When Keefer and I rode the Factory HRC bikes after Washougal (still can’t believe they actually let us do that, BTW) one of the Honda techs was telling us they have some great settings for launch control off the MX grates. The SX and MX grates are different, and in SX there’s that bit of plastic in between the starting gate that causes wheelspin. Either way, there have clearly been some gains in MX starts for Honda this year. Because I rode the bike, I can tell you it’s not a horsepower thing. The Lawrence and Sexton bikes are not that hard-hitting, and they don’t feel like monsters. They're not just overpowering everyone. This is an ECU/start map/clutch/rider technique thing that’s going on, which allows Sexton, and especially Lawrence, to get these phenomenal starts.

Sexton committed a mistake in moto one while trying to avoid hitting his teammate, then he also had a pretty bad crash afterward. Judging by moto two, that crash really took the wind out of his sails because he cruised it on home in moto two for a 3-2, second overall kind of day. Still, he was closer to his teammate than he’s been so far—this time he reeled him in and actually got next to him, which is a small step better than Millville and Washougal. Things looked good until that stall. I’ll go back to the bike test. I was listening Chase and his dad talk to Keefer about what he felt when riding Lawrence’s bike. At that point, I figured Chase would switch back to the braced frame he used in SX, as Lawrence is on that frame for motocross. However, my people tell me he wasn’t, and Chase remained without the brace for Unadilla. I would’ve bet money it would be back on the 23 for Unadilla so it’s a good thing I didn’t bet, because I’d be broke.

[Editor's note: What this also proves is that the Matthes/Keefer test at Washougal had zero impact on what the actual factory riders used at Unadilla. In other words, all is well with the world. -Weege]

There were significant suspension changes made on Sexton’s bike and he’s in a happier place than he was after Washougal. [Editor's note: Please, please Lord tell us these changes did not come from any feedback our guys provided at Washougal. -Weege]  Whatever it is, he looked great, and I think, despite the mistakes from Sexton, he’s got to feel pretty good about his Unadilla first moto. The people I talk to say that Sexton badly wants to end this streak. He’s got four motos to go, and both Budds Creek and Ironman are good tracks for him, (is there such a thing as a bad track for Sexton?) so buckle up, this could be some great racing.

Speaking of suspension settings, word has it that Dylan Ferrandis has been throwing the kitchen sink at his suspension trying to get more comfortable on the 2023 YZ450F. I’ve even heard that he went the “Cooper Webb route" in where he let some outside companies do some stuff for him in search of finding true happiness. Not sure what he ran at Unadilla [in the press conference he said he was not allowed to talk about it], but whatever it was it seemed to work for the Frenchman. He charged hard in moto one and even closed on Lawrence late when Sexton crashed. In the second moto he had a holeshot start device issue that screwed him up. From there he raced all the way from 19^th around the first turn back into third. Good ride from Dylan. Could we see DF14 end the streak and NOT Sexton? Wouldn’t that just blow our wigs back?

Also, when it comes to Ferrandis and his 2024 home, all signs point to two potential landing spots. He’s not going back to Star, they have Cooper Webb, Justin Cooper, and Eli “Cooper” Tomac (I made up Tomac’s middle name, but wouldn’t that be awesome if it was Cooper and the team just ran out a trio of Coops?), but he is talking to the HEP Suzuki guys and they’re trying to make that work. There’s also a place over at Triumph for Dylan, which would be a 2024 250MX only ride (Triumph won’t have a 450 ready for next year) and then a 2025 450SX and MX ride. I’m not even sure if Dylan would want to do that, but it’s an option I heard for another 450 rider out there so it makes sense if Ferrandis and Triumph want it. Ferrandis is by far the best rider out there with no ride lined up, so he’s got to be #1 on most teams’ list. 

Well, you have to wonder if the choice by Justin Cooper and Star Yamaha to try out the EPS (electronic power steering) on his bike for the first moto cost him dearly. He was in third early in moto one and dropped back quickly enough that I thought perhaps he had some bike issues. Cooper doesn’t really ever lose that many spots in a moto. Second moto he went back to his regular bike and smoked to a moto win. Let’s say he doesn't have that EPS on in moto one and feels batter. Maybe he passes Seth Hammaker, and maybe even his teammate Levi Kitchen, and wins the moto with Kitchen in second. That’s five points to Hunter Lawrence and the gap would be 17 and not 22 as it stands. Who knows? It will be interesting to see hwt happens from here. There’s definite proof that going with the new power steering device on the #32 bike didn’t work out so well. I’ve been on teams though, and I’m sure it was tested thoroughly during the week and Cooper preferred it.  This choice was not made hastily. But, for whatever reason, it didn’t work at Unadilla in moto one. As JT told us on the race review podcast, it's hard to replicate the rutted conditions of Unadilla back home.

Hunter Lawence won again, but this time though he didn’t do his usual, “top ten start in moto one, work up to a podium spot, and win moto two for the overall,” thing he’s been doing. Nope, this week it was a rather methodical 2-2 for the OA and with Haiden Deegan’s bike issue, he’s got 22 points on Cooper and 36 on Deegan with four motos to go. As for Deegan, man, life comes at you fast, huh? Think of how much his title chances have changed each week over the last four races. Hunter’s been the best rider all year long—he and Cooper now both have two motos without points so let’s get this thing settled. Both riders are moving up to 450s for next year so it’s one last chance for each of them.

Deegan didn’t have any real time on Unadilla coming into the race and early in moto one, it looked like it, as he got eaten up pretty quickly. But the kid started figuring out how to ride Unadilla (momentum, line choice) and quickly rebounded to latch onto Lawrence and ride through the pack. It was an impressive bit of thinking on the fly for sure. And then, POOF, his YZ250F let go. Bad deal for sure, and it probably takes him out of this title fight, which sucks for him and his team. I have a feeling Deegan will be back on top of the podium soon, however.

Deegan had 38^th gate pick for moto two based on his DNF and yeah, he didn’t get a start. That ruined any chance to get some points back. He did run a sweet outside line off of both the start and the restart in the second moto though.

Levi Kitchen got the start in moto one and took off for another win. He’s not been able to win an MX overall in his career, but he’s now won, I think, three motos. Almost everything is there for Kitch to take that step up next year and be a regular podium guy (he’s moving to Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki, BTW). Look, what he did in moto one was impressive—he rode basically by himself the entire time for a win, and successfully held on if anyone got close or tried to apply pressure. It didn’t look that hard for him. You can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball, they say. So, if you can win a moto that way, you can win overalls.

Some other random thoughts about Unadilla and other stuff:

I heard through the grapevine the AMA told RJ Hampshire he’s in the running for Team USA (I assume on a 450?), and it’s time to show them something. Well, RJ provided quite a highlight with a first lap second-moto crash that brought out a red flag. Bummer for him, it looked nasty but RJ being RJ, he walked it off.

Don’t write off Cooper Webb on a Star Yamaha as being also in the running for Team USA. He’s been riding the bike, he’ll be ready for SMX, and he’s raced the Ernee track before.

To me, if Chase Sexton doesn’t go (and I would bet he doesn’t, Honda said they would support him, but I would think he'd just be ready to move on at that point and get used to the KTM he'll race next year), you send Haiden Deegan (Justin Cooper can’t go), Aaron Plessinger, and Webb. Seems pretty solid right?

Jo Shimoda went 3-3 for fourth! That’s some kind of Filthy Phil score.

Speaking of our guy Phillip, it was a hometown race for him at ‘Dilla and he had a good first moto. In the second moto his vent hose came off and sprayed gas all over his Timbits, which if anyone reading this has had that happen (I have), you understand the DNF.

[Editor's note: When I was in college I worked a summer job at Six Flags Great Adventure theme park, working behind the scenes setting stuff up for the Batman Forever Stunt Show. One of the jobs was putting gas in the Bat Mobile. For some reason the gas tank was inside the car. So We had a black car and a black gas tank and tinted windows and you couldn't see and one day I just missed the tank and started pouring gas all over myself. Once the pain finally kicked in, kinda like a cartoon when he realizes he's run off a cliff and then looks down and finally falls, yeah, oh yeah, it burned bad. -- Weege] 

Yet again we had a bunch of strangers show up to race an AMA national. 38- year Estonian legend Tanel Leok raced his first USA national and got a top twenty. Harri Kullas was impressive with great starts and 7-7 scores, Jay Wilson rode Eli Tomac’s bike (he’s stoked when you mention that, BTW) to one good moto score, and Stephen Rubini came over from France, qualified well, and posted respectable scores. Add in the Van Berkel and Krestinov guys from Southwick, and have we ever seen such a variety of racers show up for AMA Pro Motocross ever before? Pretty cool!

We had Maximus Vohland on our Monday PulpMX Show and he agreed with us that it’s unbelievable he hasn’t yet gotten an overall podium in motocross. As he told us, he was half a wheel short at Pala and even this weekend he was up there in moto one and then had a so-so start in moto two. Something always seems to happen to Vohland in one moto when he has speed in the other. My spies on the east coast said that you can add ClubMX to the list of teams that are interested in him for next year. 

Poor Seth Hammaker, he’s so close to putting all this together. He got great starts both motos and had a podium in sight in moto one when he crashed hard. Second moto he salvaged an eighth, but oh what could have been. I’m a fan of The Hamm, BTW, I think he’s got a bright future.

On that note, Austin Forkner just missed fastest qualifier and the way things are going for him right now, of course he crashed in the first turn in the first moto. He fought his way back up to 22^nd from wayyyy back. Second moto he scored a fifth, which is more like what he can do. We also had Forkner on the PulpMX Show and he talked about moving to California, switching coaches from Robbie Reynard to Ryan Hughes, getting a new trainer, and basically trying to get out of this rut he’s in where he keeps getting hurt. That takes some balls and I admire him for switching things up and getting uncomfortable. It’s not easy. He’s also trying to get into the SMX LCQ lineup, which he needs about three more top-12 finishes to do that. A healthy, up-to-speed Forkner could do some damage at the SMX races.

Weege told me Freddie Noren doesn’t wear a chest protector, which at Unadilla is insane. It’s not like Freddie is some holeshot master or doesn’t crash that much. Wow. Hey Dustin Pipes, make him wear something please.

Ryder DiFrancesco had a good race, which he needed, for sure. It’s been a bit rough for him lately.

I don’t know anything about Bryce Shelly, but Weege told me that he was around a tenth place guy at Loretta Lynn’s and he got a tenth in the first 450 moto. So yeah, that checks out. #motocross 

[Editor's Note: Just so you know we're dealing with facts here, Shelly went 7-4-6-15-11-8 in his six motos at Loretta's. Then he went 10-20 at Unadilla. -- Weege.] 

Garrett Marchbanks had a strong day and hey, he got a start! First moto anyway, and actually the second moto also, but then he fell or something early and was way back. He worked his way up to an impressive tenth. Look, Ty Masterpool is killing it and deserves all the praise he gets, but Garrett is just 15 points back of him and raced two fewer motos than he did. I guess you could argue ClubMX is a better team than the one Masterpool is on, but Marchbanks has been sneaky good in this 450MX series. Again. Remember when the team put him on a 250 to start the year? That was funny.