Sexton Stops Tomac’s Streak
Eli Tomac claimed the first moto win, which was his eighth straight moto win in a row. Tomac had won four straight overalls in a row, and he was setup for another possible overall win. But in the second moto, Chase Sexton bested Tomac, and the #23’s 2-1 got the overall over Tomac’s 1-2 finishes. Sexton earned his second overall win of 2022—the fourth of his 450 Class career. Sexton won the 450 Class overall at Washougal MX Park two consecutive years now. After eight rounds, Tomac leads Sexton by five points.
A First for #5
Ryan Dungey had a first happen on Saturday: the Minnesota native finished outside of the top ten overall on a 450 for the first time in his career! Dungey suffered an electrical issue early in the first moto after he got the holeshot. His 38-4 finishes gave him 12th overall, which—in his 83rd career start to date—was his first time outside the top ten overall in the premier class of Pro Motocross. It is pretty incredible that it took Dungey retiring and coming back to Pro Motocross six years later AND a bike issue for him to finally finish outside of the top ten! It was a bummer for Dungey as he was able to match the pace of the race leaders early. Oh what could have been!
In his 83rd career 450 Class event in @ProMotocross, Ryan Dungey finished outside the top 10 overall for the first time. His mechanical issue in moto one (38th officially) then 4th in moto two gave him 12th overall. #MXHistory#ProMotocross#Motocross#MX2022#2022Washougal
— Mitch Kendra (@mitch_kendra) July 26, 2022
Jettson’s Seventh
Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence finished 2-2 to earn his seventh overall win of 2022. This was the second time in Jettson’s career he finished 2-2 to win an overall (the first was the 2022 Thunder Valley National).
Jett Lawrence's 2-2 finishes will give him the overall win. The #1 has now claimed 7 of the 8 overall wins in 2022. This was Jett's second career overall without winning a moto (both took place this season). #MXHistory#ProMotocross#Motocross#MX2022#2022Washougal
— Mitch Kendra (@mitch_kendra) July 23, 2022
The win was the 12th overall win of Jett Lawrence’s career, which ties him with Eli Tomac for 12th on the all-time 125/250F Class wins list. If the defending champion were to win out in the final four rounds, he would tie Guy Cooper at 16 career 125/250F overall wins (currently seventh all-time). Things are pointing to this being Jett’s last season in the 250 Class of Pro Motocross, as he is expected to race in the premier class next summer. How many career overall wins will Jett end this season with?
Jett Lawrence's overall win today was the 12th career 250 Class @ProMotocross overall win of his career. This ties the Australian with Eli Tomac for 12th on the all-time 125/250F Class wins list. #MXHistory#ProMotocross#Motocross#MX2022#2022Washougal
— Mitch Kendra (@mitch_kendra) July 23, 2022
Other Random Stats
Same Fast Lap
In the first 450 Class moto, both Tomac and Sexton ran a 2:12.953 for their respective fast laps. Sexton ran his 2:12.953 on the 15th lap and Tomac ran his on the 16th (final) lap. Despite Sexton’s charge, Tomac held on for the moto win.
Tomac & Sexton both ran a 2:12.953 as their fastest lap of the race! THE EXACT SAME TIME!! 🤯 Sexton runs his on the 15th lap, Tomac runs his on the 16th (final) lap. Tomac holds on for the race win by 1.117 seconds. UNREAL BATTLE. #ProMotocross#Motocross#MX2022#2022Washougalpic.twitter.com/QMeSFM2Ahx
— Mitch Kendra (@mitch_kendra) July 23, 2022
Tomac's 2:12.631 was the fastest lap of the second 450 Class moto today, but Sexton's fastest lap was not far behind (2:12.685). But Sexton's fast lap came on the 14th lap, when he really put the nail in the coffin there at the end. #ProMotocross#Motocross#MX2022#2022Washougal
— Mitch Kendra (@mitch_kendra) July 24, 2022
Close Finishes
Sexton has been involved in a few close finishes this season. In fact, the #23 has been involved in four motos where he has finished within a second from the race winner:
Sexton second place finishes under 2 seconds:
Washougal National | Moto 1 | Tomac & Sexton | +1.117 seconds behind
Spring Creek National | Moto 1 | Tomac & Sexton | +1.795 seconds behind
Hangtown Motocross Classic | Moto 2 | Tomac & Sexton | +0.390 seconds behind
Hangtown Motocross Classic | Moto 1 | Anderson & Sexton | +1.288 seconds behind
Hunter Lawrence has had two close, second-place finishes of his own behind his brother:
Spring Creek National | Moto 1 | Jett & Hunter | +0.524 seconds behind
High Point National | Moto 2 | Jett & Hunter | +0.553 seconds behind
Singing Two-Stroke
PNW local Carson Brown was ripping his two-stroke on Saturday in his first Pro Motocross event of the season. He finished inside the top 20 overall!
Shout-out to Carson Brown for finishing 15-20 for 18th overall in the 450 Class...on his Yamaha YZ250 two-stroke! Great ride by the Washington native. #ProMotocross#Motocross#MX2022#2022Washougal
— Mitch Kendra (@mitch_kendra) July 23, 2022
Motoring Mosiman
Josh Mosiman, older brother of Michael Mosiman and former pro racer turned Motocross Action Magazine media member, put in a respectable 25-29 for 28th overall in the 450 Class. The older Mosiman raced his third national of the year—his third on a different bike. After racing the opening two rounds on a Honda CRF450R (Fox Raceway 1 National) and a Kawasaki KX450SR (Hangtown Motocross Classic), Mosiman raced in the PNW on a Husqvarna FC 450. After the race he was interviewing his fellow competitors as a member of the media…while still in his gear! We love the dedication, Josh!
Most Podiums
Jett Lawrence has finished on the podium in 15 of the first 16 motos of the season (he could very well be a perfect 16 for 16 on podiums if his bike did not cut out at the RedBud National). His brother Hunter and Jo Shimoda are tied for the second most in the 250 Class with 10 moto podiums each.
In the premier class, Sexton leads the category with 15 podiums in 16 motos. Tomac finished 7-4-4 in the first three motos of the season, but he has not finished off the podium since then as he has 13 podiums. Jason Anderson has the third most with seven.
Vlogs
Raw Trackside Moto
Check out our guy Tom Journet’s infield access videos below to watch nearly 20 minutes of raw footage from round eight.
250 Class
450 Class
GoPro Videos
GoPro: Pierce Brown - 250 Moto 2 - 2022 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship Washougal MX
Quotes From Around The Paddock
450 Class
Ken Roczen | 4-6 for 4th overall
“I was ready to give it my all. Unfortunately, it seems like my immune system kind of let me down a little bit. I started feeling iffy on Thursday and especially Friday; I came down with a fever and massive headache through Friday night. I probably picked up some kind of illness, so that made my day a lot tougher. I got lucky that the weather wasn’t super-hot, and I guess I have to be happy with a 4-6 for fourth overall. I know I belong on the podium, but poor starts were definitely not helping me out. I’m pumped with the effort the team has given; they keep believing in me. We’re going into a couple of off-weekends, and first and foremost, I want to get my body back in check, then put in some good work and come out swinging. I really like Unadilla and have done well there in the past, so my spirits are high—looking forward to finishing up the season strong.”
Christian Craig | 6-5 for 5th overall
“Overall, it was a good day. Unfortunately, I crashed on the first lap of both motos and was playing catch-up the whole time. I’m happy with my speed; I just need to be better in the opening laps.”
Justin Barcia | 5-8 for 6th overall
“First moto, I had a really hard charge! I didn’t get off to the greatest of starts and I came from about 14th up to fifth. I had a really good battle the whole moto, it was pretty intense. Second moto, I got off to a decent start and just couldn’t find my groove – I just felt a little bit uncomfortable with the bike. We’re going to get after it during these off-weekends and try to find a little bit more for the final rounds. My goal is to get up on that podium and battle for wins, so it’s back to work!”
Joey Savatgy | 7-7 for 7th overall
“I had a scary moment in practice after I caught my foot in a rut coming off the face of a tabletop. It could’ve been really bad but I’m happy I was able to save that one. Overall, seventh is right around where I expect to be right now. Obviously, I’d like to be up front with the leaders, but we’re making progress. If I can keep fighting for the fourths, fifths and sixths until the end of the season I’ll be proud.”
Aaron Plessinger | 8-13 for 9th overall
“Today was a mellow day – not great but not horrible. The track got rough in the first moto and I tightened up at the end, so I ended up eighth. I made some bike changes going out for Moto 2 and it was better. I got a really good start and I was running up there for a bit but I kind of just faded back. I’ve got a lot of homework to do these next few weeks and we’ll come back swinging for Unadilla.”
Marshal Weltin | 12-11 for 11th overall
"I've been putting in some work in California. I feel those tracks are pretty relatable to Washougal, with their makeup and how they change throughout a race day. I was feeling strong coming into this weekend. The bike's been working great. I got off to pretty average starts then put in the work and went 12-11 on the day for 11th overall. It was a really cool weekend having Adam Enticknap with us to help analyze the riding and put my focus into the track and what I was doing. I think it elevated our game mentally for the weekend, he brought a lot of energy. Just overall it was a really fun day."
Ryan Dungey | 38-4 for 12th overall
“We had a great week and made some good progress with the bike, which was really positive and it really translated today. I got the start in the first moto and man, it was nice running up there with Chase and Eli! We had a little bit of a bike malfunction – you know, it’s dirt bikes – it happens and it’s nobody’s fault. Second moto, my gate pick was terrible but I tried to salvage a decent start. The good thing was that I felt really good and the bike was really working, so I could apply myself on the track and start picking those people off. I got up to fourth and I made a run on third but just ran out of time. It’s not where we want to be overall but a positive moving forward is that we’re in a good spot with the bike and the riding was good, so we’ll take it.”
Shane McElrath | 14-10 for 13th overall
“Washougal was a tough race day. I had pretty good qualifying session but as the track developed more, I struggled on finding a flow out there. I’m happy with my effort and the progress that we’ve made. It’s not easy out there. I’m content with where we’re at but I know I have some more to give and I’m going to keep working regardless of what the future holds. I’m just happy for this opportunity and it’s definitely taught me a lot, so I’m excited.”
Brandon Hartranft | 37-18 for 21st overall
"In qualifying, I felt really good. I thought today was going to be a great day for me and the team. But in the first moto, right off the bat, I ended up being in a pile-up. I got ran over by a couple of riders and tweaked my ankle a little bit, so I skipped Moto 1. Before Moto 2 I got some therapy and got my ankle taped up. I finished Moto 2 in 18th. I honestly didn't really ride that well; I just wanted some points. It's tough because I felt really strong on the bike."
Said Twisted Tea/HEP Motorsports Suzuki Team Manager Dustin Pipes:
"It was a mixed day at Washougal. Marshal had a good day battling for a top ten. It was tough finishing so close in 11th, but I like the fight he showed all day. Brandon, unfortunately, had a tough day with a first corner crash in the first moto. After getting checked out by the Asterisk medical team he toughed out the second moto, which was good to see. He will get looked at further to determine his status for the next event. The bikes worked great all day and the staff worked well together."
250 Class
Jo Shimoda | 3-3 for 4th overall
“Overall, it was a good day with me getting the holeshot and leading in Moto 1. I was able to stick with the leaders for a long time and win some hard battles which is nice because I think my speed was off today. Next week we’re going to do some more practicing before taking a little break to recharge during the off weekend so we can finish the season strong.”
Max Vohland | 7-5 for 5th overall
“Today went pretty well. I didn’t get a very good start in the first moto but surprisingly on this track – which is very hard to pass on – I was able to move up pretty quickly. I just kept chugging along and picked my way up to seventh. Second moto, I really focused on the start and I got up into that top-five and just kind of stayed there – I was in no-man’s land there for a bit. I went 7-5 for fifth, which is matching my best result again this year. Now we have two weeks off and we’re going to put some work in and try to get on that podium.”
Seth Hammaker | 5-8 for 6th overall
“It felt good to mix it up with the guys inside the top-five for as long as I did in both motos. My goal is to keep progressing with each week and hopefully, after the two-week break, we’ll come back recharged and ready to battle for podiums.”
RJ Hampshire | 8-6 for 7th overall
“It was a long day for me, my starts were terrible. First moto was a bit of a struggle and second moto, I felt like I found some comfort mid-way through. I felt like I rode decent for the second half of the moto but all-in-all, it was just kind of a struggle of a day. We’ve got two weekends to figure some things out and I’m hoping to come back at Unadilla with a fighting chance and hopefully we can knock out a couple podiums.”
Pierce Brown | 6-9 for 8th overall
“We’re definitely treading in the right direction. We had a good first moto in sixth. Second moto, I got a good start and got caught behind some guys on the first lap and I ended up getting passed by a couple people. I fought through the pack as much as I could, I just didn’t have it at the end of the moto and I got passed by a couple more guys for ninth. We’re getting better, but we want more!”
Nate Thrasher | 13-7 for 9th overall
“It was another new track for me, but I had a good qualifying and was feeling good going into the motos. In the first moto, I got a bad start and had a tip-over, and just struggled from there. I got a better start in the second moto but still had a hard time making passes and ended up ninth overall. It’s not the results we’re looking for, but we’ll keep working during the break and come back at Unadilla.”
Said Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 250 team manager Jensen Hendler:
“Nate had a good qualifying in the top five, but unfortunately, he got a bad start and then had a tip-over. He had a hard time making passes and finished ninth. It’s another new track for him, and Washougal is a technical track that is difficult to make passes on. Overall, it was a good day, and we’re going to keep working and come back swinging at Unadilla.”
Jalek Swoll | 9-12 for 11th overall
“Qualifying was a lot better today, it’s nice to finally get in the mix and be there speed-wise. My riding was pretty good in Moto 1 but I’ve been struggling to get up there in the first few laps and on a track like this, you don’t want to find yourself in the back because it’s really hard to pass. I got a better start in Moto 2 but somebody else’s mistake costed me and I went down. I was at the back of the pack and only could get back to 12th. It’s not where we want to be but we’re going to keep plugging away and making improvements.”
Preston Kilroy | 16-11 for 13th overall
"Washougal was another step in the right direction," declared Kilroy. "My starts weren’t the greatest and that made things pretty difficult on me in Moto 1. I got stuck behind riders and the track was hard to pass on. In Moto 2 I was able to make some quick passes and get a gap and was able to finish in eleventh."
Carson Mumford | 11-17 for 14th overall
"It wasn’t exactly the day I was hoping for. In the second moto I crashed two times, so I had to charge every lap to get seventeenth. Fourteenth overall on the day isn’t terrible, but I am ready to get up near the top five."
Derek Drake | 15-14 for 15th overall
"Washougal was good. I got challenging starts in both motos. That made it hard coming from the back on a one-line track. But I saw big improvements with my second moto fitness, so we are getting there!"
Dilan Schwartz |14-15 for 16th overall
"It was great to be back at the races after a long time. I got a little tight in the first moto, and the second moto my wrist was sore just from not having enough time on the bike. I’m going to spend the break back on the bike and getting back up to speed for the last four rounds!"