The Motocross of Nations was held at Ironman Raceway over the weekend and the action was incredible. You especially like it if you're Australian! Afterward we had plenty of questions about what we watched unfold, so we packaged them up and sent them to former pro and NBC on-track analyst, Jason Thomas.
How did the track shape up? Did you notice it developing differently with all of the MXGP riders on it than it does during a round of AMA Pro Motocross?
It was different than the Pro Motocross round but not because of the different riders. The dirt was much harder than in the summer rounds which is interesting and unexpected. I heard some say it hadn’t rained much in the weeks leading up to the MXoN and that left the base harder and drier than preferred. The dry base puts the track crew into a “chase” mode, trying to soak the dirt enough to soften it through multiple layers, although I also heard the track crew was watering well over a week before the event to prepare for that. Also working against that idea were the hotter-than-normal temps, with highs in the mid 80s throughout the week and into Sunday. Riders were talking about the lack of traction and the tricky, hard base consistently over Saturday and Sunday. Many of the mistakes and crashes were due to this variable. It should also be mentioned that riders were all using the scoop tire which surely contributed to the lack of “feel” in the harder sections.
[Note: A lot of the grand prix riders were saying in post-race interviews that it seemed more like a "grand prix" style of prep than what you would normally see for Pro Motocross.]
Eli Tomac hunted down Tim Gajser in the first moto, but was unable to get around him. Did Gajser respond to the pressure, or was Tomac simply having a hard time finding a way around?
I think this was a bit of both. Tomac was able to get to Gajser but also not really close enough to exert maximum pressure. Gajser was never forced to change lines or get defensive. Surely there was mental pressure but when Gajser can take the lines he preferred without risk of a block pass or worse, it’s really up to his own mental fortitude to keep Tomac at bay. If Tomac could have gotten a bit closer and forced Gajser to go into defense, things may have changed. That’s much easier said than done, though.
What a performance from Jo Shimoda! The Japanese rider went 2-6 against the best riders on the planet. He’s certainly been on a hot streak lately, but this was on another level. How can this be explained?
Jo was really good but I think he’s still adapting (as he should be on his first 450 ride). He didn’t look comfortable at times, even though he was fast. I heard he was still working to find comfort with 450 settings, as he really hasn’t tested on conditions like Ironman. He has time to sort this out and his focus will be on 250 championships in 2026 (it seems) but this helped his leverage, I think. He made a case for his 450 career on Sunday. Whether it’s Honda HRC Progressive or elsewhere long term, someone is going to sign him to a 450 deal sooner than later.
We knew Jett and Hunter Lawrence would be great, and they were. But what about Kyle Webster? He was down on the start in both motos and still ground it out. How critical was his performance?
He’s the best Australian-series motocrosser and that showed on the weekend. The first turn crashes put a lot of pressure on Webster but he showed a lot of resilience to fight back. He could have put Jett and Hunter in tough spots with a 20-something score but getting back inside the top 15 was really important. His scores won’t grab any headlines but they were critical to the winning equation. This race is often won in the margins that don’t get nearly enough scrutiny. Jett and Hunter dominated and deserve endless praise, but had Webster let things go from bad to worse, their excellence might not have been enough.
In the second moto, when RJ Hampshire closed on the back of Jan Pancar, Pancar looked back a few times and it almost appeared as though he gave Hampshire a brake check, sending Hampshire to the ground. Is that accurate, or are our American eyes seeing something that didn’t happen?
I think this is fair take. I’m not sure why Pancar would resort to silliness like that if he indeed was wanting to play games. This race is far too important for a move like that. Had Pancar not looked over, I would give him the benefit of the doubt. When you look over to gauge someone, then come to nearly a full stop (even though he looked to overrun the rut), it’s hard to not think there was some intent. Pancar has had a great season and that was an impressive ride but the move there wasn’t his best look. In the end, it didn’t change much but had that been a deciding factor, I don’t think he would have liked the reaction from most.
Speaking of Hampshire, he didn’t have the day he wanted. He crashed three times in the second moto and DNF’d the third. This after such a solid, drama free season of Pro Motocross. What happened to him?
I think the first sentence is wildly understated. Kidding, but man, that was full meltdown mode. He still salvaged a seventh in the first moto but he could have gotten second without too much drama it seemed. I think that when riders are in crisis mode, they can revert back to old habits. Maybe that was the case for Hampshire? The pressure and panic brought out the old RJ and he overrode the track. You simply couldn’t ask more than the track would allow or you paid the price. RJ paid it several times.
This race has a way of producing some surprising results and hero rides, like Shimoda’s, for example. Who else stood out to you as finishing better than one might expect
I think the Coenen brothers gave a foreshadowing of what’s to come in future years. They consistently ran at the front of the field all weekend. I thought France's Maths Valin held a pace that was underrated and likely not highlighted enough. He’s an MX2 rookie and had never been to Ironman and was able to pull away from Justin Cooper. That was a big factor in France getting to the podium despite not having Tom Vialle available. Kay de Wolf is an MX2 World Champ so there’s no surprise there, but he desperately wants to end up stateside and he likely cemented those chances with the MX2 win.
Justin Cooper went 10-10 on a 250 after racing two straight years aboard a 450. Transitioning to a different bike is hard enough, but to do it in competition, especially the MXoN, is quite another matter. What’d you think of Cooper’s performance?
He did the job he was asked to do. Was it the 2022 level performance? No, but that’s not fair to expect. He came through all weekend long and was a key reason Team USA ended up on the podium. I have nothing but respect for the job that JCoop delivered. I was hoping for a miracle top-five start in one of the motos but with the lesser gate pick both times, chances were slim. Good job, JCoop. He’s a welcome member of Team USA anytime in my book.
Team USA always goes to the MXoN with the intention of going for the win, but considering everything that happened leading up to the race, how proud of the team should we be for pulling in second place?
I felt that winning was a longshot. It was on home soil and a track the team knows well, but there were many reasons they were not the favorites to win. I was hoping for a second place and if things went wonky, maybe they could find a win. This runner up spot is a great performance and one fans should be proud of. The Australian team was crazy strong coming in and remember, they had all raced this track before, lessening any home soil advantage. The best team won and I believe the second best team got second. I’m proud of all of them.
