For press day at the Birmingham round of Monster Energy AMA Supercross, riders from both 250 East and West took to the track and afterwards select team managers spoke with the press. Lars Lindstrom from Honda HRC Progressive, Wil Hahn from Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing, Brandon Haas of ClubMX Yamaha and Dustin Pipes from Twisted Tea/HEP Motorsports Suzuki were all on hand.
With eight rounds left, Hunter Lawrence holds the lead by only four points over Eli Tomac. So naturally questions for Lars revolved around how Lawrence is handling the championship pressure and if there are any strategies for this, or any of the following weekends:
Lars stated, “I think that the goal for the weekend is and for the rest of the series is kind of the boring answer, which is try to do the races, take them one at a time, like everybody says. But that's pretty true. And like, I've said this a million times, but his mental strength, you know, the way that he doesn't let this stuff kind of affect him or at least he doesn't make it seem like that. He is comfortable in this position. I don't think that he's freaking out, you know, like some guys maybe do when they get a red plate or something like that. So that part has been really easy because he just expects to be there, and he's doesn't seem like he's frazzled or feels like this is a new thing. He just, is able to deal with it naturally and seems really confident, comfortable. So, I think, trying to minimize mistakes, trying to get good starts, just trying to get the best result that we can through the weekend, whatever that gives us. And it's really worked so far, and he's been super strong. So, just continuing that.”
Meanwhile Wil Hahn might be the busiest man in the paddock this weekend as he has six 250SX riders competing under the tent this weekend, and two of them (Haiden Deegan and Cole Davies) hold the red plate. Add in the SMX Next riders of Kayden Minear and Landen Gordon and that makes eight 250F riders! Hahn acknowledged that the schedule is a little hectic for him this weekend but he also focused on the positives of having a big team.
First, Hahn was asked what, if anything, Davies has done to achieve his speed through the whoops or if it just comes naturally.
Hahn replied, “No. At 14, I never seen anything like it. And I guess that's gotta be a tribute to Ben Townley and all the work they've done in New Zealand and to get him here. But no, it was right away at the test track at 14 and he was tiny even. He was really short and tiny and the way he'd hit whoops on a stock 250F, I was just like, 'Wow. It's unbelievable.'”
Wil continued though, commenting how having one guy on the team who excels in the whoops has helped everyone else.
“That's the beauty of, iron sharpens iron, right?" he said. "And I think everybody's seeing that. And I think with having four of our guys on the team winning races this year, I think four or five on the podium as well, all different rounds. I think we're reaping the benefits of all that, including Haiden. Like I said, iron sharpens iron, and when you're chasing everybody, it's pretty hard not to get better.”
Brandon Haas dropped the news that Max Vohland has re-signed with ClubMX for the 2027 season. Vohland hinted that he was "likely going to extend" his contract with the team while live on the Race Day Live qualifying broadcast at the Glendale SX, but now the deal is official. Haas also spoke on what it is like to have all of his riders competing this weekend, and how the team only asks of them to show what the bring during the week.
“The message across the board, and, really Chad's [Reed] carried this weight, has been, 'We're gonna show 'em on Saturday what they've been showing us during the week of training,'" Haas said. "We had a really good two weeks of really just raw scrimmaging that we normally shy away from. So, it'll be interesting to see how that translate translates. But having the two SMX Next guys, has been cool. Like, we're coming here with a full roster. All of our guys are racing. That's kinda, you know, selfishly everything you hope for, but also, I think it's a product of, again, ClubMX and the environment that they're in, trying to find this never ending balance that everybody faces with risk to reward, and that is challenging in this sport.”
Dustin Pipes was also on hand with news that negotiations for next year for Ken Roczen has already started. Though he had no update on a Jason Anderson return, the story of fill in rider Justin Bogle, who has not raced 450SX since 2022, and has been working as Colt Nichols trainer, has got to be the feel-good story of the weekend.
“I think Justin's been around the team all year with his buddy, Colt, and it just kinda made sense," Pipes said. "Obviously, Justin hasn't been behind the SX start gate in, probably, like, three years. So, that's been a little bit tough, but, you know, I think in terms of the talent and stuff like that, it's not every day that you get a chance to add a guy that's won a Lits title. So, I think for us, it just makes sense as a team.”
How will Bogle fare in his first race back?
Watch the whole team managers session below.
