Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac secures the first holeshot of the 450SMX Playoffs in Charlotte and his first SMX race, followed closely by teammate and brothers on Team Honda HRC, Jett and Hunter Lawrence. Hunter passes Jett for 2nd while Progressive Insurance/ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen overtakes Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s and points leader Chase Sexton for 4th, only for Sexton to reclaim the position two laps later. Tomac builds a 4-second lead, with Jett holding 3rd and Sexton chasing. As the race progresses, Jett overtakes Hunter for 2nd, but Tomac maintains his lead, ultimately winning the moto. Jett and Hunter Lawrence finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively. Cooper Webb was penalized six positions for cutting the track.
In the final 250SMX moto at zMax Dragway, Julien Beaumer secures the holeshot again, followed by Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Nick Romano and Levi Kitchen, who quickly moves into 2nd. Romano’s teammate Max Anstie takes 3rd from Romano, while Haiden Deegan, starting in 7th, steadily starts to advance up positions. Kitchen overtakes Beaumer for the lead on the second lap, with Deegan climbing to 4th, consistently using the long rhythm lane quad to pass competitors. Kitchen builds a 5-second lead, but Deegan closes in, passing Beaumer for 2nd and then taking the lead, passing Levi with 7 minutes left. Anstie moves into 3rd, with Jo Shimoda reaching 5th. A great battle for a shot at the overall podium, with Julien in 4th and Jo going down to the last straight away, ultimately Beaumer winning that fight. Deegan wins the moto and secures the overall victory with a 1-1 performance, while Beaumer and Kitchen complete the podium. That would be Beaumer’s first podium in his rookie season.
Haiden Deegan, 1st place: “Yeah, it was not great starts and I actually felt kind of off today. But it worked out, so that’s all that matters. We’re definitely going to go back this week, watch tape, and figure out what I need to get better at.”
Julien Beaumer, 2nd place: “ “I felt good, like I was back at home. I’ve been gaining confidence from my riding back home, and it all came together today.”
Levi Kitchen, 3rd place: “The bike felt pretty good, but I need to get better at riding fast tracks. I kept the setup the same for Moto 2, only changed my start position to try to avoid getting pinched off.
Philadelphia has done a good job on both sides, as they have some homegrown players to compliment some of the stars they have signed, like Bryce Harper and Zack Wheeler.
Having a strong farm system is a big luxury for teams, as they can use the prospects in trades or let them come up through the system and hopefully make an impact at the big league level.
Recently, Jim Bowden of The Athletic spoke about his Top 50 prospects in baseball.
For the Phillies, they had a few players who just missed this designation, but the former MLB executive believes they will be there next season.
One of those players is outfielder Justin Crawford.
“Justin Crawford is the son of four-time All-Star Carl Crawford and he has a similar game to his dad. He’s a plus-plus defender in center field with tremendous range thanks to elite speed. He’s slashed .312/.360/.445 this season with 24 doubles, nine homers and 42 stolen bases between High A and Double A. He is the Phillies’ long-term answer in center field and if he keeps hitting like he has the past two years, he could make the majors by the end of next year (or if not, the beginning of 2025).
