450 Storylines: Round 22 Southwick Recap

JETT LAWRENCE:
Claimed his 15th career 450 Class victory with a 2-1 effort at Southwick, which tied Jeremy McGrath for 10th on the all-time wins list. He moved within 3 points of the championship lead and has won 4 of 5 rounds with a class-leading 81 laps led. Lawrence now has sole possession of second on Honda’s 450 Class win list and scored the OEM’s 165th win in the class as well.

However, Jett has been sidelined with an injury for the rest of the Pro Motocross season.

CHASE SEXTON:
Secured his 25th career 450 Class podium with a 3-1 ride, which also moved him to within 3 points of the championship lead, tied with Jett Lawrence. Sexton’s Moto 2 victory was his third of the season and he now boasts a moto finishing average of 2.8 despite a starting average of just 7.3, for a start-to-finish ratio of +4.5.

HUNTER LAWRENCE:
His 2-3 moto scores resulted in a fifth straight podium finish, which allowed him to maintain possession of the red plate. He is only the seventh athlete to score 5 or more consecutive podiums to start their 450 Class career: Dylan Ferrandis and Jett Lawrence (12), Ken Roczen and Jean-Michel Bayle (9), Jeff Ward (8), Ryan Dungey (6), and Hunter Lawrence (5).

NOTES:
Justin Cooper (4th) Earned his fourth top-5 finish to start his 450 Class career, which was also the 80th of his SMX career (127 starts).
Dylan Ferrandis (5th) Earned his 90th career top-5 finish in SMX competition and made his 30th 450 Class start.
Kyle Webster (10th) The Australian grabbed a top-10 finish in his first SMX start.
Jason Anderson (12th) Made his 300th career SMX Start.
Alvin Ostlund (16th) Swedish racer went 11-24 in first SMX start.
Joe Tait (37th) Prominent New England racer made his first career 450 Class start.

450 Class: RedBud Facts

HISTORY LESSON:
The first 450 Class race at RedBud was on April 28, 1974, when Kenny Zahrt swept the motos riding a Bultaco. Eventual champion Gary Jones (Can-Am) was fast, but could not match Zahrt’s speed and settled for second overall. Rich Thorwaldson’s Suzuki (6th) and Bob Grossi’s Husqvarna (10th) were the only manufacturers in competition today to finish in the top-16, with Gaylon Mosier’s Honda in 17th.
HALF CENTURY OF HISTORY:
RedBud held 450 Class rounds in 1974, 1977-1980, 1983-1985, & 1989-2024. Including the 2 rounds held during the covid-shortened 2020 season, the 2024 RedBud National will be the 45th 450 Class race held at the legendary venue. The old 500cc division held 12 rounds at RedBud from 1974-1988. When combining all classes, there have been 101 Pro MX rounds held at RedBud. The 1975 season is the only year in which RedBud was not on the schedule.
THE GOAT AT REDBUD:
After he swept all 4 motos in the 250 Class between 1998 and 1999, Ricky Carmichael went 2-3 for second overall during his premier class debut at RedBud in 2000. Winner Sebastian Tortelli held a long distinction as the lone rider to beat The GOAT in motos at RedBud, where Carmichael won 16 times from 1998 through 2006, until James Stewart knocked him off in Moto 1 at the 2007 event. Carmichael responded with win #17 in Moto 2 for his seventh straight overall victory at the track.
CHAMPIONSHIP %:
The winner of the 450 Class at RedBud has also won the title 25 times in 44 seasons (57%) and in 5 of the past 6 seasons. The last time the champion failed to take the win at RedBud was in 2018 when Marvin Musquin claimed victory.

250 Storylines: Round 22 Southwick Recap

HAIDEN DEEGAN:
Earned his sixth career 250 Class victory in his 18th Pro MX start and 40th SMX start. He has 10 combined wins in those 40 starts and has finished on the podium 22 times. He comfortably leads the championship with a 42-point lead and an impressive 1.4 moto finishing average, which leads the series. Has yet to miss a moto podium.

TOM VIALLE:
Scored his sixth podium result in his 16th career 250 Class start with a runner-up effort at Southwick. He now has 14 podiums in 38 career SMX starts and has finishes of first and second in 2 races at The Wick 338.

JO SHIMODA:
Overcame a first-turn crash and resilient result of 9th in Moto 1 to win Moto 2 and earn a spot on the overall podium for the first time with Honda. It was his 30th career SMX podium and the 60th career SMX top-5 finish. The Japanese rider’s 17 Pro MX podiums place him 34th all-time in the 250 Class and his 29 top-5 finishes place him 28th all-time.

NOTES:
Chance Hymas (4th) Retained second place in points with a 3-5 effort in his first visit to Southwick. Has scored a top-5 finish in all 5 rounds this season.
Joey Savatgy (5th) His first pair of top-10 moto scores led to his first top-5 finish of the season and 23rd of his 250 Class career. It was his first since the 2018 Unadilla National and was just the second ever top-5 for Triumph Racing.
Tom Guyon (31st) The Frenchman captured P1 in qualifying to earn first gate pick in his first career SMX appearance.
Grant Lafrance (34th) and Zayden Mason (35th) Each made their first career SMX starts.

250 Class: RedBud Facts

HISTORY LESSON:
The first 250 Class race at RedBud was on May 23, 1976, when Bob Hannah made come-from-behind charges in both motos against reigning champion Marty Smith to sweep the afternoon. Hannah then went on to win the 1976 championship in what was then the 125cc division. The small displacement was the only class that competed that season at RedBud.
A HISTORIC CLAIM:
Just 15 minutes after Bob Hannah pulled into the pits after the Moto 2 win, AMA National Motocross referee Chuck McCall walked over to the Yamaha pit area and impounded Hannah’s winning motorcycle. In accordance to AMA rules, Mickey Boone had claimed Hannah’s bike following the race for a price of $2,000. Hannah responded with his own claim and both riders had to draw the highest number to gain ownership of the bike. “Hurricane” Hannah prevailed by pulling a 47, compared to Boone’s 42.
HALF CENTURY OF HISTORY:
The 250 Class had only appeared at RedBud in 1976 prior to its second visit during the 1981 season. The division has raced at RedBud every year since, which means the 2024 event will signify the 46th 250 Class race at the famed venue. The winner of the 250 Class at RedBud has won the title 31 times in 45 seasons (69%) and 10 times over the past 11 years, with last season’s winner Haiden Deegan breaking a 10-year streak.
LAROCCO AND THE LEAP:
In the early 1990’s, RedBud’s Tim Ritchie got together with local legend Mike LaRocco to replicate a massive triple step-up jump from LaRocco’s nearby practice track. Fittingly, LaRocco became the first rider in any class to clear the now-iconic jump and did so aboard a 125cc motorcycle. The jump became LaRocco’s namesake and remains arguably the most famous single obstacle of any motorcross track in the world.