This Week in Powersports Racing – The week of July 6, 2025

This week in US Powersports racing.

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Impressive Come-From-Behind Performance at RedBud Nets Jett Lawrence Sixth Straight Pro Motocross Championship Victory

 The 2025 Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, officially reached its halfway point at the crown jewel event on the calendar from Michigan’s legendary RedBud MX. The Honda RedBud National Presented by Dixxon Flannel Co. signified Race 6 of the summer campaign and Round 23 of the SMX World Championship regular season in a showcase of American motocross’ own Independence Day tradition. In the 450 Class, Honda HRC Progressive rider and championship point leader Jett Lawrence put forth one of his most impressive single-moto performances to complete a 1-1 sweep and capture a sixth straight victory. In the 250 Class, Honda HRC Progressive’s Jo Shimoda completed a dominant afternoon for the brand with a 1-1 performance of his own to put the “Red Riders” atop both classes at Honda’s title event.

450 CLASS

Moto 1
The opening moto of the afternoon began with Honda HRC Progressive’s Hunter Lawrence and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire side-by-side exiting the first turn, with Lawrence narrowly securing the Pro Motocross Holeshot and control of the lead. Hampshire went on the attack, nearly making the pass, but the Australian fended him off. As this unfolded, Jett Lawrence closed in on Hampshire from third. The top three then settled in briefly, but Jett Lawrence pushed to make the move on Hampshire for second and gave chase to his older brother out front. Behind them, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger made the pass for third and was able to close in on the lead duo.
 
Just before the completion of the opening 10 minutes Jett Lawrence made his move on Hunter, briefly making the pass before Hunter responded to retake the position. Jett persisted and after a brief side-by-side battle eventually took hold of the lead. The increased pace allowed the Lawrences to pull away from Plessinger and the rest of the field, as the KTM rider was then forced to deal with a hard-charging Eli Tomac and his Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing machine. Once he got to Plessinger’s rear fender, Tomac made quick work to move into third.
 
The top three settled in through the middle of the moto, with Jett Lawrence moving out to a lead of about five seconds. However, as the moto entered its final 10 minutes considerable smoke started to come out of Tomac’s Yamaha. He eventually came to a stop, which ultimately brought his moto to a premature end. That misfortune left the battle for third to be settled between Plessinger and Hampshire, with the Husqvarna rider able to make the move in the closing stages of the moto.
 
Out front, Jett Lawrence’s lead eventually surpassed 10 seconds as he surged to his ninth moto win of the season by 16.1 seconds over Hunter Lawrence. Hampshire captured his first career moto podium in third, followed by Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper in fourth. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton finished fifth, as the reigning series champion and defending RedBud winner made his anticipated return to action following a crash at the opening race of the season.

Moto 2
The deciding moto got underway with Muc-Off/FXR/ClubMX Yamaha’s Coty Schock out front with the Pro Motocross Holeshot, just ahead of Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jorge Prado, the back-to-back FIM Motocross World Champion. The Spaniard pressured Schock and eventually made his move into the lead halfway through the opening lap. Behind him, both Lawrences started from deep in the top 10. As he looked to make passes, Jett Lawrence went down and remounted in 18th place. Hunter Lawrence, meanwhile, looked to move forward from seventh.
 
After a wild opening five minutes the field settled in with Prado leading Cooper and Hunter Lawrence, while Hampshire, Sexton, and Jett Lawrence ran in sixth, seventh, and eighth, respectively. Jett Lawrence was on the move and passed both Sexton and Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson to break into the top five. He then passed Hampshire for fourth just over 10 minutes into the moto. The march continued past his brother, as Jett broke into the top three before the halfway point.
 
Out front, a patient Cooper waited for an opening to attempt a pass on Prado and successfully made his way into the lead with just over half the moto to go. That left Prado to fend with Jett Lawrence, who made quick work of the Spaniard to move into second. Prado then lost hold of third to Sexton, who was following Lawrence’s path to the front. As the fastest rider on the track Jett gained chunks of time on Cooper and easily took over the lead with less than five minutes remaining. Sexton was then able to make his way around Cooper for second but went down. He remounted in fourth as Cooper and Hunter Lawrence made their way past.
 
In arguably the most impressive single-moto performance of his young career, Jett Lawrence passed 17 riders to complete the sweep of the motos by 8.3 seconds over Cooper, who equaled his career-best moto result in second. Hunter Lawrence followed in third.

Overall
Jett Lawrence’s 16th career 1-1 performance netted him the 21st victory in the 450 Class, which equaled two-time champion Ken Roczen for sixth all-time. With 21 victories in 22 career starts, his career winning percentage stands at an incredible 95%. Hunter Lawrence completed the third straight 1-2 finish for the siblings in second (2-3), while Cooper earned his second overall podium result of the season in third (4-2).
 
Jett Lawrence’s lead in the championship standings now sits at just over an entire race, 51 points over Hunter Lawrence, who moved into second. Cooper’s podium result allowed him to move from fifth to third, 69 points out of the lead.
 
The podium result also helped Cooper close to within 14 points of the top seed in the SMX World Championship standings, as he continued to gain ground on his Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing teammate Cooper Webb, who finished ninth (15-8).

1st Place: Jett Lawrence, Honda HRC Progressive (1-1)
“I put my heart into that race [Moto 2]. I didn’t get an ideal start and made a silly mistake that made it really hard on myself. We lost a young star in the racing community this past week [Aidan Zingg] and I rode with him and his family on my mind, so this one is for the Zingg family.”
 
2nd Place: Hunter Lawrence, Honda HRC Progressive (2-3)
“That one [Moto 2] was tough. I had to fight for it since I didn’t get a great start. I’m happy to do it [finish on the podium] on a holiday weekend. It was an epic race, with epic fans. It was a great day.”
 
3rd Place: Justin Cooper, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing (4-2)
“I had a good start [in Moto 2] and was second behind Jorge [Prado]. I wanted to get by him as quick as I could and made a sprint for three or four laps. Then hit a wall [physically]. I ended up losing my front brake for a bit, but thankfully it came back. It was a great ride and I’m really happy to be on the podium.”

450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish // Points)

1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Queensland, Australia, Honda (1-1 // 50)
2. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Queensland, Australia, Honda (2-3 // 42)
3. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (4-2 // 40)
4. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna (3-6 // 36)
5. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., KTM (5-4 // 35)
6. Jorge Prado, Lugo, Galicia, Spain, Kawasaki (7-5 // 32)
7. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., GASGAS (8-9 // 27)
8. Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Husqvarna (11-10 // 23)
9. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha (15-8 // 21)
10. Harri Kullas, Tallinn, Estonia, Husqvarna (12-11 // 21)

450 Class Championship Standings (Race 6 of 11)

1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Queensland, Australia, Honda – 290
2. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Queensland, Australia, Honda – 239
3. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 221
4. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha – 217
5. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 204
6. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna – 185
7. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha – 151
8. Jorge Prado, Lugo, Galicia, Spain, Kawasaki – 147
9. Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Honda – 124
10. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki – 111

450SMX Regular Season Standings (Round 23 of 28)

1. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha – 516
2. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 502
3. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 459
4. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., KTM – 398
5. Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Husqvarna – 382
6. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Queensland, Australia, Honda – 361
7. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Queensland, Australia, Honda – 301
8. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha – 297
9. Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Honda – 277
10. Ken Roczen, Mattstedt, Germany, Suzuki – 271

https://youtube.com/watch?v=G6Cu8OVv6LA%3Ffeature%3Doembed

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250 CLASS

Moto 1
The first moto saw the Shimoda surge to the front off the start for the Pro Motocross Holeshot, his first since 2023, but he was soon passed by Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle, with Triumph Factory Racing’s Jalek Swoll in third. Defending champion and point leader Haiden Deegan started deep in the top 20 aboard his Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing machine. The clear track allowed Vialle to quickly establish a lead of more than two seconds over Shimoda, while Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker made the pass on Swoll for third.
 
As the leaders settled in, all eyes were on Deegan as he made a charge through the field. The season’s most dominant rider clawed his way into the top 10 a mere five minutes into the moto. However, as he looked to move closer to the top five Deegan tipped over and lost a few positions. Back out front, Vialle’s advantage grew to more than five seconds nearing the halfway point of the moto.
 
As the final 10 minutes approached, Shimoda’s pace picked up and he started to chip away at the deficit to Vialle. Behind him, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen was the rider to watch, as he made multiple passes to make his way into the top three. Shimoda, meanwhile, caught Vialle to initiate a battle for the lead. The Japanese rider bided his time and waited for the opportunity to make a pass attempt on the Frenchman and successfully did so to take over the top spot with just under nine minutes remaining. Behind them, Deegan had worked his way up to fifth as smoke began to come out of his Yamaha. He then crashed on one of the track’s downhill sections and remounted outside the top 10.
 
As Shimoda closed out the moto in emphatic fashion a last-lap battle for second emerged as Kitchen was on a torrid charge in the closing laps. He caught the Vialle and after a brief battle made the move to take over second. Shimoda took his first moto win since Southwick last season by a margin of 7.2 seconds over Kitchen, followed by Vialle in third. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Michael Mosiman finished fourth, with Hammaker rounding out the top five. Deegan soldiered home in 14th for his worst moto result since the penultimate round of the 2023 season.

Moto 2
The final moto of the day kicked off with Swoll edging out Shimoda for the Pro Motocross Holeshot as Shimoda then dropped to third behind another Triumph Factory Racing rider in Jordon Smith. Kitchen slotted into fourth and made the move around Shimoda for third. Deegan, meanwhile, started outside the top 10 but was able to climb up to ninth in the early stages of the opening lap. Back up front, Kitchen passed Smith for second but then lost traction and slid out, quickly remounting in 11th place.
 
As the top three settled in, Smith went off track and crashed, which allowed Shimoda to move into second and Mosiman into third, just ahead of Deegan in fourth. Deegan then went down and dropped two positions to sixth. Not long after Deegan’s misfortune, Kitchen was forced to visit the mechanics area, which dropped him outside the top 30 and ultimately out of contention.
 
Ten minutes into the moto Swoll continued to lead Shimoda, with about a second separating the two riders. Shimoda started to get pressure from Mosiman in third, which forced him to pick up his pace and take the lead from Swoll. Mosiman quickly followed into second. From there a battle for the lead took shape between Shimoda and Mosiman, who quickly distanced themselves from Swoll. After some initial pressure, Shimoda fended off Mosiman and soon built a near three-second advantage.
 
As the moto wore on, Shimoda continued to build on his lead and eventually moved nearly 20 seconds clear of the field as Mosiman encountered misfortune and lost his hold of second to Swoll. Mosiman was then forced to contend with Deegan in the closing stages for third, with the championship leader able to make the pass. Deegan wasn’t done as he put in a late charge to catch Swoll and made the pass with two laps to go.
 
Shimoda dominated en route to the 10th moto win of his career, finishing 17.7 seconds ahead of Deegan. Swoll earned his first moto podium since the 2023 season.

Overall
Shimoda’s first victory for Honda came via a compelling 1-1 performance, the second of his career, and now gives him four career wins. It was also his second victory at RedBud. Swoll (6-3) and Mosiman (4-4) ended up tied for the runner-up spot, with the second moto tiebreaker going to Swoll for his third career podium and the second Pro Motocross podium for Triumph. Mosiman made his return to the box for the first time since 2021 and the fourth time in his career.
 
Shimoda gained 20 points on Deegan, who finished fifth (14-2), with 38 points now separating the top two. Kitchen, who finished seventh (2-19), moved into third, 85 points behind Deegan.

1st Place: Jo Shimoda, Honda HRC Progressive (1-1)
“I needed those starts. My riding hasn’t been bad; I just needed starts. We tried some new mapping on the bike for the starts, and it really worked out. This is such a big confidence booster.”
 
2nd Place: Jalek Swoll, Triumph Factory Racing (6-3)
“It feels great. I was riding the best I ever had before my [Achilles] injury. It sucks I couldn’t race Supercross but to get on the podium in just my third race back for Triumph feels amazing.”
 
3rd Place: Michael Mosiman, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing (4-4)
“I’m just stoked. I put in a lot of hard work. A lot of hours, sweat, blood, and tears to get back here [on the podium]. It means a lot to make a comeback, and I know I have the ability to overcome anything.”

250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)

1. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Honda (1-1 // 50)
2. Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Triumph (6-3 // 36)
3. Michael Mosiman, Sebastopol, Calif., Yamaha (4-4 // 36)
4. Mikkel Haarup, Silkeborg, Denmark, Triumph (5-6 // 33)
5. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (14-2 // 30)
6. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., GASGAS (12-6 // 26)
7. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki (2-19 // 25)
8. Parker Ross, Herald, Calif., Yamaha (11-10 // 23)
9. Seth Hammaker, Bainbridge, Pa., Kawasaki (5-16 // 23)
10. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Kawasaki (10-12 // 22)

250 Class Championship Standings (Race 6 of 11)

1. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 274
2. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Honda – 236
3. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki – 189
4. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM – 186
5. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Kawasaki – 184
6. Michael Mosiman, Sebastopol, Calif., Yamaha – 149
7. Mikkel Haarup, Silkeborg, Denmark, Triumph – 144
8. Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda – 132
9. Maximus Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., Yamaha – 124
10. Seth Hammaker, Bainbridge, Pa., Kawasaki – 122

250SMX Regular Season Standings (Round 23 of 28)

1. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 495
2. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Honda – 399
3. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM – 366
4. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Kawasaki – 329
5. Seth Hammaker, Bainbridge, Pa., Kawasaki – 299
6. Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM – 295
7. Michael Mosiman, Sebastopol, Calif., Yamaha – 280
8. Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda – 262
9. Maximus Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., Yamaha – 244
10. Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., Triumph – 233

Daniels Pulls a Rabbit Out of His Helmet to Win Magic Mile

The “Magic Mile” lived up to its nickname by delivering yet another last-lap stunner as Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) claimed a scant-yet-pivotal victory in Saturday night’s Memphis Shades DuQuoin Mile, Round 8 of the 2025 Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. 

Daniels’ win at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in DuQuoin, Illinois, wasn’t assured until the checkered flag flew, which confirmed an official 0.037-second margin of victory following a hectic five-rider showdown to the very end.  

An early eight-rider scrap whittled down to six after a few minutes of fighting. It then took its final form of five – which included Daniels, title rival Briar Bauman (No. 3 RWR/Parts Plus/Latus Motors Harley-Davidson XG750R), James Ott (No. 19 G&G Racing Yamaha MT-07), Declan Bender (No. 70 Memphis Shades/Corbin/OTB Racing Yamaha MT-07), and Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R) – after Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing KTM 790 Duke) was forced out due to mechanical issues. 

Bauman kept himself relevant with some impressive cornering and line choice, but as the laps wound down, it became more and more apparent that the Yamahas of Daniels, Ott, and Bender had the steam on this night. 

With less than two minutes left on the clock, Bauman dropped back from first to fifth and then struggled mightily in his attempts to claw his way back into winning contention from that point forward. 

Ott, meanwhile, gave Daniels all he could handle, while Bender looked more than capable of springing a massive upset with a perfect final lap. 

But Daniels did what aspiring championship winners do, countering Ott’s final lap Turn 2 pass with a counter of his own, running back up the inside entering Turn 3. He then put his head down and narrowly outraced his challengers’ draft-pass attempts as the three completed a Yamaha lockout of the podium. 

Ott earned his maiden Mission AFT SuperTwins podium 0.037 seconds off the win while Bender claimed the first of his Progressive AFT career a further 0.092 seconds adrift. 

Daniels said, “That was huge… Not even just the win, but how we felt on the motorcycle today. It’s no secret that at the beginning of the season we’ve been struggling a little bit, just with some stuff. It’s not for lack of effort. My team has been busting their butts so much. This track – with the way that the corners are – is one where we’ve always lacked on the Yamaha the last few years. We’ve been making headway, and last year we were close to Jared (Mees), but not that close. This morning, I didn’t really feel the greatest, but I had a quiet confidence. I knew we were going to figure it out. I can’t give a big enough of a thanks to my whole Estenson Racing Monster Energy Yamaha team… 

“It was an amazing day. It’s the first time I’ve won a Grand National in my home state. It’s something special.” 

Robinson, meanwhile, held Bauman off for fourth just back of the top three.  

As a result, Daniels and Bauman now boast 162 points and four wins apiece, with Bauman technically in the championship lead as a result of his three runners-up to Daniels’ two. It doesn’t get much closer than that with the Grand National Championship fight now officially at its halfway point. 

Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 Racing Unlimited/Parts Bros/D&D Kawasaki Ninja 650) finished a lonely sixth, while Jarod VanDerKooi (No. 20 Fastrack Racing/Wally Brown Racing KTM 790 Duke), Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Progressive Insurance Honda Transalp), Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction Suzuki GSX-8S), and Max Whale (No. 18 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) rounding out the night’s top ten in that order. 

AFT Singles presented by KICKER 

In just over the span of a week, Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) took a protracted wins drought and vulnerable AFT Singles presented by KICKER championship position and transformed them into a three-race victory streak and a commanding 20-point advantage. 

The Australian did so in an intense Main Event that saw an eight-rider lead freight train storm past the checkered flag separated by a combined 0.342 seconds. 

As it went, the heated rivalry between Drane and Chase Saathoff (No. 88 RWR/Parts Plus Honda CRF450R) got that much hotter Saturday night. Saathoff came up just 0.020 seconds short of defeating Drane after spending the entire race in a struggle just to prevent the Estenson Racing ace from making an escape and instead forcing him to fight it out in a pack war. 

The two gestured angrily at one another following the conclusion of the race after being locked in ultra close quarters combat, including one particularly perilous moment in which Saathoff’s boot contacted Drane’s handlebar as they railed around a corner in tight proximity. 

Afterward, Drane said, “I just wanted to get out there straight to the front and do everything I could to win that one, because that was dangerous coming off the last corner doing that. It is what it is, and I guess I just have to put my head down and do what I did and come out on top.” 

In response, Saathoff said, “I thought I set myself up good (on the final lap), but it seems to me that Tom Drane doesn’t know how to go in a straight line sometimes. But, that’s okay. We’re going to look past it and move on to the next (race).” 

Saathoff was joined in the joint attempt to overcome Drane’s day-long speed advantage for the bulk of the Main by eventual third-place finisher Trevor Brunner (No. 21 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) and Bradon Pfanders (No. 83 Hannum’s HD/Pfanders Racing KTM 450 SX-F), who was shuffled back to sixth at the flag despite finishing just 0.252 seconds back of the win. 

Despite his impressive form, Pfanders was displaced in that final rush to the stripe by Hunter Bauer (No. 24 Vinson Construction/Reel Medics Yamaha YZ450F) and Evan Renshaw (No. 65 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450), who rounded out the top five. 

Meanwhile, Chad Cose (No. 49 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450) and Tarren Santero (No. 75 Mission Roof Systems Honda CRF450R) were rewarded with just seventh- and eighth-place results despite being in with a shot at the win as late as the race’s final corner. 

Drane’s recent surge has granted him a significant advantage over Saathoff at the title fight’s halfway point, as he now leads 153-133. Brunner sits third at 114, while Santero is well back in fourth with 87 points. 

STANDOUT REDBUD WEEKEND COMPLETE FOR RYDER DIFRANCESCO AND JUSTIN BARCIA

ROCKSTAR ENERGY GASGAS FACTORY RACING RIDERS TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION!

• Ryder D qualifies P1 overall in 250MX class at RedBud!
  • Both teammates rank well inside top 10 overall
• Unique 4th of July liveries to celebrate Independence Day!

DiFrancesco was fast from the outset onboard his GASGAS MC 250F Factory Edition in Michigan, setting the fastest time in the opening qualifying session this morning. The Californian would reinforce that form with an even quicker 2:08:014 lap-time in Q2, which was half a second faster than P2 entering the afternoon’s motos.

A tough start in Moto 1 saw the 20-year-old outside the top 20 on the opening lap, with a decisive come-from-behind ride resulting in a hard-fought P12 by race’s end. A better start in Moto 2 had DiFrancesco further up the field running as high as P4, before a fall dropped him down the order. Another charge ensued, this time resulting in a sixth-place finish and P6 overall for the weekend.

Ryder DiFrancesco: “RedBud was great! Qualified P1 for the first time ever, which felt really good, and I was able to back it up in the second session. Not a great start in Moto 1, and I had to push my way through, which I think 12th was our best in that one. Moto 2, I ended up getting into fourth pretty fast, then I went down, so had to charge forward again. Overall, a good day, and the next couple of tracks are good for me, so I’m excited!”

In 450MX, Barcia raced to eighth place in Moto 1 equipped with his RED-hot GASGAS MC 450F Factory Edition, before ninth in Moto 2 saw the New York native claim P7 overall in just his second round back from a lengthy stint on the sidelines. Satisfied with his early progression, BAMBAM is looking ahead to Spring Creek next weekend.

Justin Barcia: “All around, today was a good day! I qualified a little better than last week, and the motos went better than last week as well. First moto, had a tip-over that cost me some time, so that was a bummer. The second moto was challenging on a brutal track, but overall we finished P7, and I think if we keep trending in this direction, then we will be closer toward the front soon. Happy with the day – I always want more – but I’m satisfied with our improvement, and the bike was working really good. I’m looking forward to Spring Creek now!”

Next Race: July 12 – Spring Creek, Minnesota

Results 450MX Class – RedBud National

1. Jett Lawrence (Honda)
2. Hunter Lawrence (Honda)
3. Justin Cooper (Yamaha)
4. RJ Hampshire (Husqvarna)
5. Chase Sexton (KTM)
6. Justin Barcia (Rockstar Energy GASGAS Factory Racing)
7. Malcolm Stewart (Husqvarna)
8. Aaron Plessinger (KTM)

Standings 450MX Class 2025 after 6 of 11 rounds

1. Jett Lawrence, 290 points
2. Hunter Lawrence, 239
3. Justin Cooper, 221
4. Aaron Plessinger, 204
5. RJ Hampshire, 185
6. Malcolm Stewart, 105
7. Justin Barcia, 52
8. Chase Sexton, 35

Results 250MX Class – RedBud National

1. Jo Shimoda (Honda)
2. Jalek Swoll (Triumph)
3. Michael Mosiman (Yamaha)
4. Ryder DiFrancesco (Rockstar Energy GASGAS Factory Racing)
5. Tom Vialle (KTM)
6. Julien Beaumer (KTM)

Standings 250MX Class 2025 after 6 of 11 rounds

1. Haiden Deegan, 274 points
2. Jo Shimoda, 236
3. Levi Kitchen, 189
4. Tom Vialle, 186
5. Julien Beaumer, 106
6. Ryder DiFrancesco, 91
7. Casey Cochran, 88

DEFENDING 450MX CHAMPION CHASE SEXTON FINISHES FIFTH IN REDBUD RETURN

In what is considered his home race on the schedule, Sexton powered his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION – which was sporting a unique livery in celebration of the 4th of July weekend – to the eighth fastest qualifying time, with RedBud marking his first appearance since exiting the Fox Raceway season-opener.

After scoring a P5 finish in Moto 1 at the iconic Michigan circuit, Sexton charged toward the front of the field in Moto 2, running as high as second place before a late mishap saw him finish fourth. Fifth overall was a convincing result upon return and a solid foundation to build from in the second half of the season.

Chase Sexton:”First race back at RedBud wasn’t great results-wise, but I didn’t really expect a whole lot coming into the round. Second moto, I was pleasantly surprised that even if I wasn’t riding great, that my speed was still pretty good. I’m happy with the day – onward and upward from here to build into SMX and try to win some races.”

450MX teammate Aaron Plessinger powered his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to the sixth-fastest qualifying time. A P6 finish in Moto 1 was another strong performance for ‘The Cowboy’, despite developing a fever that would ultimately end his weekend early. Together with the team, Plessinger elected to sit out Moto 2 for safety purposes and to prioritize his recovery, currently fifth overall in the point-standings.

In 250MX, Tom Vialle qualified sixth overall, before racing to the front of the pack in Moto 1 onboard his KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION. After leading the race during its opening stages, Vialle would eventually claim third, before a fall in Moto 2 saw him eventually claim 21st, resulting in P13 for the weekend. After six rounds, Vialle holds P4 in the championship.

Tom Vialle:”Practice and qualifying were good, then I was leading Moto 1 for a while until about six or seven laps to go, where I ended up in third. Overall, my speed was much better there than previous rounds, which was good. Unfortunately, I had a crash at the start of the second moto in turn two. I kind of collided with another rider and I flew off the track, so I’m lucky to be alright. I did what I could to come back to 21st, so we’ll get back to training in Florida and come out strong in Millville.”

Equipped with his KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, 250MX teammate Julien Beaumer qualified in a promising fifth position, before recording a more challenging 16-13 moto scorecard for 16th overall as the series heads to Spring Creek next weekend.

Julien Beaumer:“It was another pretty average day for me. Second moto was off to a better start, but then I crashed late and just struggled to get going again. We’ll get some things figured out this week and come back to try again at Millville.”

Next Race: July 12 – Spring Creek, Minnesota

Results 450MX Class – RedBud National

1. Jett Lawrence (Honda)
2. Hunter Lawrence (Honda)
3. Justin Cooper (Yamaha)
4. RJ Hampshire (Husqvarna)
5. Chase Sexton (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
6. Justin Barcia (GASGAS)
7. Malcolm Stewart (Husqvarna)
8. Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)

Standings 450MX Class 2025 after 6 of 11 rounds

1. Jett Lawrence, 290 points
2. Hunter Lawrence, 239
3. Justin Cooper, 221
4. Aaron Plessinger, 204
5. RJ Hampshire, 185
6. Malcolm Stewart, 105
7. Justin Barcia, 52
8. Chase Sexton, 35

Results 250MX Class – RedBud National

1. Jo Shimoda (Honda)
2. Jalek Swoll (Triumph)
3. Michael Mosiman (Yamaha)
4. Ryder DiFrancesco (GASGAS)
5. Tom Vialle (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
6. Julien Beaumer (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)

Standings 250MX Class 2025 after 6 of 11 rounds

1. Haiden Deegan, 274 points
2. Jo Shimoda, 236
3. Levi Kitchen, 189
4. Tom Vialle, 186
5. Julien Beaumer, 106
6. Ryder DiFrancesco, 91
7. Casey Cochran, 88

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s RJ Hampshire impresses in fourth place at RedBud National

Equipped with the Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition and lining up with a USA-themed livery, Hampshire qualified in fifth position before racing to a convincing P3 finish after factoring up-front during the first race of the day at the famed Michigan venue.

Moto 2 saw the 29-year-old start in ninth, with a progressive climb through the field netting a sixth-place finish, which was enough for fourth overall. With his RedBud result, class newcomer Hampshire maintains sixth in the 450MX standings after six rounds.

“Awesome day at RedBud!” commented Hampshire.“I felt good on the bike and I actually had a bit of that send it kind of vibe on the 450. First moto, I almost got the holeshot and ran up front for a while, which was a good feeling, and I felt pretty strong for the whole moto. Bad start in Moto 2, but I came through the pack fast, and overall it was a big learning day for me. Fourth overall – I’m a man of my word – and I said this is kind of where I would be at this point, and we’re getting there. The next goal is to hit an overall podium, which we’ll work towards next weekend at Millville.” 

For teammate Stewart onboard his Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition, an 11-10 moto scorecard earned the number 27 a welcome eighth overall for the round, which was a strong performance given the nature of the challenging RedBud conditions and depth of the premier class in 2025.

“RedBud was a blast!”said Stewart.”I always love the energy here – the fans were unreal, as always. I gave it everything I had and came away with eighth overall. We’ll keep digging and head to Millville next… It’s time to face the Whoop Monster!”

Next Race: July 12 – Spring Creek, Minnesota

Results 450MX Class – RedBud National1. Jett Lawrence (Honda)2. Hunter Lawrence (Honda)3. Justin Cooper (Yamaha)4. RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing)5. Chase Sexton (KTM)7. Justin Barcia (GASGAS)8. Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing)12. Aaron Plessinger (KTM)

Standings 450MX Class 2025 after 6 of 11 rounds1. Jett Lawrence, 290 points2. Hunter Lawrence, 2393. Justin Cooper, 2215. Aaron Plessinger, 2046. RJ Hampshire, 18511. Malcolm Stewart, 10517. Justin Barcia, 5221. Chase Sexton, 35

Mosiman Earns First 250MX Podium of the Season at RedBud

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Michael Mosiman continued his upward trend, earning a third-place overall finish (4-4) at Round 6 of the Pro Motocross Championship at RedBud MX in Buchanan, Michigan. Haiden Deegan rebounded from a tough first moto to finish second in Moto 2 and end the day fifth overall (14-2), maintaining a healthy lead in the 250MX Championship. Nate Thrasher also overcame challenges to finish 11th overall (7-15). The weekend also featured the SMX Next – Motocross RedBud Combine, with Carson Wood showing speed and resilience to finish seventh overall (10-6).

It was a classic Pro Motocross Fourth of July weekend at the RedBud National, with a packed crowd and conditions that also tested riders and machines, with the heat, humidity, and a deeply rutted track. Mosiman qualified seventh, and although he didn’t get the start he was hoping for inside the top 10, he made his way to fifth by Lap 5. He battled for position and kept pushing, making his way to fourth mid-moto, where he would finish. In Moto 2, he started inside the top five but dropped back to sixth early. Mosiman made his way to third on Lap 2 after a couple of riders went down, and continued to push, making the pass for second a few laps later. As the race wore on, he lost some time on the leader and, with five laps remaining, had a tipover, dropping him back to third. He was passed by his teammate on the following lap, but rode on to finish fourth and secure his first overall 250MX podium this season, which was also his first outdoor podium with the team.

Despite feeling sore from his handlebar hitting his leg during a crash in the second qualifying session, Deegan soldiered on for the motos and was second in the combined times. In Moto 1, he found himself 12th after the opening lap and charged to seventh by Lap 3 before a tipover had him rejoining in ninth. Undeterred, the Californian went back to work and fought his way to fifth, but had another crash and ultimately finished 14th. In Moto 2, Deegan was ninth after the opening lap and quickly advanced to fourth. He had a tipover that set him back to fifth, but the reigning 250MX Champion kept pushing on and claimed the runner-up spot in the final laps to score valuable points with the second-place finish. Deegan heads into the latter half of the season with a 38-point advantage in the 250MX standings and a 96-point lead in the combined 250SMX points. 

After qualifying ninth, Thrasher got a great start to the first moto inside the top five. He dropped back to eighth but ran a strong pace and regained seventh, where he would finish. In Moto 2, he unfortunately crashed in the second corner and was 33rd on the opening lap. Unwilling to quit, Thrasher fought his way through to 15th in the challenging conditions, securing 11th overall with his efforts. 

At Friday’s SMX Next – Motocross RedBud Combine, Wood showed strength from the start, topping the timesheets in both qualifying sessions and grabbing the holeshot in Moto 1. He led most of the moto before a crash with four laps to go, which ultimately had him finishing 10th. Wood got another good start to Moto 2 inside the top five, but found himself on the ground in turn two and 21st after the opening lap. The young rider from Florida put his head down and charged back to sixth to finish seventh overall. 

Round 7 of Pro Motocross – and Round 24 of the SuperMotocross World Championship – is up next, with the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team heading to the Spring Creek MX Park in Millville, Minnesota, for the Spring Creek National on July 12.

Wil Hahn – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 250 Team General Manager
“It was a tough day for Haiden with the crash in Q2, and having another hard crash in Moto 1, but he rebounded in the second moto to finish second. Nate showed big improvements all day and unfortunately was in a pile-up in turn two in Moto 2. Michael brought great speed and consistency, and grabbed his first podium of the season! Carson was fast all day at the Moto Combine. He had a crash in both motos, but never quit. We’re looking forward to Millville next weekend.”

Haiden Deegan – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing  #1 
“I was able to finish second in the second moto. I was a little beat up. The track was rough, and the pain was gnarly going through all those bumps. It is what it is. On days like this, we need to recover through the races and try our best. We get to leave with a big points lead. We’ll hopefully come out swinging next weekend.” 

Michael Mosiman – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #93 
“It was a good race. It’s great to be at RedBud. It’s been three years since I’ve raced here, so it was cool to come back to a place where you have many years’ worth of memories. I felt pretty good on the bike. I wasn’t super fast in qualifying, but I felt solid. In the first moto, I had to come from around eighth or ninth and made some good passes to get up to fourth, so I was stoked with that. In Moto 2, I got a little better start and was able to ride my way into second, with some guys going down. I was in a really good spot. I was pressuring Jo (Shimoda) there for a little bit. I made a brief run at him, but this heat definitely took something out of me. I was regrouping and then made a small mistake and had a small crash. I was back to third, then Haiden got me. I’m stoked to get on the podium; it’s been a lot of hard work to get here. I’m stoked about the progress we’re making and the bike. I’m really happy with the team.”

Nate Thrasher – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #41 
“It was a better day for me at RedBud. I’m starting to feel the pace coming back. I had a little tipover in Moto 2, but I gave it everything I had and pushed for a solid result. So it was a positive weekend. We’re just going to keep making baby steps to where I want to be.”

Carson Wood – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #260
“It was a good day at the RedBud Moto Combine. I was the fastest qualifier in both sessions and felt great on the track. In Moto 1, I pulled the holeshot and led most of the race, but I had a crash with four laps to go that cost me some time, and I ended up 10th. In Moto 2, I came out third but unfortunately went down in the second turn, which put me last. I was able to charge back to sixth and finish seventh overall. My speed was there, and my endurance was better. I just have to keep it on two wheels. I’m happy to leave here healthy and to learn a lot. I can’t wait for Loretta Lynn’s.” 

Cooper Returns to the Podium at RedBud

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper returned to the podium at RedBud MX, finishing third overall (4-2) with a strong second moto performance in Buchanan, Michigan. The sixth round of the Pro Motocross 450MX Championship brought challenging conditions, where teammates Cooper Webb and Eli Tomac battled through adversity to finish ninth (15-8) and 13th (34-7) overall, respectively.

With the riders and YZ450Fs decked out in red, white, and blue, it was another festive Fourth of July weekend at RedBud MX. The temperatures were high, the humidity was thick, and the ruts were deep, making for a demanding day for both riders and machines. Cooper qualified third in the combined times and was around the top five off the start in Moto 1. He dropped to sixth early but maintained a strong pace, working his way to fifth at the halfway mark and then to fourth with four laps to go. In Moto 2, he grabbed another solid start and quickly advanced to second by Lap 2. He took over the lead before the midpoint and stayed up front for several laps before being passed by the series leader. Cooper kept charging and reclaimed second after the rider ahead went down, securing third overall with his fourth moto podium and second overall podium of the season. The New Yorker’s strong result also moved him up to third in the 450MX standings and narrowed the gap to 14 points behind teammate Webb, who still leads in the 450SMX combined points.

After twisting his knee in the second session of qualifying, Webb had a solid effort in ninth and would go on to put in another gritty ride to score valuable points in the title chase. In the first moto, he found himself at the back of the field after a crash in the second corner. Undeterred, he put his head down and battled his way into 11th past the halfway mark and was pushing toward the top 10 when his bike ran out of fuel just before the finish, scoring 15th in the moto. Despite the less-than-ideal gate pick for Moto 2, Webb got a good start inside the top 10 and made his way to seventh in the opening laps. He continued to battle for position, settling into seventh and running a strong pace. After getting passed by Tomac past the halfway point, Webb finished eighth to end the day ninth overall. He plans to have his knee evaluated after the weekend, with an update to follow.

Tomac started the day strong, qualifying fourth, and charged from 10th to third in Moto 1 before a technical issue ended his race early. With the 34th gate pick for Moto 2, the four-time 450MX Champion made an impressive charge from 26th on the opening lap to eighth by Lap 7, then closed the gap to Webb and made the pass three laps later. After losing too much time to advance further, he settled into seventh, holding the spot to the checkers for 13th overall. Tomac now sits fourth in points, just four behind Cooper.

Round 7 of Pro Motocross – and Round 24 of the SuperMotocross World Championship – is up next, with the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team heading to the Spring Creek MX Park in Millville, Minnesota, for the Spring Creek National on July 12.

Rich Simmons – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team Manager
“It was not an ideal day for us with Eli’s bike issue in the first moto, along with Webb running out of fuel just short of the finish. Justin getting on the podium was definitely a huge positive on a day like this. The team did a great job with the quick turnaround between motos to get the bikes ready and make the needed adjustments.”

Justin Cooper – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #32
“It was a good day at RedBud. I felt like we got the bike dialed in right away. In the first moto, I didn’t get the best of starts but made some passes and got up to fourth. I made a run at third, but I tried really hard to get up there, so I was a little bit tired. Then in Moto 2, I got a better start, made my way into the lead, and led for about 10 minutes. Being an American and leading here in front of these fans – it’s a good vibe. It kind of sends chills down your back when you get into the lead at RedBud and everyone’s screaming, yelling, and blowing the air horns. Overall, it was a really good day for me. I felt good on the bike and finished second for third overall. Let’s carry the momentum into next weekend.”

Cooper Webb – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #2
“It was an up-and-down day at RedBud. I felt great in practice, and on the last turn of my good lap, I ripped my left leg off the footpeg and caught my knee pretty bad, which wasn’t great. Then in the first moto, I ended up crashing in turn two, right off the start. I was dead last with my bars and clutch bent, but I made a hard push to get myself into 10th before my bike ran out of fuel in the last turn. In Moto 2, it was just a bad start, but I rode really well and ran seventh until Eli got me late in the moto, and I finished eighth. Overall, it was a very rough day physically and mentally, but my riding was good. I’m going to get my knee checked out on Monday to make sure that we are all good.”

Eli Tomac – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #3
“It was a tough weekend for us. We’ll regroup and finish better in Millville.”

Jalek Swoll Claims Runner-up Result at Redbud Pro Motocross

RedBud, the sixth round of the 2025 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, is a true celebration of motocross, but few were as buoyant as Jalek Swoll and the Triumph Factory Racing team, as he put the TF 250-X on the 250MX podium for the first time this season.

Swoll’s delivered since his return to competition – he has improved at each event and demonstrated his potential in year two on his TF 250-X. The power in that steed helped him start third in moto one; he was eventually ranked in sixth but destined for more in the final moto.

A faultless start in moto two saw him pull a superb holeshot and lead the pack on lap one – he led for a total of four laps and eventually ended third in the moto and second in the overall classification. His 6-3 results put him on the overall podium, of course, and therefore RedBud marked the second trophy in Triumph’s AMA Pro Motocross Championship history.

Much like Swoll, Mikkel Haarup continues to build from one week to the next and impressed in his first visit to RedBud. Eighth was his score in moto one, after being shuffled around on the first lap, and then he shined in the second moto. Starting on the cusp of the top 10, he was quick to move forward and clawed his way to fourth in the moto and overall classification. An impressive haul of points helped him leap to seventh in the championship standings.

For Jordon Smith, RedBud was a step forward and yet a missed opportunity. Racing to a consistent ninth in moto one, he was dynamic early in moto two as he sat in second place behind teammate Swoll. The pair navigated the circuit in formation until Smith faltered on a jump face that had been watered and fell. Refusing to accept defeat, he raced to the very end and finished one position shy of a point in 22nd. A 9-22 result put him in 18th overall at RedBud.

Austin Forkner’s day was a tale of two motos; he exited the first moto with a freak issue but rebounded well to push from 23rd to 14th in the second moto. The #83 has shown tenacity and grit via his charges through the field in recent weeks but will now strive to improve his starts in order to capitalise on such speed.

Triumph Factory Racing will push towards Minnesota now – the seventh round of the season will be run at the picturesque venue of Millville.

Jalek Swoll

“We wanted consistent top-10 finishes in my return, so to be on the podium this soon is incredible! I am so happy – I felt that I unlocked a new level of speed in the off-season and it is nice to see it pay off. The team has been so loyal to me, both in highs and lows, so I am happy to share this with them.”

Mikkel Haarup

“A good weekend for me and us as a team! This was a challenging track, but I had two solid motos and great starts. Fourth overall is my best score of the season. I want more of this, so we will continue working.”

Jordon Smith

“An up and down day! We have made steps in the right direction with stuff that we have struggled with. I was strong in the first moto, finishing ninth, and came out second behind Jalek in moto two. I felt good up there! I felt smooth, until I was not. I caught an edge on a hard-pack face and lost all traction. Unfortunately, I was caught in ropes on the side of the track and rejoined the race in dead last. These are not the results that we want, but we are making steps in the right direction.”

Austin Forkner

“This was a pretty good day. The track was super deep and I struggled with it early on, but it packed in once the motos started. I was inside of the points in moto one and had a freak issue – it happens in this sport! I had an outside gate for moto two and was ran wide, but I rode well. I was happy with my performance on a gnarly track. The bike changes that we made this week paid off too. This was the most comfortable that I have felt this season! I rode hard to the end – I am happy and felt like I was on form. I just need a start now.”

Jeremy Coker – General Manager, Triumph Racing America

“What a massive day for us. Through practice we were not where we wanted to be, but the team and riders never gave up. I am so very proud of everyone involved. For Jalek to get second overall in his third race back is unreal! Mikkel is getting better and better every week too. Unfortunately, we had a bike issue with Austin in moto one but got it turned around and back on track for moto two. The team will not settle for this and continue to strive for the front.”

250MX Results: 2025 AMA Pro Motocross, Round Six – RedBud

1. Jo Shimoda (Honda) 1-1

2. Jalek Swoll (Triumph) 6-3

3. Michael Mosiman (Yamaha) 4-4

4. Mikkel Haarup (Triumph) 8-5

5. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 14-2

18. Jordon Smith (Triumph) 9-22

20. Austin Forkner (Triumph) 34-14

250MX Standings: 2025 AMA Pro Motocross, Round Six – RedBud

1. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 274pts

2. Jo Shimoda (Honda) 236pts

3. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) 189pts

4. Tom Vialle (KTM) 186pts

5. Garrett Marchbanks (Kawasaki) 184pts

7. Mikkel Haarup (Triumph) 144pts

12. Jordon Smith (Triumph) 107pts

17. Jalek Swoll (Triumph) 80pts

21. Austin Forkner (Triumph) 51pts

MONSTER ENERGY® KAWASAKI RIDERS SHINE AT REBUD MX WITH TEAM GREEN™ RIDER LANDEN GORDON SCORING THE MOTO COMBINE OVERALL WIN

Monster Energy® Kawasaki Team Green™ rider Landen Gordon tasted sweet victory and redemption in the SMX Next Scouting Moto Combine with a first overall finish (4-1) on Friday at RedBud MX. Enzo Temmerman battled the field to take sixth overall (12-4). 

Monster Energy® Kawasaki rider Jorge Prado showed his championship speed at Round 6 of the Pro Motocross Championship on Saturday, as he led the first half of Moto 2 and finished sixth overall (7-5). Teammate Jason Anderson showed a solid effort on the day, until he had to retire early from Moto 2 due to an ongoing illness, placing him 15th overall (10-35). Monster Energy® Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Levi Kitchen continued his podium showing in Moto 1 on his way to take seventh overall (2-19) on the day. Teammate Seth Hammaker pushed through the hot and humid day to take ninth overall (5-16), while Garrett Marchbanks left it all on the track to make his way through the field and claim 10th overall (10-12). Drew Adams made his return from injury at RedBud and claimed 19th overall (17-17). 

The Pro Motocross Championship visited the iconic RedBud MX track in Buchanan, Michigan, for a festive Fourth of July weekend. In the 250 Class, the Monster Energy® Pro Circuit Kawasaki riders worked their way through the soft and rutted track to clock in lap times around the Top 10 in qualifying. Hammaker, Adams, Kitchen, and Marchbanks took eighth, 10th, 11th, and 14th overall, respectively. In the 450 Class, Prado returned to the familiar track for the first time since last racing it at the 2022 FIM Motocross of Nations, looking to build on his prior success. In the first qualifying session, Prado took time to refamiliarize himself with the track and qualified eighth overall. Anderson went out and put in consistent laps in both sessions for 10th overall, giving both riders good gate picks for the tricky right-handed first corner. 

In 250 Moto 1, Hamaker rocketed out of the gate and positioned himself in a strong sixth-place spot, while Kitchen was side by side with his teammate through the first section in seventh. As the first lap unfolded, Kitchen went down and dropped back to 14th. Hammaker made up quick positions and moved to third place by the second lap. Adams was shuffled back to mid-pack off the start, while Marchbanks suffered a first-turn crash that sent him to the back of the field. Hammaker continued to put down consistent laps, holding down third place, but Kitchen was charging from behind and determined to move to the front. He clocked the fastest time in sector three on Lap 3, and halfway through the race, he made it back to the front and overtook third place from Hammaker. After Marchbanks remounted his bike, he passed an impressive 15 riders on the first lap and clocked the fastest time in sector six on Lap 3. He pushed himself all the way to the end, moving from last to 12th place in Moto 1. Adams battled his way from 21st on the opening lap to finish 17th in the moto. Hammaker continued to click off laps up front and ended the race in fifth place. At the end of the race, Kitchen was pressuring his competition and doing everything he could to pass. On the last few laps, he was gaining four seconds a lap on second place, and on the second-to-last lap, he secured the pass to take second in Moto 1. 

In 450 Moto 1, both Monster Energy® Kawasaki riders got strong jumps off the gate, Prado sitting in the Top 5 and Anderson in the Top 10. On the opening lap, Prado quickly moved into third and found himself in a battle for the position, until he slipped to seventh place, where he would ultimately finish the moto. Anderson moved himself up into eighth on the first several laps, then dropped to 10th place with 10 minutes left on the clock. He held off his competition to finish 10th place in the moto.

In 250 Moto 2, Hammaker and Kitchen both pulled strong starts from their inside gates, putting themselves fourth and eighth through the first turn. Marchbanks pulled a much better start in the second moto but found himself caught in a pile-up in the second turn. Marchbanks remounted his bike in 38th and powered his way through the pack again. Adams had a less-than-ideal start and came out of the gate mid-pack. Kitchen was once again charging by his competitors on the first lap, making aggressive passes to move from eighth to second. After the first lap, he went off the track in the turn after the finish line and lost traction, causing him to slide out and drop back to 11th. On Lap 4, Kitchen pulled into the mechanics’ area to make an adjustment to his bike after another crash. He pulled back out onto the track in 31st, and went to work moving towards the front, but another crash interrupted his pace. Kitchen showed his resilience and continued putting in laps to take 19th place in Moto 2 and seventh overall. Hammaker was able to follow his teammate Kitchen as they both moved towards the front on the first few laps, but Hammaker ended up dropping back to 16th place to finish the moto and ninth overall after dealing with some ongoing health issues that didn’t allow him to race to his full potential. Marchbanks showed raw speed and skill in the second moto as he picked off his competitors one by one, including all three of his teammates. He charged from 30th to 12th to claim 10th overall and recorded the fastest time in sector two on Lap 4. Adams completed his first race back with a 17th-place finish in Moto 2 and 19th overall. 

In 450 Moto 2, Prado placed himself back up front. He shot out of the gate aboard his KX™450SR and came into the first turn, narrowly missing credit for the holeshot. Prado quickly made the pass to take the lead on Lap 1 and started pulling away from the field. Anderson rounded the first turn in the Top 10 and quickly passed several riders to position himself in fifth place. As the race continued, Anderson slowly faded and retired early from the race at the halfway mark due to the ongoing illness he was dealing with from the weekend prior. Prado continued clicking off laps up front and claimed the fastest time in sector three on Lap 2. Towards the halfway point of the race, a pack of riders began closing in on Prado. He battled to hold his lead, but ultimately dropped back to fifth to finish the race and take seventh overall. A very solid effort for the No. 70 and a step in the right direction. 

RedBud hosted the second Scouting Moto Combine of the season for the SMX Next Class. In qualifying, both Gordon and Temmerman put up strong lap times, coming in second and eighth overall, respectively. In Moto 1, Gordon rocketed out of his inside gate and nearly claimed the holeshot while Temmerman had a first-turn tip over that put him toward the back of the field. Gordon looked strong, holding second place for the first part of the race until eventually slipping back to fourth, where he would finish. Temmerman buckled down and powered his way through the pack, coming from 21st to 12th place to finish the moto. In Moto 2, Gordon pulled another impressive start on his KX™250, leading the field into the first turn and claiming the holeshot. Temmerman had a much stronger start in the second moto, coming through the first turn in the Top 10. Gordon came out of the first lap in second place and held his position through the whole race until the rider in first place dropped out the race with two laps to go, giving Gordon the first-place position and the overall win. Temmerman bounced back from Moto 1 and pushed his way through the soft, technical track to secure fourth place and sixth overall. 

---

“After my results last year at the Moto Combine here, it feels unreal to come back and take first place. I didn’t realize it when I came off the track, I knew I was on the podium, but finding out I got first place is such a good feeling. Moto 1 didn’t go how I wanted it to, but we went back and changed a few things on the bike for Moto 2. I’m super happy coming out of this one with the win, and now we’ll go back and prep for Loretta’s.”

• Landen Gordon

“The first qualifier was okay, I was P7 and then P14 in the second session. I wasn’t quite as good in that second session, but I was feeling good on the bike all day. I went into Moto 1 and got in a first-turn crash, came from last to 10th and I felt really good in that race. I was hoping for a better start in Moto 2, which I got. I was around Top 10 through the first turn, going into turn two I got together with someone and went down. I came from last in both motos today. I thought it was going to be a solid second moto after I passed around 15 guys on the first lap, then I crashed again. It was a rough day, but I came back to 12th in Moto 2. Moving on to Millville, we’ll keep working on things. My speed is there so I just need to keep working on starts.”

-Garrett Marchbanks 

“I didn’t have the best day out there. In the first qualifying session I was 17th, which I wasn’t too happy with. In the second session, I was 10th, which is better, but still not super excited about those results. All day I was worried about how my fitness was going to be, and it definitely showed in the motos. I went 17-17 on the day, which we can work on. My finger was feeling fine today, I just need to go back and ride more to improve my fitness and get better.”

• Drew Adams

“I felt pretty good today. I was alright in qualifying and Moto 1 went pretty well for me. I fell a couple of times on Lap 1, but came back in second. I really felt like it was my day to win, but in Moto 2 I got impatient and tried to make a pass too early and crashed, got up then crashed again. I had to go to the mechanics’ area, which was a mistake on my part. I got back out there and then crashed again. I just dropped the ball today. There are a lot of positives though to take from the day. My speed is back, but I have to learn from this one and it definitely hurts, but we’ll go into Millville and try to keep getting a little bit better.”

• Levi Kitchen

“Today was a tough one for me. I got a pretty good start in Moto 1 and was running in third for the first six laps, then went back to fifth and rode there for the rest of that moto. I felt okay, but it wasn’t an ideal race for me. In Moto 2, I had another pretty good start around the Top 5. I stayed there for a couple of laps and then it felt like I was getting passed each lap. It was very frustrating for me. I’m trying to figure out different things each week with myself and the bike. We’ve been testing some things, and we’re not sure how it will be until race day. I feel like I have four or five good laps in me in the first moto, and then I struggle the rest of the day. I’ve been dealing with an autoimmune disease issue for a while and the longer format races and heat are very exhausting on top of it. I’m trying to manage it and figure it out currently. We’re going to drop back to one day a week of riding to see if that helps with the stress of the races. I know I can ride and carry the pace, but it’s about having the energy to be able to carry on throughout the day.”

• Seth Hammaker

“This was a step in the right direction for me. This week we did a lot of work on the bike, and we will keep building on that. I’ve been out riding on the East Coast and testing different things, and the team has been very supportive with making all the changes back in California. Being upfront today was a very comfortable feeling for me. It helped me understand the bike more and the areas we can work on. I just need to keep training and testing, and I know we can be on the podium soon.”

• Jorge Prado

“I didn’t have my best performance today. I qualified 14th overall, which is a bit slower than usual for me. I was more focused on the day ahead. Moto 1, I started around eighth and tried to battle with the guys around me, but ended up getting 10th. Moto 2, I had to pull off early because I wasn’t feeling 100%. I’m still having some issues with my health. I need to check on that and see how everything is, and we’ll go from there.”

• Jason Anderson

Fireworks for Honda HRC Progressive at RedBud MX

The Honda RedBud National delivered pyrotechnics both on and off the track for Honda HRC Progressive over the Fourth of July Weekend. With special HRC guests visiting from Japan and Spain, and Honda serving as title sponsor of the popular Independence Day Weekend event, the riders did their part, sweeping the moto wins in a performance that was nothing short of dominant. In the 450 ranks, Jett Lawrence overcame a moto 2 mid-pack start and a small fall to secure his sixth consecutive overall win (and his fourth moto-sweep). Hunter Lawrence posted consistent 2-3 finishes for second overall, marking the fourth double-podium for the Lawrence brothers this season. Meanwhile, Jo Shimoda swept both motos in the 250 class, earning his first overall win of the year and gaining a large amount of points in the championship fight.

In the first 450 moto, Hunter grabbed the holeshot aboard his CRF450RWE, with Jett completing the first lap in third. The brothers quickly asserted control of the race, with Jett moving into second by lap 2 and taking over the lead three laps later. From there, the duo maintained their positions unchallenged, crossing the finish line in first and second, respectively.

Moto 2 was more eventful, as both Lawrences suffered rare poor starts, with Jett then having an early tip-over; at the end of lap 1, Hunter and Jett sat eighth and 18th, respectively, and they began charging forward. By lap 3, Hunter was into third, with Jett eighth. The reigning SMX champ passed his brother on lap 6 to take over third, and he moved by Jorge Prado at around the midway point. He took over the lead on lap 11 (with five laps still remaining!) to cap off an incredible comeback, winning by over eight seconds. Hunter fought with Chase Sexton over third, with the Australian taking control of the position and growing his cushion over fourth to 10 seconds by the finish.

Shimoda grabbed the first 250 holeshot aboard his CRF250RWE and settled into second behind Tom Vialle. The Japanese racer kept the pressure on and reclaimed the lead by lap 10, maintaining his pace to earn the moto win by over eight seconds. In moto 2, Shimoda got a close second-place start and lost a spot early on, but he regained it by the end of lap 1. He rode strong and took over the lead just past the halfway point, putting in smooth and consistent laps to take the victory and clinch the overall win.

NOTES

• All three active Honda HRC Progressive riders—Jett Lawrence, Hunter Lawrence and Jo Shimoda—took part in Friday’s media activities at RedBud, including interviews and on-track riding sessions.
• Honda served as the official title sponsor of the Honda RedBud National, reinforcing the brand’s longstanding commitment to American motocross and the Pro Motocross Championship.
• Honda’s globally dominant trials duo—37-time FIM World Champion Toni Bou and Repsol Honda teammate Gabriel Marcelli—were on hand at RedBud. Bou served as the event’s Grand Marshal, appearing on the podium during the opening ceremony and trophy presentation. In addition, the Spanish duo put on a pair of riding exhibitions on a specially designed course, showcasing their incredible balance and technical skill in front of the motocross crowd. This coming weekend, Bou and Marcelli will compete aboard their factory HRC Montesa Cota machines at the U.S. round of the TrialGP World Championship, in Exeter, Rhode Island.
• Executives from Honda Racing Corporation in Japan—including Executive Director Yuzuru Ishikawa, General Manager Taichi Honda and Off-Road Racing Manager Yasuhiro Yokoyama—were in attendance at RedBud, underscoring the brand’s strong global support for the team and the AMA Pro Motocross Championship.
• As is typical for Honda HRC Progressive for the RedBud event, Throttle Jockey prepared special bike graphics with an Independence Day theme. The squad’s race bikes sported an American flag-wielding bald eagle, whose wing was based on the old-school Honda wing logo.
• As was the case at the High Point National, Jamie and Kayla Irvine and Jay Winter cooked for the crew on race day. The group, which owns several great restaurants in Pennsylvania, are longtime friends of the Honda HRC Progressive team.
• RedBud hosted a round of the SMX Next Motocross Combine series, featuring some of the country’s top amateur motocross racers. Among them were a trio of Red Riders: SLR Honda’s Leum Oehlhof (who finished 10th overall despite a crash-affected second moto), privateer Brock Walker (22nd overall) and Phoenix Racing Honda’s Tiger Wood (24th).
• In the 450 combined qualifying times, Jett and Hunter set the pace, going 1-2 (Jett’s time in the first session was nearly two seconds better than the next-best rider!). Joey Savatgy (Quad Lock Honda Racing) was 11th in combined times, followed by Cornelius Tondel (JWR Honda Racing) in 12th. Other Red Riders included Jeremy Hand (Valley Motorsports) in 25th, John Short (McGinley Clinic) in 32nd, and Henry Miller (Mx6 Racing) in 33rd. Justin Rodbell (Rodbell Racing) earned his spot on the gate by finishing fourth in the 450 LCQ.
• In the 250 class, Shimoda logged the fourth-best time in combined qualifying. He was followed by Mark Fineis (TiLube Honda Racing) in 21st, Izaih Clark (TiLube Honda Racing) in 24th, Jace Allred (SLR Honda) in 27th, and Lance Kobusch (SPR Honda) in 28th. TJ Albright (Phoenix Racing Honda) secured his place in the motos with a third-place finish in the 250 LCQ.
• Honda is the first manufacturer since 2008 to sweep both classes at RedBud.
• As he had done at the Southwick National, Norwegian rider Cornelius Tondel competed at RedBud, basing out of the Honda HRC Progressive pit footprint for the weekend. The JWR Honda Racing rider went 35-20 for 26th overall.
• Jett posted the fastest lap time in both 450 motos, continuing his trend of outright speed. Shimoda set the fastest lap in the second 250 moto.
• With his RedBud victory, Jett Lawrence now holds 21 career AMA Pro Motocross premier-class overall wins in just 22 attempts, moving him into sole possession of eighth place on the all-time list—now ahead of James Stewart and Jeff Stanton.
• With Jett’s RedBud win this weekend, Honda grew its premier-class tally at the venue to 13 overall wins, one ahead of the next-closest manufacturer. Red Riders to have earned overall victories at RedBud include Marty Tripes, Steve Wise, David Bailey, Jeff Stanton, Jeremy McGrath, Kevin Windham, Sebastien Tortelli, Ricky Carmichael (three times), Chad Reed and Jett Lawrence (twice).
• Jo’s win this weekend was Honda’s 12th in the support division at RedBud, as he joins fellow Red Riders Johnny O’Mara, Ron Lechien, Micky Dymond (twice), Guy Cooper, George Holland, Steve Lamson (twice), Trey Canard, Jeremy Martin and Chance Hymas.
• Jett now leads the 450 title chase by a commanding 51 points over teammate Hunter, who has advanced to second place in the standings. Shimoda remains second in the 250 points race, although he reduced his gap by 20, from 58 to 38.
• Next, the AMA Pro Motocross Championship heads to Millville, Minnesota, for round 7 at Spring Creek MX Park, taking place Saturday, July 12.

Jett Lawrence
“The big bosses were in town, so you’ve got to lock in and ride well—you want to look good for them! Jo also rode unreal in the 250 class; he dropped the rest of the guys, and it was great to see him riding like himself again. When the higher-ups are here, you just want to do that little bit extra to make them proud.”

Hunter Lawrence
“Good weekend—1-2 in the premier class, and obviously Jo had an amazing day in the 250s, so that was cool. The big bosses made a trip over, and we also had Toni Bou and Gabriel Marcelli, two of the best trials riders in the world, fly in for a demo. It was definitely a special day for Honda.”

Jo Shimoda
“I think I needed that. I’m actually more stoked about getting two good starts than even winning a moto! Going 1-1 and getting my first overall win with Honda feels really good. I’m just excited for the next couple of rounds—we just have to keep it going.”

Lars Lindstrom – Team Manager
“What an absolute dream weekend for the team, and for Honda! This is our second sweep of the summer, and to do it with Ishikawa-san and company here from HRC was really special. It was a busy weekend, with a lot of moving parts, like having the HRC Trials team here and preparing everything for that; it all went off without a hitch really, and I want to thank Jeff Weiner [Assistant Manager of Racing] for making that happen. It was a true honor to have Toni Bou and Gabriel Marcelli here, and it was awesome to have them integrated into the team for the weekend. We put our heads together to help Jo get better starts, and I have to say a big thanks to Grant Hutcheson [450 Crew Chief] for helping understand what Jo needed, and to Jo himself for trusting in us to change his style within a week, with the goal of getting better starts. With Deegan having misfortune, someone needed to capitalize, and I’m so stoked Jo did that. I honestly can’t say enough about Hunter and Jett; it’s such a privilege to have them on the team, and I feel so lucky to be in the position that I’m in.”

Landen Gordon Emerges Victorious at SMX Next – Motocross Scouting Moto Combine at RedBud National

The second of three events for SMX Next – Motocross took place surrounded by the celebratory atmosphere of the 4th of July, on the eve of the Honda RedBud National Presented by Dixxon Flannel Co. A total of 26 amateur prospects were invited to the Scouting Moto Combine Presented by U.S. Air Force Special Warfare at legendary RedBud MX, where a pair of unpredictable motos saw Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Landen Gordon emerge victorious to give Rider Coach Gareth Swanepoel the Coach’s Cup in his debut appearance in the role.

Before racing got underway on Friday afternoon, the hand-picked group of young racers took part in classroom-style education sessions that provided invaluable lessons and insights into the various aspects of the sport, such as training, nutrition, and media engagement. The prospects were divided into five groups, with each rider assigned to one of five esteemed Rider Coaches, as Swanepoel was flanked by Michael Byrne, Broc Glover, Ezra Lusk, and Chad Reed. All the coaches provided unparalleled perspective, guidance, and mentorship to the promising young athletes.

onster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Landen Gordon took a shock victory at the RedBud Combine that even he wasn’t aware of until he stepped onto the podium.
Photo Courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.

The first moto of the afternoon saw Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Carson Wood assert himself out front with the holeshot and the early race lead as Gordon settled into second. Behind them, multiple riders jockeyed for position in the opening laps, but it was KTM Orange Brigade’s Deacon Denno who ultimately took hold of third ahead of Altus Motorsports BLU CRU Yamaha’s Owen Covell and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Landon Gibson. The clear track allowed Wood to inch away from the field as Gordon started to lose ground in the middle of the moto, dropping from second to fourth. That moved Denno up into second while a hard charging Gibson climbed up to third. Denno and Gibson then battled it out for several laps, with Gibson able to make the pass. The Husqvarna rider then started to make ground on Wood, who went down right in front of Gibson with just a few laps remaining. That allowed the Gibson rider to assume the lead and storm to the moto win 6.6 seconds ahead of Denno, followed by Altus Motorsports BLU CRU Yamaha’s Kade Johnson in third, with Gordon just off the podium in fourth.

Orange Brigade KTM’s Luke Fauser finished in the runner-up spot.
Photo Courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.

The final moto began with Gordon and Gibson side-by-side exiting the first turn, with the holeshot edge going to Gordon. However, in the following corner they bumped one another going for the same rut, which sent Gordon off to the side and Gibson into the lead. The Husqvarna rider charged forward as Gibson started fourth but fought back up to second, with Orange Brigade KTM’s Luke Fauser slotting into third. Misfortune plagued Moto 1 contenders Denno, who started second but then crashed on the opening lap, and Johnson, who started third, went down, and then had his bike expire. Out front, Gibson was in a class of his own and opened up an insurmountable margin over Gordon. Unfortunately, heartbreak struck the Husqvarna rider with just two laps to go as his bike also stopped running. That moved Gordon into the lead and on to the moto win 3.1 seconds ahead of Fauser, with Muc-Off/FXR/ClubMX Yamaha’s Jesson Turner in third.

Muc-Off/FXR/ClubMX Yamaha’s Jesson Turner rounded out the overall podium in third.
Photo Courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.

The top three from Moto 2 ultimately secured the overall podium positions as well, with Gordon’s 4-1 finishes and 5 points putting him atop the classification. Fauser’s 7-2 finishes and 9 points placed him in the runner-up position, while a 9-3 effort and 12 points resulted in an unlikely third place for Turner.

“I struggled a lot in the first moto and made a few bike changes. I came out in the second moto just trying to work on myself,” said Gibson. “I’m going to be honest; I did not know Gibson’s bike blew up. I thought I finished in third place, so now that I know I won, it’s unreal. Last year was very unfortunate here [at the RedBud Combine], so to come back and get sort of lucky is really awesome.”

The RedBud Combine overall podium of Landen Gordon (1st place, center), Luke Fauser (2nd place, left), and Jesson Turner (3rd place, right).
Photo Courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.

The top prospects in amateur motocross put on a show on the 4th of July during the RedBud Scouting Moto Combine.
Photo Courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.

One event remains for SMX Next – Motocross this summer. Indiana’s Ironman Raceway will host the final Scouting Moto Combine on Friday, August 8, ahead of the Tucker Freight Lines Ironman National.

SMX Next – Motocross // RedBud Moto Combine Results (Moto Finishes / Score)

1. Landen Gordon, Atascadero, Calif., Kawasaki (4-1 / 5)
2. Luke Fauser, Midland, Pa., KTM (7-2 / 9)
3. Jesson Turner, Lockesburg, Ark., Yamaha (9-3 / 12)
4. Owen Covell, Plymouth, Mass., Yamaha (6-7 / 13)
5. Deacon Denno, Fort Worth, Texas, KTM (2-13 / 15)
6. Enzo Temmerman, Visalia, Calif., Kawasaki (12-4 / 16)
7. Carson Wood, Zephyrhills, Fla., Yamaha (10-6 / 16)
8. Landon Hartz, Wilsonville, Ala., Yamaha (15-5 / 20)
9. Diesel Thomas, Raymond, Neb., Husqvarna (11-9 / 20)
10. Leum Oehlhof, Oak Hills, Calif., Honda (5-15 / 20)