MILLVILLE, Minnesota: Weather rolled in during the final two laps of the Spring Creek Nationals, but rain could not keep Chase Sexton from winning his second consecutive overall in Millville, Minnesota. Sexton amassed massive leads in both motos en route to sweeping Round 7 and nearly doubling his points lead over Hunter Lawrence.
“These last two races, I really wanted to capitalize on,” Sexton told Peacock’s Will Christien. “We’ve been a little sluggish in the middle of the season and I wanted to focus on keeping momentum going. On the start, I got pushed wide and had some work to do. The track was better in the second moto and I was able to put down some good laps.”
Sexton showed patience in the first half of each moto and refused to be pushed into bad lines as he worked his way around Lawrence. One he grabbed the top spot,, however, he stretched his advantage to nearly 10 seconds within two laps and then settled into a safe pace once more.
Lawrence led both motos before fading quickly to finish second in each. Scored second overall, he lost six points to Sexton and will enter Washougal with a 13-point deficit.
“I was bugging,” Lawrence said from under a canopy behind the podium. “Chase has been riding unreal all day so I was trying to make it tough on him and see where he was better than me, but he was gone like a freight train.
“I did all I could. I was struggling; it was a tough day.”
Justin Cooper earned the holeshot in Moto 2 and led most of the first half of the race on his way to a third-place finish. Combined with a fifth in the first race, Cooper was credited with third overall. This is his second third-place overall podium after finishing that well at Thunder Valley in Round 3.
Cooper made a tire change to start the second race after getting run off course in Moto 1. That made the difference in Moto 2 and allowed him to convert his strong start into his fifth moto podium of the season.
Cooper’s strong run moves him to third in the standings with a 61-point deficit to Sexton and 48 points behind Lawrence.
Aaron Plessinger finished third in the first race and fifth in Moto 2 for fourth overall. This is his second consecutive podium and third overall.
Jason Anderson’s pair of fourth-place finishes relegated him to fifth overall.
Click here for official 450 results
The rain that swept in at the end of 450 Moto 2 created chaos in the 250 division. A massive crash in Turn 1 severely impacted the points standings, but that was not on Levi Kitchen’s mind as he won both motos and scored his first overall victory.
In an effort to keep weight off his bike, Kitchen chose to skip the sight lap but he was caught behind the carnage in Moto 2 and picked up a lot of mud circling outside the top five in the first couple of laps.
It’s been a bit of a struggle obviously and people forget when you’re not up there,” Kitchen told Jason Thomas. “I’ve been working really hard and trying to get back up where I belong. I’m stoked because I’ve had some tip overs and I just fought all day. That last moto was fun, it was like you could play with the track because you had one coming.”
Championships are won on an athlete’s worst days and Spring Creek qualified as that for Haiden Deegan. He was caught in the Turn 1 crash on and suffered damage to his bike. Before remounting the bike, he kicked his muffler into place and lost some horsepower.
“Chance [Hymas] tried to cut down on the start and took me out,” Deegan said. “Pipes all marred. I kicked that thing down, got back on it and this is the time to show the dog in me.”
Casey Cochran, 17, was the beneficiary of the early crash. He missed the downed riders and led the field for the first half of the race. He was caught by Kitchen at the end of the race but held on to finish second in that moto and third overall.
Max Anstie is one of the best mud racers in the sport and he finished third in the second moto. With his seventh-place finish in the first race, he was credited with fourth overall.
Dilan Schwartz with a 10-6 finished fifth overall.
Click here for official 250 results
In Race Notes
It’s a warm and humid day at the track with highs approaching 90 and sun shining down on Spring Creek MX Park.
Sexton and Lawrence bring their title contest and a narrow seven-point gap to the track in the 450 division.
Sexton set the pace early with Lawrence slotting into third
Haiden Deegan holds a commanding lead in 250s but Chance Hymas is coming on strong. After a crash in Moto 2 at RedBud for Deegan, Hymas is the only rider with a perfect record of top-five finishes.
Features
250 Moto 2
Kitchen chooses not to take a sight lap in order to keep mud off his bike. He’s hoping the extra bit of weight slows his competition.
Deegan, Shimoda, Chance Hymas and others crash in Turn 1 on the start.
Hymas led the field into the turn, but his foot got stuck in Deegan’s wheel, triggering the crash. He’s out of the race and favoring his leg.
Shimoda also heads to the pits. This chaotic start is going to have a big ripple effect.
Cochran survived with the lead over Daxton Bennick.
Vialle slots into third but he crashes on the next lap.
Kitchen was slowed by the early crash, but he circles in fifth on Lap 2.
Vialle recovers remounts in eighth but pulls into the paddock on his next trip around for a fresh set of goggles. It was a fast trip, but he’ll lose positions.
Remarkably, after crashing, Deegan is ahead of his principal championship rivals and is riding 11th on Lap 4.
The top five runs like this: Cochran, Kitchen has moved into second, Bennick third, Dilan Schwartz is fourth and Anstie fifth on Lap 5.
Deegan cracks the top 10 but is 38 seconds behind.
Kitchen is looking at his first Motocross win if things stay the way they are.
Kitchen has caught Cochran with 12 minutes remaining. He’ll be patient, but should take the lead.
Cochran makes it difficult. Kitchen doesn’t want to overcook a turn.
Deegan moves up to sixth, He’s 39 seconds behind the lead battle, but that will put him third overall as they run.
Kitchen passes Cochran on Lap 10 and that could move Deegan to second overall. Cochran holds onto a podium spot for now.
With time off the clock, Kitchen leads Cochran and Anstie
Ryder DiFrancesco is fourth and Deegan has worked his way into fifth.
Click here for complete 250 results from Moto 2
450 Moto 2
Cooper gets the holeshot and sets out to show what he can do from the front.
Lawrence settles into second and Anderson runs over a stationary camera in third.
Sexton is all the way back in seventh. One lap later, Sexton moves up to sixth.
From fifth, Plessinger hits the ground and gives the position to Sexton.
Sexton passes fourth-place Dylan Ferrandis as fast as he caught him.
Lawrence pressures Cooper for the lead. Sexton challenges Anderson for third on Lap 4.
Sexton is closing on the leaders one lap later. Lawrence needs to complete the pass on Cooper quickly if he wants to hold Sexton at bay.
The leaderboard resets at the halfway point.
Lawrence passes Cooper for the lead on Lap 1 and Sexton comes right along with hm.
Sexton makes it look easy on Lap 9 as he takes the lead from Lawrence. This will be the fifth straight moto win for Sexton if he holds on, but more importantly, he nearly doubles his championship lead to 13.
Cooper remains third with Anderson and Plessinger chasing.
Sexton rides away from the field again. With a little under five minutes on the clock, the gap is 12 seconds.
Cooper has caught Lawrence. This could cost Lawrence two mote points if that pass is completed.
Sexton is riding away from the field, but weather is rolling in.
Rain begins to fall as time runs off the clock. Lightning is also in the area, but it appears they will get this one in the books.
They do, and Sexton wins by 12.9 seconds over Lawrence.
Cooper pressed Lawrence, but settles for third.
Anderson in fourth and Plessinger round out the top five.
Click here for complete 450 results from Moto 2
250 Moto 1
Deegan beats Cochran to the holeshot line. That’s his fifth of the year.
Deegan has a two-second lead at the end of Lap 1 over Kitchen in second and Vialle in third.
Cochran falls to fourth with Ty Masterpool fifth.
The Honda teammates move up. Shimoda takes fourth and Hymas fifth.
Deegan tucks his first tire and goes down on Lap 4. Kitchen takes the lead and brings Vialle with him. Deegan falls to third.
Deegan is forced out of his rhythm by a contest with Shimoda.
Kitchen bobbles on Lap 7 and Vialle closes the gap. That also allows Deegan to close up.
Shimoda passes Deegan at speed. He’s got his sights set on Kitchen and Vialle.
Shimoda finds a good line in the sand rollers and takes second from Vialle.
On Lap 10, Shimoda and Kitchen are bar-to-bar until a lapper gets in the way. Lappers are going to cost Shimoda.
Vialle catches and passes Shimoda with time running off the clock. He takes second. Deegan is still in the fight.
Deegan takes third for a turn or two, but Shimoda retakes the spot.
Kitchen holds off Vialle be less than two seconds and wins his first moto of 2024.
Deegan is right on the back wheel of Vialle for third and Shimoda falls to fourth.
Hymas rounds out the top five.
Click here for complete 250 Moto 1 results
450 Moto 1
The 450s are up first and live on NBC.
Lawrence is fast again ad takes the holeshot, but Sexton is close in third.
Plessinger slotted into second and Anderson is fourth, but it’s a surprisingly strong start for Roman Pape in fifth.
Pape fades and Ferrandis takes over fifth.
Garrett Marchbanks pulls off track on Lap 3. He needs points if he wants to climb into the top 20 in SuperMotocross points.
On Lap 4, Sexton passes Plessinger is immediately in touch with Lawrence. This is the battle everyone expected when Jett Lawrence fell to injury.
Hunter Lawrence bobble slightly on Lap 7 and Sexton takes advantage. The margin is seesawing. The second half of the race is going to be a nailbiter.
Sexton gets a run going up Mt. Morris, a 500-foot climb, takes the inside groove, and the lead.
Sexton to the lead ‼️ #ProMotocross #SMX #SpringCreekMX pic.twitter.com/rUYKjhOSnW
— Pro Motocross (@ProMotocross) July 13, 2024
Entering this race, Sexton had a three-moto winning streak.
While the swapped positions, Sexton and Lawrence built up a five-second gap on Plessinger. Anderson is still fourth with Cooper moving into fifth.
Sexton was markedly faster. In two laps, he now has five seconds on second.
As the white flag waves, Sexton has an 11-second lead over Lawrence.
Lawrence takes a second off the gap but Sexton wins commandingly.
Plessinger was more than 17 seconds further back in third.
Anderson and Cooper round out the top five.
Click here for complete 250 Moto 1 results
Last Chance Qualifiers
450s
Scott Meshey wins the 450 LCQ and will join the field for the features.
Ayden Shive finishes second 1.47 back.
Mitchell Zaremba and Kile Epperson round out the qualifiers.
Click here for complete 450 LCQ results
250s
Gavin Brough beats local rider to the checkers in the 250 LCQ.
Ashton Bloxom and Keegan Rowley also advance.
Click here for complete 250 LCQ results
Qualification
450s
Sexton sets the pace early with a lap of 2:07.935 over Anderson’s 2:08.447 in the first qualification session. With Jett Lawrence out of the field, there is a shuffling among the leaders.
Hunter Lawrence also has pace at 2:08.943.
Cooper in fourth and Plessinger round out the top five.
Click here for complete results from 450 Qualification 1
In the second qualification session, Anderson jumps into a pair of downed riders while leading the chart. He flips over the handlebars while trying to remount on a steep down hill section.
Motocross or gymnastics? 🤸 #ProMotocross #SMX #SpringCreekMX pic.twitter.com/xKqF4eprf0
— Pro Motocross (@ProMotocross) July 13, 2024
Andrson’s time (2:06.566) was good enough to top the chart over Lawrence (2:07.437).
Cooper rounds out the top three with a speed of 2:07.827.
Plessinger and Christian Craig complete the top five.
Sexton went down on the final lap an wound up seventh on the chart.
Click here for complete results from 450 Qualification 2
Anderson’s Q2 time makes him the fastest qualifier over Lawrence.
Cooper will have the third gate pick, while Sexton’s Q1 time puts him fourth on the grid.
Plessinger rounds out the top five.
Click here for combined Qualification results
250s
Hymas (2:09.976) backs up his first Pro Motocross win last week at RedBud with the fastest time in Group A’s first qualification session.
He was nearly one second faster than Joey Savatgy’s 2:10.801.
Kitchen rounded out the top three with a time of 2:11.174.
Masterpool in fourth and Deegan round out the top five.
Click her for complete results from 250 Qualification 1
In the second qualification session, Tom Vialle (2:07.225) surges to the top over Levi Kitchen (2:08.880).
Savatgy (2:08.956) maintained his speed and rounds out the top five.
Points contenders Hymas and Deegan round out the top five.
Click here for complete results from 250 Qualification 2
Click here for combined qualification results
More SuperMotocross News
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