Finding the Flow
If you’re looking for signs that Tony Cairoli is starting to get things figured out here in America, you could easily find evidence in his performance at Thunder Valley. He was 5-4 for fourth overall, which is the best he’s done so far, but that’s not all. In qualifying he started banging out fast laps almost right away, while at Hangtown he didn’t throw down until about halfway through the final session. In other words, the intensity seems to be rising. He also holeshot both motos and spent more time up front before getting shuffled back at a track he was expecting to struggle at due to the combination of elevation and his asthma. Look for Cairoli to be even better at High Point this weekend. –Aaron Hansel
A Win’s a Win
The sport of motocross sure can be a cruel bitch sometimes, but there are times when it goes the other way, like it did for Ken Roczen at Thunder Valley. Roczen was fantastic, and holy hell did he fight off a bloodthirsty Eli Tomac for what seemed like forever in the second moto! But he still wasn’t in a position to win the overall. Until Chase Sexton flubbed a simple section on the last lap and went down, which handed the win to Roczen. Lucky or not, however, Roczen has got to be pumped on how well he rode in that second moto. It’s not often anyone’s been able to deny Tomac when he’s on a charge. We’ll see if that does anything for his late-moto grit moving forward. –Hansel
Still Winless
Despite winning two motos so far and looking great, Tomac still hasn’t won an overall, which is kind of crazy considering some of the magnificent charges he’s put in so far. You know that streak isn’t going to last forever, and you know Tomac wants to get it done as soon as possible, especially considering he’s third in points and 14 back of Sexton. If he goes 1-1 at High Point Raceway he’ll cut that lead down to at least eight points, and become the fourth overall winner in the 450 Class in as many rounds. -Hansel
New Winner?
So far Jett Lawrence has been very selfish up front in the 250 Class. Despite being sick at Hangtown, and still not at 100 percent at Thunder Valley, the Honda HRC rider has collected every single overall in the 250 class so far. He’s also done it several ways, going 1-1, then 3-1, and finally, 2-2 at Thunder Valley. It’s as if he’s seeing how many different combinations can result in an overall! Sooner or later someone else is going to win one of these things. Will it happen at High Point? –Hansel
“All I Need is a Start!”
Levi Kitchen has been saying all he needed was a start to get some good results, which isn’t exactly a groundbreaking bit of information. Every single rider says this! But lo and behold, it happened to be true for Kitchen at Thunder Valley! He nailed the start to get the holeshot in the first moto, then rode like a seasoned vet all moto long to lead wire to wire for his first moto win as a pro. He crashed in the second moto but still came back to fifth for third overall, and he was even sick (like seemingly every rider in the paddock last weekend)! If he gets another start at High Point, will we see more magic from Kitchen? –Hansel
Hampshire is Back
Friday afternoon, RJ Hampshire confirmed he would be racing this weekend, after an off-track excursion at the second round left him with an injury. Will he drop in the standings after missing three motos in a row (second moto in California and then both motos in Colorado), the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna rider is set to return today. Hampshire was leading the first moto of the 2021 High Point National until his chain broke on the 13th lap, handing the lead to his teammate Jalek Swoll with a handful of laps to go (unfortunately, Swoll is out for today). The #24 always gives his full effort and you can expect nothing less today. Keep an eye on Hampshire today. –Mitch Kendra
Back to Form
Let’s be honest, Justin Cooper did not have a great opening round. Coming off a foot injury in January that sidelined him for all of Monster Energy AMA Supercross, the New York native was coming into the summer’s Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship less prepared than the title contender would have liked. However, Cooper looked significantly better at the second round, finishing 2-3 for second overall, and in his 50th Pro Motocross start notched his 27th overall podium. Cooper excels on starts and won the second moto here in 2021. Watch for him to get his typical great starts and battle for the win today. –Kendra
Parked in the Premier Class
Cullin Park is making his Pro Motocross debut this weekend aboard a Phoenix Racing Honda CRF450R. Park raced Kicker AMA Arenacross and debuted in Monster Energy AMA Supercross earlier this year—where he won 2022 AMA 250SX Rookie of the Year—but this weekend will mark his first Pro Motocross event. Park has been training to race several rounds this summer and said he expects to hit the East Coast rounds as well as the Spring Creek National. Keep an eye out for the #140 in the premier class as he jumps into Pro Motocross. –Kendra
Keys to High Point Raceway
Today’s weather is setup to be ideal: low 70s with some sun and clouds. This could make for some close racing as the field will not experience the suffer-fest that could been an extremely hot day. Although that does not mean today will be easy by any means. The historic High Point Raceway has several off-camber turns and a huge downhill section before the finish line. The riders who manage the off-cambers, and carrying momentum out wide when possible, and launch down the massive hill will find more success than those timidly tiptoeing down it. Who is willing to send it today? –Kendra
Local Love
At the “home” race for Racer X/MX Sports, there are also many Pennsylvania natives on the entry lists in both classes. The Keystone state will be represented by #47 Seth Hammaker (Kawasaki), #257 Joey DeNeen (Honda), #574 Ryan Lechien (Yamaha), #738 Steve Roman (Yamaha), #912 Bryn Steffan (Yamaha), #944 Derek Leatherman (Yamaha), #946 Cole Jones (Yamaha), and #957 Jarrett Thompson (Yamaha) in the 250 Class, and #223 Brandon Hugney (Husqvarna), #279 Timothy Crosby (Kawasaki), #437 Vincent Luhovey (Kawasaki), #624 Garrett Smith (Honda), #637 Robert Piazza (Yamaha), and #788 Josh Heintz (Kawasaki) in the 450 Class. Hammaker, from eastern Pennsylvania, told our Tom Journet yesterday he had only raced at this facility one time as an amateur. Greensburg native Luhovey, who pours concrete during the week with his dad, was featured on Pittsburgh Today Live earlier this week to talk about this weekend’s race. Veteran racer Roman now runs riding classes at some of the local tracks in the area. With the first East Coast race of the summer being in their home state, all these guys are out here representing to their best ability at different stages of their respective racing careers. If you are at the track, make sure to cheer on these hometown boys today. –Kendra
