Chase Sexton conserved his energy until the final laps and rode past a sore Jett Lawrence to take the Moto 2 victory in the Southwick Nationals at The Wick 338 in Southwick, Massachusetts, but after winning Moto 1 and finishing second in Moto 2, Jett scored the overall win.
“Lately, my legs have been getting a little more shot because I’ve been using my legs,” Jett told NBC Sports’ Jason Thomas, referencing the consequences of his Hangtown shoulder injury. “I just lost that one. Chase was running really strong. I tried going for it a couple of times while he was beside me, but it was just smarter to let him go and pack it up for second. We’ve got work to do, which is good because you would rather have work to do than nothing.”
Despite finishing second overall, Sexton’s moto win was more than a moral victory. He rode flawlessly in the closing laps and showed last year’s Pro Motocross champion that he could pass him on the track. Sexton’s win at Hangtown makes him the only rider to beat Jett in the outdoor series in overall results.
Sexton’s third-place finish in Moto 1 cost him Southwick’s overall victory.
“I felt super-good in the beginning, and I got around Hunter, and then he got back around me, and I honestly just lost touch and had to reset and got my flow back and set sail,” Sexton told NBC’s Adam Cianciarulo. “I didn’t expect to catch them that fast, but I felt good.”
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Still hurting from his Hangtown crash, Jett lost pace in the final laps of the second moto and finished more than 11 seconds behind.
The Big Three continue to dominate Motocross. Hunter Lawrence was in a strong position to win Moto 2 and take the overall victory until he made a series of mistakes late in the race, allowing first Jett and then Sexton to get around.
Hunter got his second wind in the closing laps and challenged Jett for the runner-up spot. That would have handed the overall victory to Sexton, but a lapped rider on the final lap slowed Hunter.
“I was definitely riding my heart out trying to get Chase back and get Jett,” Hunter said. “This track is pretty gnarly. It’s like no sand track I’ve ever ridden. It’s a hard-packed track with sand on top. It’s tricky – tricky to set a bike up for.”
Hunter retained the red plate with a narrow gap of three points to Jett and Sexton.
Hunter finished third overall with a second-place finish in Moto 1 and a third in Moto 2.
Justin Cooper finished fourth overall with a fifth in the first race and sixth in Moto 2.
Dylan Ferrandis rounded out the top five with a 7-5.
Click here for official 450 results
In the 250 division, Jo Shimoda won Moto 2 in a thrilling three-rider contest with Haiden Deegan and Tom Vialle. But with a victory in Moto 1 and second in Moto 2, it was Haiden Deegan who took the overall victory.
“I look past those doubts,” Deegan told NBC Sports’ Jason Thomas. “I’m a motivated person, and I grind my butt off to put together days like this. I was in third. I was kind of in a stall, and then I saw Vialle. He lost like half a second and I thought. ‘Ah, I’m sending it.’ ”
After winning the first race, Deegan seemed to be on his way to sweeping the motos until he crashed midway through the race. Dropping outside the top five has not bothered Deegan in the past, so he charged through the field to challenge for the Moto 2 win.
Deegan’s crash handed the lead to Vialle, who had a comfortable gap on Shimoda. Once Deegan caught Shimoda, he spurred the Japanese rider. They both closed the gap on Vialle, setting up the dramatic final laps.
Vialle crashed on the final lap to exit the battle, and Deegan lost time to Shimoda when he knew his overall victory was assured, so the gap of 6.393 seconds between first and second did not tell the whole story.
Vialle was scored second overall with a second-place finish in Moto 1 and third in the second race.
“I had a great moto,” Vialle said. “… I almost hit a lapper with three laps to go, and Jo caught me. I tried to push on the last lap, but I crashed. That was a bummer.”
Shimoda’s win in Moto 2 provided enough points to give him third overall with a 9-1.
Chance Hymas finished fourth after crossing under the checkers third in Moto 1 and fifth in Moto 2.
Jordon Smith rounded out the top five with a 7-4.
Click here for the official 250 results
In-Race Notes
Pro Motocross riders are back in action after the first off-week of the season, and a healthy, rejuvenated Jett Lawrence seeks to return to his dominant way in the outdoor season.
Weather could play a role in today’s race, with a 33 percent chance forecast in the morning and 12 percent in the afternoon, but that should keep temperatures low in the mid-70s.
Garrett Marchbanks returns after suffering an injury on Press Day in the season opener at Fox Raceway in Pala, California.
Deegan put on a clinic in Moto 1 and won by more than 15 seconds.
Jett starts a new streak with a fourth consecutive moto win.
Deegan crashed in Moto 2 and executed another dramatic come-from-behind run, but Shimoda held him off for the win.
Sexton did something few riders can: He passed Jett and won Moto 2.
Features
450 Moto 2
Jett gets the holeshot again, with Hunter second.
Sexton passes Hunter on Lap 1.
It’s starting to rain lightly.
Hunter passes Sexton and closes on Jett.
Hunter passes Jett on Lap 2 and immediately creates a gap. Sexton remains third.
Aaron Plessinger in fourth and Cooper are the other top-five riders.
Australian Kyle Webster rides seventh in his debut.
Jett gets a second wind and starts to close on Hunter.
Jett falls back to 2.8 seconds behind Hunter. He may be trying to get out of the roost, but that allows Sexton to close within two seconds.
On Lap 8, Ferrandis passes Cooper for fifth.
At the halfway mark, Sexton fades and trails Jett by 4.7 seconds.
Hunter runs wide a lap later, and Jett is now .322 seconds behind.
Hunter can’t hang on. Jett takes the lead with seven minutes on the clock.
Sexton passes Hunter and sets his sights on Jett. Honda HRC Team Manager Lars Lindstrom says Jett is still hurting from his Hangtown crash. Sexton won that round.
Sexton and Jett ride side-by-side.
With two minutes remaining, Sexton takes the lead.
Sexton has a 6.7-second lead when time runs off the clock.
Hunter closed on Jett in the final laps, but could not make the pass for second.
Plessinger in fourth and Ferrandis round out the top five.
Click here for complete 450 Moto 2 results
250 Moto 2
Levi Kitchen gets the holeshot. He needs to close the points gap on Deegan.
Julien Beaumer crashes on Lap 1 and draws the red flag.
Kitchen is visibly frustrated.
Kitchen gets the holeshot again on the restart, but Deegan takes the lead after almost crashing.
At the end of Lap 2, Vialle has passed Kitchen for second. Shimoda is third, and Joey Savatgy is fifth.
Deegan tips over with 22 minutes remaining. That hands the lead to Vialle, who has to ride off course to keep from running over Deegan. Vialle was penalized at Fox Raceway earlier this season for going off-course, while Deegan was not in that same race.
MX 2024 Rd 01 Fox Raceway Pala Haiden Deegan leads Tom Vialle.JPG
American Motorcycle Association explains Haiden Deegan, Tom Vialle penalty discrepancy at Fox Raceway
In this week’s SMX Insider, Mike Pelletier explained why Tom Vialle was penalized while Haiden Deegan was not.
Dan Beaver
3mo
Shimoda and Kitchen also advance to second and third, respectively.
Savatgy rides fourth.
Deegan has recovered to finish fifth on Lap 4 and one lap later, he takes fourth from Savatgy.
Lap 7 and Deegan is back into a podium position. He’s third, 3.4 seconds behind Shimoda and 9.2 behind Vialle. Deegan is nearly two seconds a lap faster than Vialle on that lap.
Vialle picks up the pace on the next lap, and now the lead is 9.9 seconds.
With five minutes remaining, Vialle continues to lead by 5.6 seconds over Shimoda. Deegan is still nine seconds behind in third. Kitchen rides fourth, with Savatgy in fifth.
Max Anstie didn’t get a chance to show what he could do in Moto 1 after damaging his bike in a crash. He’s running ninth with two minutes remaining.
Jalek Swoll rebounds from his mechanical failure in the first race and rides 13th.
With one minute on the clock, Shimoda is running Vialle down.
Time is off the clock, and Deegan surges. He’s catching Shimoda.
And as they battle, Shimoda and Deegan catch Vialle.
Shimoda takes the lead.
Vialle crashes on the last lap and is out of contention.
Deegan loses ground to Shimoda on the final lap.
Shimoda wins by six seconds over Deegan.
Vialle recovers for third.
Smith is in fourth, and Hymas rounds out the top five.
Click here for complete Moto 2 results
450 Moto 1
Jett gets the holeshot with Sexton in second.
Hunter passes Sexton on Lap 1.
It’s another fast start for Phil Nicoletti, who rides fourth on the first lap before getting passed by Anderson.
Plessinger passes Nicoletti for fifth on Lap 2.
In his first race back from injury, Garrett Marchbanks (ninth) rides in the top 10.
Plessinger rides wide on Lap 5. That moves Cooper up to fifth.
Plessinger continues to fall back and is barely inside the top 10. He was having a problem with his roll-offs. Plessinger rides into the mechanic’s area from ninth for new goggles and drops to 17th.
Meanwhile, at the front of the pack, Jett has a 6.6-second lead over Hunter. Sexton is 2.2 seconds further back.
Nine laps are in the books and nine minutes remain. The top three remain the same, with Anderson and Cooper still in the top five.
A battered Justin Barcia (knee) sits sixth.
Jett rides wide and loses time, but he still has a six-second lead.
Hunter has the same margin over Sexton in the battle for the runner-up spot.
The white flag is out, with Jett holding a 9.7 lead over Hunter.
Jett has four straight Moto wins to start a new streak.
Hunter closes the gap on the final lap to 6.4 seconds.
Sexton is 11 seconds further back.
Fourth-place Anderson and Cooper round out the top five.
Malcolm Stewart finishes eight. He has finished seventh, eighth, or ninth in every moto this year.
Click here for complete 450 Moto 1 results
MX 2024 Rd 03 Thunder Valley Malcolm Stewart closeup in helmet.JPG
Malcolm Stewart climbs upward in Pro Motocross and is enjoying every minute of the day
After missing 11 months to injury in 2023, Malcolm Stewart knows there is nothing as valuable as seat time.
Dan Beaver
2mo
250 Moto 1
Deegan gets the holeshot and immediately pulls away from Hymas and the field. Deegan leads by 2.2 seconds at the end of Lap 1.
It’s a short moto for Anstie. He retires before Lap 1 when his back tire won’t turn. He also went down on Lap 1, so he may have suffered damage.
Vialle settles into third. Kitchen and Nick Romano round out the top five.
On Lap 4, Savatgy passes Romano for fifth.
Both Triumph riders are in contention for a top-five.
Swoll and Ty Masterpool move into sixth and seventh on Lap 5.
Dilan Schwartz hits the dirt while battling Romano and then gets hit in the helmet by Casey Cochran.
With 11 minutes remaining, Deegan has now stretched his advantage to 7.3 seconds over Vialle. Hymas is 8.5 seconds further back in third. Kitchen and Savatgy continue to ride in the top five.
Vialle is about six-tenths faster than Deegan on Laps 9 and 10, but he’s still nearly six seconds behind.
Deegan answers on Lap 11 with a circuit that is two seconds faster. It would appear Deegan was losing time in traffic.
With less than a minute on the clock, Swoll’s bike gives up. He won’t finish after running sixth.
Deegan scores a dominant victory over Vialle (-15.335 seconds).
“I came into this place; I have a lot of confidence. It’s just people doubting me. I don’t doubt myself, so that’s why I came out here and won that first moto.
– Haiden Deegan
Hymas finished third and closed the gap to 1.831 seconds.
Fourth-place Kitchen and Savatgy round out the top five.
Masterpool finishes sixth.
Shimoda overcame problems on Lap 1 to finish ninth.
Click here for complete 250 Moto 1 results
MX 2024 Rd 05 Southwick Max Anstie with Yamaha t-shirt.jpg
Max Anstie completes return to Star Yamaha with Southwick start
Max Anstie announced his departure from Firepower Honda two weeks ago and his signing with Star Racing Yamaha the next day.
Dan Beaver
2mo
Last Chance Qualifiers
450s
Justin Cokinos beat Max Miller to the line by 2.028 seconds.
Josh Boaz and Joe Tait also advance to the motos.
Anthony Rodriguez is the first rider on the outside, looking in.
Click here for complete results from the 450 LCQ
250s
Crockett Myers finishes 3.5 seconds ahead of Cameron Durow.
Slade Varola and Jesse Wessell also advance to the features.
Click here for complete results from the 250 LCQ
Qualification
450s
In Qualification 2, Cooper is the fastest early, but Sexton and Jett are close.
Cooper (2:06.202) tops a 450 qualification session for the first time in his career.
Sexton (2:06.710) finished ahead of Jett (2:06.763) for the second time this morning.
Hunter is fourth, and Anderson rounds out the top five.
Making his return, Marchbanks lands inside the top 10.
Overall, Sexton has the fastest and second-fastest laps as he hopes to beat Jett head-to-head in the motos.
Cooper was third, with Plessinger and Ferrandis rounding out the top five.
Marchbanks narrowly misses that mark with the sixth-fastest time.
Click here for complete times from 450 Qualification 2
Click here for complete combined qualification times
Sexton tops the board in the first few laps, with Jett and Anderson chasing.
Jett (2:04.507) momentarily had the top spot at the end of the Qualification 1 session, but Sexton (2:04.370) put in a flyer and wins Q1.
Cooper (2:05.228) takes third.
Plessinger is fourth, and Ferrandis rounds out the top five.
Click here for complete times from 450 Qualification 1
250s
Times are expected to be slower in Q2, so the riders will work on finding a consistent line.
Vialle slows the pace by about 4 seconds but is at the top of this chart with two minutes remaining.
Vialle wins Qualification 2 with a speed of 2:08.105.
Deegan (2:08.309) was second, and Beaumer (2:08.931) slotted into third.
Smith finishes fourth.
Shimoda found speed in rough conditions and finished this session fifth.
Anstie landed ninth in this session after failing a sound check in Q1.
Click here for complete times from 250 Qualification 2
Click here for complete combined qualification times
In Qualification 1, Group A, Deegan takes the top spot early. He’ll try to hold off Kitchen and Savatgy for the remainder of this session.
Vialle moves into third on Lap 4.
Savatgy puts in a fast lap at the end of the session and pushes all but Deegan down a notch.
This is how they end: Deegan is fastest (2:05.228), ahead of Savatgy (2:05.753) and Kitchen (2:05.874).
Last week’s emotional winner, Masterpool, jumped to fourth at the end.
Vialle rounds out the top five.
Anstie finds pace quickly. He is seventh, but afterward, he was stripped of his fastest lap for failing sound. His second-fastest lap dropped him to 18th.
Honda HRC’s Shimoda continues to struggle and lands 18th.
But Tom Guyon from Group B set the fastest lap overall at 2:05.091.
