We knew the Nashville, Tennessee, round of Monster Energy AMA Supercross would be exciting before the season even started, but once the race was finished there was so much to unpack from both classes and all three championships! Here, Mitch Kendra highlights some results and notes lost in the chaos over the weekend. Plus, he gives a shout-out to the teams and riders who decorated their race bikes and riding gear with some awesome artwork from the patients of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
250SX
Jalek Swoll: Swoll had a solid sixth in his heat race then rode home a new season-best for himself and the all-new Triumph TF 250-X. Quietly, Swoll has five top-ten finishes now on the season and he was the second-highest placing 250SX East Region finisher behind new championship leader Tom Vialle (second on the night). While the personnel on the team is very experienced, they are still learning the all-new bike. This was a much-needed strong day by the #33 and crew, especially with the news of Evan Ferry and Triumph Racing parting ways becoming public news at the start of the morning on race day.
Swoll said the following in Triumph’s post-race press release:
“That’s the East/West Showdown done! It’s been a really cool event, we’ve had some fun and just been building on things with the team. I felt really good on the bike in qualifying, even if I didn’t make the perfect lap. The Heat Race was good to get the jitters out and I was feeling good for the Main. I made a decent start but definitely lacked some intensity in the opening laps and was a little tense at the end, which cost us fourth.”
“These East/West events are gnarly and only one East guy finished in front of me, so we’re second on the night in a way, which is really positive and we’ll just build on that for the next round.”
![Jalek Swoll]()
Jalek Swoll Align Media ![Jalek Swoll]()
Jalek Swoll Align Media
Julien Beaumer: Beaumer finished 13th in his heat race after a costly mistake and was forced to go to the LCQ. Beaumer claimed the LCQ race win and then rode home a solid ninth-place finish. When you consider this was only his eighth 250SX main event start and he had finishes of 6-11-16-7-7-7 before this round, a ninth in his first ever East/West Showdown main event has to feel good. Plus, factor in going to the LCQ, which is harder to transfer out of at a showdown race, and transferring easily is a great sign for the #929.
Ryder DiFrancesco: While a 19th in the main event is not ideal, the supercross rookie led laps in his heat before finishing third to veterans RJ Hampshire and Jordon Smith. After starting about seventh, the GasGas rider was bumped back to 11th at one point. He fought back inside the top ten and was battling Phil Nicoletti for seventh place in the late stages of the race. However, a pass attempt on Nicoletti resulted in knocking himself down and losing multiple positions. Rookie mistake there taking himself down, but leading laps in an all-West Region heat race—almost a mini main event of the top riders from that region—was a great learning experience.
Casey Cochran: Cochran came through 15th in the main event for the second consecutive week but finished fourth in the 250SX East Region heat race. Finishing ahead of the #166 was Tom Vialle (two-time MX2 Motocross World Champion and current points leader), veteran Pierce Brown (with over 30 250SX starts to his name), and Coty Schock (in the midst of a career-best season), then the young Husqvarna rider. Throughout his amateur career, Cochran has been a great starter, which could help him grow quickly if that transfers over to the big leagues and he is able to adapt and learn riding in the top pack. Similar to DiFrancesco, a great heat race at a showdown is big for a supercross rookie—especially for a rider in just their second professional supercross start ever!
Cochran said the following in Husqvarna’s post-race release:
"First Showdown of my career, so a new experience and I'm just learning, building each weekend, so I'm stoked to come back again next weekend. Overall, a pretty good day in Qualifying and the Heat race again... gotta clean up a few mistakes, but I'm happy with my riding and want to continue in this direction."
Gage Linville: Linville was shuffled out of a transfer spot in the 250SX East Region heat race by Haiden Deegan, finishing tenth right behind Cameron McAdoo at the checkered flag. Again, showdown LCQs have a higher level of difficulty. But the #602 got it done, taking second. A crash in the main event resulted in 21st on the night, but Linville was battling Deegan and Max Anstie and not rolling over. He said on Instagram: “Felt good to be in the mix this weekend where I belong! looking forward to Philly!” Not a household name, but signs of life from Linville and the Dirt Bike Depot Racing team.
450SX
Adam Cianciarulo: AC was fast all day long, topping the board in qualifying at one point, and took a close second in his heat race to Hunter Lawrence. He dropped to 14th by the end of the main event, but the long-time Kawasaki rider is taking it all in during his final few rounds—and while dealing with an ankle injury from the St. Louis SX. AC keeps it real and will be missed once he retires. His fist pump on Saturday in qualifying while leading after the fake start and after his P2 in the heat were awesome. He said on Instagram: “The first time I’ve ever fist-pumped in a heat race, and I didn’t even win. 🤣”
Justin Barcia: The #51 machine finished inside the top five for the second time this season. He said in a GasGas post-race release:
“I made a charge toward the end and finished fifth – a top-five feels really good. We've been working hard, but it's been very challenging, and it's good to be closer to where we want to be. We've got a few more races, so we'll keep at it!"
Justin Cooper: Cooper has always been a great qualifier and a great starter and those are both transitioning over into his first full 450SX season. The #32 was out front in his heat until a mistake near the mechanics’ area dropped him back to fourth, where he would finish. He then recorded a sixth in the main event after being outside the top 15 at the start. In 13 main event starts this season, Cooper has recorded 11 top-ten finishes. The top riders in the championship seem to be on another level but Cooper has been consistently near the sixth through tenth range. It seems like only a matter of time before we see a breakout ride by the New York native. Looking ahead to the AMA Pro Motocross Championship it is going to be fun to see where the #32 machine slots in amongst the busy field.
Josh Hill: Hill qualified for his first main event of the season and his 100th career 450SX main event. The older Hill brother has not been racing the series full-time in years, but it is impressive to see him reach this milestone. Pretty wild to think about when he raced his first premier class event in January 2008 and how different the field looked back then!
Hunter Lawrence: The older Lawrence brother clicked off another heat race win, completing one half of the Lawrence brother 450SX heat race sweep, and was fifth after lap one. However, Jason Anderson took the #96 down and Hunter finished lap two in 17th place. He managed to come through the finish seventh in an impressive charge through the field.
Double Bothers: With Justin and Josh Hill and Jett and Hunter Lawrence all in the 450SX main event for the first time together this season, we saw two sets of brothers in the main event. How cool is that?!
![Josh and Justin Hill]()
Josh and Justin Hill Align Media ![Hunter and Jett Lawrence]()
Hunter and Jett Lawrence Align Media
Benny Bloss: Bloss finished sixth in the first heat and then brought home a solid eighth-place finish in the main event. This was his second top-ten finish of the season as he set a new season-best and a new career-best for the Beta 450 RX. Kinda quietly, Bloss has put together a handful of solid rides this year on a bike, similar to Swoll, that is completely new.
Watch the extended NBC highlights from Saturday below.
Love Moto Stop Cancer Gear
The Nashville SX kicked off the Love Moto Stop Cancer campaign benefitting the children and families of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Check out some photos by Mitch Kendra and Align Media. Some of these jerseys and plastics will be a part of the Love Moto Stop Cancer online auction that kicks off April 29. Stay tuned for more details on the auction.
