This Week in Powersports Racing – The week of June 1, 2025

Herrin Wins Superbike Race One At Road America

There are good weeks and there are great weeks. Josh Herrin is having a great one. Just six days after the birth of twin girls, Herrin went out and won his first Superbike race of the year and the 17^th of his career on a sunny Saturday at Road America.

Herrin’s 17^th career AMA Superbike win moved him out of a tie with three-time 500cc World Champion Wayne Rainey and into a tie with 2006 MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden for ninth on the all-time AMA Superbike win list.

Herrin and his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R led every lap of Saturday’s race as he took advantage of pole-sitter Cameron Beaubier’s miscue in turn one on the opening lap to take a lead he would never relinquish. Herrin, however, didn’t have it easy as Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Bobby Fong stuck with Herrin and the Ducati for the duration.

At the completion of the 12-lap race, Herrin was 2.827 seconds ahead of Fong.

Beaubier recovered from his first-turn blunder to gradually reel in both Fong and Herrin. But turn one again was a bogey corner for Beaubier and his Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M1000 RR. After passing Fong and setting off after Herrin in the closing stages, Beaubier ran wide in turn one again, recovering again to make a final charge at Fong for second place. At the finish line it was Fong by .009 of a second over the five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion.

Fong’s teammate Jake Gagne was fourth, 21.5 seconds from the front and some five seconds ahead of fifth-placed Richie Escalante on the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki. Escalante’s fifth-place finish was a lonely one as Real Steel Honda’s Hayden Gillim was 10 seconds behind in sixth.

Jones Honda’s Ashton Yates raced his Honda to seventh, well clear of BPR Racing’s Bryce Kornbau. Thrashed Bike Racing’s Max Flinders and Aftercare Scheibe Racing’s Danilo Lewis rounded out the top 10 finishers.

Notable non-finishers included MotoAmerica Superbike Cup series leader JD Beach, who pulled out with a clutch issue on his Real Steel Honda, and Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Sean Dylan Kelly, who crashed out in the early laps. FLO4LAW/SBU Racing’s Benjamin Smith was a non-starter after suffering a mechanical failure in qualifying.

Beaubier now leads the championship by 26 points over Gagne, 111-85, with Herrin moving to third – just a point behind Gagne. Fong, with his third runner-up finish of the season, is fourth – eight points behind Herrin. Kelly holds on to fifth, 59 points behind Beaubier.

Quotes

Josh Herrin – Winner

“If you look back the last couple years, we’ve ran at the front in some races, but I don’t think we’ve won any of the first two rounds for ’23 or ’24,” Herrin said. “I hear the guys on the broadcast saying, ‘When they can let the Ducati loose…’ I’m not saying the Ducati is not a fast bike, but I think this track suits me well. I’ve won on the Yamaha, the Ducati, the Suzuki, and got a podium on the BMW here. So, I’ve had a lot of success just around this track. I like the vibes here. My first pro race was at this track in 2006. So, it’s been a long time. I just feel good here. I do think that this is kind of like our reset, I guess. Obviously, I want to win at the first two rounds. It’s not like I’m not trying. But I’m also just trying to collect some points because I know that we just need to keep our head up and get out of there. So, to get three podiums in the first two rounds out of four, I was stoked with. Then to top it off with a win here, it’s good. I’m happy to win. I always love to win. But for some reason right now, this doesn’t feel like I thought it would. Maybe it’s just because all the stuff that’s been going on this week. I’m tired. Got a lot on my mind. I was like, I want to say something about the babies on the podium, and it was like hard to remember all of the names now. I’m like, ‘I’m going to mess this up.’ But I’m excited. I look at it, but I’ve got so much going on in my mind right now it’s insane. Hats off to the team for working hard and pushing me this weekend. Hopefully tomorrow goes just as good.”

Bobby Fong – Second Place

“It was good. I was riding so hard to try to keep up with them. I think it was the second-to-last lap, I had a big one. I thought I was going down for sure in turn one. Nearly fell off the thing. I thought Cam (Beaubier) was going to blast me. My pit board was saying “G2,” so I thought that there were two people behind me the whole time. So, I’m like, this is it. I’m getting fourth place. I thought there was more people than Cam. So, I just kept pushing and pushing and pushing. Once I had that moment, Cam went by. I’m like, ‘I think my race is over. I have to settle in.’ Then he went wide. He just went super wide into turn one. I thought, here’s my second chance. Got in second, and I thought he was going to get me again. But it was good. This guy kept me on my toes. Both these guys kept me on my toes the whole time. Definitely had a lot of moments out there. I was ready to just send it to the grass for sure plenty of times. But it was good to get some points and move forward to tomorrow.”

Cameron Beaubier – Third Place

“I got a good jump, and then I missed a shift slightly going second to third. Then I sent it off in there a little deeper than I should have in turn one. I felt like I was okay. Then I was going to be about mid track, then I got a big front-end push that sent me off the track. Just kind of blended in as safe as I could. Then, after that, I just did not have the same feeling I did in qualifying and practice. But these guys were putting up a great pace. Josh (Herrin) at the front had to be going 2:10s the whole race. I was in there too and I was slowly crawling back. But, for me, it was just kind of a race of mistakes. I was struggling pretty bad getting the bike stopped. Man, when this BMW is working, it feels so good. But when it’s not quite in its window, it’s a beast to ride. But I’m glad we collected some points, especially after a couple mistakes I had and a couple close calls. I’m glad that we were able to at least salvage some points today.”

Josh Herrin (1) led every lap of Saturday’s MotoAmerica Superbike race at Road America, despite the constant pressure from Bobby Fong (50). Photo by Brian J. Nelson

Bobby Fong looks to the inside of Herrin.jpg

Bobby Fong looks to the inside of Herrin early in the Superbike race on Saturday at Road America. Jake Gagne (32) ended up fourth. Photo by Brian J. Nelson

Herrin crosses the finish line to win.jpg

Herrin crosses the finish line to win his first MotoAmerica Superbike race of the year.
Photo by Brian J. Nelson

Saturday photos available HERE

Saturday results:

Superbike

Wyman Leads Harley Factory Sweep In Mission King Of The Baggers

Kyle Wyman led teammates Bradley Smith and James Rispoli to a popular podium sweep of the Mission King Of The Baggers race at Road America on Saturday, with the Harley-Davidson x Dynojet Factory Racing team dominating on a racetrack located just an hour up the road from The Motor Company’s Milwaukee headquarters.

Wyman was fast from the very first practice session and he had pace that the others didn’t seem to have. Fast and confident, the winningest rider in Baggers’ history won his fourth race of the year and the 22^nd of his career. The win also built on an already large lead in the championship as the New Yorker now leads the title chase by 48 points over his new-for-2025 teammate Smith, 120-72.

Smith finished second for the second time in his debut season in both the class and the MotoAmerica Championship. In what was his first visit to Road America, the Brit was strong in the race and even closed on Wyman to come up just .255 of a second behind Harley’s team leader after setting the fastest lap of the race on the very last go-around.

Smith, in turn, was 4.2 seconds ahead of Rispoli at the finish. Rispoli was chased to the flag by S&S/Indian Motorcycle’s Tyler O’Hara, RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson’s Hayden Gillim and defending series champion Troy Herfoss, who was a disappointed sixth.

“We were talking going into this weekend like, I don’t know how we could possibly top last year because of that last-lap battle with Troy (Herfoss), and coming out and getting that win,” Wyman said. “That was the coolest moment. This is even cooler. For all of us to lock this out is an amazing feeling. I think the team has really earned this position that we’re in. We’ve all been working pretty hard. I think that something is just a little bit different this year. This is my fifth season with this program. Having the three of us and the energy that each of us brings to the table and how we’re all working together to put Harley-Davidson on top, we’ve made a big step when we didn’t really think that there was a step this big to be made. So, it’s a great feeling. I don’t even know how the points are, but they’ve got to be just blown apart at this point. I don’t know what to say. I’ve had a lot of close ones. I’ve missed out on it the last three seasons in a row. It feels like ages ago that we got that first one, that three-round championship we had. I feel like we’re in a really good position. But as Bradley (Smith) said, keep working and try to win some more races. But tomorrow is going to be hopefully a repeat. It could happen. We go to work tonight. Try to make the bike even better and see what we can do tomorrow.”

Motovation Supersport – Jacobsen Wins a Thriller

Five riders were in the lead group for the majority of Saturday’s Motovation Supersport race at Road America, with the five narrowing into three on the final lap. The man in the right spot at the right time was Rahal Ducati Moto w/XPEL’s PJ Jacobsen, with the New Yorker taking full advantage of others’ mistakes on the final lap to score his second win of the season and further extend his lead in the championship.

Jacobsen topped Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Tyler Scott by 1.3 seconds with the lead pack getting splintered on the final lap. Strack Racing’s Mathew Scholtz was in the battle for the lead on the last lap when he overshot the chicane while trying to pass Jacobsen. The South African lost second place in the process as he was passed by Scott, but he regained his composure to finish a close third – .070 of a second behind Scott.

A fine fourth went to Kayla Yaakov and her Rahal Ducati Moto w/XPEL Panigale V2. Yaakov ran at the back of the five-rider lead pack and inherited fourth on the final lap when Celtic/Economy Lube+Tire/Warhorse HSBK Ducati’s Cameron Petersen and Scott came together with Petersen forced to take to the escape road on the outside of turn five. Petersen would rejoin to finish fifth after leading the most laps in the race.

Some 10 seconds behind Petersen came a heated battle for sixth with the spot going to BPR Racing’s Teagg Hobbs over Altus Motorsports teammates Jake Lewis and Torin Collins. ADR Racing’s David Anthony and BPR Racing’s Josh Hayes rounded out the top 10.

The race featured plenty of action, and it started on the very first lap when front-row starter Blake Davis and his Strack Racing Yamaha and Scott made contact on the exit of turn five with Davis crashing. Davis would remount to finish 18^th.

“It was a pretty crazy race,” Jacobsen said. “It was probably good for the fans to watch. Towards the end there, when me and Mathew (Scholtz) were going into turn five, I was underneath him there and stuff. I kind of knew that Tyler (Scott) and Cam (Petersen) maybe had a little bit of an advantage on us. So, I guess at that point when you go to the last lap and you’re in championship mode and you’re battling with one guy in the championship, you just think about him. So, you’re like, I’ve got to beat him. So then when all that stuff happened, it kind of freed up things. Then I got in a pretty lucky position, to be honest. I just tried to put my head down and go. But I didn’t know how close he (Scholtz) was behind me. I knew someone or him would make a move into the chicane. He went for it. Unfortunately, he just didn’t make the chicane. I think I just got lucky today and was in the right position at the right time to be sitting where I’m at now. But everybody was riding great. It was a good race. I think we have some things to work on for tomorrow because I was struggling in some spots, and I just need to go back and look at some things to try to improve for tomorrow’s race. It will probably be a faster pace and a good race again.”

Jacobsen now leads Scholtz by 17 points, 110-93.

Parts Unlimited Talent Cup By Motul – Drane’s First

Yamaha BLU CRU Estenson Racing’s Sam Drane won his first-career MotoAmerica race with victory on Saturday in the Parts Unlimited Talent Cup By Motul after winning a drafting battle to the finish line.

The race turned into a three-way battle for victory with Drane joined by fellow Australian Bodie Paige and championship points leader Alessandro Di Mario, with just .040 of a second covering the top three.

Early on, it looked as though this was going to be a two-way fight between Warhorse Ducati/American Racing’s Di Mario and CTR/D&D Cycles’ Paige as those two gapped the field.

Meanwhile, three riders crashed together in Canada corner with Royalty Racing’s Carson King, Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Hank Vossberg and Envy Powered by Warhorse’s Derek Sanchez going down. All three were fortunate to escape injury.

Drane went about catching the two ahead of him and he did so, setting the fastest lap of the race and getting to the lead. From there the three swapped the top spot with no one able to gap the other two. It would come down to the final lap and the three could have been covered with a napkin as they crossed the line side by side.

“Me and Bodie (Paige) and Alessandro (Di Mario) were battling all race,” Drane said. “I got a bad start, got put back, and had to fight my way to the front but I ended up getting it done. It was a good race.”

Stock 1000 – Lee Gets It Done

OrangeCat Racing’s Andrew Lee was able to break clear in the early going of the first of two Stock 1000 races at Road America, never made mistakes, and pulled himself clear of the threesome battling for second to take his second victory of the Stock 1000 Championship.

With Andrew clearing off at the front to win by 1.94 seconds, the battle for second went to the finish with Real Steel Honda’s JD Beach taking second from Lee’s teammate Jayson Uribe, with Uribe setting a new lap record with two laps to go. Uribe was second at the time, taking advantage of Beach running wide in turn five, but then Uribe did the same thing on the last lap and Beach pounced. He was just .496 of a second clear of Uribe at the finish, with Uribe .410 of a second ahead of Jones Honda’s Ashton Yates.

BPR Racing Yamaha’s Bryce Kornbau was fourth, some 13 seconds behind the battle for second and well clear of RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki of Rocco Landers.

Edge Racing’s Jason Waters was right on Landers’ rear wheel at the finish line with 3D Motorsports’ Gabriel Da Silva a few seconds behind. Top Pro Motorsports teammates Alex Arango and Christopher Durbin were 10^th and 11^th, respectively.

Lee, who came into Road America tied atop the championship point standings with Uribe, pulled away a few points and now leads the title chase by nine points, 70-61, over his teammate.

“I qualified on pole, with a lap record, so I was pretty stoked on that,” Lee said. “We didn’t really change that much for the race and kinda kept it in our own realm. I got out to an early lead, and I knew I had company the whole time. I couldn’t see my pit board, so I just kept my head down and kept trying to pick away at laps. I’m happy to come away with a win today. Obviously, I think the boys will be a challenge tomorrow for sure. Everybody’s riding well, but, yeah, I’m pretty stoked and the OrangeCat team is working its asses off, so I look forward to Sunday.”

Royal Enfield Build.Train.Race. – Knebel’s Second

Kira Knebel kept her perfect win record intact today with her second Royal Enfield Build.Train.Race victory of the season coming in a red-flag-shortened race at Road America. Knebel led all five laps, besting Shae MacGregor by 2.750 seconds.

Miranda Cain rounded out the top three, 3.5 seconds behind, to earn her first podium of the season.

Casey Creer and Kate West rounded out the top five.

Knebel now leads MacGregor by 10 points, 50-40, with Cain third, 11 points behind MacGregor.

Kyle Wyman had his hands full with teammate Bradley Smith in the closing laps of Saturday’s Mission King Of The Baggers race at Road America. Wyman led a Harley-Davidson factory sweep of the top three. Photo by Brian J. Nelson

Tyler Scott (70) leads Mathew Scholtz (1), Blake Davis (22) and eventual winner PJ Jacobsen (15) on the opening lap of the Supersport race at Road America. Photo by Brian J. Nelson

Sam Drane (59) leads Alessandro Di Mario (27) and Brodie Paige 65) en route to winning his first-career Talent Cup race at Road America. Photo by Brian J. Nelson

Andrew Lee (14) won the Stock 1000 race after pulling away from teammate Jayson Uribe (hidden) and eventual runner-up JD Beach (95). Photo by Brian J. Nelson

Kira Knebel is two-for-two so far in the 2025 Royal Enfield Build.Train.Race. series after Saturday’s win at Road America. Photo by Brian J. Nelson

Saturday photos available HERE

Saturday results:

Mission King Of The Baggers

Motovation Supersport

Stock 1000

Royal Enfield Build.Train.Race.

Parts Unlimited Talent Cup By Motul

Complete practice, qualifying and race results are available HERE .

RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING AND AARON PLESSINGER LAND HANGTOWN 450MX PODIUM

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger charged to a convincing 2-3 scorecard at the Hangtown National on Saturday afternoon, earning his first AMA Pro Motocross Championship podium result of the 2025 season amidst the high temperatures endured this weekend in Northern California.

Round 2 began with Plessinger posting the fourth fastest 450MX qualifying time, before powering his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to the front of the pack in Moto 1. Upon holding position until the closing stages of the race, ‘The Cowboy’ would claim what was a hard-fought second-place after misjudging the time left on the clock.

As temperatures continued to rise, Plessinger commenced Moto 2 by climbing his way into P3, which is where he would remain for the race to take second place on the podium overall for the event, and move into P2 in the 450MX standings after two rounds.

Aaron Plessinger: “We’ve made some really good progress as a team outdoors and I feel like I have a great motocross bike underneath me. I felt good in that first moto and I wanted to see how long I could go out front knowing that it was really hot, but I misjudged the timing of when the race would end, unfortunately. That was a bit disappointing, but the second moto we went after it again, I made the pass on Hunter [Lawrence] for third, then I got really hot out there in the conditions. Second overall on the day, I’m pumped with that, and hoping it’s a little cooler next weekend!”

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Julien Beaumer began his weekend with an eighth-place finish onboard his KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION in the opening 250MX encounter, before improving to fourth position in Moto 2, and sealing fourth overall for the Hangtown National. After two solid results across the first two rounds, Beaumer has climbed P3 in the point standings.

Julien Beaumer: “It was a solid day for me at Hangtown. Fourth overall was a little unexpected after P8 in Moto 1, but we made some changes for Moto 2 and I felt better, which was good. My fitness was good with how hot the weather was, so it was a good end to the day, and I’m excited for Thunder Valley.”

After running up front during the early stages of Moto 1 equipped with his KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, an untimely fall drew an early end to the race for 250MX teammate Tom Vialle. The double world champion rebounded to an eighth-place finish in Moto 2 despite being impacted by a poor gate pick, salvaging a haul of valuable championship points.

Tom Vialle: “Not the weekend I expected. I was running fourth in Moto 1, and then I had a crash about four laps in and couldn’t finish the moto, unfortunately. I hurt my elbow pretty badly, but we lined up for the second race and I had last gate pick because of the first race. I got a bad start and then came back to eighth, so I salvaged some points towards the championship, and I will be back to 100 percent for Colorado.”

Next Race: June 7 – Thunder Valley, Colorado

Results 450MX Class – Hangtown National
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda)
2. Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
3. Justin Cooper (Yamaha)
7. RJ Hampshire (Husqvarna)
10. Malcolm Stewart (Husqvarna)

Standings 450MX Class 2025 after 2 of 11 rounds
1. Jett Lawrence, 95 points
2. Aaron Plessinger, 79
3. Eli Tomac, 78
8. RJ Hampshire, 56
12. Malcolm Stewart, 36

Results 250MX Class – Hangtown National
1. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha)
2. Jo Shimoda (Honda)
3. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki)
4. Julien Beaumer (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
11. Casey Cochran (GASGAS)
17. Tom Vialle (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
18. Ryder DiFrancesco (GASGAS)

Standings 250MX Class 2025 after 2 of 11 rounds
1. Haiden Deegan, 100 points
2. Jo Shimoda, 88
3. Julien Beaumer, 67
6. Tom Vialle, 52
13. Casey Cochran, 39
18. Ryder DiFrancesco, 27

CASEY COCHRAN AND RYDER DIFRANCESCO FEATURE UP-FRONT AT HANGTOWN

Rockstar Energy GASGAS Factory Racing’s Casey Cochran and Ryder DiFrancesco each showcased front-running pace during Round 2 of the 2025 AMA Pro Motocross Championship at Hangtown on Saturday afternoon, featuring among the leading pack at times in ultra-tough, hot weather conditions for racing.

• Casey Cochran races to 11th overall in 250MX Class

• 18th overall the end result for Ryder D at Hangtown National

• Cochran credited the holeshot in RED-hot start to Moto 2

Equipped with the GASGAS MC 250F Factory Edition, Cochran was fifth fastest on the 250MX combined qualifying timesheets, before racing at the front of the field during the opening stages of Moto 1. An eventual 12th-place finish was met with another P12 in Moto 2 after being credited the holeshot and again factoring toward the front with the leaders during the initial stages of the race.

Continuing to charge back into shape after spending a lengthy time on the sidelines due to injury, exciting teenage prospect Cochran will shift his sights to Thunder Valley next weekend to further build upon his promising Hangtown performance delivered today.

Casey Cochran: “Overall, Hangtown was a decent day. We showed really good speed all day with my qualifying and starts, we checked a lot of boxes there, but yeah, it was a hot one! I’m confident with my speed and abilities, so I’m feeling good for the rest of the season. We will keep working!”

250MX teammate DiFranceso finished the first moto with a P17 result after going down while running inside the top-five. Later, an 18th-place finish onboard his GASGAS MC 250F Factory Edition at the conclusion of the second race resulted in 18th overall for the day.

Ryder DiFrancesco: “Difficult weekend for me at Hangtown. We showed great speed in Moto 1, and it was unfortunate to go down, but we’re still building as a team and will look forward to the next one.”

Next Race: June 7 – Thunder Valley, Colorado

Results 250MX Class – Hangtown National

1. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha)

2. Jo Shimoda (Honda)

3. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki)

4. Julien Beaumer (KTM)

11. Casey Cochran (Rockstar Energy GASGAS Factory Racing)
17. Tom Vialle (KTM)

18. Ryder DiFrancesco (Rockstar Energy GASGAS Factory Racing)

Standings 250MX Class 2025 after 2 of 11 rounds

1. Haiden Deegan, 100 points

2. Jo Shimoda, 88

3. Julien Beaumer, 67

6. Tom Vialle, 52

13. Casey Cochran, 39

18. Ryder DiFrancesco, 27

RJ Hampshire and Malcolm Stewart in the fight at Hangtown National

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire and Malcolm Stewart raced to top 10 results in Round 2 of the 2025 AMA Pro Motocross Championship at Hangtown, withstanding the challenging, hot conditions to record a consistent weekend across the board in 450MX.

Hampshire and his Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition recorded the fifth-fastest qualifying time during the morning sessions, before racing to a well-earned P6 finish in Moto 1 after battling amongst the leading group.

A mid-field start and a mishap had Hampshire’s work cut out for him in Moto 2, however, the 29-year-old never let off, marching his way up to eighth place in what was another strong performance in his second full-time 450MX outing. After two rounds, Hampshire sits eighth overall in the 450MX class points standings.

“Hangtown was brutal,” commented Hampshire. “We had another good qualifying session with good speed, and then in the first moto I made some passes and I was right around that top-five again, finishing P6. Second moto, I went down on the first lap and had my work cut out for me on a really hot day. Ended up with 6-8 results, so that’s a bit better than last weekend, and the next goal is to shoot for that top-five and to keep building.”

Teammate Stewart rode his Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition to sixth on combined times in qualifying, before posting an 8-10 moto scorecard for 10th overall, and rising to 12th in the 450MX standings after two rounds.

“This round was a hot one, for sure,” reflected Stewart. “First moto we got eighth, so that was a really good one for me, and then second moto I went down, which had us playing catch up from that point – a shortened moto made it especially tough to come back from. This round feels like the first for me, just because last weekend was a pretty big disaster, so now I think we are on the right track and we’ll keep moving forward and get ready for Colorado.”

Next Race: June 7 – Thunder Valley, Colorado

Results 450MX Class – Hangtown National

Jett Lawrence (Honda)
Aaron Plessinger (KTM)
Justin Cooper (Yamaha)
RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing)
Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing)

Standings 450MX Class 2025 after 2 of 11 rounds

Jett Lawrence, 95 points
Aaron Plessinger, 79
Eli Tomac, 78
RJ Hampshire, 56
Malcolm Stewart, 36

Korie Steede races to third WXC victory of the season at Mason-Dixon GNCC

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider Korie Steede raced to a third season WXC Class victory of the year in Round 8 of the 2025 Grand National Cross Country Series at the Mason-Dixon GNCC in Pennsylvania, where teammate Craig DeLong finished with an eventful P9 result in the XC1 Open Pro Class.

Grand National Cross Country Series – Round 8

Following a podium finish at the previous round, Steede powered her Husqvarna FC 250 to a fast start at the Mount Morris event, linking consistently quick sections together to claim what was her third class victory for 2025.

Now with a total of seven podiums, including three round victories, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Steede sits only 13 points outside of the WXC series lead following the Mason-Dixon GNCC weekend.

“My paddle tire was unreal today,” commented Steede. “I launched off the start and snagged the holeshot, and from there I stayed smart, pushed hard to come home with the win! The bottlenecks were no joke out there, and you really had to play it smart while fighting through the traffic. Overall, I’m super-stoked with my day and ready for the next one!”

Equipped with the Husqvarna FX 350, former GNCC Champion DeLong displayed his share of pace throughout the three-hour encounter, however, a series of costly crashes hampered his overall round result, with sights shifted to Round 9 later this month.

“I struggled with staying off the ground today,” reflected DeLong. “I felt decent with my riding, but just a few too many mistakes kept me from a better result. Thanks to the team for sticking behind me, we’ll come back in Snowshoe.”

XC1 Open Pro Class Results

Ben Kelley, KTM
Steward Baylor Jr, Kawasaki
Jordan Ashburn, GASGAS
Craig DeLong, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing

WXC Class Results

Korie Steede, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
Rachael Archer, Kawasaki
Danielle McDonald, Yamaha

GRANT DAVIS AND BEN KELLEY CAPTURE PRO CLASS VICTORIES AT MASON-DIXON GNCC

FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers’ Grant Davis earned his second-consecutive Grand National Cross Country Series overall victory at the Mason-Dixon GNCC round, leading home FMF KTM Factory Racing Team rider Ben Kelley – winner of the XC1 Open Pro Class – in Round 8 of the 2025 season.

GRAND NATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY SERIES – ROUND 8

It was a damp, unrelenting layout in Mount Morris, Pennsylvania, for the Mason-Dixon GNCC, with defending XC2 250 Pro Class Champion Davis making a sequence of decisive passes early in the encounter to catch the race leaders.

Upon powering his KTM 250 XC-F to the front of the field, Davis would ultimately earn his second overall in a row and sixth XC2 250 Pro Class victory of the series, moving into the overall points lead with five rounds remaining in the 2025 season.

Grant Davis: “I got off the a good start, entered the [XC2] lead fast, and then I pushed really hard to get to the back of the XC1 riders. I started to pick them off, and once I got behind Ben we started going through the field together. He made a small mistake, and I went for it, got into the lead and was able to hold onto it. I made some mistakes toward the end and I thought that was it, but I didn’t give up and now we’re the overall points leader. We’ll aim to keep this going!”

FMF KTM Factory Racing Team’s Kelley continued his strong run of form this season at Mount Morris, racing to the front of the XC1 Open Pro Class onboard his KTM 350 XC-F throughout the three-hour race. The Mason-Dixon GNCC saw him claim his fifth class win of the year, as well as P2 overall.

Ben Kelley: “I’m a bit disappointed with that one. I didn’t get a great start and it took me a bit to get going. The track was hard and the XC2 riders were on us from the beginning, with Grant and I going back and forth a few times in the race. A quarter-mile from the finish line, I fell coming down the hill through some gnarly ruts, and it just stings to lose the overall by only a few seconds. I feel good and I rode awesome today, but I just got beat, so we’ll get ready to go again in Snowshoe.”

XC2 250 Pro Class contender Gus Riordan’s impressive 2025 season also continued at Round 8, scoring second in class, as well as fourth overall at the Mason-Dixon GNCC equipped with the KTM 250 XC-F.

Gus Riordan: “I’m a little disappointed, to be honest! Just got caught up a few times at the beginning of the race, which allowed the front-runners to get away, and I want that top step of the podium. Cody [Barnes] and I found each other together, again, and we swapped positions a couple of times, but overall it was a fun day and a massive thank you to the team and all our partners for the support.”

XC1 Open Pro Class Results
1. Ben Kelley, FMF KTM Factory Racing
2. Steward Baylor Jr, Kawasaki
3. Jordan Ashburn, GASGAS
9. Craig DeLong, Husqvarna

XC2 250 Pro Class Results
1. Grant Davis, FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers
2. Angus Riordan, FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers
3. Cody Barnes, Honda

Cooper Earns Podium Finish at Hangtown Classic

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper earned his first overall podium of the 2025 Pro Motocross 450MX season with a third-place finish (4-2) at the Hangtown Classic in Rancho Cordova, California. Eli Tomac added to the team’s strong showing, taking home a win in Moto 1 and overcoming adversity in Moto 2 to end the day fourth overall (1-9). Cooper Webb continued his upward trend outdoors, joining his teammates inside the top 10 with sixth overall (7-7).

It was a hot one at the Prairie City SVRA, with triple-digit temperatures challenging riders throughout Round 2 of Pro Motocross and Round 19 of the SuperMotocross World Championship. Cooper started strong, qualifying second and grabbing the holeshot in the first moto. Although he dropped back to fourth in the opening laps, he ran a good pace to maintain the position to the finish. In Moto 2, Cooper got another good start in fourth and quickly moved into third before making a pass on his teammate to take over second on the opening lap. The New Yorker continued to ride a consistently strong pace, managing the gap to the leader and securing second for third overall. Cooper leaves Hangtown fourth in the standings, just three points behind second and 19 points from the championship lead.

Tomac carried his momentum from the season opener and was strong throughout the day, qualifying third. In Moto 1, he slotted into third and passed his teammate Cooper on Lap 2 to take over second. As the race wound down, he closed in on the leader and took over the top spot with two laps to go, earning his first moto win of the season. The victory moved Tomac into a tie for second on the all-time 450MX moto win list, with 68 career moto victories. Unfortunately, in Moto 2, he and another rider made contact after the start, putting him back in 26th. Tomac put in a determined ride, charging to eighth by Lap 5, but had a tip-over while attempting to advance further. He remounted in 12th and continued to push forward, ultimately finishing ninth for fourth overall. Tomac now sits third in the championship, one point behind second and 17 points from the lead as the series heads to his home state next weekend.

Webb continued to build momentum in his return to full-time Pro Motocross competition. After qualifying 11th, he made forward progress in both motos. In Moto 1, he was eighth after the opening lap and would cross the line seventh. The three-time 450SX Champion then got a great start to Moto 2, earning the team’s second holeshot of the day. In third after the opening laps, he continued to battle but ultimately would cross the line seventh to improve to a sixth-place overall finish.

The Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 team heads east next weekend for Round 3 of the 2025 Pro Motocross Championship and Round 20 of the SuperMotocross World Championship at Thunder Valley Motocross Park in Lakewood, Colorado, on June 7.

Rich Simmons – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team Manager
“It was a good day, overall. A moto win for Eli and third overall for Justin. I felt like all three riders made some positive gains from last weekend, which is always the goal. Qualifying, starts, and putting two good motos together are key to being in a position to fight for wins and podiums. We will make sure the riders and crew have a good recovery after the hot weekend, and look forward to Thunder Valley.”

Justin Cooper – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #32
“It was a good day. I’ve always liked coming here. I’m not really a hard-packed conditions guy, but somehow I seem to like this place. The day went really well. I qualified second and got the holeshot in Moto 1. I couldn’t hold the pace, though, and dropped back to third in the first couple of laps, and eventually fell back to fourth. In Moto 2, I really came out firing and got up to second. I tried to latch onto Jett (Lawrence) and see if I could make anything happen, but I wasn’t able to close in on him, so all I could do was just manage the gap. I was able to get second in that moto, putting me third overall, which was really good for me. Now I’m excited to go to Thunder Valley. It’s probably my favorite track of the outdoor season, so I’m looking forward to that.”

Eli Tomac – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #3
“It was great to get a first moto win this weekend. Unfortunately, I made two costly mistakes for my chance to win the overall in Moto 2.”

Cooper Webb – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #2
“I had a solid day and made a step forward at Hangtown. It was nice to get a good start and run up front for a few laps in the second moto. Overall, it was a really challenging day with the heat. I haven’t raced in conditions like that for quite some time. My goal is to keep building with each gate drop and get myself closer to the front these next few rounds.”

Deegan Stays Perfect with Hangtown Classic 250MX Sweep

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan continued to dominate with a 1-1 moto score at the Pro Motocross Hangtown Classic, keeping his win streak rolling and earning the overall 250MX victory in punishing triple-digit temperatures in Rancho Cordova, California. Michael Mosiman showed strength at his home race with a top-five finish in Moto 1, ultimately salvaging a top-10 overall finish after a late race tip-over in Moto 2. Nate Thrasher had a great start to Moto 2, but got caught up in a pile-up on the opening lap and ended the day 22nd overall (18-23). Jeremy Martin was making forward progress, but unfortunately went down hard in the first 250 moto and did not line up for Moto 2. Round 2 of Pro Motocross and Round 19 of the SuperMotocross World Championship also hosted the first SMX Next Motocross event on Friday, with the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing amateur team enjoying a successful outing at the Prairie City SVRA. Kayden Minear won the overall in dominant fashion with a 1-1 moto score, while Carson Wood had a strong debut, finishing fourth overall with a 6-5 result.

On the heels of his Fox Raceway National sweep, Deegan carried that momentum to Northern California, topping both sessions of qualifying to earn fastest 250 qualifier honors. Although he did not get the start he was hoping for in the first moto and was back in sixth, he quickly went to work and on Lap 3, set the fastest lap of the race to move into third. Deegan continued to push, taking over the lead before the halfway point and setting the pace up front to score another dominant victory by nearly a seven-second margin. The reigning 250MX champ got a better start to Moto 2 and slotted into third, then made his way forward to claim the lead on Lap 3, riding away to win by nine seconds this time. Deegan’s win streak has him heading to Round 3 with a 12-point lead.

Mosiman continued to make progress in his second round back to racing outdoors. He qualified eighth and found himself 14th after the opening lap of Moto 1, but put his head down and threw down some consistently fast times to make his way to fifth, for a best moto result so far this season. In 11th after the start of Moto 2, Mosiman once again went to work and steadily made his way forward, improving to fourth after the halfway point of the shortened, 25-minute-plus-two-lap moto. Unfortunately, with three laps remaining, he went down and would cross the line 17th to secure a top-10 overall finish.

Thrasher also continued to work on making progress outdoors. Coming into the first moto with a less-than-ideal gate pick after qualifying 26th, he had a decent start but found himself 21st after the opening lap. Thrasher worked to make his way forward in the challenging conditions, crossing the line 18th. The Tennessee rider got a great start to Moto 2, coming around fourth before unfortunately getting caught up in a multi-rider pile-up early in the moto and rejoined at the back of the field. Thrasher continued to fight despite the setback and made his way through to 23rd.

In just his second round back to racing, Martin continued to make forward progress. He qualified 19th, and had a decent start to Moto 1, making his way to 11th by Lap 3. The Minnesotan continued to battle for position before unfortunately crashing after the halfway mark and ultimately withdrawing from the race after taking the hard hit. Martin thankfully escaped any broken bones and looks to come back at next weekend’s Thunder Valley National in Lakewood, Colorado.

Minear enjoyed a successful SMX Next Motocross debut with the team, starting with topping the timesheets in the combined qualifying results. The young Australian then had a solid start to the first moto in third, but then dropped back to sixth after spinning out early on the opening lap. Undeterred, he put his head down and quickly made his way back into the top five, steadily making his way forward to claim the lead on Lap 5. From there, he set the pace up front to ride away and finish with nearly an 11-second margin of victory. In the second moto, he got a much better start to grab the holeshot and led from start to finish for an emphatic overall win.

Wood also had a strong start to what was his first-ever SMX Next Motocross race.

After qualifying third, he got a flying start to the first moto, grabbing the holeshot and leading the first lap. He battled to maintain a podium position, but ultimately dropped back to sixth, where he would finish. In the second moto, Wood was fifth after the opening lap. Although he dropped back to sixth, he continued to fight in the punishing conditions and made his way back to fifth to end the day fourth overall with his 6-5 score.

Next weekend, the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team heads east to Lakewood, Colorado, for Pro Motocross Round 3 and Round 20 of the SuperMotocross World Championship at the Thunder Valley Motocross Park on June 7.

Wil Hahn – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 250 Team General Manager
“It was an awesome day for Haiden to back up last weekend and do what he’s been doing. Michael was really fighting hard in that second moto, and was so close to an overall podium. It sucks that he took a spill there at the end, but all in all, it was a good step forward. It was a pretty good first moto for Nate, and in the second moto, he got an awesome start. I was so stoked for him to get out front, and then he ended up getting caught in a pile-up in turn two. So it was another long day for Nate, and J Mart had that big crash there in Moto 1, but we’ll regroup for next week.

“On Friday, it was a great day for our amateur guys at the SMX Next Moto Combine. Kayden rode great. He was the fastest qualifier and went 1-1 for the overall. Carson also had a great day and got the holeshot in the first moto, so it was a good first race.”

Haiden Deegan – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #1
“It was a solid day out here at Hangtown. It was around 104 degrees, so it was pretty brutal. I woke up this morning feeling sick and came into the race not feeling too great, so to be able to go 1-1 still, I’m pretty stoked about that. Thanks to all the boys on the team. The bike was dialed. We’ll get recovered and come out swinging next week.

Michael Mosiman – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #93
“It was an awesome day. I love this track. It feels so good to be in front of the hometown fans. We made some improvements on the bike this week, and that was all the difference. I just had a lot more confidence in my corners and a lot more speed, which is exciting for the future. I had an unfortunate crash there towards the end in Moto 2. I really wanted to get on the podium, but I probably should have laid up and stayed where I was. Ultimately, I’m stoked with the progress, which is how I’ve been measuring everything. This has been a step in the right direction – to be able to come from way back and get to the front. It feels really good.”

Nate Thrasher – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #41
“I had a great start to the second moto, but unfortunately, got caught up in a pile-up. It’s not the result we’re looking for, but we finished both motos. We will continue to work hard and get better.”

Jeremy Martin – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #6
“Everything was trending in a much better direction at Hangtown until my crash just after halfway into Moto 1. I’m glad to walk away from it and move on to next weekend.”

Kayden Minear – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #66
“It was a really good day. I had two good starts and two really good motos. It was a hot one, so it was really tough, but I was having a lot of fun. It was my first big race with the team. We took a lot of positives away from it, and the things we need to work on as well. We’ll put them to work and keep building.”

Carson Wood – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #260
“It was a good day. I came away one spot shy of a podium and finished fourth overall at my first-ever SMX Next Moto Combine. I pulled the holeshot, led some laps, had the fastest lap time in Q1, and was third overall in qualifying. I made a few mistakes in Moto 1, but I never gave up. I went into the weekend wanting to win, but mostly wanting to learn as much as I could. I know what I need to work on, and will keep working.”

Fong Finishes Runner-Up in Thrilling Race 1 at Road America

Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Bobby Fong earned a hard-fought runner-up finish in the opening race of Round 3 of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at Road America. His teammate Jake Gagne finished fourth, maintaining his second-place standing in the championship.

It was ideal racing conditions at the fan- and rider-favorite venue in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Qualifying fourth, Fong got a great start, quickly moving into second. The Northern Californian ran a strong pace throughout, keeping the leader in sight. Fong closed the gap to the leader, but lost some time after a moment in Turn 1 and found himself under pressure. With three laps remaining, he was briefly shuffled back, but was able to capitalize on a mistake by the rider ahead of him to reclaim second and maintain the position to the checkered flag in a nail-biting photo finish. Fong’s third runner-up finish of the season made some ground in the title chase, moving him to within 35 points of the top spot in fourth.

Gagne qualified fifth and also got off to a good start, slotting in behind his teammate in third. After losing a position on Lap 3, he maintained a steady pace to secure a fourth-place result and score valuable points to maintain second in the championship, trailing the leader by 26 points.

The Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing team lines up again this afternoon for MotoAmerica Superbike Race 2 at Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.

Richard Stanboli – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“The race went pretty well. We made some good progress with our Yamaha R1 development, and Bobby took advantage of it. He chased down the leader, but then he lost a bit of time when he had a moment in Turn 1. Jake struggled a bit with grip issues, but we will make some improvements for him tomorrow and get him into the fight.”

Bobby Fong – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing #50
“I gave it everything I had. These guys keep pushing me every weekend, but my Attack Yamaha R1 has been running really good. Richard and the whole crew have been doing a lot of work, so it’s good to get on the box, but we want to be one step better. We’re going to keep on improving and having some fun. The weather here was great at Road America. It’s a great weekend to have races here with a ton of fans. I’m looking forward to finishing the weekend off strong in front of these cool Midwest fans.”

Jake Gagne – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing #32
“It was a tough race today, and I didn’t have much pace. I think we’ve got some good ideas to pick up the speed tomorrow and hopefully run at the front!”

Jett Lawrence Extends Points Lead With Overall Win at Hangtown MX

On a weekend that saw sweltering Northern California weather conditions, Honda HRC Progressive rider Jett Lawrence scored an impressive overall win at the Hangtown Motocross Classic, tallying 3-1 moto scores and stretching his title-chase lead to 16 points. Teammate Hunter Lawrence was fifth overall with 5-4 finishes. For the second week in a row, Jo Shimoda put on a solid second-overall performance in the 250 class, finishing second in both motos. Unfortunately, Chance Hymas was affected by illness and was unable to take part in the second moto.

After starting eighth in the first 450 outing, Jett moved up to fourth on lap 1 and advanced another spot on lap 3, then stayed there to the finish. Hunter finished lap 1 in fifth and rode in that position for the remainder of the race. Jett and Hunter were second and third across the holeshot line in moto 2, and Jett immediately advanced to the lead. Showcasing smooth, calculated riding on the punishing, sunbaked surface, he never looked back and scored a 10.911-second victory. Hunter fluctuated between fourth and fifth throughout, taking the checkers in fourth. Quad Lock Honda Racing’s Joey Savatgy finished 11th overall, while IQ Racing Team rider John Short and Raylentless Racing rider Brandon Ray were 24th and 38th, respectively.

Hymas snared the 250 moto 1 holeshot aboard his CRF250RWE and battled with Casey Cochran over the lead for the first part of the race. Shimoda crossed the holeshot line in seventh place and lost two spots on lap 1, but he quickly mounted a run that carried him to the top five by lap 3 and the top three by lap 7. He advanced to second place two laps later and stayed there for the second half of the moto. Meanwhile, Hymas depleted his energy reserves and slipped back to 13th by the finish. Still feeling under the weather, Hymas elected to sit out moto 2. Shimoda suffered an eighth-place moto 2 start, but he was up to fifth after one lap. Beginning with lap 3, he passed one rider per lap to advance to second place just past the one-third mark, and he held that position to the finish. Among the satellite and privateer efforts, Phoenix Racing Honda’s Gavin Towers was 25th, SLR’s Jace Allred was 26th and TiLube Honda’s Patrick Murphy was 27th. Lance Kobusch made a splash in 250 moto 2 by grabbing the holeshot and taking the early lead, holding it for a couple of laps before ultimately ending his race early. The privateer Red Rider showed impressive speed up front and delivered a standout moment for SPR Honda.

NOTES

As was the case last week at Fox Raceway, the Hangtown event hosted a round of the WMX series on Friday, and Red Riders occupied two spots on the overall podium. SLR Honda’s Mikayla Nielsen (the round 1 winner) was second with 3-2 moto scores, and Quad Lock Honda’s Charli Cannon was third with a 2-3 tally. Nielsen and Cannon also occupy the second and third spots in the title chase, 6 and 15 points behind the leader, respectively.
Hangtown also hosted a Moto Combine for up-and-coming amateur riders, and SLR Honda rider Leum Oehlhof finished third overall aboard his CRF250R, with 2-3 moto scores. In 13th overall was Phoenix Racing Honda’s Tiger Wood, with TiLube Honda teammates Brock Walker and Garrett Alumbaugh finishing 16th and 18th, respectively.
Two Northern California Honda dealerships—Roseville Honda Motorsports and Parriott Motors—set up pop-up activation booths in the Honda HRC Progressive pits at Hangtown. Roseville displayed a CRF450RWE and CRF50F, and Parriott (a trials-specialist shop) showed off a pair of Montesa Cota models. Both dealers interacted with fans and customers and provided information on Honda’s Powersports lineup.
Former Honda great and NorCal local Steve Lamson served as the grand marshal for this weekend’s Hangtown race. Lamson won the 1995 and ’96 125cc AMA Motocross National Championships aboard a factory CR125R.
Honda HRC Progressive rider Chance Hymas set the second-fastest time in 250-class combined qualifying, while teammate Jo Shimoda was 12th. Phoenix Racing Honda rider Gavin Towers was another two spots back, SLR Honda’s Jace Allred was 24th, SPR’s Lance Kobusch and TiLube Honda’s Patrick Murphy were 29th and 30th, respectively, and TiLube Honda’s Trevor Colip was 52nd.
Jett notched the fastest time in combined 450-class qualifying, over half a second better than the second-quickest rider. (As pointed out by We Went Fast, Jett has been the top qualifier in 16 out of the 18 premier-class AMA Pro Motocross rounds that he has competed thus far in his career.) Hunter was eighth on the timesheets, one ahead of Quad Lock Honda’s Joey Savatgy. IQ Racing Team rider John Short and Raylentless Racing’s Brandon Ray were 31st and 32nd, respectively, Western Honda’s Hunter Schlosser was 41st and Factory Moto Kids-backed Talon Gorman was 53rd, while Revenant rider Eric Rivera and Ridezilla’s Adam Conway were 66th and 67th.
Due to extreme heat, AMA officials shortened both second motos by five minutes, to prioritize rider safety.
Jett posted the fastest lap time in the second 450 moto, over half a second faster than the next-best rider.
Amazingly, Hangtown is the only AMA Pro Motocross track where Jett Lawrence has tallied a premier-class overall loss (last year). That said, he is far from weak at the venue, having amassed three overall wins there—in 2022 in the 250 class, and in 2023 and 2025 in 450. Since 2018, Jett is the only rider to score two or more overall wins at Hangtown. It is also the track where he wrapped up his first AMA Pro Motocross 250 title, in 2021.
Jett’s victory extended Honda’s lead as the manufacturer with the most premier-class overall wins at Hangtown, with 20 (compared to 12 for second place). Red Riders to have scored overall wins at the event include Billy Grossi, Marty Smith, Bob Hannah, Alan King, Rick Johnson (three times), Jeff Stanton, John Dowd, Jeremy McGrath, Kevin Windham, Sebastien Tortelli, Ricky Carmichael (three times), Chad Reed, Ken Roczen and Jett Lawrence (twice).
Jett has now accumulated 17 overall wins in AMA Pro Motocross premier-class events, giving him sole possession of 11th place on the all-time list, just one behind Kent Howerton, in 10th.
The next stop on the AMA Pro Motocross tour is round 3 at Thunder Valley in Lakewood, Colorado, this coming Saturday, June 7.

Jett Lawrence
“Not too bad of a day. In the first moto, I missed a shift off the start, so I didn’t get the greatest jump, but I made it back to third and kind of rode it in from there to save energy for the second moto. They ended up shortening that one, and I got a good start, sprinted early to build a gap, and then maintained it to the finish. It was hot out there, but we got it done. I’m happy and looking forward to Colorado.”

Hunter Lawrence
“I got out of here healthy, which is always a win. Myself and the team know what we need to work on, which is great—we have a direction. Hopefully we can keep moving forward and improve both the bike and myself. In the second moto, we made some progress, but in the first moto we made a bit of a mistake by not running a paddle tire; we were the only ones who didn’t, and that definitely hurt us off the start. It’s something new this year, with so many guys going to the paddle just for the gate. It’s something we’ll adapt to going forward. I’m happy to head into Thunder Valley healthy and getting better.”

Jo Shimoda
“It was a good day, finishing second in both motos. I made some quick passes early on, but I still need to find a little more speed to really challenge for the win. Overall, we’re moving in the right direction. The goal is to keep consistency high and keep scoring good points.”

Chance Hymas
“My Hangtown weekend was not very good. I had food poisoning on the Monday leading up to it and didn’t quite fully recover for the weekend–I ended up losing my food and my electrolytes before the first moto and wasn’t strong enough to make the second moto. I’ll get healed up this weekend and go on to Lakewood.”

Lars Lindstrom – Team Manager
“This area of Northern California can have some brutal weather—tons of rain in the winter, and scorching-hot days in the summer, it seems. It’s not the first extremely hot race we’ve had here at Hangtown, so we were prepared to help the riders as much as possible, which I think we executed well as a team. Jett really rode a smart race today, and his maturity on the track is something that I really respect. AP and Eli were shredding the first moto, and for Jett to have the discipline and not burn himself down trying to catch them is not something that’s easy for a winner to do. Obviously, he saved enough in the tank to be able to do whatever he needed to do in the second moto; he executed perfectly and is leaving with a bigger points lead. I’m also stoked to have Jo riding like himself again, and his physical abilities never cease to amaze me. He was the only rider able to celebrate on the podium, and was fine afterwards, which I don’t think is something that you can train for. We’re looking forward to Colorado, which is a track we typically do well at and prepare well for as a team.”

Parts Unlimited Mason-Dixon: Motorcycle Race Report

FMF KTM Factory Racing Lander’s Grant Davis found himself back on top yesterday, June 1, at the Parts Unlimited Mason-Dixon GNCC in Mount Morris, Pennsylvania. After rain fell early in the weekend, conditions seemed to tack up throughout the course by Sunday afternoon at Round 8 of the Progressive Grand National Cross Country (GNCC Racing) Series presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship, which seemed to create a rough and tiresome racetrack as the world’s fastest off-road racers lined up.

After taking he win two weeks ago, Davis kept the momentum rolling into Pennsylvania as he battled through from the second row in the XC2 250 Pro class to earn his second overall win of the season. Davis now holds the lead in the overall points standings as the series heads to Snowshoe at the end of June.FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Benjamin Kelley didn’t get off to a great start, having to work his way to the front from a seventh place start on the opening lap. Once Kelley was up front though, he would continue to push his way through the course trying to place enough of a gap over the XC2 competitors. However, a last lap crash saw Kelley lose those couple of seconds as he came through the finish to earn his fifth XC1 Open Pro class win of the season, and second overall.

Rounding out the top three overall finishers of the day was Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki Team Green’s Steward Baylor as he came through second in the XC1 Open Pro class. Baylor would work his way up front after a fifth place start on lap one. As the race wore on Baylor would continue to push himself trying to close the gap between himself and Kelley. Unfortunately, Baylor was unable to catch Kelley and would finish second in class and third overall on the day.XC2 competitors, FMF KTM Factory Racing Lander’s Angus Riordan and Phoenix Racing Honda’s Cody Barnes would once again battle for a better overall and class podium positions. Riordan and Barnes would battle back-and-forth throughout the whole race, with Riordan being able to hold off Barnes to grab second in XC2 and fourth overall. Barnes would be right behind Riordan to finish third in XC2 and fifth overall on the day.Coming through sixth overall and third in the XC1 class was Flatrock Motorclub GASGAS Factory Racing’s Jordan Ashburn. As the race got underway, Ashburn would have his work cut out for him as he had to work his way through from an eighth place start. Ashburn would continue to push throughout the race, making the necessary passes to round out the XC1 podium.

AmPro Yamaha’s Liam Draper would hold the lead for the first two laps of the race but unfortunately fell back to third and then fourth by the time the checkered flag flew, earning seventh overall and fourth in class.After running second early in the race, Enduro Engineering Triumph Racing’s Ricky Russell would come through to cross the line fifth in class and eighth overall on the day.Finishing ninth overall, sixth in XC1, was Phoenix Racing Honda’s Mike Witkowski. Throughout the duration of the race, Witkowski would have a consistent flow going through the Pennsylvania and West Virginia terrain at the Mason-Dixon GNCC.Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki Team Green’s Josh Toth would come through to round out the top 10 overall finishers on the day, while also earning fourth in XC2. Unfortunately for Lyndon Snodgrass after earning the $250 Landers KTM he would suffer a mechanical issue after completing three laps.

Coming through to take the XC3 125 Pro-Am class win was Marionville Powersports/Hinson/Fly Racing’s James Jenkins who also earned himself the $100 Lojak Cycle Sales XC3 Holeshot Award. Jenkins would battle through to make a last lap pass and overtake the lead once again to take the win.Bonecutter Off-Road/GASGAS-backed racer Jonathan Johnson would battle back-and-forth with Jenkins for first, but he would ultimately come through to finish second in the class. Jayson Crawford came back from starting fifth in the class to round out the top three on the podium at round eight.Taking the Parts Unlimited Mason-Dixon GNCC Top Amateur honors was Joseph Cunningham as he finished 16th overall on the day, while taking home his sixth 250 A class win of the season. Chase Landers would finish 17th overall on the day, and second in the 250 A class, as he sat second on the Top Amateur podium on the day. Third place in the 250 A class went to Gavin Simon and third Top Amateur honors as he finished 19th overall.

In the AM Bike race, it was Ethan Harwell physically coming through timing and scoring first in the Sportsman A class. However, Colton McQuarrie continued to battle through to be awarded the AM Overall win as he was the first finisher in a national points paying class. McQuarrie would finish first in the 150 B Schoolboy (12-17) class at the Parts Unlimited Mason-Dixon.After earning the $100 Landers KTM WXC Holeshot Award, Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Korie Steede continued to push her way through the Mason-Dixon line terrain. Steede would lead from start to finish, earning herself the WXC class win and second overall in the race. Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki Team Green’s Rachael Archer made her way into second in the WXC class early on in the race, but she would be unable to make a push for the win at round eight. Archer would cross the line five seconds behind Steede for second in class and third overall on the day. AmPro Yamaha’s Danielle McDonald held onto third place in the WXC class for the duration of the race, earning her third WXC podium finish of the season.

After missing one round due to injury, Travis Lentz picked up where he left off in the Youth Bike race as he battled through to take the overall and YXC1 Super Mini Sr. (14-15) class win at the Mason-Dixon GNCC. Ace Tokar would finish second overall and earn himself the YXC2 Super Mini Jr. (12-13) class win at round eight. Hunter Hawkinberry took second in the YXC2 class, while also crossing the line to finish third overall in the Youth Bike race.Kamden Krause and Grant Meacham would round out the top three YXC1 class finishers on the day, while Bentley Saxon finished third in the YXC2 class. Other winners on the day included Hunter Carey in the 85 Big Wheel (14-15) class, Caleb Johnson in the 85 Big Wheel (11-13) class, Evan Porter in the 85 (12-13) class, Colt Chaney in the 85 (11) class, Brinn Buly in the 85 (7-10) class, Todd Toland in the 65 (10-11) class, Kane Morrison in the 65 (9) class, Cash Knecht in the 64 (7-8) class, Jayden Shea in the Girls Super Mini (12-16) class, Paisley Harris in the Girls 85 (7-13) class, Aubrey Tsakanikas in the Girls 65 (7-11) class and Nathan Cygnarowicz in the Trail Rider (7-15) class.

On Saturday, the Bike Micro race also had some of the slickest conditions of the day, but Kane Morrsion would power through all those conditions to take his seventh overall and MXC1 (8-9) class win of the season. Morrison would also be close to lapping the entire Micro field as he and second place finisher, Daxton Mullins, were the only two racers to complete all 10 laps. Mullins would come through to take second overall and in the MXC1 class, while Josh Erny rounded out the top three overall and MXC1 class finishers on the day.Kash Brummage earned the MXC2 (6-8) class win, with Ryder Baricska and Tank Laws rounding out the top three finishers in the class. Braddox Hall took the 50 Sr. 1 (7) class win, Weston Sanders earned the 50 Sr. 2 (6) class win, Jacobi Duvall earned the 50 Jr. 1 (6-7) class win while Kane Gasper earned the 50 Jr. 2 (4-5) class win. Tessa Looney took home the Micro-E1 (7-8) class win, Nathan Zhang earned the Micro-E2 (4-6) class win, Weston Rose earned the Micro (4-6) Shaft Drive class and Jamison Dodson took the Trail Rider (7-9) class win.

After a two-week hiatus, the series will return for the Yamaha Racing Snowshoe GNCC on June 20-22, 2025. This will be the last remaining round before the series heads into its summer break. After Snowshoe, the series will look to return in the fall for the final four races of the season.For more information on the GNCC series, visit the official website at www.gnccracing.com or call (304) 284-0084. Join the conversation on the series Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and be sure to always hashtag #GNCC. Facebook: @gnccracingInstagram: @gncc_racingYouTube: @racertv X: @gnccracing

Parts Unlimited Mason-Dixon GNCC
Mount Morris, Pennsylvania
Round 8 of 13
Sunday, June 1, 2025 Overall Event Results:Grant Davis (KTM)Benjamin Kelley (KTM)Steward Baylor (KAW)Angus Riordan (KTM)Cody Barnes (HON)Jordan Ashburn (GAS)Liam Draper (YAM)Ricky Russell (TRI)Michael Witkowski (HON)Joshua Toth (KAW)*Overall National Championship Standings:Grant Davis (177)Benjamin Kelley (173)Angus Riordan (140)Cody Barnes (121)Steward Baylor (114)Liam Draper (114)Kailub Russell (96)Craig Delong (85)Michael Witkowski (84)Joshua Toth (76) *Indicates that the Overall National Championship Standings will determine the 2025 National Champion. XC1 Open Pro Event Results:Benjamin Kelley (KTM)Steward Baylor (KAW)Jordan Ashburn (GAS)Liam Draper (YAM)Ricky Russell (TRI)Michael Witkowski (HON)Thad Duvall (KTM)Kailub Russell (YAM)Craig Delong (HQV)Josh Strang (BET)XC2 250 Pro Event Results:Grant Davis (KTM)Angus Riordan (KTM)Cody Barnes (HON)Joshua Toth (KAW)Brody Johnson (HON)Jhak Walker (BET)Trevor Maley (KTM)Michael Delosa (YAM)Nicholas DeFeo (KAW)Jason Lipscomb (YAM)XC2 250 Pro Championship Standings:Grant Davis (219)Angus Riordan (193)Cody Barnes (175)Nicholas DeFeo (132)Joshua Toth (130)Brody Johnson (115)Jhak Walker (90)Hunter Bush (89)Michael Delosa (80)Toby Cleveland (71)

Jett Lawrence Prevails in Extreme Heat of Hangtown to Open Pro Motocross Championship with Back-to-Back Wins

The story of the day for the second race of the Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, was the weather, as a weekend heatwave pushed temperatures into the triple digits for Round 19 of the SMX World Championship and the Michael’s Reno Powersports Hangtown Motocross Classic Presented by Seven MX. While racers were tested even further across each pair of motos in the 450 Class and 250 Class, in the end the respective points leaders rose to the occasion to take firm hold of the early championship battles. In the 450 Class, Team Honda HRC Progressive’s Jett Lawrence made a statement in the final moto to prevail with the win, while Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan remained unbeaten four motos into his 250 Class title defense.

450 Class

Moto 1

The Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing machine of Justin Cooper led the field through the first turn to open Moto 1 with the Pro Motocross Holeshot, but an aggressive Aaron Plessinger was able to wrestle the lead away aboard his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing ride. Slotting into third was Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac, followed by the Team Honda HRC Progressive mounted siblings of Hunter and Jett Lawrence.

Tomac pushed the pace early and got around his teammate for second. He then looked to erase the two-second deficit Plessinger established through his early laps sprint. Behind the lead duo, Cooper and Jett Lawrence engaged in a battle for third, with the Australian rider able to get the upper hand. The top three then settled in through the middle portion of the moto.

All was relatively quiet until the final five minutes, when Tomac picked up the pace and began to close in on Plessinger. The KTM rider responded initially and re-extended the lead, but Tomac didn’t relent. As time ran out on the moto clock and they crossed the line with two laps to go, the Yamaha rider gave it all he had to get onto Plessinger’s rear fender and make the pass. Once out front, Tomac ran away to his first moto win of the season and the first since his championship-winning 2022 campaign. Plessinger dropped well back for second, just ahead of Lawrence in third, and later admitted he misjudged how much time remained and made too soon of a push to keep Tomac at bay. Cooper parlayed his holeshot into a fourth-place finish, with Hunter Lawrence rounding out the top five.

Moto 2

The final moto of the afternoon featured the hottest temperatures of the day and was shortened by five minutes as a precautionary measure. Out of the gate, it was the Hondas of Jett and Hunter Lawrence alongside Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb, who inched ahead for the Pro Motocross Holeshot. Meanwhile, Tomac made contact with another rider off the start and was mired outside the top 20 in the running order. Back up front, Jett Lawrence sprinted out to a multi-second lead as teammates Cooper and Webb moved into second and third, respectively.

With Lawrence pacing the field, all eyes were on Tomac and his journey through the running order, as the Moto 1 winner was on the cusp of the top 10 after just five minutes. Back up front, Hunter Lawrence made a move around Webb to take third, while Plessinger followed into fourth. Lawrence and Plessinger then engaged in a battle for third for several laps, from which Plessinger got the upper hand. At this point, Tomac had climbed up to eighth and had three riders within his sights to break into the top five. However, as he looked to make a move, he lost traction with his front tire and went down. He remounted in 12th with a little more than 10 minutes remaining.

Back up front, Jett Lawrence went unchallenged from the conclusion of the opening lap and put an exclamation point on an impressive performance with a wire-to-wire moto victory. Cooper equaled his career-best moto finish from one week prior in second, 10.9 seconds behind Lawrence, while Plessinger wrapped up a solid afternoon in third. Tomac soldiered home in ninth.

Overall

Lawrence’s 3-1 effort gives him back-to-back overall wins to open the season, with 17 career victories in 18 starts, the lone blemish on his record coming at Hangtown one year ago. Plessinger’s 2-3 finishes landed him in the runner-up spot for the sixth time in his career, while Cooper completed the top three (4-2) with his third career podium result. Tomac just missed the overall podium in fourth (1-9).

Another win for Lawrence, combined with Tomac’s challenging second moto, extended the Honda rider’s lead in the championship standings to 16 points over Plessinger, who moved up to second, with Tomac one additional point behind in third.

1st Place: Jett Lawrence, Team Honda HRC (3-1)

“The main obstacle today was the heat, and I did what I wanted to do [in Moto 2]. I wanted to get the start and then sprint in the opening laps to get a gap that I could manage the rest of the way. My plan worked, so I’m happy.”

2nd Place: Aaron Plessinger, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (2-3)

“On days like today, as sweet as it is to be on the podium, being out there on that last lap, you don’t want to be out there. It takes a lot of heart. I was hurting, but I knew I needed to make the passes I did. I’m really proud of myself today and what we’ve done so far after two races.”

3rd Place: Justin Cooper, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing (4-2)

“Two good starts today and we did well to adapt to the track [with bike setup]. It was really hot weather and a dry, hard track, but everyone worked together well, and we came home with a great result. We all suffered a bit today, but I know I did all I could and I’m happy with the result.”

4th Place: Eli Tomac, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing (1-9)

“A couple things happened to me [in Moto 2]. Bad luck on the start as I hit the guy next to me off the gate. Then I made a mistake on my own and washed the front end. I think I would have had a good shot to make the podium had I not made that mistake, but it was just too much to overcome in the end.”

450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish // Points)

Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Queensland, Australia, Honda (3-1 // 45)
Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (2-3 // 42)
Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (4-2 // 40)
Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha (1-9 // 38)
Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Queensland, Australia, Honda (5-4 // 35)
Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha (7-7 // 30)
RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna (6-8 // 30)
Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki (9-6 // 29)
Jorge Prado, Lugo, Galicia, Spain, Kawasaki (12-5 // 27)
Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Husqvarna (8-10 // 26)

450 Class Championship Standings (Race 2 of 11)

Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Queensland, Australia, Honda – 95
Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 79
Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha – 78
Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 76
Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Queensland, Australia, Honda – 73
Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki – 59
Jorge Prado, Lugo, Galicia, Spain, Kawasaki – 58
RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna – 56
Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Honda – 49
Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha – 45

250 Class

Moto 1

The first moto of the afternoon began with Team Honda HRC Progressive’s Chance Hymas surging to the Pro Motocross Holeshot ahead of the Rockstar Energy GASGAS Factory Racing duo Casey Cochran and Ryder DiFrancesco, in addition to Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle, who crashed out of the moto early on. Deegan started just outside the top five aboard his Yamaha. Hymas then gave up the lead after he miscalculated a jump and went off track, reentering the fray in second as Cochran assumed the lead. Behind them, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker fought his way up into third.

Deegan’s march forward began a little more than five minutes into the moto as he made a series of passes to slot into the top three. That pushed Hymas’ pace onto the rear of Cochran, which ignited a three-rider battle for the lead. Deegan made the move around Hymas and gave pursuit to Cochran, taking control of first just before the halfway point. Once out front, Deegan sprinted to a lead of more than two seconds.

Deegan continued to build on his lead and soon moved out to an advantage of more than five seconds as Cochran fell into the clutches of a hard charging Jo Shimoda and his Team Honda HRC Progressive machine. The Japanese rider made the move into second and asserted his hold on the position. As the race entered its final five minutes, Cochran continued to lose ground and eventually dropped off the podium as the Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki trio of Ty Masterpool, Levi Kitchen, and Hammaker all got by.

Deegan cruised to his third straight moto win, 6.9 seconds ahead of Shimoda, while Kitchen made a late pass to secure third. Masterpool finished fourth, followed by Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Michael Mosiman in fifth.

Moto 2

Due to the increasing temperatures entering the final moto, the race was reduced by five minutes. As the field stormed out the gate and through the first turn it was Cochran out front once again, but he conceded the lead to privateer Honda rider Lance Kobusch, who led the first laps of his career. Deegan started in third and was able to make the move around Cochran into second. A little more than a lap later, Deegan took control of the moto. Kobusch then dropped outside the top 10 over the next few laps.

With Deegan out front, the attention shifted to the likes of Shimoda and Kitchen, who were making moves to break into the top three. Kitchen was able to move up to third and then got around Cochran for second just before the halfway point of the moto. Shimoda then passed Cochran for third a couple laps later and continued his march past Kitchen to grab second with a little more than 10 minutes remaining. Deegan, meanwhile, managed a lead approaching seven seconds.

The gap over the field continued to grow for Deegan, up to nearly 10 seconds, as he emphatically put the finishing touch on another moto sweep by a margin of 9.1 seconds over Shimoda. Kitchen finished a distant third.

Overall

Deegan’s second straight 1-1 effort brought him the ninth win of his career, while Shimoda once again minimized the damage with his second 2-2 performance and 21st career podium result. Kitchen enjoyed an impressive rebound from 16th at the opening race to complete the overall podium third (3-3) for a landmark 10th career podium finish.

Deegan doubled his lead in the 250 Class standings, which now sits at 12 points over Shimoda. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Julien Beaumer, who finished a quiet fourth (8-4), moved into third and sits 34 points behind Deegan. Kitchen’s podium finish vaulted him into a tie for fifth, 48 points out of the lead.

1st Place: Haiden Deegan, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing (1-1)

“I woke up pretty sick today and my throat is pretty shot right now. I could barely swallow in the second moto. But this sport is pretty much all mental and I’m willing to push through it and do what it takes.”

2nd Place: Jo Shimoda, Team Honda HRC Progressive (2-2)

“There’s a little bit of pace and fitness that I can still improve on. Haiden [Deegan] is really strong [in those areas]. We will keep working on those things. Everything went great today and we’re going to keep pushing.”

3rd Place: Levi Kitchen, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki (3-3)

“I just had to get my butt in gear [on the track]. I fought hard today. I can still get better, but things have been tough for me lately. All in all, it was a big bounce back from last weekend. We’ll just keep plugging away and fight for this thing.”

250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)

Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (1-1 // 50)
Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Honda (2-2 // 44)
Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki (3-3 // 40)
Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM (8-4 // 32)
Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Kawasaki (7-5 // 32)
Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., Triumph (11-6 // 27)
Mikkel Haarup, Silkeborg, Denmark, Triumph (10-9 // 25)
Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki (4-16 // 24)
Dilan Schwartz, Alpine, Calif., Yamaha (9-13 // 22)
Michael Mosiman, Sebastopol, Calif., Yamaha (5-17 // 22)

250 Class Championship Standings (Race 2 of 11)

Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 100
Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Honda – 88
Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM – 67
Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Kawasaki – 65
Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki – 52
Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM – 52
Michael Mosiman, Sebastopol, Calif., Yamaha – 47
Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki – 46
Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda – 45
Seth Hammaker, Bainbridge, Pa., Kawasaki – 45

The 2025 Pro Motocross Championship will continue next Saturday, June 7, and leave California for the first time for Round 20 of the SMX regular season from the mile-high altitude of Colorado’s Thunder Valley Motocross Park. The Toyota Thunder Valley National will be showcased live on NBC, with coverage of the first 250 Class moto and second 450 Class moto, beginning at 1 p.m. PT / 4 p.m. ET. Additionally, the event will be streamed live in its entirety on Peacock, beginning with Race Day Live Presented by MotoSport.com at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET. Coverage of the motos begins at 12 p.m. PT / 3 p.m. ET.

For information about the Pro Motocross Championship sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing please visit ProMotocross.com and be sure to follow all of the Pro Motocross social media channels for exclusive content and additional information on the latest news:

Kayden Minear Dominates SMX Next – Motocross Combine Gathering at Hangtown Motocross Classic

– The first of three summer events for SMX Next – Motocross commenced on the eve of the Michael’s Reno Powersports Hangtown Motocross Classic Presented by Seven MX, as the Scouting Moto Combine Presented by U.S. Air Force Special Warfare brought together 20 of the top amateur prospects in the sport to the oldest race in American motocross. A pair of motos were contested amid a dramatic heatwave that pushed temperatures into the triple digits, from which Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing prospect and Australian native Kayden Minear put forth a dominant performance with a convincing 1-1 sweep as a member of Rider Coach Broc Tickle’s lineup.

Prior to the afternoon races, the hand-picked group of young racers engaged in classroom-style sessions that provided insights into various aspects of the sport, including training, nutrition, and media engagement. The prospects were also divided into four groups, with each rider assigned to one of four esteemed Rider Coaches – Michael Byrne, Broc Glover, Ezra Lusk, and Tickle – who all provided guidance and mentorship to the aspiring young athletes.

While Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Carson Wood made the first statement of the opening moto by capturing the holeshot, it was Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Vincent Wey who controlled the moto early on as Minear battled forward from a start just outside the top five. The Aussie was able to fight his way into second in the opening laps and then engaged in a spirited and captivating battle with Wey for the win. The pair swapped positions several times before Minear got the upper hand and pulled away. Wey, meanwhile, encountered misfortune about halfway through the moto and lost several positions. Minear established a double-digit margin late and took the checkered flag nearly 11 seconds ahead of SLR Honda’s Leum Oehlhof in second, followed by Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Landon Gibson in third.

Minear proceeded to take matters into his own hands in Moto 2, storming to the holeshot and seizing control of the lead from the outset of the race. KTM Orange Brigade’s Luke Fauser gave chase from second, with Gibson pressuring from third. The clear track for Minear, combined with a tense battle for second between Fauser and Gibson, allowed the Yamaha rider to open up a lead he’d manage the rest of the way. Gibson eventually solidified his hold on second and gave chase to Minear over the second half of the moto. The Husqvarna rider remained within striking distance but wasn’t able to put pressure on the lead. Minear capped off an impressive afternoon with a wire-to-wire victory that solidified the moto sweep by 4.7 seconds over Gibson. Oehlhof followed in third.

Minear’s 1-1 effort provided him with his first SMX Next triumph, while Gibson and Oehlhof finished tied for the runner-up spot, with the tiebreaker going to Gibson by virtue of his better Moto 2 result.

“That first moto was tough,” said Minear. “I got a rough start, but I was able to make passes and have a great battle with Vincent [Wey]. It was really hot for Moto 2 and I got a much better start, then I was able to manage the race.”

“These SMX Next opportunities are the perfect stepping stone for these athletes and their journey into the pros,” commented Tickle, who received the Coach’s Cup as the winning Rider Coach. “It’s nice to have the opportunity to be here and offer my knowledge and feedback and help them become better racers than they already are.”

SMX Next – Motocross will return to action over the Independence Day holiday weekend, when the RedBud Scouting Moto Combine will take place on Friday, the 4th of July, ahead of the Honda RedBud National.

SMX Next – Motocross // Hangtown Moto Combine Overall Results (Moto Finishes)

Kayden Minear, Perth, Western Australia, Australia, Yamaha (1-1)
Landon Gibson, Peachtree City, Ga., Husqvarna (3-2)
Leum Oehlof, Oak Hills, Calif., Honda (2-3)
Carson Wood, Zephyrhills, Fla., Yamaha (6-5)
Jesson Turner, Lockesburg, Ark., Yamaha (4-7)
Kade Johnson, Hideaway, Texas, Yamaha (9-4)
Klark Robbins, Shamong, N.J., GASGAS (8-6)
Luke Fauser, Midland, Pa., KTM (10-8)
Vincent Wey, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki (7-11)
Jett Kellogg, Windsor, Colo., Yamaha (12-9)

2025 Women’s Motocross Championship Reaches Pivotal Halfway Point at Thunder Valley National

The 2025 Women’s Motocross Championship (WMX), an AMA National Championship, will reach a critical juncture this weekend in Colorado, as the halfway point of the six round season awaits at the Thunder Valley National this Friday, June 6, from the mile-high altitude of Lakewood’s Thunder Valley Motocross Park. The third race of the summer is poised to present a unique challenge in the thin air of the mountainside venue, which sits more than 6,000 feet above sea level, and could lend itself to even more tightly contested action at the front of the field.

Two different winners have emerged through the first two rounds, with the most recent victory by Altus Motorsports BLU CRU Yamaha rider Lachlan Turner at Hangtown placing her back in possession of the red plate atop the standings. The defending WMX Champion showed why she carries the No. 1 plate with an impressive 1-1 effort amidst temperatures hovering in triple digits. Following Turner onto the podium was SLR Honda’s Mikayla Nielsen, the opening round winner, who posted 3-2 finishes in a runner-up performance. While these two racers have traded overall wins, Turner’s trio of wins in the first four motos of the season has been the difference maker in the standings. She’s opened up a six-point lead over Nielsen, who has been equally impressive with a top three result in every moto thus far. The next chapter of this budding rivalry between two ascending 18-year-old talents will unfold from one of American motocross’ most scenic settings.

An emphatic 1-1 sweep at Hangtown has put Lala Turner back atop the WMX standings.
Photo: Align Media

A strong start to the summer has Kay Kay Nielsen in the thick of the title fight.
Photo: Align Media

Not far behind the lead duo is U.S. newcomer Charli Cannon. The Quad Lock Honda rider’s first two races in America have shown progression, with Hangtown resulting in her first overall podium result in third (2-3). While Cannon’s speed has been noticeable, the paddock has yet to see the 19-year-old Australian champion at her best. Surgery on a broken finger suffered just before the opening round has limited her physically, but Cannon looks to be improving with every gate drop. She’ll look to break through for a moto win in Colorado and chip away at the 15-point deficit to Turner in the championship standings.

A proven group of racers will also look to add to the complexity of the championship as it prepares to observe a mid-summer break. Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Kyleigh Stallings, last year’s championship runner-up, just missed the podium at Hangtown and has plenty of speed to battle alongside her counterparts. A hard-luck afternoon at Hangtown for ROTE Racing Yamaha’s Jordan Jarvis, who finished on the overall podium at the opening round, halted her early season momentum, but the most experienced and successful racer in the field will simply be more motivated to bounce back in a big way in Colorado. Additionally, Pasion MX KTM’s Jamie Astudillo and Rocky Mountain ATV/MC Kawasaki’s Sophia Phelps are both still refining their form in the early stages of the season and should bring added depth to the front half of the field as their pace continues to grow.

Charli Cannon continues to race her way back to full health but has been impressively consistent despite her injury. Photo: Align Media

Last season’s runner-up Kyleigh Stallings is rounding into form and will look to capture her first podium result of the season. Photo: Align Media

All the action for a crucial Round 3 of the WMX Championship will commence this Friday, June 6, from the Thunder Valley National with practice, qualifying, and a pair of motos to determine a winner. Moto 1 gets underway at 12 p.m. local time, followed by Moto 2 at 2 p.m. local time. The WMX will also be featured on Saturday alongside the stars of the Pro Motocross Championship with a parade lap during opening ceremonies as well as an autograph session at the podium during the intermission between motos.

After splitting overall wins to begin the season, a budding rivalry has emerged between friends Nielsen and Turner. Photo: Align Media

MotoAmerica Superbike Series Adds Motul ADV Experience To VIRginia International Raceway Round

MotoAmerica, North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series, is excited to announce that it will incorporate an Adventure Bike (ADV) Experience into its event at Virginia International Raceway, August 1-3.

MotoAmerica's round of its Superbike Championship at VIRginia International Raceway.jpeg

MotoAmerica’s round of its Superbike Championship at VIRginia International Raceway will feature the Motul Adventure Bike (ADV) Experience. Photo courtesy of Dirt Daze

The Motul ADV Experience will complement MotoAmerica’s goal of further broadening its at-event experiences, adding to its already robust weekend of racing and off-track activities.

The Motul ADV Experience will feature ADV-related activities including a defined ADV Village area, obstacle course, singletrack 6.5-mile mini loop, ADV vendors, tent camping, Dragoo Adventure Rider Training (DART), additional clinics, motorcycle manufacturer ADV displays, and more.

The Motul ADV Experience will be located within the grounds of VIRginia International Raceway with access to the Motul ADV Experience free to those with paid MotoAmerica event admission. Tent camping within the ADV area and trail access will be available for an incremental fee.

In addition to the ADV activities, the event will offer the same excitement that all MotoAmerica events provide, including qualifying and racing from five different classes, an open race paddock for easy access to riders and teams, kids zone with free carnival games, motorcycle demos, camping, and more.

As if that’s not enough, the state of Virginia offers spectacular roadways for the ride to and from the event, including the infamous Blue Ridge Parkway.

MotoAmerica is bringing in Christian Dutcher to handle the operations for the experience. Dutcher, and his team, bring a wealth of ADV experience as they also operate Dirt Daze, one of the largest ADV rallies in the country.

“Motul is excited to further partner with MotoAmerica and VIR for the Motul ADV Experience,” said Amber Bates, General Manager, Motul North America. “At Motul, we’re passionate about celebrating the adventure riding community. This event brings enthusiasts of two wheels together at venue that has something for everyone. We hope to help create an experience where riders can showcase their skills, build camaraderie, and inspire others to join the adventure.”

“MotoAmerica has a built-in audience for this event already, so we expect it to be an excellent incremental success,” said Dutcher. “We also believe that even non-ADV riders will find this entertaining, educational, and eye-opening to this popular segment of the motorcycle market.”

“Adventure motorcycle riders represent a sizeable portion of our motorcycle-riding fanbase,” said MotoAmerica COO Chuck Aksland. “So, it makes perfect sense for MotoAmerica to provide more entertainment to this segment of our audience.”

Additional menu

Herrin Wins Superbike Race One At Road America

Quotes

Josh Herrin – Winner

Bobby Fong – Second Place

Cameron Beaubier – Third Place

Saturday results:

Wyman Leads Harley Factory Sweep In Mission King Of The Baggers

Motovation Supersport – Jacobsen Wins a Thriller

Parts Unlimited Talent Cup By Motul – Drane’s First

Stock 1000 – Lee Gets It Done

Royal Enfield Build.Train.Race. – Knebel’s Second

Saturday results:

RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING AND AARON PLESSINGER LAND HANGTOWN 450MX PODIUM

CASEY COCHRAN AND RYDER DIFRANCESCO FEATURE UP-FRONT AT HANGTOWN

RJ Hampshire and Malcolm Stewart in the fight at Hangtown National

Korie Steede races to third WXC victory of the season at Mason-Dixon GNCC

GRANT DAVIS AND BEN KELLEY CAPTURE PRO CLASS VICTORIES AT MASON-DIXON GNCC

Cooper Earns Podium Finish at Hangtown Classic

Deegan Stays Perfect with Hangtown Classic 250MX Sweep

Fong Finishes Runner-Up in Thrilling Race 1 at Road America

Jett Lawrence Extends Points Lead With Overall Win at Hangtown MX

Parts Unlimited Mason-Dixon: Motorcycle Race Report

Jett Lawrence Prevails in Extreme Heat of Hangtown to Open Pro Motocross Championship with Back-to-Back Wins

2025 Women’s Motocross Championship Reaches Pivotal Halfway Point at Thunder Valley National

MotoAmerica Superbike Series Adds Motul ADV Experience To VIRginia International Raceway Round