Round ten of AMA Pro Motocross went off over the weekend at Budds Creek in Maryland, and there’s plenty to get into. To get an inside look at it all we fired off questions to former pro, Jason Thomas. Here is what he had to say.
Budds Creek is known for being stiflingly hot, but this year was a bit of an exception. How'd that affect the racing on Saturday?
It was certainly more pleasant. I noticed during the podium proceedings I wasn’t sweating much, and that was wearing a black shirt and black jeans. The temps were in the 80’s but the lack of humidity was the bigger factor. I believe some of the riders returning to the series, notably Justin Barcia, were helped by the nice weather. If you enter the race knowing you’re not fully prepared, every little bit helps. Had the humidity been cranking, I think you would have seen a lot more suffering from many.
Hunter Lawrence once again had a comfortable points lead after Haiden Deegan's bike let go a week ago at Unadilla. Even so, were you surprised at how patiently he rode at Budds, with the title within his grasp?
I think he did exactly what was called for. The pressure to change the narrative is on Justin Cooper now, not Hunter. He can simply move through each moto and attempt to keep the status quo. If he can leave each Saturday with the same advantage he entered with, job done. If you follow MXGP at all, it’s the same exact approach that Jorge Prado has been executing for a couple of months now. Time is on Hunter’s side, and he just needs to keep it upright and bring it home.
Speaking of Deegan, he had very little to lose at Budds Creek. Did you see that in his riding?
Yes, and very much so in that first moto before the red flag. It reminded me of that Washougal intensity. He was the fastest rider on the racetrack and was on his way to winning. Unfortunately, fate derailed that particular moto, but there will be lots of winning to come. We are seeing the early days of what could be a very dangerous teenager.
Jo Shimoda has been up and down this season, although he has been quite good lately. But even so, with a deal already inked for 2024, were you surprised at how hard he went after it at Budds Creek?
Jo is capable of being on the podium each moto. It has felt like he’s missing one small piece of the puzzle to get on the sort of hot streak he enjoyed last summer. On the other hand, Hunter Lawrence, Justin Cooper, and Haiden Deegan are much better than they were last year, so maybe it’s just a tougher setup for success.
So many questions regarding that red flag in the first 250 moto, but we’ll keep it to just a few. First, as an athlete, what’s the process like trying to stay ready for what you know is going to be an all-out sprint for the final 15 minutes, after just hammering down for the first 15 minutes?
I don’t think the approach changes too much as far as effort goes. The tough part is recovering and getting everything prepared to go again, like extra goggles, water, etc. If your team isn’t prepared beforehand, it can be a very chaotic few minutes. It’s like the old saying goes about only needing something when you don’t have it. Being prepared pays off in moments like that.
Was there a noticeable change in intensity following the post-red-flag gate-drop in the first 250 moto?
I don’t believe so. That class is almost always all gas, all the time. The intensity required to do well in the 250 class doesn’t leave much room for complacency.
Take us through the restart and Haiden Deegan’s crash in the first turn. Where did that start?
Budds Creek’s first turn is a hard 180 left that favors the inside gates. Haiden was on the inside and knew he needed to get to the braking zone with the first few guys if he wanted a good start. That very inside comes with some risk, as you can be squeezed to the inside wall and forced to brake harder than desired as the field funnels. This can even lead to riders having to come to a complete stop as the window to turn closes in front of you. For Deegan, he knew he was on his way to winning that first moto and had the pace to win again, but the start had to be executed. Coming into the corner, he was even with most but behind Tom Vialle and Hunter Lawrence. Had he decelerated sooner and tucked hard to the inside, he could have used his inside positioning to turn tightly, then accelerate past the Mechanics’ Area and try to come out with a top-three start. Instead, he went for broke and tagged Vialle as the field began to tuck in to the left. He was simply going too fast, too late in the braking zone. These decisions are happening in a split second so it’s easy to judge in hindsight. He will learn from it.
All title pressure was off for Jett Lawrence. Did you notice a difference in the way he rode at all?
I expected to but no, not really. It was the same calculated Jett that’s been prevalent all season. The one change was that he showed us his ability to move through the field but even then, it was methodical and executed with surgical precision. He is the total package in every way. With only two motos to go until perfection, it will be interesting to see if he shows any signs of nervousness at Ironman. I unequivocally believe there will be nervousness, but my interest will be more in if we can detect it in his riding.
The passes Jett Lawrence put on guys like Justin Barcia, Adam Cianciarulo, and Aaron Plessinger were pretty impressive. Take us through what you found was the most impressive move of his forward march in that first 450 moto.
Jett made a judgment call to switch from the scoop tire to a more traditional tire just before the gate dropped. While it looked to hurt him a bit on the drive to the first corner, I believe it gave him more maneuverability mid-moto compared to the guys he was passing. If you look at his line choices, he was able to use insides and leave berms early where his competitors were not. They needed to stay on the outsides, utilizing the deeper dirt and traction. Jett capitalized on that, got creative in how he approached the track, and made moves. I believe the tire choice was a gamble because Budds Creek favors a good start more than anything else, but he was able to make it work.
Justin Barcia was much better at Budds Creek than Unadilla. How much of that is just racing luck, and how much is it him sharpening the stick over the week?He was! Starts were certainly a big part of that equation but his pace was also very competitive. For a rider with that much experience, and also the fitness base he has, things return to form quickly. His body knows exactly what will be asked of it and that muscle memory speeds up all aspects of recovery. In any case, it was a very impressive ride for the 51.
Dylan Ferrandis doesn't have a ride lined up for 2024. Is there anything you can see in his riding that would indicate urgency or necessity?
I really liked what I saw at Unadilla. He looked so much more comfortable and confident than in prior rounds. This week was a bit of a step in the wrong direction in comparison. His second-moto starts have been horrific, making the job much harder. The tough part of this equation is there are not many, if any, spots available. Even if he won Ironman, I’m not sure if that changes his situation or opportunity.
