This Week in Powersports Racing – The week of July 20, 2025

This week in US Powersports racing.

CHASE SEXTON AND RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING CLAIM WASHOUGAL 450MX VICTORY

Round 8 – AMA Pro Motocross Championship

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Sexton powered his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to the second-fastest time during 450MX qualifying, quickly gaining comfort on the hard-pack, slick surface of the Washougal circuit.

In Moto 1, Sexton launched to a top-three start, only to make a decisive pass in turn two to enter the race lead. From there, a spectacular performance saw the 25-year-old pick up his first race victory of the outdoors since returning to competition at the RedBud National.

For the second moto, Sexton featured up front once more, running inside the top three before a red flag briefly halted proceedings. Once the race recommenced, the number 1 ran in second position for the duration, with his combined scorecard earning him the Washougal National overall win.

The Pro Motocross Championship will now take a two-week break before returning for the final three rounds, beginning at Ironman Raceway on August 9.

Chase Sexton:”It was nice to get a win today! It’s been a while since I have won a race – since the Salt Lake City Supercross – so it’s good to get that monkey off my back and go into the break with momentum. I still have a few things that I can improve on, but my speed was better today and I’m stoked to click off a win. Not eating roost in that first moto was nice… Second moto, I ate a lot of roost and I didn’t like it at all. But it was important to get creative and make quick passes here, as the roost feels like you’re getting hit with a paintball gun for 30 minutes. Thanks to the team for today, it’s a good feeling to stand back on top of the podium.”

Next Race: August 9 – Crawfordsville, Indiana

P5 finish at the Washougal National for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s RJ Hampshire

450MX teammate Malcolm Stewart climbs to eighth in championship standings

Equipped with the Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition with a special Military Appreciation livery this weekend, Hampshire set the third-fastest time during the morning’s 450MX qualifying sessions, before charging to a fourth-place finish in Moto 1 after battling the class front-runners at the scenic Pacific Northwest venue.

An inspired ride during Moto 2 saw the 29-year-old climb into the top 10 after a mid-field start, inching his way toward the top five as the race developed. While challenging for fourth, Hampshire would drop the bike in slick conditions, remounting to claim sixth place for the moto and P5 overall.

“Washougal was another solid day for us, I feel like we just keep making progress as the series develops,”commented Hampshire. “P3 in qualifying was good, and then I ran up there with the front guys for a bit in Moto 1 on my way to finish P4. Second moto, decent start, then made a push towards the top-five after the restart, but lost the rear with a few laps to go – another top five and we keep progressing. We’ll aim for an overall podium with three rounds to go, which I feel like we’re capable of.”
450MX teammate Malcolm Stewart and his Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition posted the ninth-fastest time in qualifying, before a fall in Moto 1 resulted in a 16th-place finish. Eighth in race two was a solid rebound for Stewart, who now takes hold of eighth in the 450MX standings with three rounds remaining.

“First moto got off to a rough start with a first turn pile-up,”reflected Stewart.”I saw a rider on the ground and he was getting burned, so I got off my bike and helped him out, lifted him up. I think that’s the right thing to do… we race motorcycles for a living, and if I were in that position, I would hope someone would do that for me. We lost a little time there, but we dug deep for 16th. Second moto, we did all we could and got eighth, which was a good bounce back. We’ll enjoy the break, and keep digging for these last three.” Next Race: August 9 – Crawfordsville, Indiana

Results 450MX Class – Washougal National1. Chase Sexton (KTM)2. Jett Lawrence (Honda)3. Eli Tomac (Yamaha)5. RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing)7. Justin Barcia (GASGAS)12. Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing)

Standings 450MX Class 2025 after 8 of 11 rounds1. Jett Lawrence, 382 points2. Hunter Lawrence, 3213. Eli Tomac, 2885. RJ Hampshire, 2556. Aaron Plessinger, 2048. Malcolm Stewart, 15412. Chase Sexton, 12216. Justin Barcia, 111

JUSTIN BARCIA AND RYDER DIFRANCESCO INSIDE WASHOUGAL NATIONAL TOP 10

CONSISTENT WEEKEND OUT FOR ROCKSTAR ENERGY GASGAS FACTORY RACING TEAM

BAMBAM goes 7-7 for seventh overall in 450MX Class
Qualifying fifth and P8 finish in Moto 2 highlight Ryder D’s weekend
• Team lines up with a special Military Appreciation livery

Barcia clocked the 10th fastest qualifying time onboard his GASGAS MC 450F Factory Edition at the picturesque Pacific Northwest facility, before charging to a solid seventh place finish in Moto 1 on what were hard-pack and notoriously slick Washougal conditions.

Another P7 ride in Moto 2 demonstrated a measured performance for BAMBAM at the eighth round, with seventh overall continuing his steady build throughout the latter stages of his outdoor campaign this season.

Justin Barcia: “I qualified in the top 10 today at Washougal and was happy with that, as it gave me a better gate pick, but made a bit of a rookie move off the start because I thought the traction would be less, and I ended up with the front-end pretty high which put me toward the back! Charged through for P7 in that one, then second moto, I got a better start, but a couple of mistakes and the restart had me in seventh for that one, too. All in all, we’re out of these first couple races healthy, so we’ll regroup now and come out swinging for the last three.”

DiFrancesco and his GASGAS MC 250F Factory Edition qualified fifth quickest, before charging into P2 at the start of Moto 1. After taking over the lead on lap two, Ryder D held firm at the front of the field until a collision with another rider on the third lap sent him down the race order.

After remounting, the 20-year-old managed to race forward and salvage an 11th-place finish, before a P8 result in Moto 2 earned him 10th overall for the weekend. As a result, DiFrancesco moves to 13th in the 250MX standings with three rounds remaining.

Ryder DiFrancesco: “Washougal was good, qualifying was strong, and I always enjoy coming here. I had a mishap in Moto 1, getting landed on while leading, which wasn’t ideal, but did what we could to recover. Second moto was better, I got a good start and had some pace early, but I felt like I could’ve done some things differently with line choice and racecraft to keep up there, and flow the track a little better. We’ll keep moving forward and have more weekends like this.”

Deegan Wins Moto 1 at Washougal

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan enjoyed another successful outing at the Washougal National, finishing second overall with a 1-2 moto score at Round 8 of Pro Motocross and Round 25 of the SuperMotocross World Championship in Washougal, Washington. Nate Thrasher finished 18th overall (19-16), while Michael Mosiman’s day ended early after aggravating his ankle injury in a crash during the first qualifying session.

It was the characteristic hard-packed, slick conditions at the Washougal MX Park. Although qualifying didn’t go as planned with a sixth-place result, Deegan came out swinging in Moto 1. In third after the start, the reigning champ claimed the lead on Lap 3. His title rival closed the gap near the halfway mark, but Deegan responded by picking up the pace and stretching a lead to take his fourth moto win at Washougal and his 10th so far this season. In Moto 2, Deegan did not get off the gate as he had hoped and was seventh after the opening lap. He worked his way up to fifth by Lap 5 and was locked in a heated battle for fourth. The Californian moved into fourth around mid-moto and then advanced to third after an error from the competition. With about a minute left on the clock, Deegan charged past to claim second going up Horsepower Hill. His 1-2 moto score tied his title rival in points on the day, allowing him to maintain his 45-point lead in the 250MX Championship. Deegan also holds a commanding 103-point lead in the 250SMX combined standings with three outdoor rounds remaining before the SMX Playoffs.

Thrasher continued to make progress and qualified 11th in the combined times. A tough start in Moto 1 had him buried in 29th after the opening lap, but he put his head down and pushed to 19th by the checkered flag. Despite the poor gate pick, he got a better jump in Moto 2 and started 11th. He dropped back to 14th five laps in, fought back to 13th, but ultimately crossed the line 16th to end the day 18th overall.

Riding with a sprained ankle sustained last weekend in Moto 1, Mosiman unfortunately aggravated the injury in a crash during the first 250MX qualifying session. The Californian underwent evaluation on site by the Alpinestars Mobile Medical Unit, and the decision was made to sit out of the Washougal National to focus on returning to 100%.

The series now heads into the summer break, with the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing squad returning to action in three weeks’ time at Round 9 of Pro Motocross and Round 26 of the SuperMotocross World Championship on August 9 at Ironman Raceway in Crawfordsville, Indiana. The Ironman National will also host the final round of the SMX Next Scouting Moto Combine.

Wil Hahn – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 250 Team General Manager
“It was a solid day for Haiden today, managing his points lead. Nate had a tough time finding his flow, and it was a real bummer for (Michael) Mosi with his ankle. We’re looking forward to a little break and coming back at Ironman.”

Haiden Deegan – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #1
“I feel like since this morning, I kind of struggled with my bike today. I qualified sixth, which was my worst of the year, so we’ve got to go back to work on that a little bit. Overall, we maintained the points and tied with Jo (Shimoda) today. So yeah, 45 points up and now we’ve got a three-week break to keep on working.”

Nate Thrasher – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #41
“It was a tough weekend, and not the results we are looking for. We’re going to keep working and try to find something during the break. Thanks to the team for still believing in me.”

Tomac Back on the Box at Washougal

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac returned to the podium at the Washougal National, finishing third overall (2-3) and advancing his position in the 450MX Championship standings at Round 8 of Pro Motocross in Washougal, Washington. His teammate Justin Cooper finished sixth overall (6-5), strengthening his position at the top of the 450SMX standings with three rounds remaining of the outdoor season before the SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs.

Tomac qualified fifth and got a good start to Moto 1, slotting into fourth and making the pass for third on the second lap. He continued to lay down consistently fast times and capitalized when the championship leader went down before the halfway mark, advancing to second. The Colorado rider started to build a gap, and despite losing some time in lapped traffic, he kept his head down and distanced himself from the competition, securing the runner-up finish. In Moto 2, he quickly made his way to fourth. The frontrunners were locked in a four-rider battle before a red flag reset the field. With the debut of the new staggered restart procedure for outdoors, Tomac resumed in fourth and quickly claimed the final podium spot on the opening lap. He kept the leaders in sight, but with five laps to go, he lost some ground and finished third. His 2-3 moto scores earned him third overall—his fifth overall podium of the season and eighth career overall podium at the Washougal MX Park. He now sits third in the 450MX standings, 12 points ahead of Cooper.

Feeling less than 100% after his crash in qualifying at the previous round, Cooper put in a strong ride and made improvements throughout the day. After qualifying sixth, he got a good start to Moto 1 around the top five and was ultimately sixth on the opening lap. The New Yorker continued to push, closing back in and moving into fifth on Lap 3, but ultimately finished sixth in the tricky, hard-packed conditions. In Moto 2, he made his way to fifth on the opening lap and was sixth after the restart but reclaimed fifth after a rider ahead went down. Cooper maintained a strong pace and built a gap to secure the top-five finish in the moto and sixth overall on the day. He continues to lead the 450SMX combined standings, now with a 45-point advantage over teammate Cooper Webb, who underwent a successful knee procedure.

The series now heads into the summer break, with the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing squad returning to action in three weeks for the Ironman National – Round 9 of Pro Motocross and Round 26 of the SuperMotocross World Championship on August 9 at Ironman Raceway in Crawfordsville, Indiana.

Rich Simmons – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team Manager
“Today was a step in the right direction for us. Eli put up competitive times in qualifying and carried that momentum into the motos. It was nice to see him run up front and get back on the podium. Justin had a good day getting two decent starts and felt like he was getting better throughout the day.”

Eli Tomac – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #3
“It was nice to be back on the podium with the 2-3 today. It was just refreshing to be at the front of the race, period. I could see the frontrunners in both motos. Of course, I still need to be a little bit better, but this is a major improvement over our result from the weekend before. I’m now looking forward to improving my riding, and also the weekend off. It was a much better weekend than Millville.”

Justin Cooper – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #32
“It was a good day. Honestly, I kind of struggled with the hard-packed track today. This track is definitely difficult. There are a lot of different factors involved in going fast here. I felt like we got better throughout the day. After a tough weekend in Millville, to come back here and get through the day with some solid finishes and to kind of be in the fight was cool. We need this time off. I definitely gave it my best. We were a sixth-place guy today, and sometimes that’s okay. You’ve got to take that, keep your head up, look at where you’re going, and take the positives.”

MONSTER ENERGY® PRO CIRCUIT KAWASAKI RIDER GARRETT MARCHBANKS SECURES CAREER FIRST OVERALL PODIUM AT WASHOUGAL

Monster Energy® Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Garrett Marchbanks charged through the field at Round 8 of Pro Motocross at Washougal MX Park earning his first career Pro Motocross overall podium with a (3-4) performance for third overall. Teammate Seth Hammaker showed consistent speed and great starts, finishing (7-3) for a Moto 2 podium and a career-best fourth overall. Rookie Drew Adams found his rhythm and secured his first Top-10 Pro Motocross finish, going (13-6) for ninth overall. Washougal native, Levi Kitchen, battled through adversity to finish (9-10) for 11th overall. In the 450MX class, Monster Energy® Kawasaki’s Jorge Prado demonstrated his strong starting ability, but setbacks left him with an (8-19) result for 14th overall, while Kawasaki rider Mitchell Harrison scored 10th overall (10-11) for his Partszilla PRMX Racing team.

Monster Energy® Pro Circuit Kawasaki riders kicked off Saturday with strong qualifying performances, all placing inside the Top 10. Marchbanks topped both sessions aboard his KX™250 posting with the fastest time, while Hammaker qualified third. Adams and Kitchen followed closely in eighth and ninth, respectively. In Moto 1, Hammaker emerged from the first turn in 10th, while Marchbanks, Adams, and Kitchen were outside the Top 10. Hammaker quickly engaged in a battle and moved up to seventh, while teammate Marchbanks settled into 12th and began charging toward the front. Adams had a tough start from a poor gate pick, placing him back in 26th, and Kitchen found his pace after a few laps and climbed into 11th. Hammaker strategically worked his way into sixth before Marchbanks closed in, made the pass, and moved into sixth, pushing Hammaker back to seventh, where he would finish. By the halfway point, Marchbanks had latched onto the lead pack and cracked the Top 5. With just a few laps remaining, he made a decisive move into third to secure a podium finish. Kitchen found his rhythm late and finished strong in ninth, while Adams fought through the pack to finish 13th.

In Moto 2, Hammaker launched out of the gate to grab the holeshot, while Adams followed with a much-improved start, beginning the race in seventh. Adams quickly moved into the Top 5 and began closing in on the lead pack. Meanwhile, Kitchen and Marchbanks were pushed wide in the first corner and started outside the Top 10. Marchbanks made quick work of the early laps, advancing into eighth just behind Kitchen in seventh. As the race wore on and the track conditions worsened, Kitchen made a mistake and went down, remounting in 11th. Hammaker held strong in second for most of the race, but with just over a minute remaining, he was passed and settled into third, earning a Moto 2 podium and his best overall finish to date. Marchbanks continued his charge through the field to finish fourth, securing his first career overall podium in Pro Motocross. Adams showcased impressive speed and consistency to finish sixth, while Kitchen recovered to take 10th.

Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Enzo Temmerman put together a strong day of racing with steady progress in both motos. After qualifying 21st, Temmerman lined up for Moto 1 and found himself 25th off the start. Undeterred, he charged through the pack and reached 15th by the halfway point, eventually finishing 14th. In Moto 2, he got off to a better start in 16th and continued to build momentum, working his way up to 13th by the checkered flag. His consistent (14-13) finishes earned him 13th overall for the day, capping off a solid performance.

In the 450 Class, Prado started the weekend strong, qualifying seventh aboard his No. 70 KX™450SR. When the gate dropped for Moto 1, Prado rocketed out to grab the holeshot and battled through the first turn before climbing Horsepower Hill in second place. On Lap 2, a misstep through the whoops section caused him to drop to fourth. As the race wore on with mounting pressure from behind, Prado battled to finish eighth.

In Moto 2, Prado once again demonstrated his elite starting ability, launching into second off the gate. He was quickly pushed back to third but continued to battle to maintain his position. Heavy roost and much dryer, hard-packed track conditions disrupted his rhythm as the Spaniard fought within the top-10. Struggling to find clean lines on the challenging track, he slipped further to 15th just eight minutes into the moto. A red flag brought out a restart, and when racing resumed, Prado made several quick passes off the line. Pressure from the pack caused him to fall back to 22nd on the following lap. Regaining his composure, Prado mounted a late-race charge and worked his way up to 19th, where he would ultimately finish.

Mitchell Harrison delivered a career-best performance aboard his KX™450, starting the day by qualifying eighth overall. In Moto 1, he got off to a solid start in ninth and rode consistent laps to finish 10th. In Moto 2, Harrison launched into seventh and battled inside the Top 10 before settling into 11th by Lap 4, where he would finish. His (10-11) moto scores secured 10th overall on the day.

“It was a solid day today, and definitely the best outdoor race I’ve had in my career. I qualified first in both qualifying sessions, so I felt really good all day. After getting a not-so-solid start in Moto 1 and making my way through the pack, I finished third, but I was a little tight. I think if I had been up front a bit earlier, I could have stayed with the lead group for longer. In Moto 2, I didn’t get the best start again, but was able to come through the pack. I battled with [Haiden] Deegan for about 25 minutes, which was a good fight. Toward the end, I tried to make a pass on my teammate for third, but it didn’t quite come together. I later found out that even if I had made the pass, I still would have finished third overall. So I just chilled, brought it home, and locked in my first-ever overall outdoor podium. I’m super proud of that result. I’m really thankful for my team, my trainer, and the whole training crew. I’m pumped on how everything went, and it’ll be nice to have a couple of weeks off now.”

Garrett Marchbanks

“It was a rough day for me. Qualifying was decent, but in Moto 1 I got a bad start — probably around 25th or 20th — and worked my way up to about ninth. In Moto 2, I had another tough start, but I made it up to maybe sixth or seventh before I ended up crashing. I got back up and worked my way to around 10th. It was a tough day, but I’m going to keep my head up and focus on the things I can improve, mainly getting off the line better. We’ve got a solid break coming up, so I’m looking forward to hitting reset and coming into the last three rounds ready to show people what I’m made of.”

Levi Kitchen

“Overall, it was a pretty good day. I started off strong in qualifying. I felt really good on the track and ended up third overall, so that gave me some good momentum heading into the motos. In Moto 1, I didn’t get the best start and was probably around 10th off the line. It took me a while to get into a groove and settle in, and by the time I did, I was in about seventh place. I wasn’t really able to make anything happen after that, so I just held on to seventh for the rest of the moto. It was nothing too special, but still a solid finish. Moto 2 went a lot better. I got an amazing start and pulled the holeshot. I felt really good in the opening laps. Jo [Shimoda] got around me early, and I was able to latch onto him and keep a solid pace. Then [Haiden] Deegan got by me with a couple laps to go, and I ended up finishing third. With a 7–3 result on the day, I took fourth overall, my best outdoor finish so far, which is pretty cool. I needed a solid day like that, and this definitely checked the box. Now the goal is to come back after the break and fight for a podium. I think this little break will be good for me, and I’m excited to come back swinging at Ironman.”

Seth Hammaker

“Washougal was good for me. I ended up P9 overall, which is my first Top-10 finish in outdoors. That’s a pretty big accomplishment for me. In the first moto, the main issue was my gate pick. My qualifying went well, but I chose a bad gate on my side, and that really set me back. I got a poor start and had to fight my way up to 13th. It’s a tough track to pass on, especially since this was my first time racing here, but it was cool to get the experience. The shadows made it really difficult to see — it was pretty gnarly out there. In the second moto, I regrouped, got a much better gate pick, and started around seventh. I had a few good battles and finished sixth in that one. So overall, I’m pretty happy with the day.”

Drew Adams

“It was a challenging weekend, but there were still some positives to take away. I started off strong in qualifying with seventh, and in Moto 1, I grabbed the holeshot and came through the first turn in second. I was feeling good early on, but a small mistake in the whoops on Lap 2 dropped me to fourth. After that, I just struggled to maintain pace and ended up finishing eighth. In Moto 2, I had another great start and was running second early, but I got shuffled back pretty quickly. The roost and dust made it tough to stay consistent before the red flag came out. After the restart, I had a strong jump and made a few passes, but I got caught up again. I regrouped and finished 19th. It definitely wasn’t the result I was hoping for, but I’ll learn from it, take the positives, especially the starts, and keep building for the next one.”

Jorge Prado

SUZUKI’S COLT NICHOLS NAILS TOP-TEN OVERALL RESULT AT WASHOUGAL NATIONAL

Perfect weather greeted fans and racers at the Washougal National for Round 8 of 2025 AMA Pro Motocross season. The storied motocross track in picturesque Washougal, Washington added another mark in the sport’s history as the first venue to enact a time-staggered re-start. After less than ten minutes of racing in the second 450-Class moto a red flag came out. The riders were lined back up on the starting gate, in the order they were running in the race, then sent back into action one at a time at intervals of approximately one second apart.

Race Highlights:

Twisted Tea Suzuki Presented by Progressive Insurance
- 450 Class
  - Colt Nichols delivered his career-best overall 450-Class motocross result.
  - Benoit Paturel grabbed his career-best overall qualifying result at Washougal.

Colt Nichols (45) was fast from the first laps on the track; in the first session he earned his season-best qualifying spot. Nichols followed that up with his season-best result for the second qualifying sessions to capture a season-best overall qualifying spot. Nichols put his strong gate pick to good use, nabbing a sixth place start in the opening moto. Nichols battled with the front-runners and earned a season-best first moto result. Nichols grabbed another good start in the second moto; he sat just outside the top-ten as he crossed the holeshot stripe. Nichols used his RM-Z’s responsive power delivery to find traction on the hardpack soil and move his Suzuki forward through the pack. He crossed the finish line matching a season-best moto result, which earned Nichols his career-best overall 450 Class motocross result.

“Washougal is one of my favorite tracks of the year,” said Nichols. “I got off the gate much better this weekend, and that was the biggest help for my racing. I got up in the pack and hung on as good as I could.”

Benoit Paturel (102), the MXGP racer in his first season racing the AMA Pro Motocross Championship, continued to find incredible speed against racers more familiar with the US race circuit. Paturel claimed his career-best overall qualifying spot in the US with a blistering lap in the final qualifying session. When the gate dropped for moto one, Paturel launched his Suzuki into a top-ten start. Unfortunately, his assault on Washougal got derailed just a few turns into the racing when another rider pushed Paturel off the track and into a crash. Paturel remounted and took chase, but he was not able to re-claim a points-paying position. A poor gate pick in the second moto compounded the day’s problems, and Paturel was not able to gain points in the championship standings.

“I’m so disappointed,” stated Paturel. “I was feeling great in the morning. The bike was really good, and everything was working to make for a good day. It’s very frustrating to not be able to put that into results on paper. It’s time to regroup, focus, and be strong for the last three motocross races.”

“Colt finished 12th in the first moto and ninth in the second moto, finishing ninth overall. A top-ten finish is really good for Colt. He got good starts and rode consistent and really adapted to the track well,” said Larry Brooks, Twisted Tea/H.E.P. Motorsports/Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance Team Manager. “Benoit had the opposite type of day. He got a decent start in the first moto and then fell in the third or fourth corner, dropping way back, maybe 30 seconds behind the last place rider. Benoit had to come up, and he only made it up to 28th place. In the second moto he got a terrible start and just couldn’t adapt to the track; he really struggled with all the shaded areas, the dust, and everything that went along with riding at the back of the pack. But it was a really good day for Colt. He showed his potential and rode well. Benoit needs to work on learning these American tracks and running up at the front, which we think he can, but it’s just a matter of him adapting well to the to the tracks and the racing in the US.”

The AMA Pro Motocross season now takes two weekends off without events, then returns for the final three motocross rounds in three consecutive weekends in August. After that, the racers, including the return to action of Ken Roczen, will tackle the post-season SMX Playoffs and SMX World Championship Final in September

Shimoda Wins in the Woods at Washougal MX

Honda HRC Progressive eclipsed the three-quarters mark of the 2025 AMA Pro Motocross Championship in strong form at the scenic Washougal MX Park in southern Washington State. For the second time this season (and also in the last three races), Jo Shimoda captured the overall win in the 250 ranks, this time via consistent 2-1 finishes. The Lawrence brothers also enjoyed commendable results in the 450 class, with Jett logging a 3-1 performance for second overall, while Hunter took fourth overall via a 5-4 tally. With the series now entering a two-weekend break, the Red Riders carry strong momentum into what will be the final part of the season.

Jett started the first 450 moto well and ran second over the holeshot line, with Hunter eighth. Jett lost a spot early but took back second at the end of the first lap, with Hunter seventh. Jett pressured the leader for seven laps before a tip-over dropped him to third, by which point Hunter had advanced to fifth—the same positions the brothers held at the finish.

The second moto saw a Honda 1-2 out of the gate, with Hunter grabbing a huge holeshot aboard his CRF450RWE, and Jett close behind. Jett took the lead on lap 3, though Hunter and Chase Sexton both continued to challenge him. An early red flag led to the series’ first-ever staggered restart, with Jett maintaining the lead and Hunter soon settling into fourth. The teammates held those positions to the finish, with Jett taking the checkers 8.7 seconds ahead of second place for second overall, and Hunter fourth in the moto and overall rankings.

After a seventh-place 250-class start in moto 1, Shimoda quickly moved forward, taking over third by lap 2 and then advancing to second a lap later. He maintained that position to the finish, setting himself up well for a strong overall result. The Japanese native started moto 2 in second and made a pass for the lead on lap 2. From there, he rode flawlessly to the checkers, reaching the finish with a massive margin of over 18 seconds, earning his second overall win of the season and the fifth of his career.

NOTES

Jett Lawrence, Hunter Lawrence and Jo Shimoda took part in Washougal’s media-day activities on Friday, participating in interviews and a riding session ahead of the weekend’s action.
Also on Friday, Honda HRC Progressive collaborated with journalists Steve Matthes and Jason Thomas in a holeshot contest, inspired by the team’s incredible tally of strong starts in the 450 class. Thomas rode a production CRF450R, while Matthes campaigned Hunter Lawrence’s factory CRF450RWE. A former pro racer, Thomas earned the win, suggesting that the team’s penchant for strong getaways is the result of a combination of rider talent, a competitive base machine and meticulous setup by the team’s technical crew and sponsors.
Oregon dealership MotoSport Hillsboro joined Honda HRC Progressive in the team pits at Washougal, showcasing a CRF250R, a CRF450R and a Grom. The dealership staff engaged with fans and customers throughout the day.
Jett topped the 450 qualifying sessions, with Hunter posting the fourth-best time. Among other Red Riders, Jeremy Hand (Valley Motorsports) was 19th, followed by Brandon Ray (Raylentless Racing) in 23rd, John Short (McGinley Clinic Privateer Support Program) in 27th, Zack Williams (Williams Racing) in 32nd, and Brad Todd (Ace Motorcycles) in 35th. Ty Freehill (Ty Freehill Racing) earned his spot on the gate with a fourth-place result in the 450 consolation race.
Shimoda was fourth-fastest in 250 qualifying. Among other Honda-mounted racers, Cullin Park (Phoenix Racing Honda) posted the 20th-best time, followed by TiLube Honda Racing teammates Izaih Clark, Mark Fineis and Patrick Murphy in 27th, 30th and 34th, respectively. TJ Albright (Phoenix Racing Honda) and Jace Allred (SLR Honda) rounded out the Red Riders in 35th and 36th.
Jett once again posted the fastest lap times in both 450 motos, continuing his dominance in outright speed. Shimoda clocked the fastest time in 250 moto 2 during his impressive overall-winning ride.
With his Washougal victory this weekend, Shimoda joins other Red Riders to have scored the overall support-class win at the venue, including George Holland, Mike Kiedrowski, Mike Brown, Steve Lamson, Brock Sellards, Andrew Short, Trey Canard, Justin Barcia, Eli Tomac and Jett Lawrence.
Although the Lawrence brothers don’t list Washougal among their favorite tracks, Jett does have a pair of overall wins at the venue (one in each class). This weekend saw Washougal end Jett’s 450 overall-win streak at seven, while Hunter’s string of runner-up overall results ended at four. Nonetheless, second and fourth in the 450-class overall classification must be considered a positive weekend for Honda HRC Progressive and the Lawrence family.
Since entering the 450 class at the beginning of the 2024 season, Hunter Lawrence has finished in the top five overall in every race. His 2025 Washougal fourth-overall result extended the streak to 19.
Jett stretched his lead in the 450MX title chase to 61 points over his brother and teammate, Hunter, who holds steady in second, with a 33-point gap over third. In the 250MX standings, Jo Shimoda remains second overall, still trailing the leader by 45 points.
With Washougal marking round 8 of AMA Pro Motocross, the series now enters its second break of the season, with racing set to resume on August 9 in Crawfordsville, Indiana, after two weekends off. Just three rounds remain.

Jett Lawrence
“This has always been one of my tougher tracks, so I knew coming in it would be a challenge—especially with guys like Chase and Eli riding well here. In the first moto, I made a mistake and lost some time trying to get back into a flow, and by then Eli had already built a gap. I’m still happy with second overall, though; you can’t win everything, and eventually a streak ends. I was proud to rebound in the second moto and grab the win there.”

Hunter Lawrence
“Another top-five overall—fourth on the day. I kept the top-five streak alive; that makes 19 in a row, so that’s pretty cool, and I’m happy to leave here in one piece. The visibility was really tough today, with the shadows; I might need to see an eye doctor to make sure I’m not partially blind! But it was the same for everyone, and I’m glad to make it through.”

Jo Shimoda
“Honestly, we haven’t changed much since Southwick—just some minor bike tuning, and it’s been on point. I’ve just been focusing on my starts and executing two solid motos. Washougal is tough because the track is narrow and one-lined in places; it’s hard to make passes, but I’m happy to come away with the win. I’m riding really well right now, and it feels great to put Honda on top.”

Lars Lindstrom – Team Manager
“Overall, this was a really good weekend for the team, even though Jett wasn’t able to get the overall win and had his streak come to an end. We all knew that this track isn’t Jett’s or Hunter’s favorite, mainly due to the shadows; the transition from bright sunlight to dark shadows under the trees throws another risk factor into the mix, and I’m proud of our guys today for staying safe and riding inside their comfort zone. I’m super happy for Jo and the team; we’re the only brand that has been able to beat Haiden Deegan this summer, with both of our 250 riders, which to me is a pretty cool stat. I think everyone is looking forward to these next two weekends off, and I’m looking forward to going to Europe and visiting our MXGP HRC family at the Czech Republic race in Loket.”

Media contact:
Tati Ziemer // Jonnum Media // tati@jonnummedia.com // +1 (707) 888-9418

450 Overall Results

Chase Sexton (KTM)
Jett Lawrence (Hon)
Eli Tomac (Yam)
Hunter Lawrence (Hon)
R.J. Hampshire (Hus)
Justin Cooper (Yam)
Justin Barcia (Gas)
Valentin Guillod (Yam)
Colt Nichols (Suz)
Mitchell Harrison (Kaw)

—
20. Jeremy Hand (Hon)
21. John Short (Hon)
25. Brandon Ray (Hon)
28. Zack Williams (Hon)
36. Ty Freehill (Hon)
37. Brad Todd (Hon)

450 Championship Points (after 8 of 11 rounds)

Jett Lawrence (382)
Hunter Lawrence (321)
Eli Tomac (288)
Justin Cooper (280)
R.J. Hampshire (255)
Aaron Plessinger (204)
Jorge Prado (191)
Malcolm Stewart (154)
Cooper Webb (151)
Valentin Guillod (137)

—

250 Overall Results

Jo Shimoda (Hon)
Haiden Deegan (Yam)
Garrett Marchbanks (Kaw)
Seth Hammaker (Kaw)
Austin Forkner (Tri)
Dilan Schwartz (Yam)
Mikkel Haarup (Tri)
Maximus Vohland (Yam)
Drew Adams (Kaw)
Ryder DiFrancesco (Gas)

—
20. Cullin Park (Hon)
27. Izaih Clark (Hon)
29. Patrick Murphy (Hon)
31. Jace Allred (Hon)
33. TJ Albright (Hon)
39. Mark Fineis (Hon)
40. Ashton Bloxom (Hon)

250 Championship Points (after 8 of 11 rounds)

Haiden Deegan (368)
Jo Shimoda (323)
Garrett Marchbanks (252)
Levi Kitchen (239)
Mikkel Haarup (209)
Tom Vialle (202)
Michael Mosiman (170)
Maximus Vohland (168)
Seth Hammaker (157)
Jordon Smith (152)

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