Chase Sexton won his third consecutive overall Pro Motocross National and seventh straight moto in Washougal, Washington, and continued to pad his championship lead as his nearest competitor finished off the podium in both races.
“I wanted to get another win before this break and kind of go into it with momentum,” Sexton told Peacock’s Will Christien. “We have two weeks off, so I’ll go home and rest. I haven’t been feeling the greatest the last few days, so it’s about time for some rest.”
Last week in Spring Creek, Sexton said he needs to work on his starts and that remains true. He was outside the top five early in Moto 1 and finished Lap 1 fourth in the second race before slowly working his way through the field.
It’s those last laps that count, however, and Sexton now has a 28-point lead, which is more than one complete moto with six remaining.
Hunter Lawrence had strong starts in both races, but a fall in Moto 1 dropped him to fifth and the struggles continued into the second race. The rookie rider finished slightly better in that event, with fourth-place result and the loss of 15 points in the process. Lawrence was credited with fourth overall.
With this result, Honda failed to make the overall podium for the first time since 2021.
Aaron Plessinger had one of his best efforts of the season, leading laps and finishing second in Moto 1. A third in Moto 2 gave him second overall. He led the majority of laps in Moto 1 and was trying to hold off teammate Sexton before stalling his bike. That little mistake cost the opportunity to win his first moto.
“These fans are unreal,” Plessinger told Jason Thomas. “I didn’t think it was could happen, but they are matching RedBud and it’s cool to see that countrywide. It’s important. They have the same passion for dirt bike racing as I do.”
Jason Anderson rounded out the podium with results of fourth in the first moto and second in Moto 2. Anderson’s last Motocross podium came nearly one year ago at Budds Creek.
“I’ve been fourth, fifth, third in motos but outside the podium so to be up here and have a good moto - I’ve been working hard and it’s paying off,” Anderson said.
Rookie Justin Cooper had another solid run and finished fifth overall with a 3-7.
Click here for official 450 overall results
In the 250 division, Haiden Deegan and Tom Vialle were in their own class.
Vialle won Moto 1 for his second race win of the season and Deegan snapped a six-race losing streak in Moto 2 to take the overall victory via the tiebreaker.
“We made a little different bike setup and it made a world of difference,” Deegan said from the top of the podium. “It was super good; that was awesome. Broke a gap. I’m happy to keep the Washougal streak going and get back on top of the board.”
Deegan entered Washougal with disappointing races in the RedBud and Spring Creek Nationals, but it was a pair of accidents that kept him off the podium in the second races of those weekends. Deegan struggled slightly in the first race this weekend and fell out of second momentarily. Struggling with his setup in the first race, he decided on a safe pace and fixed the bike between the motos.
Vialle stretched his advantage in the first moto when Deegan slowed to protect his body and equipment. He finished more than 11 seconds ahead of the field in that event but faded in Moto 2 and was more than 14 seconds behind.
“The track was really hard in the second moto and I did my best,” Vialle said. “It’s pretty nice to go second before the break and we’re going to go back and train and hopefully we can win the last three races.”
Vialle has reclaimed second in the championship standings, but remains one full National behind with a deficit of 54 points.
Finishing third in both races, Jo Shimoda stood on the podium for the third time in the last four Nationals. His poor finish came last week in Spring Creek when he was one of the riders who suffered bike damage in the Moto 2, Turn 1 melee.
“Those two in the front are going really strong right now,” Shimoda said. “It’s not just one thing I need to work on. It’s a little of everything all together.”
Ryder DiFrancesco finished fourth in Moto 1 and sixth in Moto 2 for fourth overall.
Pierce Brown grabbed fifth with a 6-5.
Riding with an injured leg, Chance Hymas finished eighth in the first race and was 12th in Moto 2 to add 26 points to his total.
Click here for official 250 overall results
In-Race Notes
The sun is shining on Washougal MX Park with a one percent chance of rain in the forecast. This race is important to create momentum for riders before they head into a three-week hiatus in advance of the final three-race run to the championship.
With a 13-point gap between them, Lawrence does not mathematically need to close in on Sexton but his task gets increasingly difficult with each passing week.
In the 250 class, it is still Deegan’s championship to lose. He’s coming off back-to-back disappointment at RedBud and Spring Creek, but the challengers have failed to gain much ground as they have struggled as well.
Hymas is still sore after injuring his leg at Spring Creek, but he is in the field.
The 450 motos will be the first to roll off the grid this week.
Features
250 Moto 2
It’s a carbon copy of the Moto 1 start with Vialle getting a strong start and Deegan pressuring him on Lap 1.
DiFrancesco shows that his Moto 1 run was real. He’s in third on Lap 2.
Levi Kitchen gets a much better start in this race and settles into fourth.
Shimoda rounds out the top five.
Vialle has a 1.5-second gap on Deegan and would have the overall victory with the sweep, If he loses the spot to Deegan, he would lost the overall on the tiebreaker.
Max Anstie pulls into the mechanics area after crashing.
Shimoda has passed Kitchen for fourth.
Deegan takes the lead on Lap 5. He slowly starts to create a gap and is 1.7 seconds ahead one lap later.
Deegan takes the lead by force 💨#ProMotocross #SMX #WashougalMX pic.twitter.com/aqld6pKV9J
— Pro Motocross (@ProMotocross) July 20, 2024
Shimoda moves up to third.
DiFrancesco loses another spot to Kitchen on Lap 6; Kitchen is up to fourth.
Hymas’ leg may be affecting him. He is back in 21st on Lap 7. He went down early in the moto and has fought his way back. He’ll look forward to the three-week break.
With ClubMX losing Phil Nicoletti and Garrett Marchbanks in 2025, Jett Reynolds is the rider looking to fill the gap. He’s 10th at the moment and looking for a top-10 overall.
Hymas has climbed to 16th and will add some points to this total.
Once in the lead, Deegan stretches the advantage and is more than 14 seconds ahead on the white flag lap.
Click here for complete 250 Moto 2 results
450 Moto 2
Lawrence needs to bounce back from his struggles in the first race. He a great start and runs in second to Anderson at the end of Lap 1.
Unfortunately for Lawrence, Sexton gets a much better start as well. He was fourth behind Justin Cooper on Lap 1 and moved into third on Lap 2.
Cooper falls back through the pack, lifting Plessinger (fourth) and Malcolm Stewart (fifth) into the top five.
Sexton takes more points away from Lawrence with a pass for second and 20 minutes on the clock.
On Lap 5, the story gets worse for Lawrence as Plessinger passes him for third.
Sexton keeps walking away from the championship contenders. He takes the lead from Anderson on Lap 9.
Plessinger remains in third and is 6.6 seconds behind the leaders.
With two minutes on the clock, Sexton is keeping a steady gap over Anderson of 2.8 seconds.
Plessinger is 10 seconds further back in third.
Fourth-place Lawrence and Ferrandis round out the top five.
Click here for complete 450 Moto 2 results
250 Moto 1
Vialle gets the jump on Deegan while hometown favorite Kitchen is buried on the start. Kitchen is 17th at the end of Lap 1.
DiFrancesco settles into third with fourth-place Jordon Smith and Shimoda rounding out the top five.
The injured Hymas is seventh on Lap 2.
Deegan hits the ground but he slows the riders behind him and loses only one position to DiFrancesco.
Deegan tips it over 👀 #ProMotocross #SMX #WashougalMX pic.twitter.com/oRnnzww1vU
— Pro Motocross (@ProMotocross) July 20, 2024
Vialle is keeping the gap steady as the 250 riders near the halfway point, but Deegan is so good at picking up the pace in the closing laps.
DiFrancesco (third), Smith (fourth) and Shimoda (fifth) complete the top five.
Kitchen is only up to 15th.
On Lap 8, it gets even worse as Kitchen rides off course.
Vialle continues to lead Deegan by 4.1 seconds with Smith 5.3 second further back in third.
Smith goes down and Ryder D moves into third but Shimoda is close behind.
On Lap 10, Shimoda gets the final podium position.
Deegan starts to close the gap with five minutes on the clock.
Vialle stretches his advantage in the closing laps and beats Deegan to the line by more than 11 seconds. This is his second moto win of 2024 after taking Race 2 in the Hangtown Motocross Classic.
Deegan finishes second. It’s been six motos now since he’s won a race.
Shimoda takes the finals spot on the podium.
Fourth-place DiFrancesco and Anstie round out the top five.
After sweeping the motos last week in Minnesota, Kitchen finishes 12th on his home track.
Hymas finished eight despite his injured leg.
Dilan Schwartz finishes 17th and that should give him enough points to overcome the injured Cameron McAdoo and Marchbanks and move into the top 20 in combined SuperMotocross points.
Click here for complete 250 Moto 1 results
450 Moto 1
The Cowboy takes his steed to the lead early; Plessinger earns the holeshot.
Cooper and Lawrence fall in behind.
On Lap 2, Anderson puts his elbows out and passes Lawrence for third. There is no love lost between these two.
Ferrandis rounds out the top five.
Sexton said he needs to work on his starts last week. That remains true. He finished Lap 1 in sixth and lost another position to Derek Kelley on the next trip around the circuit after burying the front wheel and going down. Sexton has nearly 13 seconds to make up on the leader.
On Lap 4, Sexton moves into the top five and is now only one spot behind Lawrence. The gap between these two is a little under four seconds.
As the moto nears the halfway point, Plessinger has stretched his advantage to five seconds.
Cooper remains second while Lawrence has moved around Anderson for third.
Sexton trails in fifth for a while but takes some imaginative lines to get around Anderson for fourth.
The best battle on track is for second between Cooper, Lawrence, and Sexton.
Lawrence claims second on Lap 7 and Sexton follows him around.
Lawrence goes down with less than 10 minutes on the clock. Move Sexton to second and Lawrence drops to fifth.
With four minutes remaining, Sexton has cut the gap to 2.7 seconds. Plessinger is looking for his first moto win; Sexton is aiming for six wins in a row.
As time runs off the clock, Plessinger stalls his bike and allows Sexton to take the lead.
Nicoletti was running in the top 10, but he crashed and pulled off the track and won’t earn any points.
Sexton wins his sixth consecutive moto and adds another eight points to his lead.
Plessinger finishes second after stalling the bike in the closing laps.
Cooper takes the final spot on the podium.
Fourth-place Anderson and Lawrence round out the top five.
Click here for complete 450 Moto 1 results
Last Chance Qualifiers
450s
Brandan Leith wins the 450 Last Chance Qualifier ahead of Hayden Cordell.
Bryce Hammond and Chris Cornish also advance.
Click here for complete 450 LCQ results
250s
Stav Orland beat Cameron Durow to the line in the 250 LCQ by 2.623 seconds.
Gavin Brough and Kayden Palmer also advance.
Click here for complete 250 LCQ results
Qualification
450s
Anderson paces the field in the first qualification session with a speed of 2:19.251.
Second-place Lawrence (2:19.985) outruns Sexton (2:20.231).
Sexton was held up on his last lap, so Qualification 2 will be an important session.
Rookie Cooper and Plessinger round out the top five.
Trying to bounce back from injury, Dean Wilson (2:28.475) landed 22nd on Group A chart. Only one Group B rider, Dante Oliveira at (2:27.436) was faster. Wilson moved up to 20th in Qualification 2.
Click here for complete 450 Qualification 1 results
Qualification 2 will be faster, with Cooper posting an early lap of 2:17.287.
On his final lap, Lawrence jumps to the top of the board with a time of 2:16.403 over Anderson’s 2:16.543.
Cooper’s early time was good enough for third overall.
Sexton’s time of 2:17.526 was 1.1 seconds slower than Lawrence.
Plessinger rounded out the top five.
Qualification 2 results were faster all the way through the field and Wilson easily makes the show with the 21st time.
Oliviera and Gared Steinke are the only two Group B riders to move directly into the motos.
Click here for complete 450 Qualification 2 results
Click here for combined results from 450 qualification
250s
Kitchen (2:20.951) makes a good impression on the hometown crowd by leading the first practice session over Julien Beaumer (2:22.143).
Championship leader Deegan (2:22.313) winds up third on the chart.
Brown and Vialle round out the top five.
Deegan had to rent a jet to overcome yesterday’s service outage that affected many, many flights to Portland.
Click here for complete 250 Qualification 1 results
In the second qualification session, Vialle (2:18.580) sets a quick time early and holds it till the end.
Kitchen (2:20.243) comes up 1.7 seconds short in the runner-up position with Deegan (2:20.256) rounding out the podium.
Brown and Beaumer complete the top five.
Click here for complete 250 Qualification 2 results
Click here for combined results for 250 qualification
Whatever it takes 🛩️#ProMotocross #SMX pic.twitter.com/ZAeUw2cMaY
— Pro Motocross (@ProMotocross) July 20, 2024
More SuperMotocross News
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450 results from Spring Creek | 250 results
Chase Sexton wins second straight at Spring Creek
Phil Nicoletti’s stress reliever
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