Round two of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship heads north and to one of the longest running venues on the calendar: Hangtown! This track has undergone one of the biggest transformations of any that I can recall. What was once a hard-packed track that resembled concrete more than loam has slowly morphed into a track with solid traction and depth. This has been an ongoing process as countless truckloads of varying types of soft soil have been imported. Sand and rice hulls have given the dirt much more context and for the riders, it’s been a Godsend. I can remember racing here in the late ‘90s and early 2000s and visibly seeing the black rubber/plastic laid down a lap prior. It was that hard and that unforgiving. Water only made it worse for the second motos and only served to contain dust, not add traction. Kudos to the Dirt Diggers for their relentless efforts to make this national well received from the riders.
The second round is often much more telling than the opening round and I expect the same this weekend. There is too much pressure and hype at the first race to truly understand what to expect. Further, the Fox Raceway track is a menace, and some riders simply don’t feel comfortable pushing there. Hangtown’s results are much more easily trusted and can lay out a roadmap for what is to come.
For the 250 Class, Seth Hammaker certainly asserted himself at round one, but I believe the balance of power is still very much up for grabs. There will likely be a lot of variances in the 250 results column as the contenders all vie for control. Starts will be wildly impactful and can be the difference maker in this championship. There is too much parity throughout the top 10 to overcome poor starts on a regular basis.
The 450 Class is set up for a doozy of a title fight. Hunter Lawrence fired the opening salvo and in a powerful way. He never really put a foot wrong and outside of Jorge Prado’s surge on the opening lap of moto two, it was a picture perfect day. That’s not to say the others will take it lying down, though, as the aforementioned Prado is back to form in a big way and deep down believes he is the best guy. Defending champ Jett Lawrence is nowhere near 100 percent and time will tell if that’s a short term hamper or if this is going to be a slog all summer to get strength, mobility, and full use of his injured ankle.
Then there’s Haiden Deegan, arguably the most polarizing rider in the sport’s history. His first race may not have lived up to the expectation of some but given the depth of the class, it made sense. Starts will be a critical factor for Haiden but much like his 250 days, he will slowly improve on all deficiencies until they become an asset. Say what you want but he and his inner team are relentless in snuffing out vulnerabilities.
What to make of Chase Sexton for round two? He put in one of the most memorable come-from-behind rides ever in 2024, truly going from last to first. He showed signs of life at the opener, but the mistakes have to subside if he wants to be in this fight when we get past halfway. He is capable on every level but whether or not the whole package comes together is much more in question.
Who’s Hot
Seth Hammaker had the best Pro Motocross day of his career and by a long shot.
Caden Dudney exited the SX series early (still won ROY) to prepare for MX. It looked like it was the right idea.
Lux Turner showed a lot of promise for what could be this summer. He has a factory ride coming his way eventually.
Levi Kitchen’s second moto crash tainted a great day, but he is riding well enough to win a lot this summer.
Hunter Lawrence had a “perfect day” in SoCal. He was rock solid and showed no signs of any drop off after the SX heartbreaker.
Jorge Prado is back to being the guy I watched in Europe for a decade. Last year will forever be a head scratcher.
Jett Lawrence is not “hot” but his ability to overcome what is clearly not a healthy ankle was notable.
Who’s Not
Max Anstie had a huge crash in qualifying practice and was unable to finish either moto.
Nate Thrasher crashed and DNF’d moto two.
Austin Forkner did not have the return to racing he would have liked. He’s capable of being near the front in this class but it has to begin with the start (shocking).
Eli Tomac had yet another big crash and hard day. These are coming far too often for one of the greatest to ever do it.
Malcolm Stewart dabbed his knee in the second moto and had to pull off early. Hopefully he’s all good for Hangtown.
Bold Predictions
The Jett/Haiden battle is much more interesting this weekend.
Hunter and Jorge lead all of the laps.
The best battle of the weekend is between Charli and LaLa.
Max Anstie hires Cardi B for expertise in gluteus maximus recovery.
My Picks
250
Levi Kitchen
Jo Shimoda
Seth Hammaker
