Speaking of press day, Honda HRC's Jett Lawrence went for a wild ride yesterday afternoon. The Anaheim 1 winner went for a big line in the back rhythm section and came up very short, causing him to rebound violently off the bike and then land back on top of it on the following jump. Jett gingerly picked his bike up and rolled it off the track while his brother Hunter came up to him to check on him. Jett would ride straight back to the pits and reportedly has a bruised thumb but will be lining up tonight. Vurbmoto was able to get a great view of what happened to Jett Lawrence:

Lawrence didn't have things go his way last week at San Francisco either where his second 450SX main event resulted in a ninth place finish while defending champion Chase Sexton powered his Red Bull KTM to the win and retook the points lead with it. The red plate is back on the #1 machine this week while the #31 machine of Jordon Smith sees red return to his bike for the first time since 2017 as his win in the 250SX main event in San Francisco rocketed him to the top of the 250SX West Region standings. With four different winners between the two classes through two rounds and mixed weather potentially adding to the drama today, round three is one you can't miss. Check out the broadcast schedule below and follow along with us today as free practice is soon to begin.

Free Practice

The first free practice group to head out for the day was 250C as 46 riders were entered this week. Conditions were pristine as the clouds hung overhead and guys went to work on figuring out key rhythm lines. Blaine Silveira put in the top time as he laid down a 55.401.

250 C

250 B

Next up was the 250 B group which featured BarX Suzuki’s Max Miller and AEO KTM’s Talon Hawkins, both of which have had speed to be in mains but struggled in San Francisco last week. The rhythm section out of the first corner seemed to be giving guys the most trouble ads you could either roll in and then go over table-3-3 if you got it right, but some guys were going onto the table and stepping off into a 3-2 option. It will be interesting to see what the A riders do with that section. Hawkins ended up with the top time with a 52.302 as we inched closer and closer towards the 40’s.

250 A

The A group headed out led around by Anaheim 1 winner RJ Hampshire and the track remained dry with no rainfall yet. Times were dropping down in a hurry as the 51-second mark was quickly eclipsed with Honda HRC’s Jo Shimoda going to the top with a 50.6 only to best it one lap later at a 50.592. It seemed like the fast lines were coming into a clearer frame as the top six times were separated by just two tenths of a second between Shimoda and Jordon Smith’s 50.804. But then Smith fired a 49.934 in right as the checkered flag waved to become the first rider into the 49-second range. That would be the top time as the session ended.

450 A

Adam Cianciarulo led the 450A group around the track as the top boys of 450SX began to feel out the San Diego track. Similar to the 250 A group, the main line in the first rhythm section was going on-off-3-2 but the 450 guys were mostly going roll-over table-3-roll in the back rhythm section before the supercross triple which none of the 250 guys were doing. Cooper Webb held the top time at the halfway mark of the session with a 50.560 and times were very close. Then Eli Tomac fired in a 49.701 quickly followed by Ken Roczen going to a 50.177 and the race for the top time was on. Some guys even started going 2-4-2 in the back rhythm section before the supercross triple and a handful of guys were also tripling out of the corner two turns after the finish line jump which a lot of guys did on press day, but the corner was already pretty worn down to try it. Roczen jumped to the top of the table with a 49.554 next and Jason Anderson snuck in right on his heels with a 49.608. The checkered flag waved, and it was Roczen who nabbed the top time in the end.

450 B

The 450 B group was then led around by Vince Friese as some main event guys so far this year like Freddie Noren, Kyle Chisholm, as well as Friese found themselves in B group this week. Mitchell Harrison had a big crash in the first rhythm section after the start on his first flying lap and he would be helped gingerly to the medical mule before taking a ride back to the pits. Friese would end up with the top time in the group having laid down a 51.283.

450 C

Thirteen riders hit the track for the final round of free practice in the morning as 450C was led around by the returning Marshal Weltin early. Lane Shaw went to the top of the board halfway through the session with a 53.913. Weltin responded with a 53.173 which would remain the top time for the C group.

First Qualifying Sessions

The rain was still holding off, but it didn’t seem like that would last much longer as the 250 C group hit the track for the first round. Blaine Silveira ended up with the top time in C at a 53.931 and unlike free practice earlier, these times now count towards the night show. The forecast showed minutes remaining before rainfall as the 250 B group headed out on track next.

Conditions remained dry through much of the B session, but the skies were certainly darkening, and a light drizzle began to fall. Max Miller jumped to the top of the board with a 51.808 just ahead of Talon Hawkins at a 51.920 but there seemed to be a bit more front-end washouts happening as the track started to receive a bit of moisture.

Just before the A group was scheduled to hit the track, the skies opened, and rain was fully beginning to fall. Early in the session, the rain did not seem to make too much difference on the line selection as the track was still dry enough for the main options to be done, but it was getting wet in a hurry. Julien Beaumer had his front-end wash out in the first corner as it became slicker on the greasy, blue-grooved spots.

Jordon Smith was able to dip down to a 50.931 early in the session but the track was clearly going away as times continued to rise up into the 52 and 53-second range for guys on their hot laps. Everything remained as it was from early in the session as Smith ended up P1 ahead of Shimoda, Hampshire, Beaumer, and DiFrancesco with the rain continuing to fall.

The 450 A group immediately hit the track next, and they clearly were aware the track was only going to get worse. Jason Anderson led the field around as he tried to put in a quick time right away, but it was Ken Roczen who leapt up to a 52.431 early on as he sat atop the board.

Anderson fired in his second lap just behind Roczen at a 52.477 but a lot of guys were in the 54-second range or beyond as everyone tried to find the limit of traction. Roczen amazingly found even a bit more time in the conditions dropping down to a 52.027 while Eli Tomac jumped up to second right behind him on a 52.223. But Tomac then had a weird crash moments later when he swapped sideways into the rhythm after the whoops and landed off the track. He would slide away from the bike and be okay bit a close call indeed.

Roczen’s time would remain up top with Tomac, Sexton, Anderson, and Ferrandis all withing a half second off Kenny’s P1 lap. The track continued to worsen as the B group hit the track and Vince Friese laid in a 55.141 but he also went for a little tumble as did Freddie Noren and Jason Clermont. The final session for the C group was very wet and rainy with Lane Shaw ending up on top with a 59.553 but the track was certainly getting worse and worse.

Update at 1:20p.m. PST/4:20 p.m. EST

Breaking news: the second qualifying sessions for today are officially cancelled. This is the second consecutive week this has happened due to weather as Dirt Wurx is trying to save the track for tonight's main program. Smith (250SX) and Roczen (450SX) are officially the top qualifiers for today.

250SX Heat 1

The first heat race of the night fired into a moist first corner as the rain has stopped but the track was soaked. Nate Thrasher fired out to the holeshot an early lead ahead of Mitchell Oldenburg and Joshua Varize. Oldenburg was able to take over the lead on the second lap before the red flag was displayed due to a crash on the finish line that left Braden Spangle down and injured. Spangle was able to walk to the medical mule with some help and waved to the crowd as he was carted off.

On the restart of the heat race, Levi Kitchen grabbed the holeshot ahead of Thrasher, but Thrasher stole the lead away from him in the whoops. Kitchen got it right back from him in the next section and then Joshua Varize also got by Thrasher as Kitchen got a little bit of breathing room. Thrasher spent a lap behind Varize but then passed him back just before the end of the second lap.

Julien Beaumer had an early crash just before the supercross triple which slid him from fifth to outside of the transfer spots. Jo Shimoda caught and passed Varize to get into third as there was a huge gap from fourth back to Oldenburg who was now up to the fifth spot. Varize then crashed twice from fourth and fell all the way out of a transfer spot. Shimoda then fell on the last lap from third but still finished third since fourth place was lapped! Kitchen won by 20 seconds over Thrasher in the end.

250SX Heat 2

Ryder DiFrancesco grabbed the holeshot in the second head race, but RJ Hampshire jumped right into the lead heading into the second corner. Jordon Smith then pulled up alongside him in the whoops on the first lap, but Hampshire was able to hang onto the lead.

Then at the end of the first lap, Hampshire jumped off the track on the finish line jump and handed the lead over to Garrett Marchbanks who was absolutely flying. His teammate Phil Nicoletti moved into second place and had Jordon Smith right on his tail. Smith found his way through into second place in the whoops on the second lap.

Hampshire ended up crashing again and slipped back to eighth. Maxwell Sanford crashed in the whoops on the second lap and would end up having a DNF in the heat as he couldn’t get his bike going. A heated battle for the ninth and final transfer spot between Anthony Bourdon, Carter Biese, and Max Miller ended when Miller and Biese collided, and both went down.

Marchbanks went on to win the heat ahead of Smith, Nicoletti, DiFrancesco, and Carson Mumford in the top five.

450SX Heat 1

As the first 450SX heat race fired into the first corner, it was Eli Tomac grabbing the holeshot, but Case Clason quickly jumped into the lead! Clason led for one turn until Jett Lawrence blitzed by him in the whoops, the only guy since the night show started to blitz the whoops.

Lawrence led for one lap and then the next time through the whoops he crashed the lead away and handed it over to Tomac. Lawrence slipped back to fifth but found his way back around Clason to make it into fourth. Adam Cianciarulo and Justin Barcia crashed together on the second lap and that pushed AC out of transfer. When Cianciarulo caught Vince Friese for ninth, he crashed again and had to fight his way back a second time.

Malcolm Stewart put the pressure on Tomac for the win and got close a couple times to making the pass, but Tomac would hold on to win the heat over Stewart, Lawrence, Barcia, and Benny Bloss who put Beta into the main event for the first time.

450SX Heat 2

Ken Roczen grabbed the holeshot in the final heat race of the night with Aaron Plessinger right on his tail and Christian Craig just to his outside heading into the second turn. Dylan Ferrandis jumped his way into third. Hunter Lawrence went down on the first lap, and it held up points leader Chase Sexton as well as Cooper Webb and put them both way back. Sexton then crashed by himself at the end of the first lap and crossed in 16^th on the first lap.

Meanwhile out front, Aaron Plessinger was able to pass Roczen for the lead much to the delight of the crowd, but Roczen wasn’t done, and he tripled alongside him and passed him back two corners later. Then Plessinger passed Roczen in the whoops on the next lap and this time it stuck as the #7 led the field around.

Sexton was bringing Hunter Lawrence with him as the moved up into seventh and ninth, respectively, on the fourth lap of the race which meant they both were now in transfer spots. Aaron Plessinger would go on to take the win as the crowd roared. Roczen, Webb, Ferrandis, and Craig followed him home.

250SX Last Chance Qualifier

Joshua Varize holeshot the LCQ but quickly gave the lead over to Maxwell Sanford. TJ Albright then snuck into the lead momentarily before Varize passed them both back and held onto the lead to complete the opening lap. Josh Greco was able to get by Sanford into fourth and the front four really put a gap on the rest of the field. Lance Kobusch made up a ton of ground in a single lap as he put the fastest lap of the race down and caught and passed Greco for the final transfer spot just after Sanford moved by him for third. Varize would go on to take the win ahead of Albright, Kobusch, and Sanford.

450SX Last Chance Qualifier

Adam Cianciarulo grabbed the holeshot in the 450SX LCQ with Shane McElrath hot on his heels. Justin Rodbell was up in third on the first lap with Dean Wilson rounding out the transfer spots. The top four put a good gap on the field with Josh Cartwright and Kyle Chisholm trying to make a late charge down the stretch. In the end, it would remain status quo the whole way home as Adam Cianciarulo took the LCQ win ahead of McElrath, Rodbell, and Wilson.

250SX Main Event

In the 250SX main event, it was RJ Hampshire with the holeshot ahead of Ryder DiFrancesco. Phil Nicoletti was in fourth off the start and crashed dropping all the way to the back of the pack. Levi Kitchen moved to second early on with Mitchell Oldenburg in third and Jordon Smith in fourth. Smith was able to make it around Oldenburg just at the end of the first lap to take over third as Garrett Marchbanks and Nate Thrasher made it a six-rider train out front.

Marchbanks passed Oldenburg at the start of the fourth lap as the Heat 2 winner was fired up to stay with the leaders. Kitchen managed to nail the supercross triple on the third lap and closed right up to Hampshire for the lead. Jordon Smith went off the track in third and Marchbanks was able to make his way by into a podium spot. Thrasher had also passed Oldenburg and was right on Smith now for fourth.

Jo Shimoda was working up from a bad start and made the move around Hunter Yoder into seventh on the fifth lap of the race. Thrasher moved around his championship leading teammate Smith and was putting the pressure on Marchbanks for third. That suddenly became a battle for second when Kitchen tipped over from second while battling with Hampshire.

Marchbanks snuck up to the rear tire of Hampshire and grabbed the lead from him just past the halfway mark. Hampshire stayed on him, but Thrasher was coming with Marchbanks and it was quickly a three way battle for the lead. Lapped traffic was suddenly playing a huge part as Marchbanks couldn’t triple one lap in the lappers and then he ran into another group of them the next lap. Thrasher took advantage then of Hampshire getting hung up in some of the lappers to then move into second behind Marchbanks.

Marchbanks had a small gap but then he got stuck behind more lapped traffic and this time it handed the lead over to Nate Thrasher. The lappers were everywhere in the final laps as Marchbanks and Hampshire closed back up onto Thrasher battling for the win. Hampshire swapped and crashed hard on the last lap but was uninjured. However, Smith, Shimoda, and Kitchen were right there still, and they all went by Hampshire who got up sixth as the checkers waved.

Nate Thrasher took the win in the end after a rough first couple of rounds as Marchbanks finished right behind him and then Jordon Smith rounded out the podium.

450SX Main Event

The holeshot in the 450SX main event went to Justin Cooper with Ken Roczen quickly going into the lead. Chase Sexton and Malcolm Stewart went down together on the first lap and were way back behind the field with both of their bikes seemingly a little bent up.

Roczen led early with Justin Barcia moving to second and Plessinger rounding out the podium spots. Cooper Webb was in fourth with Jason Anderson and Dylan Ferrandis just behind him. Justin Cooper crashed from the top five and slipped all the way back to 19^th. Eli Tomac got together with Christian Craig on the second lap, and he went all the way back to 20^th. Sexton then had another crash and slipped back behind Tomac and Justin Cooper which was 19^th place.

Plessinger found his way around Barcia and into second place on the third lap as the cowboy was eager to chase down Roczen for his first career 450SX win. Roczen then had a big crash on the eighth lap when he cross-rut on the single-double two turns after the finish line and that sent the #94 tumbling to the ground. Roczen was able to get it going again but something was clearly wrong with his bike as he tip-toed around and even stopped in the pits while in 18^th place. Plessinger then took over the lead as the crowd roared him around the track with the race approaching half distance.

Cooper Webb worked his way up to find a way around Justin Barcia into second place as they sat about seven seconds off of Plessinger out front. Lappers were everywhere as Plessinger came upon Shane McElrath, Eli Tomac, Adam Cianciarulo, Jorge Prado, and Freddie Noren who were all battling for spots either in or just outside of the top 10. Chase Sexton was ahead of that group and up into ninth as Plessinger sliced through everyone eventually lapping Tomac with eight minutes left to go.

Jett Lawrence was up into the top five and sat between Jason Anderson and Dylan Ferrandis. Ken Roczen unlapped himself from Ferrandis and started following Jett as Roczen was desperately trying to get to that group battling for the top 10. Plessinger spent a lot of the closing stages of the race having Tomac play blocker between he and Webb who was trying to close in from second. Finally, Tomac let Webb go by and gave him free track to go after AP for the win. Plessinger lapped Sexton and then Sexton and Webb got together when their ruts collided with two laps to go as Plessinger suddenly had a five second lead with the white flag waving.

When it was all said and done, the checkered flag waved, and it was Aaron Plessinger picking up his first career 450SX win as the crowd roared.