The biggest round of what has already been a monumental season of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship took place at RedBud over the weekend, and the action was as good or better than what we’ve already seen so far. Here to break down some key points from the motos is former pro and NBC pit reporter, Jason Thomas.
With the rain on Friday, did they change the way they prepped the track, and if so, how’d that affect the way the motos played out?
The track was really soft in several sections. The lower areas of the racetrack were especially so, as the runoff gathered there Friday evening. These areas typically have many ruts as is, let alone when rains come the prior evening. Some of the crashes we saw were due to the softer, ruttier conditions. Tome Vialle’s first moto crash was a perfect example. The ruts were softer and longer than normal for RedBud and mistakes became more costly.
A lot of the RedBud track is pretty loamy, but there are some hard sections too. Does this make for a split personality, in terms of bike setup, or is it pretty straightforward?
It normally would, yes. Track crews continued to bring softer dirt back into the fray throughout the day though, lessening the impact of that hard base. I also believe the expectation of hardening sections tempted Justin Cooper and Hunter Lawrence to switch to the more traditional rear tire. When that didn’t develop, they suffered. The scoop tire simply gives more forward drive. Every corner exit, the scoop tire flexed its muscle. Without any harder sections to even out the advantage, the choice in hindsight was very clear.
The interesting thing here is after taking the parade lap, neither JCoop nor Hunter switched back to the scoop tire. They must have felt there was some benefit to be had on the racetrack. It sure seemed like that didn’t play out as planned, though.
Plenty of 250s were struggling to clear LaRocco’s Leap, while many weren’t doing it at all. What’s the key to getting over that famous jump, and does it make a big difference with lap times?
The previously mentioned rain threw a wrench into the 250 leap dynamic. It was incredibly soft in the early part of the corner just before the leap. That softness disallowed momentum as the ruts were treacherous and difficult to simply traverse, let alone build speed. The only 250’s able to jump it were in the early laps of moto one when the section was perfectly smooth, and even then, it was a very narrow list of those who pulled the proverbial trigger. It is a timesaver, no question, but it wasn’t a big factor in the 250 class results for 2024.
What’d you think of Ty Masterpool’s day? Are you surprised he’s doing this well this quickly?
RedBud is a strong track for him and it showed. Going back to 2020, he showed he has the pace and confidence to be at the front in southern Michigan. His tenacity to hold off Haiden Deegan yet again was notable. It’s hard to root against Masterpool in any scenario and if he keeps this up, he will be on a factory 250 for the next two years somehow, some way.
Jett Lawrence’s midweek injury changed the face of this series. How did that effect the other riders?
I was most interested in how Chase Sexton would respond. I believe he has lacked confidence ever since Jett stole it away last summer. The repetitiveness of his inability to beat Jett would wear anyone down. If the same result plays out often enough, everyone starts to expect it. That’s what I feel the mental dynamic was between Sexton and Jett. Jett expected to win and Sexton expected to get beat. That’s a tough thing to accept for a rider who is as accomplished and talented as Sexton is. Still, the psychology of it is very powerful.
With Jett out of the picture, that unlocked Sexton to go be his best self. That second moto, he looked like the old Sexton—commanding, confident, and calculated. He managed the moto and then leaned into his fitness down the stretch, taking the lead from seven seconds to over 20. If Hunter and co. don’t derail that confidence quickly, it’s panic button time.
Hunter rode incredibly well until his crash in the first moto, but struggled a bit in the second one. What was happening there?
He was so close to winning that first moto. I believe he had already done the hard work. He held Seston charge off and had a reasonable gap with a lap or two to go. There was no glaring opportunity for Sexton to make a pass, even if he could close the gap, which makes me think the moto was more or less decided. All of that changed with the big crash and arguably took any shine off of Hunter’s second moto, too. He salvaged a fourth place in the second moto but he missed a huge chance to put a lot of doubt into Sexton’s head
Two things in summary. I was very impressed with his first moto ride until the fall. He was better than I expected, but if he doesn’t do something to put a knock into that confidence bump that Sexton surely got, he might be in a lot of trouble down the stretch. Small mistakes, such as the rear tire choice, could prove to be giant factors in who wins this title.
Chance Hymas looked great on Saturday and got his first overall win. What was the difference?
Hymas is bursting with confidence after his recent improvements. His starts are better, his early race pace is better, and he’s learning how to close out motos late. The more times he can stay up there, the easier it will get. I still think Deegan is a problem for which he likely doesn’t have an answer, but winning motos and being a week-in/week-out podium guy is a huge coup. He got a new Honda HRC contract and can focus 100 percent on his future now without the lingering wonder of where he will be calling home.
Haiden Deegan had a tough second moto but with the points penalty to Hymas, didn’t even lose any ground in his championship chase. What did you make of Deegan’s day?
I didn’t think Deegan looked like his normal self at times. I was watching him in several sections and he just looked a tick off. He had a hesitation or “hitch” in his cornering that was hurting him in his charge forward. If your bad day results in a scratch on points, that’s a great place to be. Also, his resiliency after that huge crash in the second moto once again proves the grit this kid has. Barring injury, this title is his to lose. He’s earned that claim
