Last year, Levi Kitchen was fast and could win races if he got a good start and was out front. But those great starts were few and far between. This year, the Washington native’s starts have been better, and it has given him a chance to show improved sprint speed, race craft, and all-around skillset. But it is the confidence that seems to be taking Kitchen to new heights this year. Confidence to get out front and confidence in what happens once he is in the lead.
Riders usually say confidences and good starts work hand-in-hand: good starts can lead to better results (again, as long as the work is done during the week) and more confidence can lead to getting better starts. Either way you look at it, confidence and good starts—and the skill-set that is required to get the job done—have Kitchen with a 15-point lead in the 250SX West Region Championship with just three rounds remaining.
“Honestly, even last year, if I would have got these starts, I don't think I believed in myself enough to do this,” Kitchen said. “So, I think that's the difference now. I just really believe that that's where I belong. And I think that helps on the starts too. Like, I want to get to that first turn first every time, obviously. And I do my best to do that. So, yeah, I think it's just a confidence thing and last year was a solid year for me. I stayed healthy all year and learned a lot. So, I think that just carried into this year.”
Is it a refined skill this year, or a different approach completely? How much does his new bike underneath him make a difference?
“I mean, I don't know, it's fast and it stays really planted when it comes off the gate,” Kitchen said on his and the entire Pro Circuit team’s starts this year. “It might be the hydraulic clutch. I don't know. But, yeah, it's really good. Mitch [Payton] does a great job with it. Yeah, I don't know, man, it's working though. It's nice.”
Changing both teams and bikes does not always work out. After all, Kitchen was leaving arguably the most winningest team in the 250cc class the last handful of years. Plus, he has been on a Yamaha YZ250F since about 2020, when he moved up to the 250F four-stroke as an amateur. The change in training program opens up a little more flexibility to listen to his body. Rest on the days off, and fine tune the things he wants to when on the bike, as opposed to all-out motos week in and week out last year with the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team. He says it all comes down to preparation for race day. So far, the team, bike, and training change are all working out well for the #47.
“I'd say the big thing I'm focusing on is just being as ready as I can for the weekend like this, my body and physically,” Kitchen said. “These last couple weekends especially, you know. Well, yeah, Seattle and this weekend now, like I just feel really, I don't know, aggressive right out of the gate and ready to go on these races. And I'm just enjoying all of it and making sure that during the week, like, you know, if I'm pretty tired…like me and, my trainer Peter [Park] have a good enough relationship now where, you know, if I need the day off or whatever the case is like, I can be pretty transparent. And I think that helps a lot in the environment I'm in.”
St. Louis - 250SX West
March 30, 2024| Rider | Hometown | Motos | Bike | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Levi Kitchen | Washougal, WA  | 1 - 1 - 1 | Kawasaki KX250 |
| 2 |  Jo Shimoda | Suzuka, Japan  | 2 - 3 - 3 | Honda CRF250R |
| 3 |  Jordon Smith | Belmont, NC | 3 - 2 - 4 | Yamaha YZ250F |
| 4 |  R.J. Hampshire | Hudson, FL | 4 - 4 - 2 | Husqvarna FC 250 |
| 5 |  Nate Thrasher | Livingston, TN | 5 - 5 - 6 | Yamaha YZ250F |
The first rider to sweep a 250SX Triple Crown event: Austin Forkner: '19 Detroit SX. Forkner was on a Kawasaki with red plates. Kitchen tonight becomes the second rider to complete 250SX sweep. Also, on a Kawasaki with red plates. #SXHistory #Supercross #SupercrossLIVE #SX2024
— Mitch Kendra (@mitch_kendra) March 31, 2024
Jason Thomas mentioned in his Breakdown recap feature how fast Kitchen is going but how controlled it looks in the process. He is not wild over every jump. He is aggressive, but calculated. He stands up a lot, which in turn keeps his feet on the pegs more than other riders. He is confident, but humble. He is the same guy he was three years ago when he first race pro, as the wins have not gone to his head. But he really has unlocked another gear lately.
“This is spot on,” Thomas said on Kitchen being locked in and elevating himself. “He is winning and the most impressive part of it is his ability to do it without riding on the edge. Often times, winning in the 250 class is a chaotic experience. There are big risks taken and the whole dynamic feels unsustainable. Kitchen’s wins don’t feel that way at all. He is getting the starts and putting in mistake-free laps. He is firing on all cylinders. I think Hunter Lawrence’s 2023 season was reminiscent of this. He ‘figured it out’ and was the best rider all year. That’s what this Kitchen dynamic feels like.”
Kitchen will be back on the gate for the Nashville Supercross East/West Showdown set for April 20. Does he wish there was another race this weekend? After all, there was a month straight of no racing for the 250SX West Region while the 250SX East Region began followed by only for two weeks back of racing before another two-week break. Some riders want to keep the hot hand. Kitchen?
“Yes and no,” he said on wishing there was another race this weekend. “I don't really mind either way. I'm really looking forward to the next one we have because it's, you know, both coasts and that's always fun. Good to kind of see what coast is a little better than the other.”
