The 2024 Pro Motocross Champs in the United States reached its halfway point at the weekend with the annual Independence Day tradition at RedBud, in Michigan, round six of the series.
The first race following the recent news that defending champion Jett Lawrence will miss the rest of the season with injury, the event featured near-perfect weather conditions, where one of the biggest crowds in RedBud history was on hand to cheer on hometown racer Chase Sexton to victory.
The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider swept the motos for his second win of the season, and the first at the track where he grew up racing, which also allowed him to take control of the 450 class points lead.
In the 250 class, Team Honda HRC’s Chance Hymas kept his breakout season going with the first victory of his professional career.
The first premier class race of the afternoon saw the red plate of entering point leader Hunter Lawrence take the holeshot, heading the field through the first turn aboard his Team Honda HRC machine.
Early on, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger pressured from second with team-mate Sexton starting third. Lawrence fended off an initial attack from Plessinger and soon the top three settled into their respective positions.
The lead trio remained unchanged through the first 10 minutes of the moto, but Sexton picked up the pace and was able to make the pass on Plessinger for second. At that point just a couple seconds separated Lawrence from Sexton as the moto reached the halfway point.
Sexton bided his time behind Lawrence and did get close enough at point to attempt a pass, but Lawrence held him off and stretched the lead back out entering the final 10 minutes. Behind them, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper was able to catch and pass Plessinger for third.
As they approached the final five minutes of the moto Sexton had once again reeled Lawrence back in, partially aided by heavy lapped traffic.
The lead stabilised once more as Sexton made slight contact passing slower riders, which slowed his momentum, but then lappers became a factor again in the final two minutes, which allowed Sexton to close onto the rear fender of the Honda.
Less than a second sat between the leaders entering the final two laps. As they navigated one of the track’s slow, bumpy downhills, Lawrence’s bike went sideways and caused him to lose grip of the motorcycle, which then slammed him into the ground.
Sexton inherited the lead while Lawrence was able to remount in second, just ahead of Cooper in third.
Sexton cruised to his fourth moto win of the season, 15.5 seconds ahead of Lawrence, who recovered to minimise the damage and finish second. Cooper followed in third, with Plessinger fourth and Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson fifth.
The final moto of the day saw Anderson emerge with the holeshot, only to be passed by Fire Power Honda’s Kyle Webster. Anderson battled back to reclaim the lead while Sexton made a charge on Australian rider Webster from third. Lawrence started the moto just outside the top five in seventh.
Sensing the moment, Sexton went on the attack in the opening laps. He made the pass on Webster for second and then set his sights on Anderson out front. Sexton closed in, awaited his opportunity, and made the pass to seize control of the moto inside the opening 10 minutes.
Further back, Lawrence ran sixth and looked to challenge Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Malcolm Stewart for fifth. The point leader closed in and made the pass.
Back up front, Sexton’s lead stabilized at around seven seconds, but it was Plessinger who gave pursuit from second after he made the pass on Anderson. A couple positions behind, Lawrence was able to pass Webster to move into fourth place.
Sexton remained in firm control during the second half of the moto and extended his lead to more than 20 seconds in the end, as he completed the sweep of the motos with the largest margin of victory of the season, 21.1 seconds over Plessinger, with Anderson in third. Lawrence missed out on a moto podium for just the second time this season in fourth.
Sexton’s most dominant outing of the season gave him the fourth 1-1 sweep of his career and his eighth victory in the premier class. Plessinger’s strong second moto and season-best runner-up finish (4-2) capped off a 1-2 outing for Red Bull KTM, while Lawrence extended his six-round podium streak in third (2-4).
The win vaulted Sexton to the top of the championship standings, as the third different rider to carry the red plate this season. He sits seven points ahead of Lawrence, who entered the day with a three-point lead. With Jett Lawrence sidelined, Cooper moved into third following a fifth-place effort (3-6) and sits 48 points out of the lead.
“It feels so good [to win at RedBud]. I don’t even know what to say,” said Sexton afterwards.
“This is something special. I had so much fun in that second moto. I had such a good flow. The track was amazing. This is unreal.”
2nd: Aaron Plessinger, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (4-2): “This is crazy. I’ve never seen [RedBud] look like this in my life. I got a great start [in Moto 2], got by Anderson and then put it on cruise control a bit. They [Anderson and Lawrence] closed in a bit, so I picked it back up to hold onto second. The bike was working awesome today. I’m so pumped.”
3rd: Hunter Lawrence, Team Honda HRC (2-4): “I’m thankful to not be hurt after the first moto. I struggled a bit in the second moto. I think I maybe hit my head a bit harder than I thought and struggled with my vision a bit. I felt like I had a rev limiter on. I just couldn’t really go any faster than I did.”
Photo courtesy KTM
Find BikesportNZ.com on FACEBOOK here
2024 RESULTS & STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 6:
450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish // Points)
Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., KTM (1-1 // 50)
Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (4-2 // 40)
Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (2-4 // 40)
Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki (5-3 // 37)
Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (3-6 // 36)
Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Husqvarna (6-7 // 31)
Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha (7-8 // 29)
Kyle Webster, Korumburra, Vic., Australia, Honda (10-9 // 25)
Harri Kullas, Tallinn, Estonia, KTM (9-12 // 23)
Christian Craig, El Cajon, Calif., Husqvarna (8-13 // 23)
450 Class Championship Standings (Round 6 of 11)
Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., KTM – 260
Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 253
Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 212
Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 210
Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 202
Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Honda – 152
Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki – 185
Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Husqvarna – 164
Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., GASGAS – 148
Christian Craig, El Cajon, Calif., Husqvarna – 106
250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)
Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda (4-1 // 43)
Ty Masterpool, Paradise, Texas, Kawasaki (1-5 // 42)
Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Honda (5-2 // 39)
Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM (3-4 // 38)
Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (2-6 // 38)
Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki (6-3 // 36)
Casey Cochran, Portsmouth, Va., Husqvarna (7-9 // 28)
Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., GASGAS (13-7 // 24)
Max Anstie, Newbury, England, Yamaha (9-13 // 22)
Mark Fineis, Westfield, Ind., Yamaha (11-12 // 21)
250 Class Championship Standings (Round 6 of 11)
Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 276
Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda – 234
Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM – 233
Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki – 213
Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki – 213
Ty Masterpool, Paradise, Texas, Kawasaki – 188
Pierce Brown, Sandy, Utah, GASGAS – 145
Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Triumph – 138
Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., Yamaha – 124
Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., GASGAS – 120