Great, another UPS delivery with packages pouring out the back door. Time to get back to work. Let’s start with Jason Thomas…

Pro Perspective (Jason Thomas)

The break in Pro Motocross that is most associated with Loretta Lynn's Amateur National Motocross Championship is upon us. For most riders, this is a great chance to take a deep breath. For the first time in a long time, I would guess most riders will stay off the motorcycle this week. Rest, recovery, enjoying life, sleeping in—those are on deck.

For me, I am in Europe and taking in more motocross racing. This weekend's event is in the Czech Republic, Loket to be exact. This hard-packed course is a tricky one but a great stop on the calendar. The region is steeped in Eastern European history, and the nearby city of Karlovy Vary is a throwback to times gone by. Europe in the summer is tough to beat, and I am thrilled (and tired) that I'm here.

As for the racing, the MX2 series is closer than it feels. Simon Langenfelder boasts a 43-point lead, but Kay de Wolf went 1-1-1 at the last round and has some of his best tracks looming. Langenfelder will need to win some to offset any excellence by de Wolf when the series swings to sandy Belgium and Holland. In the MXGP division, the title is tight. Newcomer Lucas Coenen is applying maximum pressure to former champ Romain Febvre. His dominant performance in Finland cut Febvre's lead to 15 points and changed the narrative for how this might go. A Coenen/Febvre title fight was on no one's bingo card to start the season but looks like it might go down to the wire.

While the American pro contingent rests, MXGP and Loretta Lynn's are in full swing. You don't have to look far to find incredible racing, even on the Pro Motocross summer break. You can watch LLMX stream all next week on racertv.com, as DC mentioned, and you can watch the Czech Grand Prix at www.mxgp-tv.com. 

Haiden on the Big Bike? (DC)

On Wednesday morning, I was out on the track here at the Ranch helping out when Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing owner Bobby Regan called me with some news. Bobby said that if all goes according to plan and Haiden Deegan clinches the 250 Pro Motocross title at Unadilla (the second-to-last-round this summer), he’s probably going to move up to the 450 for the last round of the series at Budds Creek. He told me Haiden has been riding the YZ450F this week and looks really good on it. Bobby thought it would be great for the series and SMX in general, as everyone is excited about the looming battles to come with Jett and Hunte Lawrence, Chase Sexton, Eli Tomac, and the rest of the 450 class. I asked if it was okay to share the information, and he said “absolutely,” so I did. I called Weege, we put it online here and then went back to work on the track.

Forty-five minutes later, I got a text from Brian Deegan that no one on the team had said anything about Haiden racing the 450 anytime soon, and he wanted to know where we got this information. I called him and relayed the conversation I had with Bobby. Brian laughed and said Bobby was probably just being overly enthusiastic and that we should have maybe confirmed it with him or Haiden himself, as they really hadn't made any real plans yet. I told him I thought the team owner was a pretty good source, but next time we would double-check. Brian did confirm that Haiden was indeed riding the 450 this week, and while racing it at the finale was a possibility, it wasn’t a sure thing by any means, just an idea; they are focused on the 250 title now. They will cross that 450 bridge when they come to it; the plan all along has been to ride the 250SX next year, then move up next May when the ’26 Pro Motocross begins. Budds Creek in a month was not the plan, but yes, a possibility. Brian just didn’t want any undue pressure on Haiden if he does or doesn’t race the 450 at Budds Creek (though I personally think he would have zero pressure on him). And Haiden does still have that title to wrap up in the first place, which means beating Honda's Jo Shimoda in these next two rounds to get to an insurmountable 51-point lead, or all of this is a moot debate anyway (and right now Shimoda’s only 45 points down).

What we reported wasn’t “fake news,” nor was my conversation with Brian, whom I’ve known since we raced here at the Ranch together 33 years ago, heated in any way, shape, or form. But I get the pushback on social media—athletes and teams today like to break their own news these days, especially when it’s good news. I was in a similar situation back in 2017 when Jeffrey Herlings himself told me he was signing up for the Ironman National, only to have the KTM people call and say that that was not the case. A day later, the press release came out, and three days later, Jeffrey Herlings famously won the Ironman National.

Whether it happens in a month or a year, the idea of Haiden Deegan moving up to take on Jett and company has been a huge topic for bench racers for a long time now. It’s Ricky vs. James 2.0, with Chase in the role of Chad Reed and Eli as Kevin Windham. I hope it does happen in August, as Bobby had said, and we all get a glimpse of things to come, sooner rather than later. It will mark a whole new era in SMX, just like the one that started back in 2005 with the Perfect Storm.

Team USA Update (DC)

Did Chase Sexton’s win last weekend, followed by his comments afterward, make him the third man for Team USA? It’s pretty much a sure thing that Eli Tomac will ride the 450 in the MXGP division and Haiden Deegan will be the MX2 (250) rider, but the Open class role has yet to be confirmed. Monster Energy AMA Supercross Champion Cooper Webb was a strong candidate before he was injured, as was Red Bull KTM’s Aaron Plessinger, but he’s now dealing with some health issues. Justin Cooper would also be a very good candidate, though he’s still looking for his first-ever 450 win.

Sexton’s injury at the outdoor opener at Fox Raceway back in May seemed to take him out of the picture. Besides, it’s widely assumed that he will be switching teams at the end of the SMX Playoffs. But then Chase rode an excellent race at Washougal, ending Jett Lawrence’s run at another undefeated summer. After the race, he was asked by Vital MX’s Lewis Phillips about it, and before Lewis could even get the question out, Chase said, “I’m in.” The trio of Tomac, Deegan, and Sexton would probably be everyone’s first picks, so if everyone stays healthy, we’re going to have a great shot in October!

In related news, Infront Moto Racing announced this week that the MXoN will return to the U.S. again in 2031, partnering with MX Sports Pro Racing (as they are this year and again in 2028), though the actual host track hasn’t been decided. (And I already got a call from the Martin brothers as Alex and Jeremy wanted to throw their hats into the ring for Spring Creek Motocross Park!) Infront likes bringing the MXoN to this side of the world every few years because not only is Team USA and a lot of the SMX industry based here, but several other top-notch foreign riders are set up here too. And obviously, there’s a huge fan base here for the biggest single motocross race on the annual calendar. We are very thankful and proud to be a part of it.

Loretta's 2025 (Keefer)

I don't know if this is more for me as a therapeutic message or for others to read, but regardless, it's Friday, and I thought, ‘Why not talk about where most of the motocross industry will be next week? Loretta Lynn's 2025!’

It's finally here. One of the best times of the year and also one of the most stressful for our family. The Loretta Lynn’s AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship is not only the biggest amateur race in the world, but it also means that if you're going to attend and be competitive, there is A LOT of work that goes on before you even get to Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. I am sure I am not speaking for just our family; hundreds of other families take their vacations around this event, rearrange work schedules, and work overtime to be able to afford to go through the Loretta Lynn's process. Then there is all the bike work, as well as travel time, that goes into even being able to make it to the gates of the Loretta Lynn’s Ranch. I never got to go to LLMX until I was 40 years old, but for the better part of the next ten years, our family has found itself at the ranch. We have only missed a couple of years since 2017 because of injuries, but Aden and I have been heading back to Tennessee in order to race as a family and chase Aden's dream of being a professional motocross racer. It's a HUGE dream, yes, but I was never able to chase mine when I was a teenager, so we will be at this until the end of 2027. I seem to complain more about money around this time every year (my wife calls it my “man period” time of year), but when it comes down to making it to the Ranch, we seem to find a way to make it all work to be there.

I think a lot of other families can relate to that last sentence. Sure, do I want to spend all this time and money to race dirt bikes? Not really, but I guess what brings me back is that I am with my family, doing the thing Aden and I love. When I get to the Ranch, I see a ton of others similar to us—middle-class families making it work to be together and give their kids what maybe they didn't have.

Sure, is Loretta's a serious event for a lot of people? Yes, but we look at it as a week-long dirt bike race with hundreds of others who share a similar mindset. I can't think of another motorsport where this kind of gathering happens. We are all a little nuts, but when it comes to family, this sport is like no other.

To all of you in attendance racing next week at the Ranch, our family salutes you because we understand the sacrifice it took for you and yours to be there. Enjoy the week with others who are there doing the same sport you love. It doesn't matter if "Lil Johnny" needs a factory ride or if you're just going because Loretta's is a bucket list race for you; just know the memories of this place live on forever.

Fly Racing Gear Launch (Aaron Hansel)

On Sunday, I did something I don’t think I’ve ever done since starting with Racer X in 2010—I went back to the track the day after a national. No, I didn’t hit my head and get confused about when Washougal gates were dropping; I was there for the Fly Racing Ride Day. A portion of the MX26 lineup had been unveiled on Thursday at Portland International Raceway, and on Sunday, members of the media were invited to test out the gear on the track. Fly dialed me in with a Kinetic pant and jersey combo, along with a new Formula helmet and Zone Pro goggles, and I hopped on a bike and hit the track.

Unfortunately, it turns out the MX26 gear doesn’t do much to enhance your actual skill, and I rode just as slowly and horribly as I always do. However, I was comfortable and unrestricted, and the ventilation in the gear helped me stay cool. I was also happy to know my head was protected by the Formula helmet, which is nice and light and boasts some pretty high safety standards. Most importantly, I at least knew I looked good when I was parked on the side of the track waiting for my arm pump to subside!

Aside from riding, which of course was a blast, the event itself was a lot of fun. The brand has made a lot of strides in the last 10-15 years and continues to do so by partnering with companies like Dirt Bike Kidz and checking boxes like the 2025 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship, won by Fly Racing's own Cooper Webb. It was also cool getting to hang out with Damon Bradshaw, Trey Canard, Andrew Short, and Weston Peick. Being on the track at the same time as them isn’t quite as thrilling as you’d think, though. You blink once and they’re already gone, and Canard jumping over the top of me on an uphill jump I was rolling was just a reminder of how fast I’ll never be. The sitting around and hanging out, though, that’s always cool. All those guys were pros before I started covering this sport, and it can be surreal to just be sitting around chatting casually with guys you used to watch on TV as a fan. Things like that are definitely a highlight of what’s already a pretty sweet gig. Read my full write-up of the day.

To check out some shiny new Fly gear, go here: Fly Racing 2026 gear line.

Triumph Enduro Intro

Simon Cudby and Michael Allen were out with the Triumph team in the California high desert for the Triumph TF450-E enduro bike intro.

The British brand’s off-road machine had some great initial feedback from Michael.

Check in soon for more info.

Standard Equipment:

• Enduro-tuned KYB suspension
• Brembo brakes
• DID and Michelin tires
• Lightweight aluminum spine frame
• Dual engine maps (Athena)
• Cutting-edge technology including traction control, launch control, quickshifter

57.80 HP (58.6 PS) and 36.36 LB-FT (49.3 Nm) of torque

Available from $10,795.00

More info on the Triumph TF450-E enduro.

"Let Him Cook" (Mitch Kendra)

Our guy over at @legomotox has been doing his thing and after recreating the Jett Lawrence post-race RedBud dance in Lego form, he also nailed an awesome Jeremy Martin and Greg Quador hug creation from the Spring Creek National and a strumming Jo Shimoda after his win at the Washougal National. As they say, "Let him cook," and LegoMotoX knocked these out of the park once again!

Hey, Watch It! 

Unstoppable Dreams - Charli Cannon

2025 MX // WASHOUGAL

Style Check: Check out all of the SLO-MO selects from the 2025 Washougal National

Head-Scratching Headline/s of the Week 

"Chuck E. Cheese Has Been Arrested for Credit Card Fraud in Tallahassee, Florida"—Barstool Sports

"New Jersey Little Leaguer cleared to play after being suspended for ‘unsportsmanlike’ bat flip" –AP

"A cat named Leonardo da Pinchy doesn’t want your affection. He wants to steal your underwear"—AP

Random Notes

Pretty cool: WMX Jamie Astudillo had quite a day up in Canada last weekend: 1-1 in WMX, then she qualified for the 250 Pro motos, too.