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In the 250SMX Class, Hunter Lawrence enters today with a little extra red on his Honda HRC CRF250R, as the #96 claimed both the 250SX East Region Supercross and 250 Class Pro Motocross titles so he enters the day in the 250cc points lead for SMX. Honda HRC’s 2023 450SX Champion Chase Sexton enters with the 450SMX lead after he compiled the most 450cc points in supercross and motocross combined. So, Hunter Lawrence and Chase Sexton will enter SMX with the slight advantage in points. But the field will be stacked in both classes so we should be set for an exciting day and start to this final three-run stretch to crown the SMX Champions.

Check out today's full TV broadcast/streaming schedule.

Riders will take to the track shortly for qualifying. 

First Qualifying Sessions

250SMX Class

In the first unseeded qualifying session, Austin Forkner topped the board with a 1:20.782 over Coty Schock’s 1:22.796. In the first seeded session, Carson Mumford was leading the session with a 1:19.775, but he was shuffled back by a 1:19.319 from Jo Shimoda and a 1:18.902 from Seth Hammaker. Good start to the day for the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki guys as they look to keep the momentum rolling from the end of Pro Motocross. On the last lap of the session, Haiden Deegan put down a heater lap that ended up being a 1:18.565, moving the #238 machine to the top of the board.

The track was tilled pretty deep yesterday and water significantly. We are expecting some rain later today (in the early afternoon) but the track is shaping up with some long ruts so far.

450SMX Class

Aaron Plessinger, Ken Roczen, and Ty Masterpool were leading the first 450SMX seeded qualifying session. By the checkered flag, Chase Sexton (1:16.609) topped the group. Cooper Webb second with a 1:17.225 & Jason Anderson's 1:17.787 is the only other sub-1:18 lap. Jett Lawrence had a fast lap of 1:19.298 but stopped for a little with tire issues.

Jerry Robin took the top spot in the first 450SMX unseeded qualifying session on the last lap with a 1:19.935, taking P1 away from Phil Nicoletti.

65cc All-Stars

#698 Carter Gray was hucking the supercross triple! The little ripper came up short two times but he was still sending it!

One thing to watch all day long will be gate selections. Starts are always important, but on a fast track with less passing opportunities (only one 180-degree turn), the split lane start might provide an opportunity for those that take a gamble.

Second Qualifying Sessions

250SMX Class

The second 250SMX unseeded qualifying session is on track now. Coty Schock is leading the group on track and on the timing page. Forkner put down a 1:18.494 to move into P1. Then Forkner dropped a 1:15.739—which would top the session—as he continued to piece together a few good laps. The #55 machine is looking good so far today.

Deegan was leading the 250SMX seeded group second qualifying session. Shimoda takes to the track last. Hammaker's 1:16.206 bested Vialle's 1:17.193 as the gang got rolling. Hammaker, Vialle, and Cooper then went sub 1:16. Towards the end of the session, Deegan had an endo off the single going into the off-camber turn before the sand section that leads to the finish line. He got up, leaned on one of the tall, vertical caution flag Tuff Block for a minute before going towards the wall and chatting with the Alpinestars medical crew. He eventually got back on his machine, but it would not start, so he was forced to push his machine back to the mechanics’ area. His best time of the session was a 1:16.279. Seth Hammaker topped the second 250SMX seeded qualifying session with a 1:15.052. The Kawasaki rider is looking good today. After missing all of supercross and the first four rounds of Pro Motocross due to a broken arm, Hammaker has been solid in his return to racing. He is one rider that could benefit from this SMX format.

Remember, unseeded riders will all have to go to the LCQ each and every week.Forkner "qualifies" ninth today, but he will be the first gate pick in the LCQ.

450SMX Class

Jason Anderson was leading the session with a 1:15.211 until Adam Cianciarulo came in hot with a 1:14.758! Late in the session Jett Lawrence dropped a 1:13.332 to move into P1. Chase Sexton claimed P2 in the session with a 1:14.039 as Ken Roczen (1:14.414) bumped AC back to fourth. Jerry Robin qualified 16th overall, but remember, all unseeded riders will have to race the LCQ each round. So Robin will be the first LCQ gate pick.

65cc All-Stars

#31 Easton Graves topped the session with a 1:35.218. A few of the kids were jumping the supercross triple once again.

LCQs

250SMX Class

Austin Forkner and Josh Varize holeshot their respective sides off the start of the 250SMX LCQ! Varize and his teammate Derek Kelley and Preston Kilroy collided in the back section after the finish line as Forkner bolted away out front. Coty Schock went down on the first lap going into the wall jump after the mechanics’ area. Forkner led Cullin Park, Chris Blose, and Hunter Yoder. Forkner took the race win as Park moved around Blose after a mistake from the veteran. Forkner held on for the race win as Park, Blose, and Yoder came through to claim the four qualifying spots. Luke Neese came up short in fifth.

450SMX Class

Phil Nicoletti (left-hand first turn) and Jeremy Hand (right-hand first turn) get the holeshots on their respective sides as Hand took over the overall lead over Nicoletti once the two sections came together over the finish line. Nicoletti, Hand, and Kevin Moranz were in the three transfer spots as Devin Simonson ran fourth. But Hand stalled, giving up second to Moranz, and then went down in the off-camber turn a few seconds later! Jerry Robin made his way up to third behind Nicoletti and Moranz as Bryce Shelly ran fourth until a huge crash on the supercross triple. Shelly swapped a little in the rollers but had a rather clean takeoff, but he crashed on the landing. Nicoletti took the race win as Moranz and Robin came through to take the last transfer spots, with Hand finishing fourth. Remember, with Forkner and Nicoletti winning their respective LCQs, they will both still have to race the LCQs at both the second and third SMX races in Illinois and California since they entered the championship as unseeded riders.

First Motos

250SMX

The gates dropped and it was Hammaker and Kitchen (both going into the left-hand first turn) leading the field. Hammaker had the early lead but Kitchen overtook his competitor to move into P1 as Carson Mumford went down and hung up RJ Hampshire. On the opening lap, Hunter Lawrence went down, which dropped him back to 21st. Hammaker went down as well, as Kitchen, Deegan, Ryder DiFrancesco, Tom Vialle, and Hammaker rounded out the top five. Hampshire finally got up to tenth but went down on the double after the supercross triple! Kitchen rode well but Deegan slowly cut into the Chef’s four-second lead. Deegan made a pass and checked out. DiFrancesco got passed by Vialle, then his teammates Shimoda and Hammaker, going back to sixth after a great first three/fourths of the moto. Justin Cooper did not look like himself as he was passed and left in the dust by Jordon Smith. Cooper was battling Hunter Lawrence until the #96 finally got around Cooper, then made a pass on Pierce Brown and Max Vohland to finish ninth.

450SMX

As the gates dropped on the first 450SMX moto ever, it was Justin Barcia (right-hand first turn) and Dylan Ferrandis (left-hand first turn) out front of the field early, with the #51 getting the edge. Quickly, Sexton was able to take the race lead—and it was the last time any of his competition would see him again as he would check out. Sexton led Barcia, Ty Masterpool, Aaron Plessinger, Ferrandis (shuffled back some), then Ken Roczen got by Jett Lawrence as Jason Anderson, Adam Cianciarulo, and Cooper Webb rounded out the top ten. Quickly, we had a four-way battle with Anderson, J. Lawrence, Cianciarulo, and Webb! Anderson and Jett started to battle back and forth before the #18 tipped over in the off-camber corner ahead of the sand turn! Out front, Sexton built up a 7.450-second gap over Ferrandis. Dean Wilson was rolling alongside of the pits with a missing left number plate and a dirt-covered jersey, although I did not catch what happened. Roczen made his way up to fourth, Anderson fifth as Plessinger dropped back to sixth. Roczen, Anderson, and Plessinger all got around Barcia as Masterpool went down on the double after the supercross triple. Sexton took the race win by 8.871 seconds as the #23 machine was absolutely rolling. On the very last lap, Jett made a pass on Webb over the double after the SX triple to take over seventh.

65cc All-Stars

Jackson Vick took the 65cc All-Star race win over Easton Graves and Gavin McCoy.

Second Motos

250SMX

When the gates dropped on the second moto, it was Tom Vialle and Ryder DiFrancesco leading the field with Jo Shimoda and Jordon Smith right behind them as Hunter Lawrence and Austin Forkner both went down in separate crashes in their respective first turns. Vialle led with Shimoda right on his rear wheel, although it took the #30 a few laps to finally make a pass. But Shimoda stayed on the rear fender of the KTM out front and managed to pull off a nice pass in the outside line he had been using in the long, right-hand sweeper turn. 

Shimoda held on for the race win as Vialle came through second, followed by DiFrancesco, in a great ride for the #75. DiFrancesco got a great start and ran the pace the entire race to earn the first ever professional podium finish of his young career as he held off Smith. Haiden Deegan came through fifth, so Shimoda's 4-1 gave him the overall win over Vialle's 3-2 finishes and Deegan's 1-5 finishes, making Shimoda the first ever overall winner in the all-new SMX format. 

Levi Kitchen (second in moto one) came through 11th, as Hunter Lawrence (ninth in moto one) charged to finish seventh. Justin Cooper, who finished 12th in the first moto, came through sixth in moto two.

450SMX

The fourth and final moto of the day dropped the gates and Ty Masterpool jumped ahead of Adam Cianciarulo to take over the lead. In the long rhythm section, Ken Roczen took over the race lead as Cianciarulo had a wild ride that would eventually end his moto early. 

Roczen got into the lead and began to check out as Chase Sexton made his way from third up to second place, down over six seconds to Roczen. But the #23 kept charging and charging as Masterpool, Dylan Ferrandis, and Jett Lawrence were battling one another. Roczen, Sexton, and Jett Lawrence (fifth) were going back and forth with fast laps on the timing page as the #18 blasted past Jason Anderson to move into third. Then Sexton rand down and passed Roczen, then put down a blazing 1:14.478, the fastest lap of the moto, and checked out. Jettson jumped past Roczen in the double after the supercross triple on the second to last lap. Sexton claimed the race win and the overall win with 1-1 finishes, ahead of Roczen's 3-3 and Ferrandis' 2-4. Jett Lawrence's 7-2 finishes were fourth overall and Anderson's 4-5 rounded out the top five overall.