End of an Another Era

It’s hard to believe, but this weekend will be the final race for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna team. Ownership and management have changed over the years, but the team’s presence in the pro ranks can be traced all the way back to late in 2008, when Bobby Hewitt transitioned his amateur team to the pro ranks. They enjoyed some success in 2009 as Canidae Kawasaki when Tommy Hahn won at Steel City, and they were in the thick of the 450SX championship with Davi Millsaps as Rockstar Suzuki. Since then, they’ve won multiple motocross and supercross titles, and if Ryder DiFrancesco wins this thing, they’ll close their final chapter with another title. -Hansel

Championship Math – 250 Class

With the points payout tripled this weekend there are still a whole lot of riders in contention for the title, but in reality, it’s pretty much down to Levi Kitchen and Ryder DiFrancesco, with Julien Beaumer still having a shot at it if things go his way. For Kitchen, who holds the championship lead by three points over DiFrancesco, the math is simple; finish ahead the other two and the title is his. It’s almost as simple for DiFrancesco. If he finishes ahead of Kitchen and finishes within the top three, the title is his. If he finishes fourth or worse he’d need Kitchen to finish two spots behind him. If they somehow tie in points, which they would if DiFrancesco finished fourth and Kitchen finished fifth, Kitchen would get the nod because he’s won an event and DiFrancesco hasn’t. Beaumer is 16 points back and needs to win. If he wins, he’d need DiFrancesco to finish third or worse and have Kitchen finish fourth or worse. -Hansel

Championship Math – 450 Class

With a 16-point lead over Haiden Deegan and Hunter Lawrence, who are tied for second, Jorge Prado is in the driver’s (rider’s?) seat here. If he finishes in the top three the title is his no matter what. If he finishes fourth, he’d need someone other than Deegan, Lawrence, Ken Roczen, or Cooper Webb to win. In other words, it’s winner take all for Deegan, Lawrence, Roczen, and Webb, but only if Prado finishes fourth or worse. It’s looking good for Prado, but you never know! -Hansel

Webb vs. Deegan

If you don’t know about the takeout move Deegan put on Webb toward the end of the second 450 moto last week, you’re either not a fan of the sport, you’ve been in a coma the last seven days, or you’ve been trapped in a bank vault with no internet. Opinions on whether it was dirty or not are, not surprisingly, all over the map but those opinions are irrelevant. The only opinion that matters in this case is Webb’s, and he made it very clear afterward that he believed it to be dirty, and that he was going to make sure Deegan didn’t win the title because of it. There was also some form of confrontation between the two back at the truck, which has been a source of plenty of outrageous rumors throughout the week. We talked to 450 team manager Wil Hahn immediately after and he rolled his eyes and said there was nothing physical, just words, and that it had already been squashed. In any case, we’ll see if Webb’s temperature is still running hot this weekend when he saddles up on a Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha for the last time in his career. -Hansel

Muscle Memory

Ken Roczen was spectacular in his first dry race since wrapping up the 450SX title in May. Not only did he win the first moto en route to third overall, but he was also like a lightning bolt in some areas of the track. The way he was hitting some of the turns out there was absolutely incredible, and even more so considering how long he’d been off the bike. It just goes to show what a freak of nature Roczen is! In the postrace press conference Roczen said he lacked some of the intensity in the second moto he had in the first, but that it usually comes back quickly once he starts pushing himself physically. Will he have enough in the tank to take the overall this weekend? -Hansel 

Farewell

Dylan Ferrandis also announced his retirement this week. Ferrandis moved to the States in 2017 and won four championships, back-to-back 250 West titles in 2019 and 2020, the 250 Pro Motocross championship in 2020, and then won the 450 outdoor title in his rookie season in 2021. Injuries plagued him later in his career, but he certainly accomplished more than most and his career deserves to be celebrated. -Sarah Whitmore