2023 Hangtown Motocross Classic | Kickstart News and Photo Gallery

Carson Mumford’s calf injury is healing steadily, though the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki fill-in rider has some Ankle Saver peg extensions mounted on the bike to keep his ankle from hyperextending.

Check out Bryce Hammond’s custom Guts seat. When we asked about it he told us it was two Honda seats stacked on top of each other. And for those wondering… Bryce is 6’9.

Zoom in on this photo to Cianciarulo’s jersey. We may be wrong, but we think we spotted a new Fox Racing chest protector seeping through Adam’s jersey. Stay tuned!

Check out these trick custom made start blocks under the Pro Circuit tent. It’s always cool to see teams put in some extra work on the little things.

Haiden Deegan made a few changes to his Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha YZ250F in the week between Fox Raceway and Hangtown, one of which being the switch to XTrig clamps. Before this, Eli Tomac was the only rider on the team to run the ROCS Pro clamps.

It wasn’t long ago that we heard stories of Mitch Payton laughing at riders requests to run a fat bar. “A dirt bike has a crossbar;” is the reported legendary saying from Mitch.

In between motos, Ryder DiFrancesco had a fork switch. It looks like most teams are still dialing in their outdoor settings for 2023.

Just a clever idea from the guys under the Pro Circuit rig. Now go steal your chick’s hairdryer and put it to work.

We’re sure you have heard enough about the heat at Hangtown, but check out this picture of Jo Shimoda before moto two. While most riders were enjoying the last bit of cool air before gate drop with their helmets and/or goggles off, Jo walked around the entire staging period with both his helmet and goggles on. No thanks.

Tom Vialle is running a solid triple clamp, opposed to the KTM hard parts split clamp that the rest of the RedBull KTM team is using. Look familiar? Well, the Austrian brand racers over seas are running the same solid clamp in the MXGP series.

No JCR Honda box van for Ryan Surratt at Hangtown. We asked Ryan why and he told us his truck and trailer get better gas mileage.

Jace Kessler is the latest privateer we have seen to run the OnlyFans branding. We are fans of OnlyFans helping out the privateers!

Jo Shimoda was the first to convince Mitch to allow him to run a fat bar and now it looks like Ryder DiFrancesco has requested the same.

Before the start of the second timed-qualifying session, we saw Rj Hampshire and the team scramble to fix something on the machine. Luckily they seemed to get whatever issue resolved moments before the start.

Deegan wasn’t the only rider that made some changes in the Star Racing camp. As Farres and Smith went to stock triple clamps, just like Justin Cooper. Levi Kitchen is the lone rider running the Neken clamps as of now.

Last week, we mentioned the Toyota of Redlands partnership with BarX Suzuki. Well, it looks like the partnership strengthened over the last week, as the Toyota dealership was the main shroud sponsor at Hangtown.

The Dirt Diggers M.C. always do a great job with the Hangtown Motocross Classic and the trophies at this year's race were hand-carved wood masterpieces. Additionally, the winners in each class were awarded with a custom-engraved Seiko watch.

Even though 2022 450 Champ Eli Tomac is home in Colorado recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon, his mechanic Josh Ellingson has been on hand at the races to offer support to the rest of the Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha team.

We've known Richard Taylor since he was in diapers and it's sometimes hard to believe that he is racing MX Nationals now. After scoring his first National points at the Fox Raceway opener, Little RT had some tough luck at Hangtown and didn't make the National. On to Denver!

The hype around Haiden Deegan is real and it is justified. Brian has been grooming his 17-year-old son for this season since he was on a PW50 and it shows.

Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/Gas Gas fill-in rider Caden Braswell is as nice as they come, and the Floridian went 27-16 for 19th overall at Hangtown. Pierce Brown - the rider Braswell is filling in for - is scheduled to return to action at Red Bud is all goes well.

Dylan Ferrandis told us that he is still trying new settings each time he is on the bike, in search of comfort that will allow him to ride hard through an entire moto. "The previous bike was great for motocross but not so good for Supercross, but the new bike is the opposite for me," he said. "I am looking for a feeling in the front end that will not give me arm pump."

Across the pits, meanwhile, Grant Harlan is thrilled with the feel and performance of his 2023 Yamaha YZ450F. After racing 90% of the 450 Supercross Championship on his 2022 bike, Harlan purchased a 2023 YZ450F after his bike was roached in the New Jersey mud and fell in love with it in short order.

Every race, the Club MX team makes subtle changes to its bikes' graphic and plastic color scheme. We really liked the mostly white at Hangtown.

A little pre-race forearm massage for Preston Kilroy to help prevent arm pump.

Tyler Michelson was heckling us as we shot a photo of Derek Drake's Bar-X Racing Suzuki RM-Z450. "Oh boy are we gonna be on Swapmoto Live?" We replied that if his bike made it through both motos, they would. Well, Otter and Drake enjoyed a fantastic showing at Hangtown, posting 8-8 scores for seventh overall, the best National MX finish of Drake's career. Great job, guys!

Robbie Wageman's Bar-X Suzuki sat idle at Hangtown as the Californian suffered a grade three shoulder separation in a practice crash at Fox Raceway on the Tuesday prior. "No surgery, just PT thankfully," said Wageman, who hopes to be back in four weeks.

Ryder DiFrancisco and his mechanic Derek Dwyer ended the day at Prarie City OHV Park 10th overall. Though that was shy of Ryder D's goals coming into Hangtown, it was one spot better than his 11th at Fox Raceway. Under the guidance of Ryan Villopoto, expect DiFrancisco to move up in the standings, for sure.

Carson Mumford turned in 15-9 scores for 13th overall and he was not pleased. Stay tuned for a look behind the scenes video with Mumfy later this week.

You never know what you're gonna get when you point a camera at Jo Shimoda...

Fox Racing outfitted the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team in matching SYZ 360 kits at Hangtown. Each rider had a cool sublimated butt "patch" as well...

Jo Shimoda's cat with sunglasses, headphones, and a gold chain, apparently, communicated that Jo-san is - indeed - a cool cat.

Carson Mumford's pants sported the same Dream Job design that he's had since being added to the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki squad.

Ryder DiFrancisco's pants paid homage to his Bakersfield roots.

Troy Lee Designs' latest collaboration with Sony Pictures is for the new Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse animated movie. Both Michael Mosiman and Caden Braswell wore special Spiderman-themed kits.

Mosi gives us his best web shooter pose.

The back of Michael Mosiman's helmet has a "Get Well JB" message painted on for his injured teammate Justin Barcia. Sadly, Mosiman suffered what looked to be another bad blow to the head in a first-turn crash at the start of moto two. Here's hoping he is okay!

The new steel starting grates utilized at the MX Nationals offer consistent traction and minimize the gate prep needed before the start of each race. Mechanics are allowed to use a brush to clean the grates out before each moto. We were impressed at how perfectly each grate was set up at Hangtown; perfectly level and sturdily fastened down to the ground.

Of all the Alpinestars kits that Hunter Lawrence races in, this one is our favorite. The chrome helmet is also a classy touch. Hmmm...wonder when AStars will drop its goggles to the public?

Hunter Lawrence and Cameron Camera: the dynamic duo of the 250 class.

The 250 class creeps forward with anticipation, waiting for the AMA official to give the wave of his flag to signal the start of the second and final qualifying session. Getting out front with a clear track could make a difference in your hot lap time...

There was a time in American motocross when the AMA cracked down on jersey name lettering, following the stylized fonts AXO started to use for riders Jeff Stanton and Damon Bradshaw back in the day. Seems the rules are more lax again... Chance Hymas' jersey customization does look cool, though!

Lots of wood stakes hammered into the track at Hangtown. IYKYK...

Preston Kilroy, loose forearms and all...

17-35 moto scores for 22nd overall is not what Jett Reynolds was hoping for at Hangtown, as the Bakersfield rider suffered multiple crashes in the two motos in NorCal.

Guillem Farres has a cool riding style that is light and flowy. The Spaniard went 6-8 for seventh overall in the 250 class aboard his Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha, and he sits seventh in the championship after two rounds. We commented on his effortless style and Farres replied, with a laugh, "That is good and bad! When I do well it is great, but if I don't do so well people say I am not trying!"

After struggling at the series opener and finishing outside of the top 20 in both motos, Dillan Schwartz put his Bar X Suzuki RM-Z250 into the points at Hangtown with 19-14 scores for 15th overall.

Jeremy Martin had a terrible day at Hangtown. In moto one he started well outside the top 20 and worked up to 13th at the finish, but in moto two he was involved in a horrific second-turn crash that saw him go down and have his arm run over by another racer...

Hometown boy Maximus Vohland has plenty of local knowledge of the Hangtown MX track as evidenced by his second-overall qualifying time. Sadly, bad starts kept Maximus outside of the top 10 in both motos.

After starting the season on a Kawasaki KX250, Ty Masterpool and his sponsors decided that it was both too cost prohibitive to build and maintain a competitive 250 race bike. That said, he out together a Kawasaki KX450 race bike in the days between rounds one and two and had a super-impressive sixth-place showing at Hangtown.

Motocross Action editor Josh Mosiman went 32-23 for 32nd overall in the 450 class. No points, but not bad for a professional desk jockey! His post race insights are excellent.

JCR Honda's Ryan Surratt made the six-hour drive north from Corona and finished 12th overall on his off-road race bike. "We didn't even do any suspension clickers," he said. "It was plush in the first moto but it was probably a little soft in moto two." Surry even kept his large-capacity gas tank on! Sadly, he has off-road commitments that conflict with the Thunder Valley race this weekend, but is considering driving to Washougal in a few weeks for a third MX National appearance.

Grant Harlan has a spectacular showing at Fox Raceway, but bad luck haunted him at Hangtown and the Yamaha privateer didn't figure in the points in either moto. In race one, a rider swapped and cleaned out Harlan's front wheel on an off-camber straightaway on the first lap, and in race two he was involved in a nasty turn-one crash that left his new Yamaha YZ450F badly bent up.

The end of Harlan's Big Adventure... His bars and radiator were badly damaged, but after pulling into the mechanics' area to have his front end straightened, he caught all the way back up to 19th!

Spaniard Jose Butron of the Wildcat Racing team had a spectacular second moto in the 450 class, finishing fifth and as first privateer. Combined with his 16th-place showing in race one, he was 10th overall on what is essentially a very stock Gas Gas MC450F.

Butron's Wildcat Racing Teammate Lorenzo Locurcio meanwhile, earned his second top 10 in a row and the third of his career with 9-11 showings. The Venezuelan and Spaniard are scheduled to contest only the first six rounds unless some sponsorship funding comes through. Let's hope it does, as the foreigners bring some extra flare and flavor to the championship! We spoke to both of them in last weekend's How Was Your Weekend interviews that you can find elsewhere on the website.

Adam Cianciarulo's disappointment was tough for the Monster Energy Kawasaki rider to contain afterward. AC was fifth at Hangtown, but rode both motos all alone - well behind the other factory riders, but well ahead of the privateers We're sure he will share his sentiments about his recent showings in the next episode of the Unplugged Podcast he has begun producing. It is excellent - look it up!

RJ Wageman looked fast at Hangtown and the R-Jerky owner ran inside the points at some point in both motos. Though he was 22nd and 25th in the motos, he was ranked 28th in the overall standings. Support RJ at eatrjerky.com

While many riders these days are riding feet-up in the corners and taking a smoother, lower revving approach, Haiden Deegan can be found smashing turns and dragging his bars in stark contrast. "That's just how he has always liked to ride," said dad Brian. "He's not into the new school stand up stuff,"

Marshall Weltin had a second moto crash that he'd probably - and likely will - forget. Another rider t-boned him before a drop off on the far side of the track and he returned to the pits a little dazed and confused from smacking his head. Get better, Austin!

Temperatures hovered in the 90s at Hangtown and out came the ice vests and other cooling methods on the starting line! Levi Kitchen had his mechanic hold onto his chest protector so he could cool down with this ice vest, which matched his gear better than the orange/red chest pro he eventually donned.

Dylan Ferrandis took one step further up the podium with second at Hangtown. The Frenchman is visibly unhappy with the setup on his Yamaha YZ450F and told us that he and the team made changes to setup each time he was on the track. The second moto, he said, was the first time he has not struggled with arm pump.

Jeremy Martin opted for some good old fashioned bags of ice on his lower back.

Chance Hymas shops at the same ice vest store as Levi, apparently...

Michael Mosiman, meanwhile, used only an ice collar, as cooling down the blood flow to your head can give you a cooling sensation through your whole body.

We were pumped to see our pal Kai Aiello - who spends his days racing off-road for Husqvarna now - return to his roots and race to 29th in the 250s. His mom, Jen, spins the wrenches for her son and can probably tune a bike better than you...

Dillan Schwartz and Preston Kilroy share a laugh on the starting line. We snapped this photo because Kilroy is one of the few riders who still races with a neck brace. Kyle Chisholm is another that comes to mind.

We're assuming that this is Tom Vialle's father alongside the MX2 World Champion...

Broc Tickle gives Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Jett Reynolds some advice before the gate drops on the final 250 moto. Reynolds was 22nd overall but has much more potential.

Jalek Swoll is still getting his race legs beneath him after sitting on the sidelines through Supercross with a badly broken arm. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna rider had a crazy off-track excursion in the second moto that saw him narrowly miss a fan, but aside from that his performances were headed in the right direction. Swoll was ninth at Hangtown.

We've known Brian Deegan since he used Kool-Aid to dye his hair bright red as a 125 privateer. That said, it is great to see the way he shares his years of experience to guide his son Haiden through his professional racing career. Haiden has yet to win a Supercross like his dad, but he's already eclipsed his MX National results.

With the inclusion of the metal starting grates come specially-made starting blocks that lock into the grate surface.

We were pumped on the Fox SYZ kits at Hangtown, especially because a perfectly matching Instinct boot is available to match.

Breathe Right nose strips are still used by many racers to improve nasal airflow.

Daniel Castloo built a small dirt bridge in the gap between the metal bars of the starting gate. We wondered if such a small detail could really make any sort of difference...until Justin Cooper holeshot the second moto!

Guillem Farres. Get used to the name and learn to spell it. We're pumped on the kid from Spain, and so is Star Racing Yamaha!

Haiden Deegan checked another goal off his 2023 bucket list by grabbing the holeshot and leading every lap of the first 250 moto.

This tabletop on the exit of turn two always provides some nice action. Remember when Antonio Cairoli holeshot the first 450 moto last year and threw a massive whip?

Danger Boy looked calm, cool, and collected as he pulled away from teammate Justin Cooper and won the first moto. We couldn't help but recall JCoop, a week earlier on the SML Show, saying that if he were behind Haiden in a race, the teenager would eventually run out of steam...

Hunter Lawrence suffered a very average start in the first moto and spent a considerable amount of time working up to third. Ryder DiFrancesco held off the 250 Supercross Champ for multiple laps aboard his Kawasaki.

RJ Hampshire never looked like himself at Hangtown as he raced to 5-5 finishes. Consistent, yes, but not the same Hampshire who won the first moto of the season with ease.

Tom Vialle struggled in the first moto at Hangtown and finished seventh aboard his Red Bull KTM, but he was again better in race two as he raced to third. "I need to figure out my first motos," he told us later. When we asked if the heat of NorCal was any surprise, he said, "No, we have hot races in the GPs, and where I live in Florida is much more hot. I don't like the humidity!"

Marvin Musquin was on hand at Hangtown to support his countryman Vialle and also to get some light cardio work in...

Jordan Troxell is without a racer this series and is on hand instead to support the rest of the Honda HRC team. Jordy is cool beans.

Hangtown's far side features one of the most treacherous off-camber corners on the circuit. This rut developed a deep pocket at its apex. Danger Boy had no troubles with it during his start-to-finish romp to the checkers...

...but we saw several other riders slam into it and get caught off guard by the impact.

There were, however, multiple lines in the corner. If you missed the tight, deep, inside rut, you were forced to run the far and wide line, like Jordan Smith here.

Derek Kelley went 24-19 for 23rd in the 250 class. "I am definitely a better Supercross rider," he joked.

Dylan Ferrandis looked to have the first moto holeshot...

...but Jett Lawrence took control in the second corner and was never headed.

We think we'll be seeing a lot of the Red Bull KTM teammates battling this summer.

How about Derek Drake! After showing some great speed but being hampered with mechanicals at Fox Raceway, the Bar X Suzuki rider backed it up with seventh overall at Hangtown.

Consistent 12-13 scores for the Chiz.

Fast Freddie Noren was 11th at Hangtown. His first-moto sixth was impressive, but a bad start in race two held him to 15th.

Bad luck, bad starts, and a lack of preparation due to injuries suffered in Supercross kept Alex Ray out of the points. We expect our cohost to gain fitness, speed, and points as the summer wears on.

Cooper Webb was pleased with the progress he made in between rounds one and two. "I trained my ass off and did a lot of laps," he said. "Still a lot of work to do but we're headed in the right direction!" Webb was third at Hangtown on his Red Bull KTM.

Brandon Ray was 16th at Hangtown! BRay beat ARay...is this something we should keep track of all summer long?

Jett Lawrence was masterful at Hangtown. The Honda HRC rider quadded down this iconic downhill section at Prarie City OHV Park lap after lap, throughout both motos, with relative ease.

Rafael Chao from the Luevanos Racing Team made the trek from Mexico to race the 250 MX National. He finished 11th in the LCQ but waiting hopefully near the staging area before the second moto in case 11 riders dropped out of the second race. We haven't seen a Factory Effex Rider ID kit used in over a decade!

In an effort to get more airflow, Haiden Deegan elected to wear his chest protector beneath his jersey in race two. Like Martin, he used a bag of ice to stay cool in staging.

There's that mother/son race team again!

Club MX's Garrett Marchbanks stays cool on the like with a cordless DeWalt air blower.

The 250s blast off the line for the last time this year at Hangtown. JCoop led to turn one.

The second-moto crash that included JMart and his badly broken arm.

Justin Cooper snared the holeshot in the second 250 moto and was in position to earn the overall win as he ed the field. He could not, however, hold off the hard-charging Hunter Lawrence. "It was better than last weekend," he said. "I'll take it. Gonna send it in Colorado!"

Danger.

Smile, Lucas Mirtl! Your Aussie boys are leading both championships!

Jo Shimoda had an off day at Hangtown and he never looked like his usual speedy self. We expect to see the Japanese rider atop the podium soon enough.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!

Justin Cooper told us he's looking forward to next weekend as he's done well at Thunder Valley before. Weather reports, however, don't look promising for round three!

Post-race cool down for the World Champ.

The General of the Metal Mulisha has become a social media master.

The 450s leave the gate for the last time at Hangtown.

Aaron Plessinger had a lot of speed at Hangtown. Unfortunately - as he did at Fox Raceway - he crashed out of podium position. At Hangtown, he broke his clutch lever off in the second moto and was forced to slam his bike into gear to get going again.

Romain Pape was 13th overall with 14-10 scores at Hangtown. The Frenchman was in a heated battle throughout the second moto with Lorcucio, Robin, and Surratt.