Entering the Budds Creek National, round ten of the 2022 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, Chase Sexton led Eli Tomac by a single point in one of the closest championship battles in history. Right off the start of the first moto the duo were both inside the top ten and we expected to see a battle break out. Until Sexton flipped over the bars and went down, losing a ton of positions. The Honda HRC rider remounted but then got collected in a mistake from another rider that cost the #23 even more positions. Sexton had to fight back from about 35th, while Tomac charged to the race lead. Tomac won the moto and Sexton finished seventh. Still with a second moto left to go, Tomac gained 11 points on Sexton that moto, unofficially taking the points lead.
In moto two, Sexton got into the lead after passing both Ken Roczen and Jason Anderson but then coughed it back up when he tipped over in a turn. The #23 once again worked from third back up to first before taking the moto win. Tomac struggled late in the second moto to get around Ryan Dungey and finished fifth. Sexton finished 7-1 for fourth overall as Tomac finished 1-5 for second overall. Somehow, Tomac gained only two points on Sexton on the day, as the two swapped positions in the standings, although only one point remains the difference.
After the race, PulpMX’s Steve Matthes caught up to Sexton to get his take on the day.
Racer X: Worst moto of the year, moto one. But to me, it all started in practice. You got a decent time there were some sketchy moments. Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?
Chase Sexton: Yeah, the vibe wasn’t there today. Big vibe guy. [Laughs] Practice I didn’t feel like it was like...honestly, I was sketchier at Unadilla, I thought, in practice. And then this weekend I was just like, kinda rushing the turns and burying it. First practice I went off the track almost by Henry Hill. That was really my only sketchy moment. I was just kinda riding like a meathead.
And then first moto I got a good start and in that corner I hit neutral. I went to get on the gas and got forward and the front end just tucked, I was in neutral. So yeah, wasn’t ideal. I think I went from 35th to seventh. I would have been fine if I didn’t crash twice. But I got into it with Tanner Ward.
![Sexton passing Ken Roczen in the second moto.]()
Sexton passing Ken Roczen in the second moto. Align Media ![Sexton winning the second moto.]()
Sexton winning the second moto. Align Media
Yeah, second crash was with a Canadian, I hope you don’t hold that against any of us. [Laughs]
I like Tanner. And he actually, when I got up, he let me turn my bike around. So I had my work cut out for me there. And then second one [moto], I was like, I have to win. That’s pretty much it.
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Yeah, that’s impressive to me. Like a shitty day, things aren’t going your way, going right. You lose the red plate. And you rebound with that kind of win. I guess you fell over, right?
Yeah. I fell over, yeah.
And then you get Jason back again. Like that’s a statement.
Yeah, after I fell over, I was like, “I have to win this moto.” And that’s my mindset. And I knew my speed was good. And I wasn’t riding like...Honestly, my tip over was dumb. I was standing up in the corner, just… all my falls today were stupid. I came in, drug my foot, and just fell over. The one in the second moto I was standing up and caught the foot and it pulled me over, so I fell over. They learned all my lines, so I had to pass them on different lines. [Laughs] So that was difficult. But it was a good rebound. For me, that was the seventh…it wasn’t good, but that’s what it takes to kinda be in this. I didn’t expect Eli to make a mistake, or give me points back, second moto. But we’re so close.
I feel like for him, he got the red plate back. And that’s ultimately, his goal, he controls his destiny. So it’s a good day for him. But it’s a good day for you because you rebounded from that seventh into a dominating moto two win, with a crash. So in a way, it’s a good day for you.
Yeah, even after the first moto I wasn’t happy, but going down to the line I was in a good mood. I was like, it’s either all or nothing here. So I kind of had my back against the wall. Didn’t get a good start so we had our work cut out for us again. [Laughs] But I made it work somehow. It was good to be in that position, but I needed that after that first moto. After falling in the first moto, I was already riding tight. I was just riding like an idiot. So, good after that. Glad we got the momentum back on our side now after going down. [Laughs]
All of us idiots in the media are like, “These guys are going to go 1-2 the rest of the way, nobody is going to beat them.” And then look what happens. So you just never know. [Laughs]
I mean, it was coming eventually. [Laughs] Eventually, one of us was going to make a mistake. And then both of us ended up doing it. [Laughs] But it was good. Obviously, I did not want to see Eli make, well he didn’t really make a mistake, but he didn’t have the moto that he obviously has had, so for me to capitalize on it was big.
