1. Lucas Coenen is Legit
Across the pond, Lucas Coenen and Jeffery Herlings have separated themselves from the rest of the FIM Motocross World Championship MXGP field, but due to a couple of Herlings’ mechanical DNF’s, Coenen has taken a commanding points lead. Meanwhile, the AMA Pro Motocross Championship kicked off with one of the most stacked 450 Class fields in recent history. When Red Bull KTM announced that the Coenens would be coming over for select Pro Motocross races, it created a rare opportunity for the best of both worlds in both classes, to compete head-to-head in mid-season form.
Lucas was adamant before and after the race that he came to Thunder Valley with no expectations, just to learn and have fun, but that did not keep him from putting on a show, going 2-2 for second overall. Lucas Coenen is an elite starter, so it was surprising to see him round the first turn in the 5-10 range both motos, but his late-race charge in the first moto was impressive. Catching Jett from nearly ten seconds down is not something we see happen often. Exciting stuff, but it could have been even more interesting if he had to go through Haiden Deegan and Hunter Lawrence to get there.
Moto two was boring, but still impressive as he kept Jett somewhat in check, and the two put a massive gap on the rest of the field. This kind of showing only raises the anticipation for Southwick. Lucas can play it cool and say it is just another race to learn, but he may have set the bar so high at Thunder Valley that a moto win is almost expected in the sand when the brothers return for the Southwick National.
2. The Sacha Coenen Experience
It’s comical how predictable Sacha Coenen’s Thunder Valley was. The smaller of the twin brothers, Sacha has become one of the most exciting riders to watch in MXGP’s MX2 Class. He has the desire to be the best every second he is on the track and the willingness to do whatever it takes to make that happen. American fans were lucky get the full experience in Colorado.
Sacha set the fastest lap in the first qualifying session and had the second session in the bag until Cole Davies put in a heater as time expired. Sacha’s qualifying laps are the definition of full-send, but he also has incredible technique that may get clouded by his smaller stature.
Moto one was the negative side of the Sacha Coenen experience with multiple crashes, while a dominant moto two was the positive. It seemed feasible that Sacha could win a moto, but to see him execute in the fashion he did was impressive. It would have been interesting to see Sacha battle Jo Shimoda, Levi Kitchen, or Seth Hammaker, but those battles never materialized. We will try again at Southwick!
3. Jo Shimoda’s First Win of 2026
Honda HRC Progressive’s Jo Shimoda grabbed his first win of 2026 via consistent 3-2 moto scores and has taken advantage of the inconsistency of the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki boys to insert himself firmly into the championship battle. While Shimoda’s 2026 scorecard may not meet the expectations that many put on him, the challenges he has had to overcome this season cannot be overlooked.
His off-season neck injury was a scary one but easily forgotten because he came back and nearly won the 250SX East Division Monster Energy AMA Supercross season opener in Arlington. He was hanging around in that title fight before suffering another setback when he injured his ankle in St. Louis. Sure, his slow start to Pro Motocross was not ideal but the win in Thunder Valley gives him a shot of confidence and momentum for the first time this year. Jo might have the field right where he wants them.
| Position | Rider | Hometown | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Levi Kitchen | Washougal, WA  | 117 |
| 2 |  Seth Hammaker | Bainbridge, PA | 117 |
| 3 |  Jo Shimoda | Suzuka, Japan  | 111 |
| 4 |  Julien Beaumer | Lake Havasu City, AZ | 104 |
| 5 |  Nick Romano | Bayside, NY | 96 |
4. Kitchen and Hammaker
Through three rounds, the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki duo of Seth Hammaker and Levi Kitchen have matched each other each step of the way and now share the red plate. But that does not mean it has been all good. While the two have consistently been the fastest riders and have had dominant motos to back that, they have each exchanged good motos with bad ones.
Kitchen stalked his teammate for the majority of the first moto. Kitchen worked his way up to second and it looked he was going to make quick work of Seth around halfway, but Seth responded and was able to hold Levi off until two to go. They both put their best lap in LATE into the moto, but Levi was able to break his teammate with two to go and take the moto win.
In moto two, they both went down in a first turn pileup, and it was a battle off who can charge through the field best. Kitchen’s experience in this category paid off as he was able to get up to 8th and salvage second overall on the day. It feels like the first one to stop having weirdo motos will be the one to take control of this title, but maybe they have already blown it by allowing Jo Shimoda to hang around this long?
5. Feel Good Summer
Nick Romano has taken the opportunity to fill in on Mitch Payton’s Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki team by storm. Romano had three top ten Pro Motocross finishes in 19 starts coming into the season and he has since doubled that total.
Romano landed a popular podium in Thunder Valley and with each week he is proving that this is more than just a hot start to the season. He is the most consistent starter in the class by a wide margin, and every week he seems to be able to hang at the front a little longer.
Maybe Nick has newfound motivation knowing this could be his last shot at a factory ride, or maybe the environment at PC is better fitted for his personality than what he had with previous teams. It is probably a mix of both, but whatever it is, this is far and away the best version of Nick Romano we have ever seen.
6. New Challenges, Same Results
Honda HRC Progressive’s Jett Lawrence is on a four moto win streak and Pala is a distant memory at this point. On paper, Jettson holeshot both motos at Thunder Valley and led every lap of the way, but it was not that easy. Moto one may have been the most challenging moto’s of Jett’s career.
Early on he was under pressure from his brother Hunter, and then he faced his first challenge from Haiden Deegan. Jett was unphased by it and after the race said he could, “read what’s his name like a book.” Hunter and Haiden eventually found themselves on the ground but towards the end of the moto Jett had to fend off a late race charged by the young Belgium Lucas Coenen. Lawrence showed impressive poise, never put a wheel wrong and held on for the win.
The only part of Jett’s game that seems a bit concerning is how limited he is during the week. He went on Monday night’s PulpMX Show and talked about how his weeks are still very focused on recovery and the longest motos he does is 15 minutes. That kind of schedule would catch up with most riders by the end of a 22-moto series, but luckily for Jett, he is not most riders. On the brightside, he did mention that he had a recent breakthrough with some regained mobility in his foot/ankle, so racing does not seem to be slowing down the healing process.
Watch the interview from Monday night here:
7. Dangerboy is Back
It took five motos for Haiden Deegan to go Haiden Deegan in a 450 post-race interview. To his credit, the first half of Haiden first moto was awesome. He straight up passed Hunter Lawrence and challenged Jett for the lead. He went down around halfway but he showed enough to prove that he has the speed to challenge Jett Lawrence.
Unfortunately, the great riding was overshadowed by some risqué line choices and post-race comments. Haiden had a line on the inside of an off-camber turn that was so inside he was turning on a berm, completely avoiding any off-camber all together. It was a clear advantage and no surprise that the AMA decided to review it. In the end, Deegan was penalized seven positions; six for each lap they had video of him taking that line, and one for accelerating off-track after a near crash. Jorge Prado (two positions) and Hunter Lawrence (one position) were also docked for using that same, too much inside, line.
After the race Deegan was asked about taking the “cheater” line and explained that there were no track markers there and that it was “chill.” He also noted that, “They [the Lawrences] know I’m coming for them.” After two weeks of humble interviews, we were due for something controversial. Love him or hate him, it is entertaining and he is proving he is here to stay in the 450 class.
8. Marchbanks Holding it Down for Kawi
While Chase Sexton’s relationship with the Monster Energy Kawasaki team may have hit a new low for the second consecutive weekend, his teammate Garrett Marchbanks continues to let the good times roll. G backed up his fifth overall from Hangtown with 3-6 scores and a fourth overall in Thunder Valley. He will be the first to tell you it was really a 6-6 day, but after Deegan, Hunter Lawrence, and Prado were all penalized in moto one, it bumped Garrett to third.
Regardless, Garrett is blocking out any drama and representing the team and Kawasaki very well. He praised the team on the PulpMX Show saying, “If I have something wrong, or I am not feeling comfortable on the bike, we’re able to get down to it, and figure it out.”
Marchbanks and Kawi gambled on each other this season. Garrett left a 250 contract with Pro Circuit for a one-year 450 deal, and Kawi brought in an unproven 450 rider to back up Chase Sexton. It is beginning to pay off, and Garrett is proving he is worthy of keeping his job for 2027.
9. Youth of the Nation
The 250 class in Pro Motocross is littered with new names. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing had their entire “amateur” roster on the gate this weekend in Colorado. Caden Dudney, Kayden Minear, and Landen Gordon have all shown potential through three rounds, and this weekend they were joined by Carson Wood, who made his pro debut. Triumph’s Deacon Denno has shown some flashes, and Enzo Temmerman (who raced his team green bike at Hangtown) made his debut aboard a PC team bike at Thunder Valley.
All six of these riders put in the top ten in one moto in Colorado. None of them were able to do it twice. This is an extremely talented group of rookies, but it is going to be interesting to see how they are managed and who will be the first to string together a consistent run of top ten finishes. Dudney’s second at Pala is the standout ride amongst the kids thus far, but he has gone 22-20-8-18 since.
As for the future, Denno seems locked in as Triumph’s guy, and there are whispers of Temmerman being a fifth guy at PC next year. However, the Star Yamaha boys seem to be battling for 2027 roster spots. Bobby Regan is known for his cutthroat tactics, but this may be one of the most bizarre situations yet.
10. The World Champ
The Coenens were not the only MXGP stars that made their way to Thunder Valley. Two-time and defending WMX World Champion Lotte Van Drunen made her way to America to match up against Lala Turner and Charli Cannon.
Van Drunen’s bid for a three-peat in Europe fell apart a few weeks ago in Germany when she was cross jumped and crashed out of a moto. She pieced together a last-minute deal with HGS Exhaust and Slade Racing to join the revamped American WMX Championship.
With the limited prep, Van Drunen raced a stock Yamaha YZ250F with an exhaust and ECU. She was underpowered, especially at elevation, but still managed fifth overall. Expect a lot more this weekend at High Point.
