Welcome to Racerhead and an admittedly rocky start to the 2024 AMA Pro Motocross season. Tomorrow we will see Jett Lawrence race with the #1 plate on a 450 for the first time. The Honda HRC rider is now both the reigning champion in all three AMA championships: AMA Pro Motocross, Monster Energy Supercross and the SuperMotocross World Championship—not bad for a 20-year-old. Lawrence is also on 12-straight winning streak in the outdoor nationals, having won the last 250 race of 2022 and all eleven rounds in 2023. Only Ricky Carmichael and James Stewart have longer streaks. Jett has also won here at Fox Raceway all six times that he’s raced here, going back to 2020. Needless to say, he's a heavy favorite tomorrow with that funky (SMX colors) #1 on those red plates.
In the 250 class it’s a different story as Hunter Lawrence, the defending champion and Jett’s older brother, is now also in the 450 class, meaning that there will be no 250 class red plates out there tomorrow, just one rewarded at the end of the day (two if a couple guys end up tied for the points lead). At the top of the odds I’m guessing you will see Monster Energy/Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan, Red Bull KTM’s Tom Vialle (a two-time FIM MX2 World Champion), Honda’s Jo Shimoda, and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen (who will have a new teammate tomorrow in Ty Masterpool, in a little bit of Breaking News). I would have also listed Rockstar Husqvarna’s RJ Hampshire, but unfortunately…
We had a rough press day/open practice yesterday here at Fox Raceway, which unfortunately saw not one but two top riders go down and end up with injuries. First, in an ugly chain-reaction crash over a seemingly modest tunnel jump, Jerry Robin, Christian Craig, Shane McElrath, Phil Nicoletti and Garrett Marchbanks all went down after a caution flagger mistakenly left their position on top of the tunnel to go to the corner that followed, misunderstanding the PA announcement for everyone except for race officials to get off of the race track and for no one to stand on the tunnels, meaning team personnel, not caution flaggers—and this was an experienced flagger who works at this track often. It all seemed to happen in slow-motion (though in reality it was about 15 seconds) as the riders crested one after another, unable to see the other downed riders as they scrambled to get out of the way and catch the oncoming riders’ attention. Marchbanks got the worst of it, cutting his thumb and requiring stitches. I just met with Garrett as well as Muc-Off/FXR/Club MX team manager Mike Bonacci to talk about what exactly happened and to also work with them on helping get Garrett back out there as soon as possible. It was an unfortunate, avoidable incident on the easiest single jump of the whole track, unfortunate for the riders involved and deeply embarrassing for the series and the event itself.
Then there was the RJ Hampshire incident, which happened at the start of the 250 session when the rider in front him apparently kicked up a big rock and the newly-crowned 250 SX West Region Champion hit it, cracking a bone in his wrist on impact. It was an equally unfortunate incident and here’s hoping that Hampshire gets back to 100% and out there racing soon.
On the brighter side is the return of Joey Savatgy to the track as he debuts as a Triumph rider, as well as Jett Reynolds getting back out there after his own long string of injuries that have wrecked much of his career—hard to believe that he’s only raced four times since turning pro. And then there was the news that literally broke right behind me in the press tent when a Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki mechanic rolled a 250 thru tech inspection with Ty Masterpool’s #29 on it. Vital MX’s Michael Lindsey saw it first and got the scoop; PC built both a race bike and practice bike for Masterpool last night, and he just went riding on the practice bike at Perris Raceway.
You can watch all of the motos tomorrow afternoon beginning at 4 p.m. ET on Peacock, as well as some of the qualifying sessions at 1 p.m. ET. Our own Jason Weigandt and Jason Thomas will be joined by James Stewart on the broadcast. Here’s hoping we have a much safer race tomorrow than yesterday unfortunately was…
THE GREAT OUTDOORS (Matthes)
Well, it's here. We did the Racer X Preview shows, I had Daniel Blair and Zach Osborne on the Fly Racing Moto:60 show talking outdoors and all the talking is over with. AMA Pro Motocross is here and I'm ready for it. Near the end of SX, I'm ready for MX, and then near the end of MX, I say bring on SX. SMX? Yeah, I'm not quite there yet. Give me some time.
Outdoors is nasty, it's gnarly and you don't really luck into anything. It's two 30 minutes plus-two-laps motos in mostly treacherous conditions (although it’s rather cool weekend!) and to win a national championship in motocross, it means you're gnarly. I put more stock into a rider’s 250MX wins than 250SX wins by far when I'm trying to analyze a career. It's where men are men and the even the mechanics, team members, etc., all work way harder than the 17 SX races. And it all begins this weekend!
I think the 250MX title, if we were betting, will come down to Haiden Deegan and Tom Vialle. Then it's Levi Kitchen and Jo Shimoda right behind those two. I think most of the wins will come from this group. I had RJ Hampshire in this group too but he jammed his wrist yesterday and is now likely out for the summer. I kind of liked Seth Hammaker as a sleeper pick but then he went and got hurt. Poor Mitch Payton, he's down to one rider for this weekend already! (Oh wait, no we hear Ty Masterpool as a fill-in rider?)
In the 450MX class, well, how can you look at anyone but Jett Lawrence? In fact, on the Moto:60 show yesterday, Osborne said he really thinks Jett will go 22-0 AGAIN! It's definitely on the table, right? Judging by supercross, Chase Sexton's not quite as good as he was last year so hard to see how he gels with the KTM outdoors any more than indoors right? After that, take Dylan Ferrandis, Hunter Lawrence, Justin Cooper, Jason Anderson, Aaron Plessinger, Justin Barcia and put their names in a hat, shake it up and pull out a name—they can be your third-place guy from week to week methinks.
No matter who it is, I'm ready to watch the riders get into fourth gear and twist the throttle. Away we go!
2025 Honda CRF Lineup Announced (Keefer)
Honda went to work for 2025 to completely revamp their CRF line of motorcycles and even added another Works Edition to the mix. The CRF250RWE is ALL NEW for Honda as they look to expand their "Edition" lineup with the smaller bore CRF and we will be going to Ironman Raceway to test these fresh new red machines out in July! Below are some of the key updates/features of the new 2025 CRF 250/450R/WE.
- Updated main frame constructed of 70% new components to optimize rigidity and improve handling characteristics.
- New subframe mounting point optimizes lateral rigidity and reduces energy transmission from the rear of the bike to the front.
- The rigidity of the steering stem, triple clamps, outer fork tubes and front axle have all been revised to match the frame updates.
- The fork features new springs, kit-fork-inspired Bending Control Valves, seals and oil for a consistent feel throughout the stroke while minimizing harsh feedback.
- A new shock spring, reservoir, shaft and oil seal contribute to a consistent stroke feel to match the fork updates.
- The linkage has been updated to a one-piece structure that enhances rigidity, to improve tracking and stability performance. It also features a new leverage ratio that decreases pitching while improving bottoming resistance.
- The front brake caliper has an updated piston and seals for consistent performance throughout the moto. It also features new machined accents.
- The redesigned airbox provides a straighter pathway for airflow, improving throttle control and top-end power.
- Increased crank rigidity enhances midrange torque.
- The revised muffler and header-pipe design is straighter and smoother, improving acceleration.
- New ECU maps offer smoother delivery while retaining strong torque and power throughout the rev range.
- The redesigned bodywork features smooth, flat surfaces to promote freedom of movement and offer a large contact point for gripping the bike.
- Rear-shock removal time has been cut in half by eliminating the need to remove the subframe in order to access the shock.
OUT OF GAS? (Matthes)
Some silly season news this week, as in talking to some people close to the situation, it appears that the KTM group would like to pull the Gas Gas effort back in-house and pair it with the Husqvarna team for next year. I suppose the old "budget cuts" would apply here as the TLD guys have some conflicting sponsors with the Husqvarna effort and combining the teams wouldn't really work out either. And look at this: the riders under contract for 2025 are Malcolm Stewart, RJ Hampshire, Justin Barcia, Casey Cochran, and Ryder DeFrancesco—would they all work under one truck with red and white bikes? And in the end, Troy Lee being Troy Lee, he's probably going to want to do some things his way which may not gel with a Husqvarna effort.
So what would TLD do? Well, couldn't you just see a perfect marriage between Ducati and Troy Lee? The Italian flair mixed with the paint can master? I do know there's been meetings between the two and despite Ducati's insistence on having an east coast-based team, maybe Corona, California, would work after all? The only hitch in that is Ducati is not going racing in the USA until 2026, which means late summer/fall 2025 startup, which means that the existing staff would have wait around to start or most likely, need jobs elsewhere.
So stay tuned to this bit of news and see where the colors fall this fall.
Pro Perspective (Jason Thomas)
Round 1 of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship is on deck! Beautiful weather awaits everyone in southern California this weekend as we enter a new championship but continue with the big-picture road to the Monster Energy SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs. The cooler temps will help everyone ease into the toughest series on earth. This race, when held in September, was an absolute torture test and a race everyone had to put on a bold face and suffer through. This May edition is much more agreeable and a welcome start to a great summer.
The key to this weekend will be getting good starts (shocking, I know). With cooler temps, riders won't be feeling the fatigue that they likely would at a scorching opening round. It will be more of a flat out sprint than a fitness test. That will disallow riders from making up big gaps of time in the late laps. Early lap positioning will play a pivotal role. There will be passing, of course, but the strategy of waiting out the competition to make a late race push will likely be ineffective. This track is difficult to pass (ask Sexton about 2023) and riders simply won't be feeling the heat on Saturday. Pace will be the name of the game. If you have it, maybe you can make needed moves but the start will be the X factor.
MXGP Mudder (Cont'd) (DC)
The FIM World Championships were once again besieged by rain, this time at St. D'Angeley in France. This was the second heavy mudder in three weeks, with the only respite coming in Spain, on that beautiful Galicia circuit known as Jorge Prado (and he won). The rain in France was similar, though rather than result in a bike-swallowing quicksand like Portugal, the hard-pack and steep hills of St. Jean D'Angeley results in super deep water bubbles that made vision a challenge from the start stretch on. Prado came into leading by just two points and, rather than have a miserable day like he did in Portugal (15-12) the Spaniard managed his mud deficiencies much better in France, though he did finally drop an overall to Tim Gajser, hit title challenger, as well as the points lead (again). It was not without controversy. At first officials thought Monster Energy Kawasaki's Romain Febvre was the overall winner with his 3-2 moto finishes to top the 6-1 of Jeffrey Herlings and the 1-6 of Gajser. But then after the TV interviews and the trophy presentation, and even the playing of the Marseilles (French nation al anthem), FIM officials decided to dock two riders—Kawasaki's Jeremy Seewer and Honda rider Kevin Horgmo—two spots each for jumping on a yellow flag that was out on one of the tabletops at the end of that race. That moved Gajser upon two spots and gave him the overall with 1-4 moto scores.
The paddock was furious, according to several social media posts by the riders involved. First, it was impossible to see the course marshal, as he was standing behind the base of an overhead structure holding the yellow flag out. It was also incredibly difficult to see as a huge water puddle lay at the base of the takeoff. And finally, the Swiss rider Seewer and Norway's Horgmo were not the only riders to jump, though they were the only two penalized. It was all very similar to what happened at the finish line at the St. Louis SX where five riders lost positions after the fact, for jumping on a red cross flag that was flying along with the white flag.
In both cases, the riders argued that the placement of the caution flags was a problem, and I can see that in both cases. And in both cases one rider who had nothing to do with the penalties—Hunter Lawrence in the case of SX and Gajser in MXGP—benefitted way more than anyone else in the race. It moved Lawrence up five spots at St. Louis for his first-ever podium, and Gajser ended up the overall winner in France when he picked up the two spots.
Here's Romain's own vlog of the weekend and the victory celebration:
Sad News (DC)
The motocross industry lost three different people this past week, all of them at very different points in their respective journeys with the sport.
First came the news that Duck Robbins passed. Robbins was an American motocross frontrunner in the very early days of it all. Hailing from Michigan, he was considered "the first fastest motocrosser in the state," according to his longtime friend and fellow Michigan Mafia member Steve Ellis. Robbins did not stay in moto long, but he did make a reconnection when the FIM Motocross of Nations came to RedBud, as back in 1970 Robbins was a member of the very first Team USA, along with Bob Grossi and Mark Blackwell, when they competed in the Trophee des Nations at Knutstorp, Sweden.
"We all looked up to him as our first local hero." explained Ellis. "One of his best recent moments was at the RedBud MXoN where he had some great time with Torsten Hallman, was able to reconnect with a lot of people at Rusty Hibbs' display. He was Michigan's pioneering motocross rider back when we were still learning how to spell motocross and pronounce Husqvarna!"
Robert Reisinger was a top privateer back in 1980, a Kawasaki support rider back in the day, before Team Green came along. He wore #98 that year while his teammate David Bailey wore #93. He also did testing for the manufacturer. Reisinger eventually found his way into mountain-biking, becoming a successful businessman with his own brand, which was Mountain Cycles. He was soon in the motocross business as well as one of the co-founders of the 6D Helmet company. Two weeks ago Reisinger was racing at Glen Helen Raceway when he crashed hard on the sweeper that goes across the start straight. He suffered severe injuries to his neck and chest, and spent the next week in intensive care, before he eventually succumbed. He was 64 years old. According to Road 2 Recovery, which was organizing a fundraiser (go here to donate) to help Robert and his wife Kristina and their son Nick, "The family is deeply moved by the staggering outpouring of love, support, and generosity they have received during this incredibly challenging time. Your continued thoughts, prayers, and donations are profoundly appreciated and will go a long way in helping them navigate through this period of grief."
Last Thursday evening, May 16, Owen Morton was racing in his first motocross race ever at Hannegan Speedway in Washington state. Just 14 years old, Morton was involved in a terrible crash and ended up being Life-Flighted to a nearby trauma center, where doctors performed emergency surgery. Sadly, he did not make it.
According to friends, "Owen was a kind-hearted, smart, witty, all-around amazing kid. Dirt biking and music were two of his passions. He spent a lot of his time riding his bike and working on his motorcycles and small engines. He loved rocking out on his drums and hanging out with his friends. If Owen was near, you were smiling or laughing."
Godspeed, Owen Morton, Robert Reisinger and Dick Robbins.
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Hey, Watch It!
2024 Racer X Monster Energy Pro Motocross Preview Show: Episode 1 - 450 Class
2024 Monster Energy 250 Pro Motocross Preview Show: Who Will Take Over?
GoPro: Tim Gajser 2024 FIM MXGP Moto 1 from Round 7 France
Every Second Counts Ep 14: SLC the FINALE
On Board With Marvin Musquin & His 350 At The Stopwatch National Pro Day At Glen Helen Raceway...
Head-Scratching Headline/s of the Week
“Indiana judge rules tacos are 'Mexican-style sandwiches’”—UPI.com
“12-foot gator relocated after visiting Air Force base twice”—UPI.com
"Chicago-Bound United Airlines Boeing 767 Diverts to Ireland After Passenger Gets Laptop Wedged Stuck in Business Class Seat"—Newsbreak.com (from the Stump Grinder)
"Mariachis attack flame-swallower as Mexico’s disputes between street performers reaches new high"—FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News
"Viral Story Of Guy Buying Plate Of "Boneless Buffalo Wings" Off Of Facebook Marketplace, Receives Dino Nuggets Instead" -Barstool Sports
Random Notes
The San Diego Tribune featured Jett Lawrence today.
And besides being #1 here in MX, SX and SMX, Jett Lawrence is also the reigning “King of Paris” after winning last November’s Paris Supercross. Jett’s now committed to returning again this year, according to yesterday’s press release.
Thanks for reading Racerhead. See you at the races!