying fastest,” Hampshire recalled. “In the first moto I made my way into second, but caught a rut in the rhythm, which shot me left, into the tuff blocks and the barrier. That kind of messed my day up, but we fought through it for 10-8 finishes and ninth overall. We’ll keep getting better this week and try to land on the box in Dallas.”
Charlotte marked Malcolm Stewart’s first-ever SuperMotocross start on the unique hybrid track layouts, going on to earn seventh overall. The Husqvarna FC 450 Rockstar Edition rider qualified in seventh and then registered 8-7 scores for seventh overall, which also positions him P7 in the 450SMX standings to commence the post-season.
“Charlotte was fun and this was my first time racing SuperMotocross,” Stewart commented. “First moto we were P8 and then second moto seventh, so that placed us seventh overall and it was a great start for us. I’m learning the bike in this format and we’ll take what we learned into Texas and keep building. Huge shoutout to the whole Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing crew – we’ve been pushing hard all season and I look forward to the next couple of weekends.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SMX teammate Christian Craig also lined up in the SMX playoffs for the first time at the North Carolina venue. A crash and further trouble in the opening encounter meant he finished in 20th, before managing to rebound in Moto 2 with a ninth-place score, and that put him 14th overall.
“The day started off pretty good,” Craig said. “Qualifying was decent and I was riding not bad. First moto, quarter of a lap in, I went down and got hit in the back of the head pretty hard, so had to make my way back up, but got a tuff block cover stuff in my back brake pedal and I had to stop to get that out. I regrouped for the second main, got a decent start, and was in the mix for a little bit to end up ninth. It wasn’t my best ride, but all in all, we’ll regroup and get ready for Texas next week.”
On return from injury in Charlotte for the 250SMX post-season, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Casey Cochran unfortunately crashed in the opening qualifying session this morning and was unable to continue for the remainder of Playoff 1.
Next Race: September 14 – Fort Worth, Texas (SMX Playoff 2)
Results 450SMX Class – SMX Playoff 1
1. Jett Lawrence (AUS), Honda
2. Eli Tomac (USA), Yamaha
3. Chase Sexton (USA), KTM
7. Malcolm Stewart (USA), Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
8. Aaron Plessinger (USA), KTM
14. Christian Craig (USA), Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
Standings 450SMX Class 2024 after 1 of 3 rounds
1. Chase Sexton, 45 points
2. Jett Lawrence, 41
3. Hunter Lawrence, 40
6. Aaron Plessinger, 32
7. Malcolm Stewart, 30
12. Christian Craig, 18
17. Justin Barcia, 13
Results 250SMX Class – SMX Playoff 1
1. Haiden Deegan (USA), Yamaha
2. Julien Beaumer (USA), KTM
3. Levi Kitchen (USA), Kawasaki
5. Tom Vialle (FRA), KTM
9. RJ Hampshire (USA), Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
12. Pierce Brown (USA), GASGAS
14. Ryder DiFrancesco (USA), GASGAS
Standings 250SMX Class 2024 after 1 of 3 rounds
1. Haiden Deegan, 50 points
2. Levi Kitchen, 42
3. Tom Vialle, 37
5. Julien Beaumer, 35
7. Pierce Brown, 26
10. RJ Hampshire, 22
12. Ryder DiFrancesco, 21
20. Casey Cochran, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 4
Top-five NE Pro1 finish for Trevor Bollinger in Flying W National Enduro
A top-five result in the NE Pro1 Class was earned by Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Trevor Bollinger at the Flying W National Enduro this weekend.
Bollinger took time to settle into the rocky, technical conditions, but gained strength as the race wore on aboard his Husqvarna FX 350 in Cherryville, Missouri.
A consistent run throughout the six tests – aside from a minor delay at midway during the third test – saw him largely remain trouble-free, which saw Bollinger rewarded with P5 in class and eighth overall at race’s end. He is currently sixth in the NE Pro1 title race with two rounds remaining.
“I struggled here, really,” Bollinger said. “There were a lot of loose rocks, and I was really timid there at the beginning. I had a little mishap there in Test 3 where I got lost and hung up on this hill behind a group, but other than that, I stayed off the ground all day. I need to go home, ride some rocks, and get more comfortable in these conditions.”
NE Pro1 Class Results:
1. Steward Baylor Jr, Kawasaki
2. Josh Toth, GASGAS
3. Evan Smith, Husqvarna
4. Johnny Girroir, KTM
5. Trevor Bollinger, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
Upcoming Offroad Races – September 2024
9/14: National Hare and Hound Championship – Round 5
9/15: Grand National Cross Country Series – Round 11
9/22: National Enduro Series – Round 9
9/29: Grand National Cross Country Series – Round 12
9/29: National Grand Prix Championship – Round 7
SMX PLAYOFFS TAKE OFF FOR TROY LEE DESIGNS/RED BULL/GASGAS FACTORY RACING
The gates dropped on the new SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) Finals series in Charlotte, North Carolina, this afternoon, where Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing pushed hard to make an impact in the 250SMX Class at zMAX Dragway.
- PB manages to race despite mid-week crash while training
- Free Practice incident delays Bam Bam’s scheduled return to racing
- Ryder D benefits from strong starts in SMX Playoff 1
With 450SMX entry Justin Barcia’s return to competition delayed by a week – he intends to line up in Fort Worth next Saturday – following a crash in Friday’s free practice sessions, all attention was on Pierce Brown and Ryder DiFrancesco, equipped with their GASGAS MC 250F Factory Edition machinery.
Brown was uncertain whether he would be able to make the first SMX Playoff round of the year after going down during the week, but he was P1 in the opening qualifying session and qualified 11th on combined times. PB then recorded an 8-14 scorecard for 12th overall. Those points salvaged across the pair of fast-paced races see him currently ranked seventh in the 250SMX points.
Pierce Brown: “That was a tough day for me. Coming into the weekend, I was unsure if I was going to race because I had a pretty big crash this week, so all in all I’m just happy to be here and to get some points. The next two rounds are double and triple points – I’m looking forward to those and there are a lot of points to be made. We have improvements to be made, but I feel like my ceiling is way higher than where I am at this stage.”
Teammate Ryder D was quick out of the gates today, but continues to adapt to the high-speed, hybrid SMX tracks, and found himself with 14-12 finishes for P14 this weekend. In what is his first full season of racing at the pro level, DiFrancesco sits 12th in the 250SMX championship.
Ryder DiFrancesco: “It was an okay weekend in Charlotte. I had pretty good starts all day, but in the first moto I just didn’t have the speed, and then in the second race my start wasn’t as good, even though I actually rode better. I need to stack some points for the next two!”
Next Race: September 14 – Fort Worth, Texas (SMX Playoff 2)
CHASE SEXTON AND JULIEN BEAUMER SCORE CHARLOTTE SMX PLAYOFF PODIUMS
The opening Playoff round of the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) saw Red Bull KTM Factory Racing riders Chase Sexton and Julien Beaumer both land valuable podium results at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte, with Sexton continuing to hold the 450SMX red plate.
Newly-crowned Pro Motocross 450MX Champion Sexton rode his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to the third-fastest time in qualifying while working his way back into the hybrid environment of SMX, and then finished fourth in the opening moto. He improved to P3 in the second moto, which secured him third position on the podium. As a result, he now holds a four-point advantage in the post-season standings.
Chase Sexton: “We definitely have a lot to improve on. It felt a little bit like a re-run of Chicago last year – I was trying super-hard, but wasn’t really going that fast. I’ve gotta find some more comfort, but these guys are riding really well, so we have to get better. We have two more rounds, the ones that really count because this one was just single points, and then we go into double points and triple points, so we will be trying to improve to really capitalize at that last race.”
Charlotte was a mixed day out for 450SMX Class teammate Plessinger after feeling the effects of a heavy crash during Friday practice. Still, he qualified in 10th and then charged to a convincing sixth in Moto 1. The Cowboy had to settle for 11th in the final moto of the weekend after crashing in the early stages, which positioned him P8 overall, and he’s currently ranked sixth in the SMX title race.
Aaron Plessinger: “Charlotte was quite the struggle. I had a practice crash on Friday, which left my shoulder a little sore, and then today I felt pretty good. First moto, I got a pretty good start and made some passes, so ended up sixth. In the second moto, I was in good position again, but slid out and got up in last. I worked my way back up to 11th, so overall, we’re leaving in one piece and we’ll see what Texas brings!”
250SMX saw Beaumer race to a breakout first-career professional podium, courtesy of a 2-4 scorecard. After qualifying in third position on his KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, he powered to the holeshot and led a large portion of the opening moto on his way to P2. The teenager was up front again in the second race, finishing fourth, which placed him on the podium in second overall and elevated him to P5 in points.
Julien Beaumer: “Getting good starts like that and leading those laps is very important for confidence. After the first moto I felt good, just made too many mistakes in those early laps of the second one, but I was happy with the result. I’m very excited to be up here on the podium, so I’m looking forward to Dallas next!”
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Tom Vialle – the reigning AMA Supercross 250SX East Champion – qualified in eighth position and then raced to fourth in the first moto. A P7 result in the final outing placed him fifth overall, which was a solid way to commence his post-season, and he sits third in the SMX standings.
Tom Vialle: “I went 4-7 today – my starts were really bad – so I finished fifth overall. I’m still third in the championship and we all know that the next couple of races are most important with double and triple points available, so we will come out swinging next week.”
Next Race: September 14 – Fort Worth, Texas (SMX Playoff 2)
MATEO OLIVEIRA P3 AT GLEN HELEN WHS AS GRANT DAVIS CLAIMS FLYING W NATIONAL ENDURO PODIUM
FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Mateo Oliveira raced to his third podium of the 2024 AMA West Hare Scramble (WHS) season at Glen Helen this weekend, while in the Flying W National Enduro it was FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers rider Grant Davis who landed an NE Pro2 Class podium in second position.
WEST HARE SCRAMBLE – ROUND 4
Defending AMA West Hare Scramble Pro Class Champion Dante Oliveira was ruled out of Round 4 of the series at Glen Helen Raceway with a broken collarbone sustained over the summer break, which saw all eyes on teammate and younger brother Mateo Oliveira on Sunday.
Equipped with the KTM 350 XC-F in WHS, Oliveira started strongly in the hot conditions and circulated in second position for the opening laps. He slipped back to P3 overall with two laps to go, which is where he would take the checkered flag in a convincing effort.
In terms of the championship standings, it’s still FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Dante Oliveira tied on points for the lead, while Mateo sits in third, just three points outside of P1 with two rounds remaining in the 2024 season.
Mateo Oliveira: “It was shaping up to be a good day after I executed on the start, and then I was all over Giacomo [Redondi]. After that I fell, got a little stuck, and I made a pretty good push considering how dusty it was until I went down a few more times there in one lap. I hit a wall pretty bad toward the end, but I got some fluids into me with a couple of laps to go and did what we could for a podium from there. It was a bit disappointing because I felt like the result could have been better, but we’ll take a third.”
Pro Class Results
1. Giacomo Redondi, GASGAS
2. Zane Roberts, Beta
3. Mateo Oliveira, FMF KTM Factory Racing
NATIONAL ENDURO SERIES – ROUND 8
The AMA National Enduro Series continued in Cherryville, Missouri, with the Flying W National Enduro, where FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Johnny Girroir finished just short of the podium in the NE Pro1 Class.
Girroir had been challenging for the top three throughout much of the race on his KTM 350 XC-F, until an incident in the closing laps cost him vital time. P4 was the end result and he maintains third in the standings.
Johnny Girroir: “I had a good day battling for the podium. Unfortunately, in the last test I got stuck in some barbed wire and it took me a minute to get it out, so I was bumped off the podium. Other than that, it was a good day, and another day of learning to ride enduro trails.”
FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers’ Grant Davis returned to the NE Pro2 Class podium to extend his points lead on Sunday. He won two tests in class on his way to second position on the podium riding the KTM 250 XC-F, building a 16-point advantage in the series following eight of 10 rounds.
Grant Davis: “It was a good day. I came out with the first two test wins and then after that I kind of fell apart, but Jonathan [Johnson] was ripping today. It was a good points day, for sure, I definitely made up a lot of points here this weekend.”
NE Pro1 Class Results:
1. Steward Baylor Jr, Kawasaki
2. Josh Toth, GASGAS
3. Evan Smith, Husqvarna
4. Johnny Girroir, FMF KTM Factory Racing
5. Trevor Bollinger, Husqvarna
NE Pro2 Class Results:
1. Jonathan Johnson, Beta
2. Grant Davis, FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers
3. Jhak Walker, Beta
UPCOMING OFFROAD RACES – SEPTEMBER 2024
9/15: Grand National Cross Country Series – Round 11
9/22: National Enduro Series – Round 9
9/29: Grand National Cross Country Series – Round 12
9/29: National Grand Prix Championship – Round 7
9/29: West Hare Scramble – Round 5
Tomac Scores Runner-Up Finish at SMX Playoff 1
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac kicked off the three-round SuperMotocross World Championship Finals with a 1-2 score, finishing second overall at the SMX Playoff 1 in Concord, North Carolina. Rookie Justin Cooper bounced back from a tough first moto to finish sixth overall with a 7-4 score. Cooper Webb also overcame adversity to score 10th overall (14-8) in the challenging conditions at the zMAX Dragway.
Tomac showed strength at his first SuperMotocross World Championship round. After qualifying fourth, he put on a masterclass performance in the first 450SMX moto, grabbing the holeshot and leading from start to finish. In the second moto, he got another great start in third and quickly moved into the runner-up spot. Tomac then passed his teammate Cooper on Lap 3 to claim the lead and tried to build another gap up front, but the competition stayed within reach. With three laps remaining, the Colorado rider was shuffled to the runner-up spot, where he would finish to end the day second overall. Tomac’s efforts made championship gains, advancing him to fourth in the 450SMX points standings and within 12 points of the leader despite being sidelined for 10 rounds with a thumb injury.
Cooper hit the ground running in his 450SMX debut, topping the timesheets in qualifying. Unfortunately, he did not get off the gate as he had hoped in the first moto and found himself ninth after the first lap. The New Yorker put his head down and made his way to seventh on a track that was difficult to pass on. In the second moto, Cooper got a flying start to grab the holeshot and led the first two laps. Although he was shuffled to fourth, he rode a strong pace to maintain the position and secure sixth overall. Tied in points with his teammate Tomac, Cooper holds fifth in the championship standings and trails the leader by 12 points.
In his first race back since reinjuring his thumb at the Unadilla National, Webb had a solid qualifying effort in eighth. Although he didn’t get the start he was hoping for in the first moto and found himself 12th after the opening lap, he put his head down and made his way to eighth. Unfortunately, the North Carolina rider was docked six positions for cutting the track and would score 14th. He then had another difficult start to Moto 2 and came together with another rider in the first turn. Undeterred, he made his way to eighth, salvaging points on a tough day with a top-10 overall result. Webb maintains a top-10 position in the 450SMX Championship and is 21 points from the leader despite being sidelined for 10 rounds of the 31-round series.
Next up for the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team is the SuperMotocross World Championship Playoff 2 at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, on September 14.
Jeremy Coker – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team Manager
“Today went really well. Eli is back. That’s all I can say. I think that’s the hardest Jett (Lawrence) has had to push in a long time. Justin and Coop had some rough starts in the first one. Justin improved in the second one and rode phenomenally. Coop had a get together with another rider in the first turn and had a decent ride. We’ll go back to work this week and try for better in Texas.”
Eli Tomac – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #3
“It was a good day overall, but it stings getting second. I won Moto 1 and was leading Moto 2, but I missed the rhythm section too many times, which cost me. Otherwise, Jett (Lawrence) and I were super close. It’s frustrating because I felt so good all day. Man, it was right there, but overall, this was a good step forward. We are improving each weekend since I’ve been back this summer. I’m excited for the next two.”
Justin Cooper – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #32
“It was a good day overall, and some positives to take away. The first moto, I got off the gate pretty badly, which made for a tough moto there, but I regrouped and Moto 2 was really good. I was able to fight with those guys a little bit. I felt like they had a little bit more than me, which is tough to deal with, but it was an all-around good day and a good start to the series.”
Cooper Webb – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #2
“It was a tough day, but it was good to be back at the races, especially in front of my home state fans. I had an unfortunate off-track excursion in the first race that led to a six-position penalty. Then I charged forward as best as I could in the second race after starting outside the top 20. I’ve had a lot of success in Texas, and I am looking forward to getting some redemption next weekend.”
Deegan Launches 250SMX Title Defense with Commanding Victory
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan charged back in both motos to score an emphatic overall 250SMX victory in challenging conditions at the zMAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. It was a great start to the reigning champ’s title defense as he leaves Playoff 1 of the SuperMotocross World Championship Finals with maximum points. Jordon Smith ended the day sixth overall with a pair of sixth-place finishes. Max Anstie bounced back from a tough first moto to earn a podium finish in Moto 2, finishing seventh overall with his 11-3 score. Nick Romano was 14th overall (16-13) in his SuperMotocross World Championship Finals debut. Unfortunately, Nate Thrasher crashed earlier in the day and tried to race but ultimately withdrew.
Deegan got the day off to a good start, qualifying second. He did not get off the gate as he had hoped in the first moto and found himself ninth after the first lap. The reigning 250SMX Champion quickly went to work and made his way through the competition, taking over the lead with around five laps remaining and riding on to win by a 3.4-second margin. In the second moto, he got a better start in seventh, and once again charged his way forward. With four laps to go, he claimed the lead and built another impressive gap in the final laps to take victory by a four-second margin. Coming in with 25 points as the top seed in the 250 class from his combined points in Monster Energy AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross, Deegan’s overall victory at the SMX Playoff 1 has him leaving with the maximum points available and an eight-point lead in the championship.
Smith had a solid qualifying in seventh for his home race in the Charlotte Metropolitan area. He did not get off the gate as he had hoped in Moto 1 and found himself 12th after the first lap, but made his way to sixth on a track that was difficult to make passes on. In Moto 2, he was inside the top 10 after the opening lap and made his way to sixth by Lap 5, where he would finish to end the day sixth overall. Smith heads to the SMX Playoff 2 sixth in the points standings.
Anstie qualified 12th as he worked to find his comfort zone on the hybrid-style track. Unfortunately, it was a tough first moto as he found himself at the back of the field after the start. Undeterred, the British rider put his head down and made his way to 11th. In the second moto, he got a much better start in fourth and passed his teammate Romano on the following lap to move into podium position. Around the halfway point, he was shuffled to fourth as Deegan charged through to the front but made his way back to third with five laps remaining. Anstie continued to ride a strong pace and secured the podium finish, ending the day seventh overall and advancing to eighth in the points standings.
Romano made his SuperMotocross World Championship debut at the zMAX Dragway, and qualified 20th as he worked to find his flow on the tricky track. In 20th after the first lap of Moto 1, he kept pushing and finished 16th. Romano got a great start in the second moto despite the gate pick and grabbed the holeshot. The 19-year-old was shuffled to third on the opening lap and then passed by his teammate Anstie on Lap 2. He tried to maintain the positions but ultimately crossed the line 13th in the challenging conditions to end the day 14th overall.
Unfortunately, it was a tough return to racing for Thrasher, who had a crash in qualifying, which resulted in a hematoma on his leg. The Tennessee rider lined up for the first moto but ultimately withdrew from the race. He will be evaluated during the week, and an update will follow.
Next up for the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team is Playoff 2 of the SuperMotocross World Championship Finals at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, on September 14.
Jensen Hendler – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 250 Team Manager
“It was a great first round of the playoffs in Charlotte. Haiden rode awesome. He didn’t get the starts, but was riding on another level and won both motos. So the overall victory and maximum points to start the championship, we couldn’t be happier. Max had a tough first moto but got a great start in Moto 2 and finished third. We’re looking to keep building on that momentum next week. Starts hurt Jordon in both motos, but he rode well and finished sixth overall. Nick got a great start in Moto 2 and grabbed the holeshot, which was great. We have some things to work on. We’ll go back to work, come back stronger in Texas, and keep fighting for this championship.”
Haiden Deegan – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #38
“It worked out, with 1-1 on the day. I had some of the worst starts of my life, so I made it difficult for myself. I think I was sixth or seventh in the second moto, but I was buried in the first one and was around 13th. I had to catch up to the leader and ended up getting a pretty good gap in both motos. It was good racing. We’ve got some work to do this week.”
Jordon Smith – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #31
“It was a pretty good day. The track was very hard to pass on, for everyone but the number one machine. He made it look not so hard. I was struggling to make passes, but I rode really well. I just didn’t get off the gate great. So, it’s the same thing as outdoors. I just need to try and figure out the starts, and we can be in it. Looking at the track map, I think next weekend is going to be a little more technical, with a bit more rhythms, which I think will benefit me. We’ll keep pushing.”
Max Anstie – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #37
“It was a solid second moto and opening round of SMX. I’m happy with the progression. We will keep pushing on to Round 2 in Texas.”
Nick Romano – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #511
“My first SMX race was fun. The biggest thing for me was the pace in the motos. The Moto 2 holeshot was an eye-opener, but it’s nothing we can’t fix. We’ll go back to work this week on some intensity and be stronger for the next two.”
KEN ROCZEN KICKS OFF SUPERMOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WITH TOP-FIVE RESULT
Round one of the SuperMotocross World Championship commenced the second year of post-season racing with a unique, hybrid Supercross-motocross track built on top of zMAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The unique championship fills the starting gate with the top twenty riders in combined Supercross and Motocross points, then slots the riders 21st to 30th in combined points into an LCQ at each event. A two-moto format with Olympic-style scoring determines the championship and the payout of the $5.5 million dollar purse.
Race Highlights
Ken Roczen (94), who earned the runner-up spot in the inaugural SMX World Championship last year, started his 2024 bid at the title with great track speed and strong results. The popular racer battled among the front group in both motos. When the results were tallied, Roczen moved his RM-Z up five positions from where he sat in the seeding into the post-season racing.
“Here today at Charlotte we actually had a really good weekend,” said Roczen. “It’s definitely something to build on. We went 5-5 for fifth overall… I was able to push both motos. We made tiny adjustments to the bike, and it was actually a really fun day racing. It’s a great position to build off of. We’ll hopefully come back next week and just keep building in the right direction, be up front in the starts, and I think we can be on the podium.”
Colt Nichols (45) sat out for most of the Motocross season and therefore qualified into the un-seeded group of racers. After qualifying in first place in his second qualifying session, Nichols raced his way out of the LCQ to get into the points-paying motos. Nichols’ late gate pick relegated him to challenging staring positions, but in both races he charged forward through the pack and broke into a top-ten position at the checkered flag in each moto.
“It was a pretty good round,” Nichols summed up. “The track was extremely, extremely fast. I need to get out of the gate a little bit better but a solid 10-10 [is a] pretty good start for the SMX series for me, so I was pretty excited. I just need to get a little bit better starts and be up there at the beginning of the races. But overall, it was a very good weekend for me, I was pumped.”
“The bike was good. The bike [set-up] worked pretty good; it’s tricky with these races the way the tracks are set up,” said Chisholm. “But I just didn’t ride my best. I didn’t have the best starts, and that made it tough because there’s not a lot to separate us out there… I don’t think we have a lot of work to do on the bike. We just need to try to get some good practice in this week and come back swinging in Texas.”
“It was a good day,” Larry Brooks, Twisted Tea/H.E.P. Motorsports/Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance Team Manager summed up. “Ken finished fifth overall. He rode pretty good all day. We kind of chased the settings a little bit, chased some power [delivery]. You know, coming to these fast tracks and running our Supercross bike, you never know what you’re going to get until you get here. So, we chased [settings for the hybrid track] and I think we did pretty good as far as making the bike comfortable for him… He got decent starts and went 5-5 for fifth overall. Colt Nichols finished ninth today. This was really his first race with the team; he did a couple [Motocross rounds] but I would consider this race is first real race with the team. And he finished ninth, so [we had] two riders in the top ten. Kyle finished 21st, and I thought it was good for him. Kyle can build on that and get better. We have Texas Motor Speedway next week; it will be the second round of SuperMotocross and we’re ready to go.”
The second running of the SuperMotocross World Championships moves west for Playoff 2 at Texas Motor Speedway on September 14th. The second playoff round, another daytime race, will pay double the points toward the championship. After that, the riders line up one final time in 2024 at the Final to crown the 2024 SuperMotocross World Champion. The Final will be a night race, held at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. A champion will be crowned, and the full $5.5 million dollar purse will be distributed to the racers.
For team news, please visit SuzukiCycles.com/Racing and HEPMotorsports.com.
Photos by BrownDogWilson
A Champion Crowned!
September 7-8, 2024 — RPM Racing KTM came back from the summer break with powerful performances at two prestigious off-road racing events this weekend. The team was split across two locations: Jaden Dahners represented RPM Racing at Glen Helen for the AMA West Hare Scramble (WHS), while the rest of the team battled it out at Vernal, Utah, for the WORCS series. Although Mason Semmens is still sidelined due to injury, his anticipated return to the track is eagerly awaited, with plans to contend for championships in the coming rounds.
Kaitlyn Jacobs clinched the 2024 WORCS Women’s Pro Championship after a stellar season of consistent podium finishes. Her tenacity and skill throughout the season culminated in an outstanding achievement for both her and the team.
Tristun Alvarez dominated the Pro 125 race, taking a decisive victory with a commanding lead. He also entered the Pro 250 class earning his personal best finish with a 5th place.
JP Alvarez fought hard through a challenging two-hour WORCS race in Vernal, finishing in 3rd place despite the grueling heat and dusty conditions. His endurance and persistence demonstrated the grit of the RPM Racing team.
Jaden Dahners had an equally impressive weekend at Glen Helen, earning a 3rd place finish in the AMA WHS series. Battling triple-digit temperatures and thick dust, Dahners fought through the adversity to secure a well-earned podium finish.
With each rider putting in tremendous effort, RPM Racing KTM continues to showcase their dominance across both series. As the season progresses, the team remains focused on securing more podium finishes and pushing towards championship victories.
RPM Racing KTM thanks its loyal sponsors, and team members for their ongoing support, and looks forward to what the remainder of the season will bring.
Paul Edmondson Officially Appointed Triumph Racing Enduro Team Manager
Motorsport legend and former world champion Paul Edmondson has officially been appointed Team Manager of Triumph Racing’s enduro programme.
In 2025, Triumph Racing will compete in the FIM SuperEnduro and EnduroGP World Championships, as well as the AMA EnduroCross series, together with other select events throughout the racing season. One of the most well-known figures in off-road motorcycling, Edmondson is a four-time enduro world champion and has already achieved huge success with his Fast Eddy Racing team in the EnduroGP championship.
Edmondson will head up the Triumph Racing factory enduro programme, which will see the brand represented at the highest levels of enduro competition worldwide. In recent years, Paul has worked closely with Triumph on a variety of projects, including providing essential input on the development of the TF 250-X machine for off-road competition.
In addition, Paul rode Triumph motorcycles in his role as 007’s stunt double in the latest James Bond film No Time To Die. His wealth of experience in both racing and team management ensures that Paul is the perfect fit to head up Triumph Racing’s official enduro programme.
A dominant enduro rider in the 1990s, Edmondson won four world championship titles while also representing Great Britain multiple times at the iconic International Six Days Enduro. At his last ISDE in 2012, Edmondson earned a record-breaking 18th gold medal.
Paul Edmondson – Triumph Racing Enduro Team Manager: “To officially be part of the Triumph Racing Factory Team for enduro, is another huge milestone in my career, and to say I’m excited and motivated is an understatement! The team and I can now really begin the hard work to achieve the best results possible. Having worked with Triumph for a number of years already on some cool projects, I know that we have a bright future in enduro, and to be racing across three championships is really exciting.”
Ian Kimber – Head of Global Racing Programmes, Triumph Motorcycles: “Much like our MX2 and SMX Programmes, it was critical for enduro that we worked with a Team Manager who completely understands what we are trying to achieve and what it takes to get there. Having worked with Paul in the past on numerous projects, including James Bond and our MX and Enduro OE development, we couldn’t think of anyone better to head up our newest team. Paul has a rich history in the sport, knowledge of what it takes to be a champion, a proven record of building riders and putting those riders on the box. This, combined with an understanding of working with Triumph, means he is ideally placed to run our Triumph Racing Factory Teamin the SuperEnduro, EnduroGP and EnduroCross championships.”
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