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Morning Report

Good morning race fans! After a visit to the Massachusetts sand pit, the SMX paddock takes over RedBud MX for the Fourth of July weekend. Fireworks filled the sky last night for the Fourth of July and today, there will be fireworks on the track. Haiden Deegan and Jett Lawrence are rolling in their respective classes, but we have a few more familiar faces at the race this weekend. Chase Sexton, the 2024 450 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, is back for the first time since the first moto of round one back in May. Antonio Cairoli is also racing today, marking the U.S. debut of the all-new Ducati Desmo450 MX. Nine-time MXGP Cairoli has raced the Ducati three times so far in the FIM Motocross World Championship overseas—once in 2024 and twice so far in 2025—as the brand gets ready to make a push in the AMA Supercross and Motocross circuit next year. Jorge Prado was much better last weekend at The Wick 338, and he is coming to a venue he has raced in the past (the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations here at RedBud MX both in 2018 and 2022). Marshal Weltin is back today for his first Pro Motocross race of the summer (and his home race) about ten weeks removed from surgery to remove hardware from his knee. He did a lap with an Insta 360 camera on yesterday during the press day riding session, which you can check out below.

Remember, the 450 Class races first today.

Related: Chase Sexton On Why He Missed the Last Month of Pro Motocross

As mentioned, Deegan has been on a roll this year, winning eight of the ten motos he has raced so far this summer, giving him four out of five overall wins so far. Jo Shimoda kept him honest in the second moto last weekend but otherwise, Deegan was uncontested basically from the gate drop yesterday. Deegan earned his maiden overall win here in 2023 but his fifth overall here last year was his worst overall finish en route to his 2024 250cc Pro Motocross title. Julien Beaumer was subpar last weekend in the Southwick sand and is banged up a little from his gnarly crash at the High Point National, but he said they worked on some stuff this week and he is fired up to get back near the top of the results. Tom Vialle, Levi Kitchen, Michael Mosiman, Garrett Marchbanks, and more have all been good this summer, Deegan has simply been better. Will someone best Deegan today?

The anticipation for today’s race is high and today’s temperature will be as well. Weather should be great today with a lot of sun, a high of 92° Fahrenheit, and about 80 percent humidity. It will be a hot one by the time the motos begin but it was a nice, cool morning this morning and should be in the 70s during the first qualifying session.

All four points-paying motos will be on Peacock today and the second 450 Class moto will be broadcasted live on NBC. Check out the full race day schedule below.

First Qualifying Sessions

450 Class

Noah Willbrandt topped the first session on track, 450 group B, with a 2:10.004, but his fast lap was taken away due to jumping on a red cross flag. Jett Lawrence topped the 450 group A first qualifying session with a 2:04.532. Second fastest was Eli Tomac's 2:06.401, then Hunter Lawrence’s 2:06.457 then Justin Cooper’s 2:06.493. Chase Sexton was fifth fastest with a 2:07.532—thee seconds slower than the #18's fast lap—in his first qualifying session since the opening round. Antonio Cairoli was 11th with a 2:08.941 on his Ducati Desmo450 MX in the bike’s very first qualifying session. Jorge Prado was 13th with a 2:09.670.

250 Class

Ryder DiFrancesco topped the first 250 group A qualifying session with a 2:10.274. Haiden Deegan (2:10.357) and Seth Hammaker (2:11.424) were second and third fastest, followed by Tom Vialle (2:12.133) and Dilan Schwartz (2:12.382). None of the 250 riders were jumping LaRocco's Leap in the first session.

Second Qualifying Sessions

450 Class

After some practice starts, the 450 Class blasted off for their second qualifying session. Jett Lawrence again topped the field, topping his brother Hunter, Justin Cooper, Eli Tomac, and RJ Hampshire. Chase Sexton was eight behind Jorge Prado as Antionio Cairoli was tenth. Joey Savatgy crashed and was forced to ride on a track crew cart back to the pits as they towed his bike behind them. Derek Kelley was taking a ride on the Alpinestars medical cart, although I am unaware of what happened at this time. Justin Cooper was the fastest overall qualifier three races in a row, but now the two are tied with three fastest qualifying pole positions so far this summer.

250 Class

Ryder DiFrancesco backed up his first qualifying session by topping the second 250 group A qualifying session as well! DiFrancesco’s fast lap was a 2:08.014, over Haiden Deegan’s 2:08.563 as they were the only two riders under 2:10. Late in the session, Deegan had a crash, which you can watch below, and got up slow. He was favoring his left leg. However, he did get back on his bike. Jason Thomas, a reporter for the TV broadcast crew, reported Deegan’s left leg is just bruised up as a Charlie horse, so we anticipate him lining up for the motos no problem. Dilan Schwartz qualified third overall, followed by Jo Shimoda, with Julien Beaumer rounding out the top five.

First Motos

450 Class

The first moto got underway, and it was Hunter Lawrence with the holeshot and early race lead. The #96 lead RJ Hampshire and Aaron Plessinger, as Jett Lawrence got to work. The #18 passed into third then into second. The Lawrence brothers started to run away out front as Jett caught and passed Hunter. The running order was the Lawrences, Plessinger, Hampshire, Justin Cooper, Jorge Prado, Chase Sexton, Justin Barcia, Antonio Cairoli, and Jason Anderson. Hampshire made a move on Plessinger to take over third. Eli Tomac, who was about eight or so had a smoking bike a handful of laps in and he never came around again due to said mechanical issue. Grant Harlan had a crash and rode off on the Alpinestars medical cart without one of his boots on. Antonio Cairoli had a solid start on his Ducati, and he rode a strong ride. Jett Lawrence took the moto win over his brother Hunter and Hampshire. Tomac officially scored 32nd with his DNF. Jett Lawrence took the moto win, followed by Hunter Lawrence, Hampshire, Justin Cooper, and Sexton, who rounded out the top five. Was ninth in the moto in the first ever Ducati start.

250 Class

The gates dropped on the first 250 moto and it was Jo Shimoda out front for what feels like the first time in forever. He led Mikkel Haarup and Nate Thrasher but suddenly a few turns in, Tom Vialle. Haiden Deegan was about 17th or so off the start but charged forwards. However, a brief tip over cost him some time and momentum, although he did not go too far backwards. Shimoda tracked down Vialle and got back into the lead, and this time it would stick. Unfortunately for Deegan, he would suffer another crash, this time leaving him with a face-first fall. His bike had started smoking beforehand and gave out a few more puffs of smoke once he got up and going. But the damage was done, he had dropped back a good bit. Deegan eventually came through 14th. Levi Kitchen charged up to Vialle and passed for second, but Shimoda was too far ahead at that point. Garrett Marchbanks more than likely earned the hard charger award because he was down in the first turn and dead last but charged back to finish tenth. While everyone was going to the inside of the first turn, Marchbanks was absolutely railing the very outside of the berm. The #36 has passed so many riders in the points-paying motos this summer. So, Shimoda took the win over Kitchen and Vialle as Michael Mosiman and Seth Hammaker rounded out the top five. Jalek Swoll put in his best moto finish of the summer with a sixth.  [RESULTS]

Second Motos

450 Class

Without a halftime, we were ready to roll right into the second motos quickly. Unfortunately, Aaron Plessinger did not start this moto due to a sickness. The NBC live window began, and fans were in for a good one! Coty Schock grabbed the holeshot and early race lead, but Jorge Prado pounced from second to take over the race lead! Justin Cooper slotted into second as Schock was bumped to third. Eli Tomac was buried off the start due to his bad gate pick, but he began charging. Jett Lawrence was inside the top ten but went down on about the third lap, dropping back to a whopping 18th. Not only was the race win in jeopardy, but this crash opened up the overall win as well. Antonio Cairoli made his way into fourth but both AC222 and Schock would be forced out of the moto with two separate bike issues. Jett Lawrence got up and got rolling, again, outside of the top 15. He kept making passes, making passes, making passes. Suddenly, he was right behind Hunter the front runners of Prado, Hunter Lawrence, and Cooper. Chase Sexton was charging hard himself though, and closed up a ton on the #18. But then a crash, a front-end tuck, cost him the tow of Jett Lawrence. Jett Lawrence, Hunter Lawrence, and Sexton were all able to get around Prado, who went from second to fifth. Jett was in second with the overall locked up by that point but somehow, he still managed to run down Cooper and take over the race lead! At the end, Jett landed the win over Cooper and Hunter Lawrence as Sexton and Prado rounded out the top five. RJ Hampshire, Eli Tomac, Cooper Webb, Justin Barcia, and Malcolm Stewart rounded out the top ten. In terms of the overall podium, it was Jett and Hunter Lawrence, respectively, followed by Justin Cooper. This trio shared quite a few podiums together back in their 250cc days!

250 Class

Suddenly, the final moto of the day was here. The gates dropped and it was Jalek Swoll out front in just his third round back this summer after his Achilles tendon injury that sidelined him for more than half the year. Tom Vialle, who rode home a strong third in the first moto, went down in the second turn, which put him at the very back of the field. there went his shot at the overall win/podium. Haiden Deegan with another bad start and he was about tenth or so as they came through off the start. Levi Kitchen and Jordon Smith were all over Swoll but then ran into separate issues. First, Kitchen had an unusual crash when he went over the berm after the starting straight and spun out in the flat section off the track. He got up and rode about a lap but then tipped over in the first turn as well, which would force him to the mechanics’ area to help get his front end kicked straight by his team. Smith was all over Swoll then until Smith ran into his own issue! Smith jumped off the track after LaRocco’s Leap, which was a tough break for the #19. Deegan then had a small tip over that cost him. Swoll led the first handful of laps until Jo Shimoda made a pass for the lead and Michael Mosiman followed through past the #22 as well in the same turn. Still, Swoll rode well to keep tow with the front two. Deegan went around Mosiman and took over third, then took over second from Swoll. But out front, it was Shimoda taking his second moto win of the day. In terms of the overall podium, Shimoda’s 1-1 made the math easy for the win as Swoll’s 6-3 was second overall over Mosiman’s 4-4 for third overall. Mikkel Haarup was fourth overall with 8-5 moto finishes as Deegan’s 14-2 rounded out the top five overall. Deegan still continues to lead the championship standings, despite his tough day at the office.