September 22, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki Claims Three 250SMX Overall Championship Spots To Close Out Season

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen, Ty Masterpool, and Cameron McAdoo all claimed top-10 spots in the 250SMX standings to close out the SuperMotocross Championship and the 2024 season, The strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway played host for the very first time with a challenging course that saw Masterpool claim the Mian Event 2 holeshot before finishing seventh overall (9-6), while Levi Kitchen and Garrett Marchbanks joined him in the top-10 with eighth (6-10) and 10th (8-12), respectively. Cameron McAdoo had several great moments and inished just outside the top 10 in 12th overall (13-11).

The final race was the first of the three-round playoff to go under the lights, offering some different challenges the riders faced in the night's main events. Ty Masterpool started the day qualifying fourth and put his impressive starts to good use when the gate dropped. He jumped out to a top-five start at the first main event and held on pace for the first several laps, running in third. He went down briefly before remounting in seventh and held on to ninth when the checkerd flag came out. The second moto was all Masterpool at the front as the No. 29 led the field, claiming the holeshot. Masterpool put up a good fight and relented a few spots before finishing sixth, giving him seventh overall. His solid showing throughout the playoffs landed him ninth overall in the 250SMX championship standings.

"It was great to run up front for a few laps, but I'm still not 100 percent there with my fitness and I wasn't able to maintain for the full race," said Masterpool. "I'm thankful my stats have been great because the tracks in the playoff were hard to pass on. I'm so thankful to the entire team for believing in me, and I can't wait to get in a solid off-season and come out strong in 2025."

Kitchen had one of his better qualifying sessions this playoff season, earning sixth to start the day. He was able to put that speed into the top five in the opening main event, but a mistake pushed him back to seventh. Kitchen fought around the one-lined track to claim sixth in the first race. The second race was a full-hearted effort to work his way forward after starting in 15th. He made a few good moves but had to settle for 10th, securing eighth overall with his 6-10 scores.

"That was a tough race to try and make up any time," said Kitchen. "I rode okay, but the start was critical and I didn't have it second moto. The first moto showed how tough it was to make up time, and it felt like a bit of cat and mouse, where I would feel like I was catching the top five, but then I'd lose it a bit. Having one of my toughest races during the triple point night was a little hard to take, but we learned so much this season. To have the season I had in my first year really makes me eager to get going and see what we can do in 2025."

Marchbanks got the day going with a 10th in qualifying but had to showcase that speed in the first main event after starting outside the top 15. The No. 26 took a few laps before starting to make a charge forward on a track that was tough to make passes; Marchbanks kept at it and charged to the end to an impressive eighth. After another 16th-place start in the second moto, he was ready to charge, but he wasn't able to get by as quickly at the start and had to settle for 12th, giving him 10th overall. Marchbanks earned 12th overall in the 250SMX standings, just one point out of the top 10.

"It was great to get a chance to race after everything this year and I got two good months under my belt to have a great base for the off-season," said Marchbanks. "I know we'll be in an even better position than if I came on board when I was expecting to in October. I feel like I got to know the crew and team, and I'm ready to go to work. I love putting in the hard work and I'm just really excited to get a plan in place to have a great off-season."

McAdoo had one of the most challenging jobs of his teammates during the playoffs, as he had to endure one extra race each week with a trip to the LCQ. He felt the extra effort and showed great speed throughout both main events. During the first main event, McAdoo took some time to settle in with his 11th-place start, but he was charging forward once he did. He was up to eighth when he went off the track and rejoined in 13th, where he would finish. The second moto, McAdoo got pinched off just like Kitchen and Marchbanks and started 15th. It was another moto of hard-fought effort, and McAdoo would claim 11th to score him 12th overall.

"Tonight wasn't the result I was hoping for after two solid races, but what's on paper doesn't always show the effort on the track," said McAdoo. "We had good speed overall, so I'm thankful for that, and we were building up to have a great off-season after I was out all summer with injury. Even though it wasn't the result I wanted to finish out, I still got into the top-10 in the standings. We'll take it and start working for another great season together."

250SMX Class Overall Results - The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

1. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 2-1
2. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 1-2
3. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 5-3
4. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 4-5
5. Tom Vialle, KTM, 3-8
6. Max Anstie, Yamaha, 10-4
7. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 9-6
8. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 6-10
9. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 11-9
10. Garrett Marchbanks, Kawasaki, 8-12
12. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki, 13-11

250SMX Class Points Standings

1. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 166
2. Tom Vialle, KTM, 132 3. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 131
4. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 130
5. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 124
6. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 120
7. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 108
8. Max Anstie, Yamaha, 97
9. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 88
10. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki, 72
14. Garrett Marchbanks, Kawasaki, 71

 

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September 15, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Kitchen Finishes Just Off Podium in Texas

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen narrowly missed the podium at the SuperMotocross Playoffs second round at Texas Motor Speedway, claiming fourth overall with a 7-4 main event score. With the double points round, Kitchen is now third overall in the 250SMX Championship standings. Cameron McAdoo put in an impressive performance qualifying through the LCQ, earning another top-10 finish with an eighth overall (8-7), pushing him up four spots to 10th overall in the standings. Both Garrett Marchbanks and Ty Masterpool had off track excursions that produced results that didn't showcase the speed they both brought to Texas, finishing 11th (10-12) and 12th (12-14), respectively.

The talk all week was about the heat forecasted for Saturday's day race at Texas Motor Speedway. While it was the first time inside the impressive speedway, the track had more of a Daytona feel versus last week's tight track inside a dragway. When the gate dropped for Main Event 1, Kitchen was pinched off on one of the shortest start-straights in history, coming around in seventh. While normally a good spot for No. 47 to push forward, there wasn't much on the track to separate the top athletes, and he found himself in seventh place at the checkered flag. In the second main event, he got a better start in second and held strong for much of the moto before falling back to fourth to finish fourth overall.

"I had high hopes coming into this one but never felt like I could gel with this track," said Kitchen. "There was a few places that you might be able to pass, but it was tighter than I was expecting and wasn't able to find the flow I needed to be up at the front with those guys. We have another round to finish out the season strong and I hope I can do that for the team."

McAdoo came into the Playoffs on the bubble after missing all of the Pro Motocross season, forcing him to race through the LCQ each weekend to make the main event. Once again, he rode smart and secured his spot, giving him the 18th gate pick. McAdoo came around the first lap in 14th with some work to do but made it up to eighth by the end of the 20 minutes plus one lap race. With a better gate pick, McAdoo started in the top five and held a steady pace, moving just slightly down the leaderboard to end up seventh at the end of the race for eighth overall. Even with no bonus points coming into the playoffs, McAdoo's solid racing over the past two rounds has launched him into the top 10 of the championship standings.

"I've been so thankful to be back at the races," said McAdoo. "It was an interesting track and I did get some extra time on it with the LCQ. The goal is to stay healthy and put in top-10 finishes so I'm feeling good with where I'm at. I'm looking forward to Vegas next weekend to see how much more we can do."

It was an up-and-down day for Marchbanks, who started the day qualifying 10th. He got a decent start in eighth and was as high as sixth before an issue on lap 9 pushed him down to 10th. He struggled in the final laps and finished the race in 12th. Marchbanks was making big moves in the second main event after starting outside the top 10, racing from 13th to 5th on lap 14. Unfortunately, he went down and fell back to finish the race in 12th, for 11th overall.

"I had a few big mistakes that cost me a good result today but felt like my speed was there which is good," said Marchbanks. "The starts haven't been the best and I have had to come through the pack. We'll be focusing on minimizing the mistakes and putting in two more clean main events next week in Vegas."

Masterpool entered the weekend as the hometown rider with friends and family on hand to cheer him on. As usual, Masterpool enjoyed a fast time in qualifying, claiming third to start the day. The good gate pick paid off as he began the opening main event in third. He was running the fast pace of the front two riders but had a weird moment going over the over-under bridge, which brought him down. He quickly remounted in sixth, but keeping the same pace proved challenging, and he finished 10th. Masterpool didn't let the opening main event get to him and started strong once again in fourth during the second and final race. Unofrtuantely, he went on the track, and his bike had some damage that didn't allow Masterpool to ride to his full potential, crossing the finish line in 14th for 12th overall.

"It was just one of those days that nothing seemed to go my way," said Masterpool. "I felt good and was pumped on my starts. I just couldn't capitalize on it and made some silly mistakes. I'm thankful for all the people that came out to support me in the heat and I really want to finsih the season with a solid result."

250SMX Class Overall Results - Texas Motor Speedway

1. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 1-1
2. Tom Vialle, KTM, 3-2
3. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 2-3
4. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 3-5
5. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 5-6
6. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 4-9
7. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 9-5
8. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki, 8-7
9. Nick Romano, Yamaha, 13-8
10. Max Anstie, Yamaha, 11-10
11. Garrett Marchbanks, Kawasaki, 10-12
12. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 12-14

250SMX Class Points Standings

1. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 100
2. Tom Vialle, KTM, 81 3. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 78
4. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 76
5. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 69
6. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 64
7. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 56
8. Max Anstie, Yamaha, 49
9. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 43
10. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki, 42
14. Garrett Marchbanks, Kawasaki, 35

 

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September 8, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Kitchen Starts SMX Playoffs with Podium Finish

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen kicked off the opening round of the SuperMotocross Playoffs at zMAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway with an impressive third-place finish thanks to his 5-2 main event scores. Combined with the points earned from the regular season, Kitchen sits second overall, just eight points out of the lead, Teammate Cameron McAdoo returned to racing after sitting out of the entire Pro Motocross series, qualifying for the main events through the LCQ and finishing eighth overall (7-10). Garrett Marchbanks rounded out the top 10 with 9-9 main event scores, while Ty Masterpool battled for 12-11 finishes for 12th overall.

zMax Dragway returned as the host of the first of three stops, and the racing didn't disappoint. Kitchen came out swinging at the drop of the Main Event 1 gate drop, pulling the holeshot. Unfortunately, a red flag came out just moments into the race, which resulted in a full restart, and Kitchen's second start pushed him out of the top five. He made a few moves during the 20-minute plus 1-lap race, settling for fifth.

In the second main event, he got a decent start in fifth and quickly made it to second by Lap 2. Kitchen moved into the lead just one lap later and held on for most of the race before falling back to second, where he would finish. His 5-2 cumulative score of 7 points placed him third overall based on the Olympic scoring. Kitchen sits eight points out of the lead, with the next round scoring double points.

"We had a good race overall, collecting a good number of points and keeping ourselves in a nice spot going into the second round," said Kitchen. "It was a bummer to get the holeshot and have to go back to the gate but that's racing. I don't think I was riding my best but we're going to get to work this week and hopefully have a little more in Texas when we've got double points on the line."

McAdoo has been watching racing from the sidelines this summer, but after getting back on his bike last month, he was ready to see how he felt in the playoffs. While he wasn't in the top 20 in SMX combined regular season points, his win at the indianpolis Supercross allowed him to race the LCQ, where he finished second and transferred to the main event races.

During the second gate drop of the first main event, McAdoo came out in the top five and was riding well. He fell to seventh near the end but held on to that strong finish. The start of Main Event 2 saw McAdoo return once again to the top five, and he did his best to hold a good pace even with the minimal time on the bike. He eventually fell back to finish 10th.

"It was such a great feeling to get back behind the gate and be at the races," said McAdoo. "I know I'm not at full endurance and the track was pretty demanding. I am always wanting to be better but I'll take a top-10 at my first race back. It's time to keep pushing and I'm hoping to improve even more next weekend."

Marchbanks earned his trip to the SMX Playoffs with his late season 250 effort with the team. On the Main Event 1 restart, Marchbanks didn't get the jump he was looking for in 16th, but he didn't give up and pushed his Kawasaki KX250 forward into the top 10, where he finished ninth. The second was more of the same, with the 13th-place start and a strong push forward to ninth to end the day 10th overall.

"I felt pretty decent out there but my starts weren't helping me out at all," said Marchbanks. "I was able to get through the pack okay, I just didn't do myself any favors at the start of the race. We'll work on that this week as best we can and I'm looking forward to the track next week. It looks a lot like what we've seen in Daytona and I always enjoy that kind of track."

It was a tough day for Masterpool, but he stuck with it and came away with a decent result. The opening race saw Masterpool get an 18th-place start, forcing him to make passes on a technical track. He would do just that as he made his way up to 12th by the checkered flag. In the second main event. he got a 12th-place start and made it up to 11th for a 12-11 score to claim 12th overall.

"It wasn't the day I was hoping for," said Masterpool. "The start was pretty crucial to be in the mix for a good result and I just wasn't there. It will be fun to be more spread out on the bigger track next week and hopefully be up there from the start."

250SMX Class Overall Results - zMAX Dragway

1. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 1-1
2. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 2-4
3. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 5-2
4. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 3-5
5. Tom Vialle, KTM, 4-7
6. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 6-6
7. Max Anstie, Yamaha, 11-3
8. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki, 7-10
9. R.J. Hampshire, Husqvarna, 10-8
10. Garrett Marchbanks, Kawasaki, 9-9
12. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 12-11

250SMX Class Points Standings

1. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 50
2. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 42
3. Tom Vialle, KTM, 37 4. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 36
5. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 35
6. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 32
7. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 26
8. Max Anstie, Yamaha, 25
9. Chance Hymas, Honda, 23
10. R.J. Hampshire, Husqvarna, 22
11. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 21
13. Garrett Marchbanks, Kawasaki, 15
14. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki, 14

 

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August 24, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Masterpool Closes Out Pro Motocross Season with Ninth Top-10 Finish

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Ty Masterpool wrapped up his Pro Motocross season on a high note at the final round at Ironman Raceway, scoring sixth overall (5-6) and tallying his ninth top-10 finish with the team. His finish also helped him move into fifth overall in the championship points, an impressive feat after joining the team two days before the season opener, Levi Kitchen started the day as the runner-up in Moto 1, but an issue in the second moto had him retire early, resulting in 11th overall (2-35). Drew Adams made his professional debut at Ironman, getting some good experience under his belt as he collected 12th overall (15-11), while Garrett Marchbanks had a crash in Moto 1 that kept him out of most of the day's racing.

Masterpool has enjoyed a memorable season under the Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki tent, and he went out on Saturday to secure another top finish. He got going in practice with some quick lap times, finishing seventh. His gate pick paid off in Moto 1 as he found himself in the top five at the start. He was hanging around that spot for the first half of the moto before charging up to third, but a brief tip over on lap 12 pushed him down to sixth. Masterpool made up one position before the end of the moto, crossing the finish line fifth.

Masterpool got another decent start in eighth in the seocnd moto and kept charging the whole moto to finish sixth, giving him sixth overall in the 250MX standings, a career-best for Masterpool.

"It's been an incredible season from start to finish," said Masterpool. "We've lived all the highs and lows of a season, and to walk out of here fifth overall on the season is a huge accomplishment from only having two days on the bike when I line up at Fox Raceway. The win at High Point will be something I never forget and the team has been so awesome. I'm thankful, and we'll hopefully have some more success in the SMX Playoffs in a few weeks."

Kitchen entered the final round on a two-race win streak and hoped to make it three. He started with a ninth in quslifying and got a nice jumpe out of the gate but had some challenges bouncing from fourth to sixth in the first two laps. Kitchen settled in and found a good flow, then made an impressive charge to the front just after halfway. He went from sixth to third in two laps and then caught second with only two laps to go. Kitchen's second in the first moto put him in a good position for an overall, but it wasn't meant to be after having an issue on the opening lap and eventually retiring early. His 2-35 was still good enough for 11th overall and would secure third overall in the championship standings.

"That first moto was interesting because I got around both Masterpool and Roczen but then they came charging again," said Kitchen. "I decided to back off and settle in before making a charge, and it worked. I really wish I could have fought for that overall, but I twisted my leg and didn't think it was a good idea to stay out. I'm liking the way i've been riding the past few weeks so I'm really looking forward to the SMX Playoffs and seeing what we can do there."

It may have been Adams' professional debut on Saturday, but the young racer was familiar with the race track at Ironman, having previously raced at two Moto Combine events for amateur riders in 2022 and 2023. Though the track had seen some updates over the last year, it was a good place for Adams to make his debut.

Adams kicked off the day riding well and qualifying fifth overall. when the gate dropped for his first professional start, Adams found himself in a solid spot in seventh. He maintained the position for the first half of the race before falling back to 16th on lap 9. He tried to put on a charge, and Adams caught back up to 15th where he would finish. In the second moto, he didn't get the same good start and was forced to come through the pack, moving up from 15th to finish off the day, scoring him 12th overall.

"It was great to be able to get some experience riding with these guys," said Adams. "The speed and pace of the motos was really high and you don't really know until you get out there, so I'm thankful that the team let me line up."

Marchbanks had high hopes for the day after qualifying in fourth, but went down just after the halfway mark while riding in the top 10. He got back up and tried to keep racing, but decided it was best to call it a day and focus on recovering for the SMX playoff in two weeks.

250MX Class Overall Results - Ironman Raceway

1. Tom Vialle, KTM, 1-4
2. Chance Hymas, Honda, 6-2
3. R.J. Hampshire, Husqvarna, 4-3
4. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 11-1
5. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 3-8
6. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 5-6
7. Ryder DiFrancesco, GasGas, 7-5
8. Max Anstie, Yamaha, 13-7
9. Ken Roczen, Suzuki, 9-12
10. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 12-10
11. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 2-35
12. Drew Adams, Kawasaki, 15-11
40. Garrett Marchbanks, Kawasaki, 32-DNS

250MX Class Points Standings

1. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 481
2. Tom Vialle, KTM, 412
3. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 405
4. Chance Hymas, Honda, 349
5. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 316
6. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 289
7. Jalek Swoll, Triumphs, 277
8. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 269
9. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 253
10. Ryder DiFrancesco, GasGas, 250

 

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August 18, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Kitchen Takes Back-to-Back Wins at Budds Creek

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen claimed his third overall win of the season with a 3-1 moto score at the Pro Motocross Championship's Round 10 at Budds Creek Motocross Park. Kitchen also earned his fourth holeshot of the year and his fourth moto win, even as he lined up feeling less than 100 percent after dealing with sickness during the week. Teammate Ty Masterpool continued to showcase his speed from the back to the front after a first-turn crash in Moto 1, ultimately climbing back to his eighth top-10 finish of the season with an 11-9 moto score for 10th. Their newest teammate, Garrett Marchbanks, scored 12th overall (16-11), but the score didn't tell of his speed as he had to come through the pack in both motos.

Kitchen came into the weekend on the back end of a sickness that kept him off the bike all week, with the lone goal of making it through the round with two solid motos. He started the day with an eighth in qualifying, giving him a decent gate pick. On the Moto 1 start, Kitchen got his usual good jump and found himself on the inside of the 180-degree first turn, putting his KX250 near the front of the pack. He was sitting second for nearly the whole moto, but towards the end, his energy faded, holding on best he could to finish third at the checkered flag.

Even with the heat of the day and the fatigue, Kitchen's second moto was even better than the first. He claimed the holeshot and led wire-to-wire. He answered every charge from behind and is holding strong in second overall in the championship points standings.

"It was all heart for that second moto. I'm just trying to get on a roll for the final races of the year. I am starting to get that feeling back I had in SX. I'm looking forward to the rest of the year."

Once again, Masterpool started the day with a great qualifying time, finishing the morning sessions in second. He got a good jump off the gate but got bumped by his teammate right before the first turn and went down. Masterpool got up near last in 38th and started clicking off the laps. He was up to 20th by lap 4 and proved once again he knows how to charge as he made his way up to 11th by the end of the 30 minutes plus two laps. Masterpool saw a bit of redemption in Moto 2 as he came around the first turn in fourth. He maintained good speed, and even with a few mistakes throughout the moto that pushed him back to ninth, Masterpool claimed an impressive eighth top-10 of the season with a 10th place finish (11-9).

"The day started great with qualifying, and I was really looking forward to the day," said Masterpool. "It was a tough get-off in the Moto 1 first turn and I felt that one. I put my head down and just tried to get up as far as I could, but it was really hard to pass on that track. In Moto 2 I was really feeling that crash a bit more and tried to hold on as best I could. I want more, but thankful to walk away from such a hard crash."

Marchbanks came off a great opening weekend with the team and looked to build upon his solid ride at Unadilla. He started the day 14th in qualifying, but with the tough gate pick, he didn't get the start he hoped for in Moto 1. He was 15th and moving forward, making it as far up the charts as 10th, but ran out of tear offs and was forced to come into the pits for new goggles. When he returned to the track, he was in 20th and did his best to charge forward, making it up to 16th. On a track that wasn't easy to make passes, Marchbanks started the second moto in 19th and made his way up to 11th to claim 12th overall.

"I felt pretty decent on the bike, but the starts weren't there, and it was really tough to make progress on that track," said Marchbanks. "when you run out of tear offs it's always a hard decision to come in and get new ones or not, but felt it was going to allow me to ride better if I came in. The second moto I didn't get a good start and just tried picking off as many guys as I could. Thankfully, I felt good, and we will continue to build each week."

250MX Class Overall Results - Budds Creek

1. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 3-1
2. Tom Vialle, KTM, 2-3
3. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 1-10
4. Chance Hymas, Honda, 8-2
5. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 6-4
6. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 4-7
7. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 7-5
8. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 10-6
9. R.J. Hampshire, Husqvarna, 9-8
10. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 11-9
12. Garrett Marchbanks, Kawasaki, 16-11

250MX Class Points Standings

1. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 445
2. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 383
3. Tom Vialle, KTM, 369
4. Chance Hymas, Honda, 311
5. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 289
6. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 283
7. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 257
8. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 255
9. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 219
10. Ryder DiFrancesco, GasGas, 218

 

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August 11, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Kitchen Returns to the Top of the Podium at Unadilla with Second Overall Win

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen raced his way back to the top of the 250MX podium at Round 9 of the Pro Motocross Championship at Unadilla, capturing his second overall win of the season with a 2-1 moto score. His victory helped him move back into second overall in the championship standings with two rounds remaining. Returning to the team for the first time since 2020, Garreyy Marchbanks made it look like he never left with a great ride to fourth overall (5-5), while Ty Masterpool overcame a few mistakes to still climb his way inside the top 10 with eighth overall (9-9).

When the day started, Kitchen's name wasn't necessarily at the top of the list to win after finishing 10th in the morning quaifying sessions. With rain drenching the circuit the day before, it was obvious that the track would change from the morning to gate drop, and when it did drop, Kitchen took full advantage to grab the opening moto holeshot. He settled into second on the opening lap and kept up a high pace, eventually inheriting the lead on lap 11. He made a mistake on the next lap and fell back to second, but he didn't relent and finished only 1.5 seconds behind the leader at the end of the race.

Kitchen did his homework between motos and came out swinging again, collecting another holeshot but holding onto the lead. He held off initial pressure and rode strong to finish an impressive 15 seconds ahead of the runner-up.

"Considering how much rain the track got on Friday, the track was a lot of fun," said Kitchen. "it's such a different track with a lot of technical parts, and I did make that mistake the first moto but i always try to learn from my mistakes. We were able to capitalize during the second moto. It feels amazing to be back after a tough Washougal, and I think we can keep up the momentum as we head into the final two rounds. Still, a lot of racing left this season, so I'm happy with the way I'm riding right now."

Marchbanks made the most of a great opportunity as he received the chance to return to the Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki team early ahead of his 2025 new contract. After competing in the 450 MX class for a majority of the Pro Motocross season, Marchbanks was not only adjusting to the new motorcycle but different competitionm though it didn't seem to phase him. In Moto 1, he started well inside the top 10 in sixth and maintained his speed throughout the 30 minutes plus two laps to finish fifth. Marchbanks had a bit of work cut out for imself in Moto 2 after starting 11th, but made moves throughout the race to climb up the leaderboard to fifth, giving him fourth overall in his return.

"It felt amazing to be back under the tent with the team," said Marchbanks. "Unadilla was a challenging race track, but the bike was great, and I can't complain about fourth overall. My goal was just to get comfortable and get a top 10 for the team, but we were able to make it a great day. I'm excited to get back to work this week and keep it going next week at Budds Creek."

The day started strong for the No. 29 of Masterpool, qualifying second during the morning qualifying sessions. He shot out of the moto 1 starting gate just behind Kitchen but made a mistake on the first lap that pushed him back to 26th. Masterpool didn't let the mistake get to him as he made his way all the way up to ninth. Moto 2 was more of the same, with a stellar start out the gate and into second, but a tip over in the second turn pushed him back to 17th. Once again, he made a great push to the front and found himself in the top 10 by the end of the race, finshing 9-9 on the day for eighth overall.

"Unadilla was the race that got away from me, but with how many people went down with inuries, I'm thankful to take away another top-10 finish," said Masterpool. "The track was good but tough, and mistakes were easy to make. I am looking forward to Budds Creek, and I'm looking to get those same startes and make them stick."

250MX Class Overall Results - Unadilla

1. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 2-1
2. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 1-2
3. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 6-4
4. Garrett Marchbanks, Kawasaki, 5-5
5. Max Anstie, Yamaha, 3-8
6. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 7-7
7. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 12-6
8. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 9-9
9. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 8-10
10. Ryder DiFrancesco, GasGas, 10-11

250MX Class Points Standings

1. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 408
2. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 338
3. Tom Vialle, KTM, 327
4. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 289
5. Chance Hymas, Honda, 275
6. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 259
7. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 225
8. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 221
9. Ryder DiFrancesco, GasGas, 204
10. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 191

 

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July 21, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Kitchen Perseveres Through Challenges in Washougal for Sixth

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen returned to his home track of Washougal MX Park for round 8 of the Pro Motocross Championship, rising to various challenges he faced to come away with a sixth overall (12-4) on the day. One of the challenges was the unusual heat the riders faced at the Pacific Northwest track and Ty Masterpool also endured through his own challenges to finish 12th overall with a 10-15 moto score.

After spending Friday enjoying media day in front of his hometown crowd, Kitchen was ready to line up for qualifying where he clocked the second-fastest time. The heat significantly changed the characteristics of the track when the Moto 1 gate dropped in the afternoon, and Kitchen was caught up outside mid-pack on the first turn. With the track extremely hard to pass on, Kitchen used the entire moto to climb up the leaderboard to 12th. The second moto saw a much better start from Kitchen who rounded the first turn in the top five. He stayed between fifth and fourth for the first several laps before settling into fourth at the halfway point and carried the position to the checkered flag for sixth overall.

"To say I'm bummed is a bit of an understatement because I wanted to do more for my hometown crowd, but starts weren't there when you really need them to be at this track," said Kitchen. "I did my best to bounce back in the second moto, but just didn't have what it took to be at the front today. Just like wins motivate, it's also days like today that really make you want to get back to work and make it back to the podium. We've done it before and we'll do it again."

Masterpool started the day 11th overall in qualifying to get things started and he was able to make that translate to a great start in Moto 1. He rounded the first turn in the top five and settled into sixth for most of the moto. Towards the end of the race, he made a few mistakes that cost him and crossed the finish line 10th. Masterpool had an uphill battle in Moto 2 after starting outside the top 15, working his way up as best he could past riders to finish 15th for 12th overall.

"The track was tough today and starts were a big factor," said Masterpool. "but the heat was also a factor for me and it did end up taking a lttle bit of a toll. We have some time off but I won't be backing down and will keep working on getting better to bounce back at Unadilla."

250MX Class Overall Results - Washougal

1. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 2-1
2. Tom Vialle, KTM, 1-2
3. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 3-3
4. Ryder DiFrancesco, GasGas, 4-6
5. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 6-5
6. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 12-4
7. Joey Savatgy, Triumph, 9-7
8. Jalek Swoll, Husqvarna, 7-9
9. Chance Hymas, Honda, 8-12
10. Jett Reynolds, Yamaha, 13-10
12. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 10-15

250MX Class Points Standings

1. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 361
2. Tom Vialle, KTM, 307
3. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 291
4. Chance Hymas, Honda, 275
5. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 271
6. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 233
7. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 195
8. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 187
9. Ryder DiFrancesco, GasGas, 181
10. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 165

 

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July 15, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen Takes First Career Pro Motocross Win at Spring Creek MX

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen had a bounce-back ride at Spring Creek MX Park to take the 1-1 overall victory at round 7 of the Pro Motocross Championship. As expected, the conditions were challenging, with lightning delaying the start of Moto 2. Still, Kitchen capitalized on two great starts and came away with the win, which propelled him to second overall in the championship standings. Teammate Ty Masterpool had a nice day overall, including a last to 10th place ride in Moto 2 to claim another top-10 result of eighth overall (8-10).

Kitchen was eager to keep up the momentum he started last weekend after collecting his first moto podium since the third round. He had a positive start following qualifying, earning the second-fastest time. When the gate dropped for the first moto, Kitchen rounded the inside of the first treacherous turn near the front of the pack and settled into second. The track was rough, but he worked to find a good pace, eventually inheriting the lead on lap 3. He had company in the final 10 minutes of the race, but Kitchen held off the charges and brought home his first moto win of the season.

It started raining at the end of the 450 moto, and when lightning showed up in the area, the officials were forced to delay the start of the second moto. After the all clear, Kitchen opted to not take the sighting lap to keep his bike clean and it paid off as he skirted the inside of the first turn and filed into second on the start. He had a tip over in the middle of the race, but that didn't stop his charge to catch the leader, passing for first just over halfway and bringing home the 1-1 and his first overall Pro Motocross victory.

"We've been working really hard to get back to this point," said Kitchen. "It hasn't been easy because when you're not up here, people quickly forget you. But I knew we had it in us to get back to the front, and it feels amazing to get this first overall win as we head into my hometwon race next weekend."

Masterpool was riding an inspired ride last weekend, and while he clocked only a 12th place quickest time, he wasn't worried about his pace for the race. Once again, Masterpool took advantage of a great start and came around the first turn in the top five. He fell back to seventh on Lap 2 and tried to find good lines, crossing the finish line in eighth. When the gate dropped for the second moto after a lenghty weather delay, Masterpool once again was quick out of the gate but was taken out on the first turn and got up last in 40th. By the fourth lap, he was inside the top 20 and kept moving forward, ultimately crossing the finish line with an impressive 10th, which gave him eighth overall.

"It was a tough race overall but there was plenty to be thankful for, including getting up after being taken out on the start," said Masterpool. "The two motos were completely different for me as I was doing everything I could to make up position in the second moto. It will be good to head to Washington and go after another podium finish before the break."

250MX Class Overall Results - Spring Creek MX Park

1. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 1-1
2. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 3-4
3. Casey Cochran, Husqvarna, 9-2
4. Max Anstie, Yamaha, 7-3
5. Dilan Schwartz, Suzuki, 10-6
6. Ryder DiFrancesco, GasGas, 12-5
7. Tom Vialle, KTM, 2-17
8. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 8-10
9. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 6-13
10. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 15-8

250MX Class Points Standings

1. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 314
2. Chance Hymas, Honda, 263
3. Tom Vialle, KTM, 260
4. Chance Hymas, Honda, 251
5. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 231
6. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 214
7. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 162
8. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 159
9. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 149
10. Ryder DiFrancesco, GasGas, 147

 

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July 7, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Masterpool Takes Moto 1 Win and Second Overall at Redbud

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Ty Masterpool turned up the heat at historic RedBud MX and claimed the Moto 1 win on his way to finish runner-up at round 6 (1-5). The moto victory and podium were his second of the season, all taking place in front of an epic crowd on hand. Teammate Levi Kitchen had a tough start to the day, but bounced back in Moto 2 to claim third which pushed him up to sixth overall with 6-3 moto scores.

The day got off to a great start for the No. 29 of Masterpool who finished morning qualifying in thurd. When the gate dropped for Moto 1, it was the patriotic-adomed KX250 of Masterpool that grabbed the holeshot. He fell back to third in the mix of the first few turns but stayed with the front runners. After a few laps, Masterpool started to make moves and worked his way into second on lap 4. He took the next several laps to reign in the leader and made it by just after halfway. Similar to his last moto win at High Point, Masterpool held off a last lap charge to claim victory once again.

Moto 2 was a bit more challenging for the interim rider, but he continued to show consistency throughout the moto. Starting outside the top-five, the opening laps saw Masterpool charge hard to make it up as high as third. He ran well, although he fell back a few positions near the end of the moto where he finished fifth, placing him second overall on the day.

"It's incredible to be up on the podium at RedBud," said Masterpool. "Just when you think you've seen great crowds like at Hangtown, this one tops them all. I needed the boost from the crowd in Moto 2 after running out of gas a little bit physically. I didn't get to do training camp before the season started and I'm catching up as best as I can. Either way, I'm so thankful for this opportunity and our goal remains the same to put in consistent results."

Kitchen arrived to RedBud ready to roll with a colorful hairdo to match the Fourth of July festivites. He claimed seventh in qulifying and launched out to a solid start in Moto 1 in fifth. Kitchen held steady for half the race before relenting one position, finishing the 30 minutes plus two laps in sixth. Moto 2 was an even better start that put Kitchen third after the first lap. He was riding in fourth for much of the race before regaining third where he would finish. With the points tight for the day's overall, the 6-3 finish placed him sixth.

"We've been struggling a little bit and this was exactly what we needed to build some confidence moving forward," said Kitchen. "We aren't giving up at all and I can't wait to get to Spring Creek to keep this going."

250MX Class Overall Results - RedBud MX

1. Chance Hymas, Honda, 4-1
2. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 1-5
3. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 5-2
4. Tom Vialle, Honda, 3-4
5. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 2-6
. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 6-3
7. Casey Cochran, Husqvarna, 7-9
8. Ryder DiFrancesco, GasGas, 13-7
9. Max Anstie, Yamaha, 9-13
10. Mark Fineis, Yamaha, 11-12

250MX Class Points Standings

1. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 276
2. Chance Hymas, Honda, 239
3. Tom Vialle, KTM, 233
4. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 213
5. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 213
6. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 188
7. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 145
8. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 138
9. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 124
10. Ryder DiFrancesco, GasGas, 120

 

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June 30, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Kitchen and Masterpool Collect Top-10 Finishes at Southwick

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen and Ty Masterpool tackled the sands of The Wick 338 for round 5 of the Pro Motocross Championship with both riders earning finishes inside the top 10, with Kitchen going 4-7 for sixth overall and Masterpool 6-8 for eighth overall. The finsihes kept both riders in their respective spots in the championship standings - Kitchen holding fourth and Masterpool in sixth.

Unlike in many years past, the weather was not overly hot, but the track was still coming together during qualifying with Kitchen putting down the fifth-fastest lap during the morning sessions. Kitchen got a good jump out of the moto 1 starting gate and found himself in the top five and settled into fourth. Everyone seemed to settle into their own pace and Kitchen maintained fourth the whole moto. When the gate dropped for Moto 2, it was Kitchen who set the pace on the opening lap, but a red flag stopped his charge at the front. At the restart, Kitchen grabbed the holeshot once again but relented the lead on the next turn. He hept a high pace for much of the moto, but a tip over late in the race pushed him back to seventh with his 4-7 awarding him sixth overall.

"Southwick is always a really physically demanding race and it was no different this weekend," said Kitchen. "I felt like I settled into a good rhythm in the first moto but couldn't match it the second moto. Restarts always throw things off especially if you're out front but that's the nature of racing sometimes. We have a fun one coming up at RedBud and I always look forward to going to that track."

Masterpool entered the round in Massachusetts coming off the race of a lifetime and his goal was to keep up the top results. The interim rider has shown consistency and Round 5 was no different. He started the day sixth in qualfying just behind his teammate and that led to a decent start in Moto 1. He came around the first lap in 10th and steadily moved his way forward, finishing sixth at the end of 30 minutes plus two laps. The second moto restart put Masterpool sixth and while he pushed to keep pace he was eighth when the checkered flag flew, giving him eighth overall.

"The last race was a dream and I honestly still am so thankful for everyone's support of my racing," said Masterpool. "I know Southwick is always tough but the goal was to run two good races and I think for the most part we accomplished that. I know the competition is so tough in this class, and I'm thankful for top-10's but now im ready to jump back into the top five. We'll see what RedBud brings and we'll work hard this week to keep up the intensity over the next few rounds."

250MX Class Overall Results - The Wick 338

1. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 1-2
2. Tom Vialle, KTM, 2-3
3. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 9-1
4. Chance Hymas, Honda, 3-5
5. Joey Savatgy, Triumph, 5-6
6. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 4-7
7. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 7-4
8. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 6-8
9. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 8-12
10. Casey Cochran, Husqvarna, 11-10

250MX Class Points Standings

1. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 238
2. Chance Hymas, Honda, 196
3. Tom Vialle, KTM, 195
4. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 177
5. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 174
6. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 146
7. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 133
8. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 124
9. Joey Savatgy, Triumph, 111
10. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 109

 

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June 16, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki Earns Extraordinary Acheivement of 300 Total Wins as a Team

With the most recent triumph by Ty Masterpool at High Point Raceway on Saturday, the illustrious Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki racing team has reached the seemingly impossible milestone of 300 total race wins. This achievment, spanning 24 years and including victories in Supercross, Motocross, and Supermotocross, is a testamnet to the team's unwavering didecation, perseverence, and unparallleled skill in the highly competitive 250 class.

Reflecting on the journey leading to this historic feat, it's imposssible to overlook the pivotal moments and iconic figures shaping the team's legacy. From Brian Swink's groundbreaking win in 1991 at the Orlando, Florida, Supercross in the 125ESX class, which kicked off the team's supremacy, to the unmatched dominance of legends like Ricky Carmichael and Ryan Villopoto, who exemplify the team's excellence through the years. Carmichael leads the long list of 39 winning riders with an astounding 38 wins, while Villopoto follows with 30 victories. In addition to these two champions, Adam CianCiarulo (18 wins), Christophe Pourcel (18), Blake Baggett (17), Austin Forkner (14), Dean Wilson (13), Jeremy McGrath (12), Joey Svatagy (12), Jake Weimer (11), Ivan Tedesco (11), and Grant Langston (10) all collected double-digit wins in their careers under Mitch Payton.

Additionally, the team has enjoyed a number of consistent seasons, which is highlighted by their impressive record of double-digit wins in a single season - a list that totals 14 seasons (1991, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2019), and counting. The memories from these seasons are extensive, including 14 wins in the team's opening supercross season in 1991, earning all 12 overall motocross wins in 2011, and an impressive 11 out of 12 overall wins in 2007.

The first 100 wins were celebrated following Ivan Tedesco's 125WSX victroy in 2004 in Anaheim, California, while the 200th win was enjoyed after Dean Wilson claimed the win at the Atlanta Supercross in 2011. Now, in 2024, the team marks its achievements of 300 wins with Ty Masterpool etching his name in the team's history books alongside Tedesco and Wilson. On the back of these 300 wins is a team that has collected 31 total championships, a total they're keen to add to now that the 300th milestone has been achieved.

 

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June 16, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Masterpool Earns First Career Win at High Point

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Ty Masterpool broke through to earn his first career win and the team's 300th victory. The interim rider has continued to improve each week, with the culmination of the improvement at High Point Raceway with a 2-1 moto score to secure the round 4 victory. Teammate Levi Kitchen showcased his never-give-up spirit after starting outside the top 30 in Moto 1 to return to the top 10, ultimately finishing the day ninth with a 10-9 score.

The Southern Pennsylvania track is usually challenging as it typically sees rain and then heat throughout the Father's Day weekend. Saturday was no exception, as it rained overnight, and the track was continually changing. Masterpool started the day third in qualifying, giving him a good gate pick for the first moto. He capitalized on that, coming around the first turn in the top three, and quickly challeneged for the lead. After a few laps applying pressure on the leader, Masterpool raced his Kawasaki KX250 into first on lap 7 and held on strong for the next seven laps before falling back to second where he finished.

With a good opening moto score secured, Masterpool again got a great start in Moto 2 and filed into fourth with the intensity high. He was in the lead within three laps, but a few mistakes pushed him back to second. Masterpool regrouped and made another charge to claim the lead on lap 12 and hold off pressure until the checkered flag to secure the moto win and overall victory.

"There are few words I have for this moment," said Masterpool. "I've been through a lot these past few years and I have had incredible support around me to keep me going. So after all that, it feels incredible to get the win and something i'll never forget. The team has been so great to get me to this place, working each week to make improvements and it's an awesome bike and team. I'm so thankful"

Kitchen started the day not far off his teammate in fifth during the morning qualifying sessions. He got a decent jump off the gate during the opening moto, but ended up 33rd after the opening lap. Kitchen immediately started to put on a charge and was inside the top 20 by lap 3. He continued to push and made it into the top 10 by lap 12. where he would finish. The second moto start was much better for Kitchen who came around the opening lap 10th. He battled the entire race to make up time, finishing the moto ninth for ninth overall.

"This was definitely not my race and it was more about managing," said Kitchen. "I used up a lot of energy that first race coming through the pack and the track was very challenging in spots. We're going to take this weekend off to regroup and see if we get to find what we need to come out swinging at Southwick."

250MX Class Overall Results - High Point Raceway

1. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 2-1
2. Hayden Deegan, Yamaha, 1-2
3. Chance Hymas, Honda, 4-3
4. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 2-4
5. Tom Vialle, KTM, 7-5
6. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 5-10
7. Ryder DiFrancesco, GasGas, 5-13
8. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 6-11
9. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 9-9
10. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 9-10

250MX Class Points Standings

1. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 191
2. Chance Hymas, Honda, 159
3. Tom Vialle, KTM, 153
4. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 144
5. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 136
6. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 116
7. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 116
8. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 109
9. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 103
10. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 82

 

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June 9, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Kitchen and Masterpool Both Inside Top-10 in Colorado

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen and Ty Masterpool earned top-10 finishes at a challenging Round 3 at Thunder Valley MX Park, Finishing fifth and seventh, respectively. Kitchen rode an impressive opening moto to start the day with a podium finish in third, but a tough Moto 2 of seventh pushed him off the overall podium down to fifth. Masterpool began the day as the top qualifier, and decent starts gave way to a season-best seventh overall (8-6).

The weather constantly threatened the activities on Saturday, but the day started with no problems in qualifying. Kitchen, who typically loves the deep ruts of Thunder Valley, didn't find the track in its usual deep state and had to adapt to the conditions, qualifying seventh overall. In Moto 1, Kitchen avoided a first-turn crash and settled into fifth after the first lap. He took his time, and just after the halfway point, Kitchen made two passes in one lap to jump up to third. He put in one of his fastest times of the race late in the moto but couldn't catch the front two and settled for third. The second moto saw him grab another great start in third, but a mistake on lap 3 pushed him down the leaderboard to sixth. Kitchen was passed late in the race to cross the finish line in seventh, placing him fifth overall.

"I love coming up to Thunder Valley and was a little surprised how the ruts weren't as deep as usual, but we made the most of it," said Kitchen. "I know fifth isn't where I want to be, but we're learning every week, and I know our time is coming. I've been thankful to get the good starts and now have to start to capitalize on them. I'm excited to head back east and really see what we can do."

Masterpool has proven he's getting more and more comfortable with his Kawasaki KX250 each week, and he showcased just how comfortable he is by claiming the top qualifying spot to start the day. Like his teammate, he got a great jump out of the gate and avoided the first-turn crash, but he made an early mistake that pushed him back to 11th by the end of the first lap. He used the entire 30 minutes, plus two laps, to push his way forward, eventually finishing eighth. Masterpool grabbed a solid start in Moto 2 in eighth and rode a steady and consistent race to pass up to sixth by the end, claiming his best finish of the season in seventh overall.

"I'm having so much fun getting used to the bike," said Masterpool. "It's been nice to see the results improve each week, which makes me excited as we move forward in the season. I think we can get into the top five, but i'll keep coming into each week thankful for the opportunity and give it my best."

250MX Class Overall Results - Thunder Valley MX Park

1. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 1-2
2. Chance Hymas, Honda, 4-1
3. Tom Vialle, KTM, 2-4
4. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 5-3
5. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 3-7
6. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 7-5
7. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 8-6
8. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 6-9
9. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 9-10
10. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 11-11

250MX Class Points Standings

1. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 144
2. Chance Hymas, Honda, 121
3. Tom Vialle, KTM, 121
4. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 119
5. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 99
6. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 93
7. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 84
8. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 73
9. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 69
10. Joey Savatgy, Triumph, 60

 

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June 2, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Kitchen Earns Back-To-Back Podiums With Third Overall at Hangtown

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen found himself back on the podium at a hot hangtown classic, finishing the day with a 3-3 moto score for third overall. Two great starts contributed to his success and Kitchen remains second in the championship standings, 13 points out of the lead. Ty Masterpool had a great bounce back ride in Northern California, racing to his first top-10 of the season with an eighth-place finish (6-11). Masterpool has moved into 11th in the overall 250MX standings, just two points out of the top-10.

The riders knew they would be up against the heat and a dry, rutted track. In qualifying, Kitchen did his best to get himself comfortable in the challenging conditions, ending the practice sessions 13th. Even with a less desirable gate pick, Kitchen was quick off the gate and rounded the first turn in second. He tried to stay connected with the leader and was always within five seconds, but near the end of the moto, he was passed and brought home a respectable third. Kitchen's second moto start was once again on point as he rounded in third. He made the move into second but was passed for the spot around the halfway point, which kept him with a 3-3 moto score at the end of the day, giving him third overall.

"The track was tough, and I wasn't able to push like I wanted to," said Kitchen. "Every time I tried to turn it up a little, I felt uncomfortable and didn't want to make a mistake that would cost me. We have the whole summer to keep after this championship, so to come out with third feels good for me. We're going to get aggressive this week and go to Colorado with high hopes of a win."

With a full week on the bike compared to the two days at round 1, Masterpool felt more confident than ever lining up with his Kawasaki KX250. It showed in qualifying as he claimed fifth overall to start the day. In the opening moto, he had to work through the pack after a 16th-place start. Masterpool picked off riders and by Lap 8 had made his way into the top 10, but he wasn't done and continued to push forward up to the final lap where he made the pass into sixth - a season best. The confidence gained in Moto 1 showed in Moto 2 as he grabbed a second-place start ahead of his teammate and held the spot for several laps. Using up much of his energy on the start, Masterpool made a few mistakes that pushed him back to 11th at the finish, but the 6-11 gave him his first top-10 result of the season with an 8th overall.

"Today was a lot of fun, and I learned a lot," said Masterpool. "We had a great qualifying but I couldn't get it done on the start of Moto 1 and used a lot of energy to get through the pack. Moto 2 was awesome running with the front guys for a good chunk of the race, but I didn't have a ton left in the tank and I was happy to hold on to 11th. Getting a top 10 with such a stacked class and such limited time on the bike shows how good this team is supporting me to get me where I need to be. I'll keep putting in the work to see if we can do it again next weekend."

250MX Class Overall Results - Hangtown Classic

1. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 1-2
2. Tom Vialle, KTM, 4-1
3. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 3-3
4. Chance Hymas, Honda, 2-4
5. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 7-5
6. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 5-10
7. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 8-8
8. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 6-11
9. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 9-9
10. Casey Chochran, Husqvarna, 12-12

250MX Class Points Standings

1. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 97
2. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 84
3. Tom Vialle, KTM, 81
4. Chance Hymas, Honda, 78
5. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 62
6. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 61
7. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 55
8. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 48
9. Nate Thrasher, Yamaha, 46
10. Joey Savatgy, Triumph, 41
11. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 39

 

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May 25, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Kitchen Starts Pro Motocross Season With Runner-Up Finish

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen proved his speed from Supercross to Pro Motocross as he claimed the runner-up finish at the opening round at Fox Raceway. Along with capturing pole position, Kitchen was a fixture at the front and earned a 2-2 moto result. After being tapped to fill in for the team only one day before, Ty Masterpool had a great overall showing despite the adversity he faced throughout the day, eventually finishing 15th on 24-10 moto scores.

The 2024 Pro Motocross season was an excellent start for the no.47 of Kitchen as he claimed the top qualifying spot in the morning's sessions. This set him up for a great gate pick in Moto 1, and he took full advantage, filling into second place at the start. He took his time to set up a pass, pulling into the lead just after seven minutes of the race. Kitchen held the lead for most of the moto, but after a track marker got stuck in his boot, he had to slow down to pull it out and was passed with only two laps. With no time to gain the difference back, he crossed the line in second.

In the second moto, he got another great start in third and quickly passed into second during the opening lap. He was on pace with the leader, but couldn't find a place to pass before the checkered flag. He settled for second in the moto and second overall on the day.

"Overall, I'm happy getting through the first round healthy and with a solid result," said Kitchen. "Fox Raceway was rough as usual and it was tough to not override the track. It's tough to know what would have happened if I didn't get that track marker stuck, but we'll get back to work this week. Glad to be in good position going into Hangtown."

With just one day on the bike, Masterpool's approach to the weekend was to learn and put in a solid result. He got off to a great start in qualifying, clockimg a time good enough for sixth. Just like his teammate, he got a quick jump out of the gate and was up in the top five, but a mistake on the opening lap pushed him down the leaderboard to 19th. He was in the top 15 when he hit a kicker and went down. Masterpool remounted and gave it a heartfelt effort to cross the finish line in 24th. The second moto was much better for Masterpool who started 12th and kept pushing the full 30 minutes plus two laps to finsih the final moto on a positive note in 10th.

"It was good to start the day qualifying sixth with not much time on the bike and I think we could have had a much better result if I didn't have such a tough Moto 1," said Masterpool. "I'm optimistic for the upcoming races. We learned a lot and I'm going to make the most of this amazing opportunity that has been given to me. We've got another week to fine-tune the bike and I know we'll only get better from here."

250MX Class Overall Results - Fox Raceway

1. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 1-1
2. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 2-2
3. Tom Vialle, KTM, 4-3
4. Chance Hymas, Honda, 3-4
5. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 6-5
6. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 8-6
7. Nate Thrasher, Yamaha, 11-7
8. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 10-8
9. Joey Savatgy, Triumph, 5-13
10. Ryder DiFrancesco, GasGas, 9-12
15. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 24-10

250MX Class Points Standings

1. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 50
2. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 44
3. Tom Vialle, KTM, 38
4. Chance Hymas, Honda, 38
5. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 33
6. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 30
7. Nate Thrasher, Yamaha, 26
8. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 26
9. Joey Savatgy, Triumph, 26
10. Ryder DiFrancesco, GasGas, 23
15. Ty Masterpool, Kawasaki, 12

 

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May 12, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Kitchen Wraps Up Second in the Championship at Salt Lake City Finale

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen rode his heart out at the season's final race, finsihing fifth in the main event and second overall in the Western Regional 250SX Championship standings. The fans inside Rice-Eccles Stadium could see how hard Kitchen was trying to come back from a mid-pack start, but ultimately, the slick track hindered forward progress, and he was forced to settle for fifth. Teammate Seth Hammaker had trouble early in the race and came back from 18th to 14th at the end of the race .

The day got underway with qualifying for the respective coasts and Kitchen earned fifth in the West. He wasn't worried about how his pace would translate to the night's racing, which showed when he took the West Heat Race win. When the gate dropped for the main event, Kitchen didn't get a good jump, but still squeezed his way into the top eight. With his championship rival ahead of him, Kitchen knew he had to make up time quickly, but even after moving into sixth by lap 4, the slick conditions were a factor in making the passes he needed. In the end, he finished fifth and second overall in the standings.

"It's easy to be disapointed after being so close to the championship, but I left everything I had out there on the track," said Kitchen. "The start was tricky and I wasn't in a good spot headed into the first turn. It came down to the start. I'm so thankful to the team for doing whatver it took to make this a successful season. The year isn't over, and I'm excited to line up in just two weeks to start up a brand new opportunity to show off what we can do.

Hammaker was the team's sole representation for the Eastern Region and started the day qualifying second for his respective coast. In the heat race Hammaker showed off his speed and crossed the line in third. After a slight delay to the night due to lightning in the area, the gate dropped for the main event and hammaker was in the top 15 but ran into trouble on lap 2, which dropped him back to 18th. He regrouped and, like Kitchen, couldn't push forward like he wanted and eventually crossed the line in 14th.

"That wasn't really how I wanted to end the season," said Hammaker. "I think we've shown good speed this season, and I hope that I can bring it into the outdoors. It's been a decent Supercross season, but now I'm looking to have my best outdoor season yet."

250SX Class East/West Showdown Main Event Results

1. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha
2. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna
3. Jordon Smith, Yamaha
4. Jo Shimoda, Honda
5. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki
6. Nate Thrasher, Yamaha
7. Chance Hymas, Honda
8. Tom Vialle, KTM
9. Jalek Swoll, Triumph
10. Phil Nicoletti, Yamaha

250SX Class Western Region Points Standings

1. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna, 208
2. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 203
3. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 185
4. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 181
5. Nate Thrasher, Yamaha, 123
6. Garrett Marchbanks, Yamaha, 121
7. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 118
8. Anthony Bourdon, Suzuki, 106
9. Phil Nicoletti, Yamaha, 105
10. Cole Thompson, Yamaha, 89

250SX Class Eastern Region Points Standings

1. Tom Vialle, KTM, 172
2. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 168
3. Coty Schock, Yamaha, 132
4. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 131
5. Max Anstie, Honda, 125
6. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki, 120
7. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 116
8. Chance Hymas, Honda, 116
9. Daxton Bennick, Yamaha, 111
10. Seth Hammaker, Kawasaki, 95

 

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May 5, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Kitchen Ties Up Points With Runner-Up Finish in Denver

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen did what he had to do to bring the Western Regional 250SX Championship down to the final round by claiming second place inside Empower Field at Mile High at the penultimate round on Saturday. After wiping out his two-point deficit, he will be in a tie for the lead and hold the red plate heading into Salt Lake City next weekend.

It had been two weeks since Kitchen's tough ride in Nashville, and there was a question if he'd be able to ride to the standard he had been all season. He quickly showed in qualifying he was ready to battle, scoring second overall. Kitchen had to make a few moves in the heat race after getting pinched around the first turn and exiting the second turn in seventh, but by the halfway point, he had placed his Kawasaki KX250 into the runner-up spot, where he would finish.

The start again was going to be crucial, and this time, Kicthen was able to keep it at the front, settling into second. He held a small gap over the leader for most of the race, but as third closed in, Kitchen turned up the speed and started to catch the leader. When the checkered flag flew, Kitchen finished only 0.649 seconds behind the winner, proving he gave it everything he had. In the end, Kitchen earned the two points he needed to put the Western Regional 250SX Championship into a tie for the lead going into the final round next weekend in Salt Lake City.

"It felt great to be back up front after Nashville," said Kitchen. "I knew this race wasn't going to be easy with the altitude as a variable, but we did what we needed to do. In the main, when RJ started closing that lit a fire under me and suddenly I was right on Jo. It would have been an interesting final five minutes if that was a 20-minute race. I'm pumped for the team after all they've done for me this year, and it's going to be an interesting final round next week."

250SX Class Western Regional Main Event Results

1. Jo Shimoda, Honda
2. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki
3. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna
4. Nate Thrasher, Yamaha
5. Jordon Smith, Yamaha
6. Phil Nicoletti, Yamaha
7. Cole Thompson, Yamaha
8. Robbie Wageman, Yamaha
9. Talon Hawkins, KTM
10. Julien Beaumer, KTM

250SX Class Western Region Points Standings

1. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 186
2. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna, 186
3. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 165
4. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 163
5. Garrett Marchbanks, Yamaha, 121
6. Julien Beaumer, KTM 118
7. Nate Thrasher, Yamaha, 107
8. Anthony Bourdon, Suzuki, 102
9. Phil Nicoletti, Yamaha, 93
10. Carson Mumford, Honda, 88

250SX Class Eastern Region Points Standings

1. Tom Vialle, KTM, 158
2. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 143
3. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 124
4. Coty Schock, Yamaha, 121
5. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki, 120
6. Max Anstie, Honda, 119
7. Daxton Bennick, Yamaha, 106
8. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 103
9. Chance Hymas, Honda, 101
10. Seth Hammaker, Kawasaki, 87

 

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April 28, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Hammaker Shows Heart in Hometwon Race

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Seth Hammaker rode an incredible comeback race in front of his hometown fans at Lincoln Financial Field, earning a Heat Race win and seventh in the main event. The main event results don't show that he led for half the race before being taken out while running second, remounting to race back to seventh. The result pushed him back into the top 10 in the Eastern Regional 250SX Championship.

With the round in Philadelphia being a 3 pm start time, the day started with qualifying in the morning hours, which resulted in Hammaker qualifying second overall and lining up for the opening heat. Hammaker was like a bullet out of a gun when the gate dropped for his heat and took the holeshot, eventually holding off advances to claim his first heat race win of the season. He mimicked the heat race and grabbed the lead early in the main event. Hammaker kept up a good pace and, after leading over half the race, fell back to second on Lap 12. As he was maintaining second, he was landed on from behind in the sand adn went down. He remounted as quickly as possible, but with only three laps to go, he could only make it up to seventh.

"Today didn't end up how we had hoped it would, but we had a lot of high moments," said Hammaker. "I was able to get the heat race win, which was something special for my friends and family, and then lead a lot of laps in the main event. I know we were basically the second fastest today, and I really wish we could have put the team on the podium. I'm thankful to be back racing, so we'll come back swinging at the last race in Salt Lake City.

250SX Class Eastern Overall Results

1. Max Anstie, Honda
2. Tom Vialle, KTM
3. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha
4. Daxton Bennick, Yamaha
5. Chance Hymas, Honda
6. Coty Schock, Yamaha
7. Seth Hammaker, Kawasaki
8. Jalek Swoll, Triumph
9. Preston Boespflug, Suzuki
10. Nick Romano, Yamaha

250SX Class Eastern Points Standings

1. Tom Vialle, KTM, 158
2. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 143
3. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 124
4. Coty Schock, Yamaha, 121
5. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki, 120
6. Max Anstie, Honda, 119
7. Daxton Bennick, Yamaha, 106
8. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 103
9. Chance Hymas, Honda, 101
10. Seth Hammaker, Kawasaki, 87

250SX Class Western Points Standings

1. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna, 166
2. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 164
3. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 148
4. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 138
5. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha, 121
6. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 106
7. Anthony Bourdon, Suzuki, 96
8. Nate Thrasher, Yamaha, 89
9. Carson Mumford, Honda, 88
10. Phil Nicoletti, Yamaha, 77

 

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April 21, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Kitchen Puts In Valient Effort to Stay in Championship Hunt

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen proved on Saturday night inside Nissan Stadium why he is a contender for the Western Regional 250 Championship after remounting from a first-lap crash and racing to 14th. The effort kept Kitchen in the title fight as he is only two points out of the lead with two races remaining. Cameron McAdoo was taken out in practice, which resulted in an injured shoulder, but still tried to line up for the main event. Unfortunately, a crash on the opening lap forced McAdoo to retire from the evening early, scoring him 22nd. McAdoo is currently third in the Eastern Regional 250SX championship.

Race day started with only two practice sessions after the area was hit with rain on Friday. Kitchen made the most of the shortened track time and qualified third in the Western Region. In the region's heat race, Kitchen's start pushed him outside the top 5, and with some additional mishaps, he made it up to sixth. That didn't give him a great gate pick in the main event, and he rounded the first turn mid-pack.

As he was going into the second turn, he was hit from behind and went down. It took him some time to get back up with the pile-up that it caused, but Kitchen shook it off and focused on picking off as many riders as he could. He was almost a lap down but made it up to 14th, just shy of the 13th spot. His determination helped him collect as many points as possible, now sitting just two points out of the lead.

"This is racing. There are some things you can control and some that you can't. I was banged up when I got back going, but I kept my focus on the job at hand, getting by as many guys as possible. We'll just have to see what happens."

McAdoo's day was thwarted early after a rider ran into him in qaulifying, causing a big get-off for the No. 63. His shoulder was slightly hurt, but he was going to get out there and try for a spot in the main event. He managed to get the final qualifying spot in the Eastern Region's heat race, but like his teammate, he wasn't able to get the best gate pick. He, too, didn't get a great jump and found himself mid-pack and, as he approached the second turn, went down and forced him to retire from the race early.

"I had high hopes coming into Nashville, but it seems that this sport is once again reminding us how quickly things can change," said McAdoo. "I am going to have to see what we're up against this week when we get back home, but I've faced adversity before, and we'll face it again. We have to keep our heads up."

250SX Class East/West Shootout Overall Results

1. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna
2. Jo Shimoda, Honda
3. Tom Vialle, KTM
4. Jordon Smith, Yamaha
5. Jalek Swoll, Triumph
6. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha
7. Max Anstie, Honda
8. Chance Hymas, Honda
9. Julien Beaumer, KTM
10. Phil Nicoletti, Yamaha
14. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki
22. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki

250SX Class Eastern Points Standings

1. Tom Vialle, KTM, 136
2. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 123
3. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki, 120
4. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 116
5. Coty Schock, Yamaha, 105
6. Max Anstie, Honda, 94
7. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 89
8. Daxton Bennick, Yamaha, 88
9. Chance Hymas, Honda, 84
10. Henry Miller, 74
11. Seth Hammaker, Kawasaki, 72

250SX Class Western Points Standings

1. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna, 166
2. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 164
3. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 148
4. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 138
5. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha, 121
6. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 106
7. Anthony Bourdon, Suzuki, 96
8. Nate Thrasher, Yamaha, 89
9. Carson Mumford, Honda, 88
10. Phil Nicoletti, Yamaha, 77

 

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April 14, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's McAdoo Stretches Points Lead with Fourth Runner-Up Finish of the Season

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Cameron McAdoo continued his consistent performances with another runner-up finish inside Gillete Stadium to extend his Eastern Regional 250 SX points lead to four points. The red plate holder now has four second-place finishes this season, which has showcased the need for consistency in the highly competitive class. McAdoo's teammmate Seth Hammaker was showing signs of another good night, but a mistake in the main event forced him to retire early, which scored him 22nd on the night.

After an impressive victory a few weeks ago and claiming the points lead, McAdoo was able to show off his red plate for the first time on the track in the front of the fans in northeast. His consistency has proven the most significant factor in making his way to the top of the standings, and once again, McAdoo kept his No. 63 Kawasaki with the front pack. In his heat race, McAdoo had to work a little to get to his second-place finishing position, where he finished just a second behind the winner.

When the gate dropped for the main event, McAdoo didn't get as good of a jump as he was hoping and once again had to work to make it to the front pack but was into second by the fourth lap. The leader and McAdoo were posting similar lap times, and he was able to keep him in his sights but couldn't get close enough for a pass, settling for his fourth second-place finish of the season and extending his points lead to four.

"It's been so much fun riding, and I've really tried to embrace how lucky I am that I get to do this," said McAdoo. "The track had a few tricky spots, so I was really focused on hitting my lines and just trying to keep the leader close. I'm thankful we were able to get a few more points over second because these next few weeks are going to be tough with two shootouts in the next three rounds."

Hammaker's day started with a fourth place in qualifying, and his starts were dialed. In his heat, he got out to a great start in second and held on to third after his teammate got by. Again in the main event, Hammaker put his No. 43 Kawasaki KX250 near the front, coming around the first turn in second but filing back to fourth after they passed the green flag. Unfortunately, Hammaker went down in the whoops and couldn't continue the night, scoring 22nd.

"It's been so much fun riding, and I've really tried to embrace how lucky I am that I get to do this," said Hammaker. "The track had a few tricky spots, so I was really focused on hitting my lines and just trying to keep the leader close. I'm thankful we were able to get a few more points over second because these next few weeks are going to be tough with two shootouts in the next three rounds."

250SX Class Eastern Overall Results

1. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha
2. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki
3. Tom Vialle, KTM
4. Pierce Brown, GasGas
5. Max Anstie, Honda
6. Coty Schock, Yamaha
7. Daxton Bennick, Yamaha
8. Jalek Swoll, Triumph
9. Marshal Weltin, Yamaha
10. Henry Miller, Honda
22. Seth Hammaker, Kawasaki

250SX Class Eastern Points Standings

1. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki, 120
2. Tom Vialle, KTM, 116
3. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 107
4. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 105
5. Coty Schock, Yamaha, 95
6. Daxton Bennick, Yamaha, 86
7. Max Anstie, Honda, 79
8. Seth Hammaker, Kawasaki, 72
9. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 72
10. Chance Hymas, Honda, 70

250SX Class Western Points Standings

1. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 156
2. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna, 141
3. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 130
4. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha, 121
5. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 116
6. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 93
7. Anthony Bourdon, Suzuki, 90
8. Carson Mumford, Honda, 88
9. Nate Thrasher, Yamaha, 80
10. Hunter Yoder, Honda, 71

 

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March 31, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Kitchen Completers Perfect Triple Crown Series with a St. Louis Sweep

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen collected a dominating second Triple Crown win of the year at The Dome at America's Center, sweeping all three main events and stretching his points lead into double digits. With three rounds remaining that include two east/west shootout races, Kitchen added a little breathing room for himself with a 15-point gap over second in the Western Regional 250SX class championship.

The day started well for Kitchen, who earned second overall in qualifying leading into the evening's main events. Once the gate dropped for the first race, Kitchen was all business as he came around the first corner in fourth. In the first lane he was able to move into second and then take over the lead shortly after that. He led every lap from the green flag to the checkered flag.

The second race was similar, with Kitchen getting a good jump out of the gate, and while he didn't get the holeshot, he was fast enough to put his Kawasaki KX250 into the lead to tally another 12 laps led and his second main event win of the night. Holding a good position over his competitors heading into the third main event, Kitchen didn't have to win to score the overall, but the rider out of Washington launched out of the start to grab the holeshot and take a third win on the night. With his dominant night, Kitchen now has tallied 67 laps led this season.

"The triple crowns are all about the start and I was able to nail three great starts to put myself in good position," said Kitchen. "The first race, I made the start work as I wasn't right there but made it work. I had a few moments out there, but it all came together. It will be nice to take a double-digit points lead into the next race in Nashville that's a shootout, knowing those are unpredictable. I do think we can keep the momentum going and come out ready to win."

250SX Class Western Overall Results

1. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 1-1-1
2. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 2-3-3
3. Jordan Smith, Yamaha, 3-2-4
4. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna, 4-4-2
5. Nate Thrasher, Yamaha, 5-5-6
6. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha, 9-6-5
7. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 6-8-7
8. Ryder DiFrancesco, GasGas, 7-7-12
9. Carson Mumford, Honda, 12-10-9
10. Talon Hawkins, KTM, 10-12-10

250SX Class Western Points Standings

1. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 156
2. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna, 141
3. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 130
4. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha, 121
5. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 116
6. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 93
7. Anthony Bourdon, Suzuki, 90
8. Carson Mumford, Honda, 88
9. Nate Thrasher, Yamaha, 80
10. Hunter Yoder, Honda, 71

250SX Class Eastern Points Standings

1. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki, 98
2. Tom Vialle, KTM, 96
3. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 87
4. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 82
5. Coty Schock, Yamaha, 79
6. Seth Hammaker, Kawasaki, 72
7. Daxton Bennick, Yamaha, 71
8. Max Anstie, Honda, 62
9. Chance Hymas, Honda, 60
10. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 58

 

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March 24, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Kitchen Extends Points Lead with Dominant Hometown Win

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen earned his second win of the season in front of his Washington state hometown fans, extending his Western Regional 250SX points lead inside Seattle's Lumen Field. Even without rain falling during the evening, the track was treacherous, and Kitchen's skills in the challenging conditions shined as he crossed the finsih line 21 seconds ahead of the runner-up. He now has an eight-point lead in the championship with four tough rounds remaining.

The native out of southern Washington not only entered the Seattle round with the red plate that he solely secured at the last Western Regional 250SX round six weeks ago, but Kitchen also brought with him the confidence of riding in tough conditions. While it wasn't raining during the race, it had been a wet week leading into the round that left the track capable of extreme ruts.

After qualifying second overall, it was clear from his dominant heat race win that Kitchen was feeling comfortable on a track that so many were't able to ride with the same kind of ease. When the gate dropped for the main event, Kitchen secured his second holeshot of the season and never looked back. He had opened the lead to over 10 seconds, and when the rider in second crashed, Kitchen had a comfortable 20+ second lead to ride safely home to the checkered flag. The win gained him valuable points, boosting his lead to eight points over second.

"It's been a long time coming to have a night turn out like this, and it feels great," said Kitchen. "That was a really tough track, and I just felt good, like myself. I did get frustrated a few times when I made some mistakes, but I just had to tell myself to stay with it. That kind of track needed patience and to not override, so I'm thankful I got the good start and was able to focus on hitting my lines and keeping the Kawasaki at the front. It's nice to get a little bit of room in the points, but we have some tough racing ahead with the triple crown and shootouts, so we'll keep our focus during the week and come back strong next weekend."

250SX Class Western Overall Results

1. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki
2. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna
3. Jo Shimoda, Honda
4. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha
5. Carson Mumford, Honda
6. Michael Mosiman, Yamaha
7. Julien Beaumer, KTM
8. Anthony Bourdon, Suzuki
9. Nate Thrasher, Yamaha
10. Cole Thompson, Yamaha

250SX Class Western Points Standings

1. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 131
2. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna, 123
3. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 110
4. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha, 105
5. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 94
6. Anthony Bourdon, Suzuki, 79
7. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 78
8. Carson Mumford, Honda, 75
9. Mitchell Oldenburg, Honda, 67
10. Nate Thrasher, Yamaha, 63

250SX Class Eastern Points Standings

1. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki, 98
2. Tom Vialle, KTM, 96
3. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 87
4. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 82
5. Coty Schock, Yamaha, 79
6. Seth Hammaker, Kawasaki, 72
7. Daxton Bennick, Yamaha, 71
8. Max Anstie, Honda, 62
9. Chance Hymas, Honda, 60
10. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 58

 

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March 17, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's McAdoo Claims Triple Crown Win in Indianapolis

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Cameron McAdoo continued the team's Triple Crown win streak by claiming the overall victory inside Lucas Oil Stadium which helped propel him into a two-point championship lead in the Eastern Regional 250SX standings. The round was about consistency in Indianapolis, and McAdoo was able to stay out of trouble to finish with 1-2-3 main event scores. Teammate Seth Hammaker started well with a third place in Race 1 but had to overcome some mistakes to place his KX250 inside the top 10 in ninth overall (3-14-9). Hammaker remained sixth overall in the standings.

The second triple crown of the season was the first and only for the Eastern Region, and McAdoo entered the race with confidence as a previous winner in the unique three main-event format. When the Race 1 gate dropped, McAdoo found himself at the front and quickly made the pass for the lead after only one lap, racing to the checkered flag for the lead.

The second race was intense from the start, with McAdoo and Hammaker in the top five and moving forward. McAdoo was able to move into second after Hammaker went down, and he held a good pace until the finish, claiming the runner-up spot in Race 2. It all came down to the final race as he and another rider were tied for the lead. McAdoo raced to the first turn and avoided a crash, coming out in fourth. He moved up to third after two laps and, with his biggest competition behind him, rode smart and brought home his first win of the season on a Race 3 third-place finish.

"This win feels incredible," said McAdoo. "All season I've been trying to have a grateful attitude, knowing I'm in a great position to be healthy and on the podium. But this win is amazing. I have such a great support system behind me, from my wife to family to the team, that has stuck with me through the highs and lows. I don't take for granted having the red plate, and it will be nice to be able to leave on this good finish as we head into the break."

The night started well for the two-time podium finisher Hammaker, who claimed third in the opening race, but it didn't come easy. A mistake early on saw him running outside the top 10, but he didn't quit and made it through the pack to claim the final podium spot in Race 1.

Hammaker had a great start to Race 2 in third and was closing in on second when he went down in a rhythm section. He quickly was back up but couldn't race as hard as before, taking 14th in the second main event. The night's final race was pivotal for many as it included the only first-turn crash, which caused Hammaker not to gain as much ground at the start. He came around 16th after the first lap and once again used his grit and determination to climb the leaderboard and made it inside the top 10 in ninth, finishing the night ninth overall.

"Triple crowns are fun, but one mistake and it can cost you," said Hammaker. "I made my own mistakes and was caught up in others, so the night was tough overall for me. I felt good in that first race, but the mistake in the second race really set me up for a tough rest of the night. It was good to still bring home a top-10, but after getting on the podium the past two weekends, that's where I know I need to be. We'll take some time to get back up to pace over the break and come out swinging in Foxborough."

250SX Class Eastern Overall Results

1. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki, 1-2-3
2. Tom Vialle, KTM, 4-3-1
3. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 2-1-6
4. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 12-4-2
5. Coty Schock, Yamaha, 5-8-8
6. Nick Romano, Yamaha, 8-10-5
7. Jeremy Martin, Yamaha, 7-9-7
8. Chance Hymas, Honda, 9-5-11
9. Seth Hammaker, Kawasaki, 3-14-9
10. Daxton Bennick, Yamaha, 11-15-4

250SX Class Eastern Points Standings

1. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki, 98
2. Tom Vialle, KTM, 96
3. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 87
4. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 82
5. Coty Schock, Yamaha, 79
6. Seth Hammaker, Kawasaki, 72
7. Daxton Bennick, Yamaha, 71
8. Max Anstie, Honda, 62
9. Chance Hymas, Honda, 60
10. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 58

250SX Class Western Points Standings

1. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 106
2. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 102
3. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna, 101
4. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha, 87
5. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 74
6. Mitchell Oldenburg, Honda, 67
7. Anthony Bourdon, Suzuki, 65
8. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 63
9. Carson Mumford, Honda, 58
10. Hunter Yoder, Kawasaki, 56

 

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March 10, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's McAdoo and Hammaker Earn Back-to-Back Double Podium in Birmingham

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Cameron McAdoo and Seth Hammaker both returned to the podium with a back-to-back double podium at the Monster Energy Supercross' first trip to Protective Stadium. McAdoo's runner-up spot kept him within one point of the points leader, while Hammaker finished third and moved into sixth in the standings.

It was fun to be in a new stadium, but the weather proved challenging as the area was drenched in the days leading into the round. McAdoo found his rhythm late in the qualifying sessions, finishing second overall. He avoided some drama in the opening heat, finishing second. At the start of the main event, McAdoo was in the top five but quickly found himself in second, where he would maintain and ride home to the checkered flag for the third-straight race. His three consecutive runner-up finishes have helped him stay close in the standings as he remains only one point of the championship lead.

"It's been a great couple of weeks," said McAdoo. "We've been able to bounce back from that first round, and we are taking it round-by-round. I'd love to get a win, but we're looking at the long-term goal of a championship, so I have to be patient. The triple crown will be interesting next round."

Hammaker was on the top of the charts during the opening qualifying session and eventually came around to qualify fourth overall. He had a good jump in the heat race but went down in the first turn, forcing him to the LCQ. He gained a win in the LCQ, where he saw the success of the outside gate pick. Hammaker tried the same outside gate pick in the main event, and it worked, earning a fifth-place start. He made it up to fourth by Lap 5 and was patient to let third come to him by Lap 9. Hammaker was strong and held off advances from behind to claim his second podium this season.

"It's such a great feeling to be up here after starting the night on the ground," said Hammaker. "I am thankful to get another podium. This track was tough, but we got it done I know I'm not super close in the championship, but we'll take it one race at a time and hopefully get up here again next week."

250SX Class Eastern Overall Results

1. Tom Vialle, KTM
2. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki
3. Seth Hammaker, Kawasaki
4. Pierce Brown, GasGas
5. Jeremy Martin, Yamaha
6. Jalek Swoll, Triumph
7. Daxton Bennick, Yamaha
8. Coty Schock, Yamaha
9. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha
10. Chance Hymas, Honda

250SX Class Eastern Points Standings

1. Tom Vialle, KTM, 74
2. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki, 73
3. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 69
4. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 62
5. Coty Schock, Yamaha, 62
6. Seth Hammaker, Kawasaki, 59
7. Daxton Bennick, Yamaha, 59
8. Max Anstie, Honda, 53
9. Henry Miller, Honda, 48
10. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 47

250SX Class Western Points Standings

1. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 106
2. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 102
3. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna, 101
4. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha, 87
5. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 74
6. Mitchell Oldenburg, Honda, 67
7. Anthony Bourdon, Suzuki, 65
8. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 63
9. Carson Mumford, Honda, 58
10. Hunter Yoder, Kawasaki, 56

 

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March 3, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's McAdoo and Hammaker Make it a Daytona Double Podium

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Cameron McAdoo and Seth Hammaker turned their greaet starts into a second and third place result, respectively, in front of a sold-out crowd at Daytona International Speedway. McAdoo's consistent results in the past two rounds have pushed him within one point of the Eastern Regional 250SX championship lead, while Hammaker has moved into eighth overall in the standings.

The day started with some rain that returned before the final qualifying practice, making the track extremely soft and challenging. McAdoo qualified second overall and took that speed into the heat race, where he took his third-straight heat race win. McAdoo elected to not go out for the parade lap to keep his bike clean before the main event, and it worked out well as he nearly earned the holeshot and took over the early lead on the opening lap. He held off pressure from attacks and was riding well, but a few mistakes during the middle section of the race caused him to fall back to second after four laps. McAdoo focused on hitting his lines and maintained second to the end, helping propel him to second in the standings, just one point back of the lead.

"The track was constantly evolving, and it ended up being patient," said McAdoo. "I think I ran out of some of that patience, which might have cost me, but we're back on the podium, and after the first round, we want to be as consistent as possible. The win will come. I love racing in front of the Daytona fans, and we'll see what energy the Birmingham fans can bring next week. I'm ready for more."

The trip to Daytona International Speedway was only the second of Hammaker's professional career, and he proved up to the challenge of the unique and tricky track. Hammaker learned the track again during practice and earned fifth during the wet qualifying sessions. He lined up for his heat and got a great start, battling through a few riders to finish third. At the beginning of the main event, Hammaker filed right in behind his teammate and was second on the opening lap. He was passed on Lap 2 but held off pressure from behind toward the end of the race to secure his first podium of the season.

"I'm stoked on that ride," said Hammaker. "It was a really tough track, and it felt nice to hit my lines consistently. It's been a while since I've been up on the podium, and it feels great. We'll keep working to hopefully get back up here again."

250SX Class Eastern Overall Results

1. Tom Vialle, KTM
2. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki
3. Seth Hammaker, Kawasaki
4. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha
5. Pierce Brown, GasGas
6. Coty Schock, Yamaha
7. Jalek Swoll, Triumph
8. Max Anstie, Honda
9. Marshal Weltin, Yamaha
10. Daxton Bennick, Yamaha

250SX Class Eastern Points Standings

1. Max Anstie, Honda, 52
2. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki, 51
3. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 51
4. Tom Vialle, KTM, 49
5. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 49
6. Coty Schock, Yamaha, 48
7. Daxton Bennick, Yamaha, 44
8. Seth Hammaker, Kawasaki, 39
9. Henry Miller, Honda, 37
9. Marshal Weltin, Yamaha, 35

250SX Class Western Points Standings

1. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 106
2. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 102
3. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna, 101
4. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha, 87
5. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 74
6. Mitchell Oldenburg, Honda, 67
7. Anthony Bourdon, Suzuki, 65
8. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 63
9. Carson Mumford, Honda, 58
10. Hunter Yoder, Kawasaki, 56

 

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February 25, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's McAdoo Claims Season First Podium Finish in Arlington

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Cameron McAdoo earned his first podium of the season as the runner-up finisher inside AT&T Stadium. The second place pushed him up to sixth in the points standings and a boost in cofidence after a tough opening round. Teammate Seth Hammaker also had a great start to earn fourth in the main event following his pole position in qualifying. Austin Forkner entered the weekend with the red plate and, after taking the heat-race win, was running well and leading the main event but went down and was credited with 20th for the night.

The military appreciation round was extra special for McAdoo, who was able to highlight the hard work of his sister in the Navy. He had her in mind throughout the day, and the podium was extra special. McAdoo's qualifying wasn't anything to write home about, but the track was challenging and he was getting his KX250 dialed. It all came together in the heat race when he scored his second consecutive heat-race win.

When the gate dropped for the main event, McAdoo found himself in fourth and pushing every lap. He got by his teammate after six laps and didn't stop moving to the front, eventually crossing the finish line in second.

"I felt like I needed to be extra patient tonight with this track," said McAdoo. "I was a little banged up from a pre-season injury and again after Round 1, so I was trying to be more methodical about the day. It meant a lot for me to acknowledge my sister so much during this round, and she's always pushed me to be the best I could possibly be on the track. This one was for her, and I'm really happy at how close the points are as we head to Daytona."

The day started out spectacular for Hammaker with the fastest qualifier through all afternoon sessions. He was confident in his heat race and earned third. With the track very technical and deteriorating, a start was critical, and Hammaker found himself in third in the main event after the opening lap. He was able to hold off his teammate for several laps but succumbed and rode well in fourth for the remainder of the main event, less than two seconds off the podium.

"The track was very tough, and I was trying to keep my mistakes to a minimum as much as possible," said Hammaker. "To come away with a fourth after having such a disappointing first round was a step in the right direction. I really want to challenge not only for the podium but for a win, and I think we can get there this season. We'll see what happens next week in a different atmosphere in Daytona."

Forkner had a great start to the day as he qualified just behind his teammate in second during afternoon sessions. He used that same speed to come through the field in his heat to take his second heat-race win. Knowing his start would be crucial, Forkner once again enjoyed and event-free race, but with just over three minutes to go, Forkner was ejected in a tough rhythm section and could not return to the race, scoring 20th. He will seek further evaluation this week before determining a return date.

250SX Class Eastern Overall Results

1. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha
2. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki
3. Tom Vialle, KTM
4. Seth Hammaker, Kawasaki
5. Pierce Brown, GasGas
6. Max Anstie, Honda
7. Chance Hymas, Honda
8. Coty Schock, Yamaha
9. Guilen Farres, Husqvarna
10. Daxton Bennick, Yamaha

250SX Class Eastern Points Standings

1. Max Anstie, Honda, 38
2. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 34
3. Daxton Bennick, Yamaha, 32
4. Coty Schock, Yamaha, 32
5. Haiden Deegan, Yamaha, 31
6. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki, 29
7. Austin Forkner, Kawasaki, 27
8. Chance Hymas, Honda, 27
9. Guilen Farres, Husqvarna, 27
10. Henry Miller, Honda, 27
13. Seth Hammaker, Kawasaki, 19

250SX Class Western Points Standings

1. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 106
2. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 102
3. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna, 101
4. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha, 87
5. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 74
6. Mitchell Oldenburg, Honda, 67
7. Anthony Bourdon, Suzuki, 65
8. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 63
9. Carson Mumford, Honda, 58
10. Hunter Yoder, Kawasaki, 56

 

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February 11, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Kitchen Secures Solo Red Plate with Runner-Up Finish in Glendale

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen will keep the red plate adorned to his No. 47 KX250 after racing to a runner-up finish at Round 5 of the Western Regional 250SX championship inside State Farm Stadium. Kitchen's memorable day also included a heat race win and the main event holeshot, culminating in his second-place finish that resulted in a four-point lead heading into the six-week Western Regional break.

The weather might have been threatening outside, but Kitchen quickly found his pace on the longer track inside the closed-roof stadium. In qualifying, Kitchen took second overall and lined up for Heat 1. He had his start dialed and led the heat race wire-to-wire, earning his second heat race win of the season.

While things went decently smoothly for most of the day, the main event was eventful. Kitchen grabbed his first holeshot of the season and led the field for the first two laps. He was passed on Lap 3 and made a few mistakes that pushed him back to third. Kitchen was gifted second and raced hard to hold off third but nearly was landed on a few laps later in a section with a downed rider. Thankfully, Kitchen kept it on two wheels and rode his KX250 home to second place. His finish helped take solo control of the points lead at the season's halfway point.

"I'm glad we walked away healthy from this one, and I'm so stoked to go into the long break with the red plate," said Kitchen. "When I saw the flashing yellow, I wasn't sure if I could jump and errored on the side of caution. I didn't want to get docked any points with a points battle this close. I'm thankful to put together some good races for the team. I wouldn't have been able to do it without all the support behind me. We're going to keep up the intensity over the break and cheer on my teammates in the east."

250SX Class Western Overall Results

1. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna
2. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki
3. Jo Shimoda, Honda
4. Jordon Smith, Yamaha
5. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha
6. Mitchell Oldenburg, Honda
7. Julien Beaumer, KTM
8. Phil Nicoletti, Yamaha
9. Robbie Wageman, Yamaha
10. Hunter Yoder, Kawasaki

250SX Class Western Points Standings

1. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 106
2. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 102
3. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna, 101
4. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha, 87
5. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 74
6. Mitchell Oldenburg, Honda, 67
7. Anthony Bourdon, Suzuki, 65
8. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 63
9. Carson Mumford, Honda, 58
10. Hunter Yoder, Kawasaki, 56

250SX Class Eastern Points Standings

1. Austin Forkner, Kawasaki, 25
2. Max Anstie, Honda, 22
3. Daxton Bennick, Yamaha, 20
4. Coty Schock, Yamaha, 18
5. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 17
6. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 16
7. Henry Miller, Honda, 15
8. Guillen Farres, Husqvarna, 14
9. Marshal Weltin, Yamaha, 12
10. Chance Hymas, Honda, 11
15. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki, 7
21. Seth Hammaker, Kawasaki, 1

 

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February 4, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Forkner Kicks Off Season with 13th Career Supercross Victory

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Austin Forkner claimed his 13th-career supercross victory at the opening round of the Eastern Regional 250SX class at Ford Field in Detroit. The win gives the team back-to-back victories (Kitchen, Anaheim 2) and red number plates in both regions after five rounds. Teammates Cameron McAdoo and Seth Hammaker were involved in a first-turn crash during the main event that hindered their opening round, with McAdoo ending the night in 15th while Hammaker was credited with 21st.

The win for Forkner in Detroit was a long time coming after being sidelined at the opening round last year. Saturday night was a different opening round story for Forkner, who started the day qualifying third. He looked confident as he led every lap of his heat race and readied to make it count in the main event. Forkner was able to get a great start and avoid a huge first-turn crash, launching to the lead, where he held on for a wire-to-wire victory.

"It's such a great feeling to get the win," said Forkner. "Last year at the opening round, I was laying on the ground, and my supercross season was over. I worked really hard to get back up to speed and I am very thankful to everyone who has stuck behind me. It feels great to give them a win and the team its second win in two weeks."

The qualifying times were extremely close, which pushed McAdoo down the charts to the 12th spot. That didn't deter him once the gate dropped for his heat race as McAdoo chased down the leader to claim the opening heat race victory. He had a good jump at the start of the main event but was collected in the first-turn pile-up. It took some time for McAdoo to get going again, but he remounted one lap down and, even with a rip in his gear, pressed on and tried to gain as many points as possible. When the checkered flag flew, he had earned a 15th-place finish.

"The day was going great until that first turn crash," said McAdoo. "Even though I wasn't that high on the qualifying sheets, I felt good and I think that showed in the heat race. It was really nice to get that win. I just wish I had been able to challenge for the lead, but instead, we were fighting to make up as many points as possible after the first turn crash. We've got some time to regroup before Arlington, so I'm thankful for that."

Hammaker started the day looking fast and earned the fifth-fastest time during the qualifying sessions. He had a solid heat race where he finished fourth and was ready to make the most of the first main event of the season. Unfortunately, Hammaker wasn't able to showcase his speed as he was hit on the start straight, sending him to the ground. His bike was in bad shape, and he couldn't return, scoring 21st in the final results on the night.

"It was a decent day to start, but I'm really disappointed how it finished," said Hammaker. "I know that's racing, but I really wish I could have been out there with the guys earning some points. We have to put this behind us and focus on the future races. I'm ready for Arlington to be here, but we'll keep putting in the work the next few weeks to come back stronger."

250SX Class Eastern Overall Results

1. Austin Forkner, Kawasaki
2. Max Anstie, Honda
3. Daxton Bennick, Yamaha
4. Coty Schock, Yamaha
5. Pierce Brown, GasGas
6. Jalek Swoll, Triumph
7. Henry Miller, Honda
8. Guillen Farres, Husqvarna
9. Marshal Weltin, Yamaha
10. Chance Hymas, Honda
15. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki
21. Seth Hammaker, Kawasaki

250SX Class Eastern Points Standings

1. Austin Forkner, Kawasaki, 25
2. Max Anstie, Honda, 22
3. Daxton Bennick, Yamaha, 20
4. Coty Schock, Yamaha, 18
5. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 17
6. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 16
7. Henry Miller, Honda, 15
8. Guillen Farres, Husqvarna, 14
9. Marshal Weltin, Yamaha, 12
10. Chance Hymas, Honda, 11
15. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki, 7
21. Seth Hammaker, Kawasaki, 1

250SX Class Western Points Standings

1. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 84
2. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 84
3. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna, 76
4. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha, 70
5. Anthony Bourdon, Suzuki, 55
6. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 54
7. Mitchell Oldenburg, Honda, 51
8. Nate Thrasher, Yamaha, 50
9. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 48
10. Carson Mumford, Honda, 47
18. Maximus Vohland, Kawasaki, 20

 

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January 28, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Kitchen Demonstrates Consistency to Win Anaheim 2

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen put another Anaheim 2 win onto his resume thanks to great starts and consistent race scores during the first Triple Crown format of the season at Angel Stadium. The victory also propelled Kitchen into a tie for the lead in the Western Regional 250SX championship standings after four rounds.

The riders enjoyed the first day race since the opening round at the same venue, but were challenged with a new race format of three main events. As the sole representation for the team with Vohland on the sidelines, Kitchen immediately rose to the challenge and found himself second overall during the afternoon qualifying practises. That speed translated to the first main event as he launched out and took over the lead, winning the opening race wire-to-wire.

The second main event saw Kitchen execute another strong start and found himself in third. He stayed with the front pack and was able to get by for second, where he finished. The third main event was more of the same, with Kitchen taking the coveted final holeshot and filing into second. He stayed on the leader but knew he didn't need to make the pass to get the overall, so he kept up pace before finishing third in the final race to give him his second career supercross victory and move into a tie for the championship lead.

"The triple crown format is always a crazy night," said Kitchen. "You really have to be consistent and then in that final race know where you need to be in order to finish the overall. I knew I was in a good spot and tried to ride smart, but I made a few mistakes towards the end. It worked out, and I'm really happy to be able to give this win to the team. They have worked really hard and we'll keep at it to come back strong in two weeks in Glendale."

250SX Class Western Overall Results

1. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 1-2-3
2. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna, 2-1-7
3. Nate Thrasher, Yamaha, 3-10-1
4. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 9-3-2
5. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 4-8-4
6. Anthony Bourdon, Suzuki, 8-6-8
7. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 12-5-6
8. Ryder DiFrancesco, GasGas, 5-7-12
9. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha, 6-16-5
10. Phil Nicoletti, Yamaha, 7-4-18

250SX Class Western Points Standings

1. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 84
2. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 84
3. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna, 76
4. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha, 70
5. Anthony Bourdon, Suzuki, 55
6. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 54
7. Mitchell Oldenburg, Honda, 51
8. Nate Thrasher, Yamaha, 50
9. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 48
10. Carson Mumford, Honda, 47
18. Maximus Vohland, Kawasaki, 20

 

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January 21, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Kitchen Retains Second Overall in San Diego with Top-Five Finish

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen showcased his speed throughout a rainy day at Snapdragon Stadium, winning his heat race and nearly taking the lead in the main event before finishing a solid fifth place. His determination after tipping over in the main event helped him keep second place in the championship standings. Teammate Maximus Vohland sat out the round in San Diego after suffering an injury leading into the season's third race.

For the second straight week, rain threatened the round in California, but after a solid showing in San Francisco, the team was up for the challenge. Kitchen only had one round of qualifying to put in a fast time, with the second session being canceled, finishing eighth. During his heat race, he was running well, but a red flag caused a complete restart. This benefited Kitchen, who quickly took over the lead and grabbed his first heat race win of the season.

In the main event, Kitchen got a good jump again, slotting in around sixth after the first turn. After a rider went down and broke up thr pack, Kitchen pushed his way up to second and was righton the leader after the first full lap was completed. He looked faster in several sections, but Kitchen couldn't make a pass. After about five minutes, he tried a different line but didn't get the drive he needed out of a corner and went down. Kitchen quickly got up in sixth and worked the remainder of the race to stay close to make up position, eventually crossing the finish line in fifth.

"I hate it for the team to have gone down like that because they worked so hard to get me a great bike for the conditions today," said Kitchen. "I really was trying to take my time but also try different lines and it bit me. I know we were better than a fifth, but I'm feeling really good and can't wait to see what we can do in dry conditions next weekend."

250SX Class Western Overall Results

1. Nate Thrasher, Yamaha
2. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha
3. Jordon Smith, Yamaha
4. Jo Shimoda, Honda
5. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki
6. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna
7. Mitchell Oldenburg, Honda
8. Ryder DiFrancesco, GasGas
9. Hunter Yoder, Kawasaki
10. Anthony Bourdon, Suzuki

250SX Class Western Points Standings

1. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 67
2. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 59
3. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha, 57
4. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna, 54
5. Mitchell Oldenburg, Honda, 41
6. Anthony Bourdon, Suzuki, 39
7. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 36
8. Carson Mumford, Honda, 36
9. Hunter Yoder, Kawasaki, 36
10. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 33
15. Maximus Vohland, Kawasaki, 20

 

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January 14, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Kitchen Keeps Podium Streak Alive in Sloppy San Francisco

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen survived the downpour that drenched Oracle Stadium on Saturday night, collecting his second-straight podium finish with a runner-up finish. The ride pushed him up to second in the Western Regional 250SX point standings. The rain was consistent throughout the day but only worsened as the night progressed, leaving the track as a test of survival. Unfortunately, Maximus Vohland was one of many riders on the sidelines early in the main event, finishing on the scorecard 19th.

The day started with only one qualifying due to the conditions, putting Kitchen ninth. The rider from the damp Pacific Northwest looked comfortable on the track and finished heat third, giving him a good gate pick for the main event. Once the gate dropped for the main, the skies opened up even more and it was all about survival. Kitchen got a good jump but played it smart and funneled into sixth. Several riders were unable to get past the first few laps, and that propelled Kitchen to second, where he settled in, without recognizing the rider in his sights was in the lead. When he realized it, Kitchen picked up the pace, but time ran out, and he enjoyed a hard-fought second-place finish.

"It was really all about survival out there," said Kitchen. "I had a blast, and once you found a good pace that felt comfortable, it was fun. I didn't realize that Jordon was the leader, and once I saw it on the big screen, I picked up the pace and tried to reel him in. I just didn't have enough time. I'm thankful to be in a good place right now with two podium finished and hope to keep it going next week."

Like the rest of the field, Vohland had only one practice to hone in the track before the night show, finishing qualifying in the 11th. He lined up in the same heat as his teammate, and both were really close to each other, with Vohland finishing fourth. Once again, Vohland's starts were on point and he launched out to second right away. He had some company and tried to keep his competition at bay, eventually having a mechanical issue which forced him to retire at the halfway mark, finishing 19th.

"Tonight didn't go to plan at all," said Vohland. "I knew what I was up against with the weather, but was hoping we'd be able to make it to the end. That's racing, and now we have to put our heads down to make up as many points as possible over the next few rounds. I've felt good overall with my riding so I'm ready for the challenge."

250SX Class Western Overall Results

1. Jordon Smith, Yamaha
2. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki
3. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha
4. Phil Nicoletti, Yamaha
5. Carson Mumford, Honda
6. Anthony Bourdon, Suzuki
7. Joshua Varize, GasGas
8. Hunter Yoder, Kawasaki
9. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna
10. Mitchell Oldenburg, Honda
19. Maximus Vohland, Kawasaki

250SX Class Western Points Standings

1. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 47
2. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 42
3. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna, 38
4. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha, 35
5. Carson Mumford, Honda, 29
6. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 27
7. Anthony Bourdon, Suzuki, 27
8. Mitchell Oldenburg, Honda, 26
9. Hunter Yoder, Kawasaki, 23
10. Joshua Varize, GasGas, 22
11. Maximus Vohland, Kawasaki, 20

 

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January 7, 2024

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Kitchen Starts Season Off With Podium Finish

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen raced his Kawasaki KX250 to a third-place finish at the season opener at Angel Stadium, fighting to the last corner to ensure his season started with a podium result. His teammate Maximus Vohland earned his first career heat-race win before racing to a notable fifth-place result in the main event, giving the team a positive ne to start on for 2024.

The day started really well for Kitchen, who toped the charts in qualifying to take the pole position. In his heat race he had a great jump and funneled in just behind his teammate, but he got caught in a rut and went down early but eventually raced himself back into a transfer position in seventh. Even with the lower gate pick, Kitchen launched out of the main event gate drop and found himself in third after settling in the first two laps. He kept the pace high, and although he seemed to tighten up and fall back a few spots, Kitchen made a late race drive back into third, where he would finish.

"It's amazing how many first-round jitters you get even after racing under the lights for a few years," said Kitchen. "I did end up running a little tight in the middle of the race, which cost me some time catching the front, but in the end, I'm stoked to be on the podium in the first race. It's a long season, but to start it off with a good handful of points is great. It's nice to get this for the team who's been working really hard."

Vohland got things going in practice with a great pace to qualify fifth. When the gate dropped in his heat race, he was right at the front and passed for the lead on the second lap and took home his first career heat race win. When the gate dropped for the main event, Vohland was right in the mix at the front and settled into sixth. With not great opportunities to make passes, he waited for the right time and passed into fifth around the halfway mark. He would get up to fourth but eventually moved back into fifth, where he would cross the finish line.

"It was really awesome to get that heat race win," said Vohland. "I got a great start and made it count. In the main, I got pushed back behind a few guys that were going pretty good and the track was pretty slick. You had to be really smart about where you tried to pass. In the end, a fifth is good, but I want more. I think my speed can get me on the podium and with next week being my local race, I'm excited to get up to San Francisco."

250SX Class Western Overall Results

1. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna
2. Jordon Smith, Yamaha
3. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki
4. Jo Shimoda, Honda
5. Maximus Vohland, Kawasaki
6. Julien Beaumer, KTM
7. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha
8. Mitchell Oldenburg, Honda
9. Ryder DiFrancesco, GasGas
10. Carson Mumford, Honda

250SX Class Western Points Standings

1. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna, 25
2. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 22
3. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 20
4. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 18
5. Maximus Vohland, Kawasaki, 17
6. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 16
7. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha, 15
8. Mitchell Oldenburg, Honda, 14
9. Ryder DiFrancesco, GasGas, 13
10. Carson Mumford, Honda, 12

 

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