2024 Fox Raceway Motocross | Monday Kickstart

Did anyone think that defending 450 MX Champion Jett Lawrence wouldn't kick off his title defense with a win? Jettson admitted that he didn't feel 100% comfortable but he still managed to top both motos with his effortless, fluid riding style. We were told that he tool a decent sized rock to the nuts mid-way through the second moto...perhaps that's why he slowed for a bit and came under fire from his big brother Hunter.

Fox Raceway marked the first time we've seen Jett Lawrence with the flo yellow number one and red plate, which designates not only the Supermotocross World Champion, but defending 450 MX Champion, as well. Should Lawrence lose the championship points lead at any point, the plate will be purple with a flo yellow number one.

Last weekend also marked the debut of Chase Sexton's new permanent number four. "My first racing number ever was 4," he told us. "So when I think of 4 I don't necessarily think of Ricky Carmichael. I think of my first number. I mean, I respect RC of course, but that's not why I chose it." Both Sexton's number 1 in Supercross and 4 were designed by RENEN USA's Pete Fox.

Dean Wilson decided at the last minute to throw his hat into the ring at the Fox Raceway National. "I figured it's just down the road," he said. "So why not? I have some races coming up overseas anyway." Deano showed up to media day on Thursday aboard his "stocker" and rode sans numbers because they hadn't shown up yet. The extra privateer touch was showing up in his Toyota of Escondido Tundra and pitting out of the back!

Fresh off his Western Regional 250 Supercross Championship, RJ Hampshire showed up at Thursday press day as one of the heavy favorites for the 250 MX Championship. The Roclkstar Energy Husqvarna rider set a blistering pace during the 30-minute riding session, but tragically, he struck a large rock in the back section of the track near the end of. the session and crashed violently.

As we exited the track, we passed by the team's temporary pit area and were told that he had injured his wrist. Things looked grim as he needed help getting his boots and knee braces off. The next morning, Hampshire confirmed on his Instagram that he had undergone surgery to repair damage sustained in the crash. We hope to see Hampshire back in action before the series' end!

Muc-Off/Club MX/Yamaha's Garrett Marchbanks was another unfortunate press day casualty. Marchbanks came over the blind tunnel overpass before the track crosses over the starting straight. Jerry Robin and Shane McElrath were already down and Marchbanks landed on their bikes. Spit over the bars violently, Marchbanks was visibly shaken when he got up. No word yet on th eextent of his injuries, but he did not line up on Saturday.

Set to contest the 450 MX class, Marchbanks was a sure-to-be fixture in the top 10. Get well soon, Garrett!

Fox Raceway always has some booters, and Justin Barcia is never one to turn down some gratuitous air time. During the week, this is a step-up and step-over, but for the MX National it was built into one massive step-over.

We've heard of relaxing your grip to alleviate arm pump, but Phil Nicoletti took it to a new level! The popular New Yorker turned in 9-9 scores for 10th overall in his last-ever 450 MX Series kickoff. "I can't wait to get out of this shitty valley," he joked after the race was over.

Big thanks to Robbie Wageman for taking our GoPro Hero 11 Mini for a ride with him on media day for our Yamalube Newsbreak feature.

Thursday's media day was the last time this year that we got to see Ty Masterpool aboard his privateer HBI Racing Kawasaki KX450. Earlier in the week, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki teammates Seth Hammaker and Cameron McAdoo were both injured in practice crashes at Perris Raceway, leaving Levi Kitchen as the sole rider healthy to line up at Fox Raceway. With Maximus Vohland out indefinitely with hip injuries suffered pre-season, Masterpool was invited to fill in on Vohland's KX250.

Masterpool told us that he was initially slated to start on the Pro Circuit bike at Hangtown, but he told the team, "Why not start this weekend?" That said, he met the team at Perris Raceway on Friday for a quick shakedown before Saturday's race.

Bell Helmets had "Masterpool" stickers made to cover the "McAdoo" on the back on this custom-painted Moto 10 Spherical.

Throttle Syndicate printed Masterpool 29 plates in a hurry and drove them from Palmdale to the Pro Circuit shop in Corona on Thursday.

On Saturday, Masterpool rode great, especially considering that he had one day on the machine. A crash in moto one held him to 24th, but the Texan rode well to 10th in the second moto. "The bike is FANTASTIC!" he told us. "I can;'t wait to get more and more used to it! This is going to be a great summer."

And speaking of the Masterpool family, Jake Masterpool also made a return to racing after some time away with injuries. Ultimately, mechanical woes kept him from scoring any points but his speed was definitely there as he ran near the top ten in moto one.

During the week, the largest jump at Fox Raceway is a step-up that can be hit wide open by the brave and tripled all the way to the downside, which is well over 100 feet away. On Thursday, Justin Barcia, Jett Lawrence, and Marshal Welton sent to huge leap. On Saturday, the obstacle was completely reworked and featured four rollers up the face. We ran into MX Sports' Davey Coombs on the infield during one of Saturday's motos and asked why the jump was changed. "It was just too big a jump for a field of 40 riders to be hitting, 15 seconds into the start of a race," he said. "And it was a little big for the season kickoff."

The first lip on the new obstacle was understandably soft and rutted up from left to right. Track workers fixed the first lip in between evert moto. Fast guys tripled up and sent the fourth lip down to the original landing. Red Bull KTM's Julien Beaumer demonstrates.

All of Fox Raceway was wrapped in signage that matched the limited edition Scans Flexair Racewear that Fox Racing team riders wore. From head to toe, all of the Fox Scans kits were brilliant!

Honda HRC's Jo Shimoda turned in hard-fought 8-6 moto scores for sixth overall; certainly not his best showing at his "hometown" track, but remarkable considering the fact that he was on crutches with a sprained ankle after the Salt Lake Supercross!

Troy Lee/Red Bull/Gas Gas Factory Racing rider Pierce Brown turned in solid performances (10-8) for eighth overall. The Utah native resides not to far from Fox Raceway and - like many - has turned in his fair share of laps around the course. Brown also qualified third quickest in the morning sessions!

Texan Tre Fiero didn't qualify for the National, but his Skillz MX gear caught our eye. Based in Mexico, the team at Skillz Racing provided free team pit shirts to many privateers during the Supercross Season. Check them out at skillzracing.com - they make totally customizable motocross gear.

Speaking of custom motocross gear, Honda HRC's Hunter Lawrence had the coolest kit of the weekend. The crew at Alpinestars teamed up with Hunter to create a kit that was a tribute to the great Ayrton Senna and a nod to McLaren and its F1 livery. "It's been in the works for months now," said Hunter. "The designs had to be submitted to the family and approved. They were very excited about it and gave us their blessing."

Check out this cool detail on the back of Hunter Lawrence's Alpinestars jersey...

Lawrence's McLaren-themed kit was stunning on the track, and made it easy to spot the elder Lawrence in action.

Chance Hymas' custom-painted Fly Racing helmet caught our eye. We're told that the back features a mountainous landscape from his home state of Idaho on it. Cool!

It's still a shock to see our pal Travis Soules wrenching for Jalek Swoll on the Triumph team, as he's been a staple as Ken Roczen's guy at the Progressive Insurance Suzuki team for the previous couple of years. We wonder if he misses packing a kickstarter in his fanny pack...

No tucks given.

After his surprise departure from the factory Triumph team earlier in the year, Even Ferry found a home with the Gas Gas-mounted Wildcat Racing Team. The second-generation rider also signed with the all-new One Industries brand.

In the 250 National motos, Lil Red Dog never looked up to speed as he turned in 32-27 scores. Here's to hoping that he gains speed and confidence with more time on his new bike!

That One Industries gear is pretty sweet, though!

A huge welcome back to Club MX's Jett Reynolds. The oft-injured Californian made it through both motos without major incident and scored 16th overall on the 250 class with 16-16 marks. Let's get through the summer!

Cloud cover and a nice rip on the track left the soil in perfect condition in the morning on Saturday, Pierce Brown fought through the roost to turn in the third-fastest 250 lap time. Once the sun came out, the Fox Raceway track surface hardened up and was quite challenging.

Honda HRC's Chance Hymas was on fire at Fox Raceway! The teenager was quickest in the first 250 qualifying session and he ran at the front of the pack in both motos, using 3-4 scores to earn fourth overall and set a new career best.

Christian Craig started the day in the Fox Racing Speedsuit that he debuted earlier in the year at Anaheim One. The Scans graphic was applied to the custom suit and looked amazing...

...but when it came time for the motos, Craig was wearing a more standard set of Fox Racing Flexair gear.

We loved the custom "butt patch" designed by Christian's son, Jagger.

Our local go-to dealership - Temecula Motorsports - had a great activation booth set up inside the pits that was always a popular attraction.

It was nice to see Malcolm Stewart at Fox Raceway! This marked his first MX Nationals kickoff in a decade, as he's been a Supercross-only rider, or out of action for the past 10 years. We liked the "Mookie" lettering on the back of his Shoei VFX-R helmet. Anyone recognize the font? Here's a hint: Donatello, Raphael, Michaelangelo, and Leonardo!

Check out the extra-large seat bump on Malcolm Stewart's Rockstar Energy Husqvarna. When we asked him why it was so big, he answered, "Boy! Have you seen my booty?"

Mookie was solid in his return to the great outdoors, carding 8-7 scored for...ninth? Crazy how the points work out sometimes. Regardless, the youngest Stewart was putting the power to the ground.

Appreciation post for Justin Cooper's custom-painted Alpinestars SM10 helmet. Groovy, baby!

We're stoked that Coty Shock recently signed a two-year contract with the Club MX Yamaha team. Ever since turning pro, Schock has bounced around from team to team each season, and this the most stability he's enjoyed thus far.

Check this out! Some of Coty Shocks friends put together this vintage Yamaha as an award for his third-place finish in the Eastern Regional 250 Supercross Championship. Now that's a cool "trophy!"

Schock's modern trophy getter.

Dean Wilson's SKDA graphics showed up in time for race day and his bike looked quite proper...not quite the "stocker" he proclaimed it to be.

In the motos, Deano finished a solid 11th in the first race, but he was involved in the big first turn crash caused by Aaron Plessinger at the start of race two. Wilson raced back to 16th and earned 14th overall. "I was hoping to get inside the top 10, but I had some bad luck," he said. "These Nationals are not that fun!"

Andrew Short was on hand at Fox Raceway as the AMA's Rider Representative. As evidenced by this photo, when Shorty talks, riders listen!

We never tire of watching Jett Lawrence's keen balance and effortless style...

Madd Parts Kawasaki rider Freddie Noren had a solid day at the series kickoff! The Swede barely missed out on a top 10 finish with 13-10 scores for 11th overall.

You can never be too careful. Factory race teams never blindly pour fuel into the bikes: instead, a funnel and a straining cloth is used to catch contaminant particles that can clog fuel injectors.

Check out the high-capacity titanium fuel tanks that are on all four factory Honda HRC machines...

A special tool is required to loosen the filler cap, which sits flush with the rest of the tank so the rider can slide forward with no obstructions.

It was great to see Joey Savatgy back at the races! After sitting out the Supercross season (Savatgy pointed out of the class several years ago), he made his debut aboard the Triumph TF 250-X at Fox Raceway and looked fantastic!

Savatgy and Swoll's bikes are works of art. Since we have yet to see one on a dealership showroom floor, the Triumphs still have that unobtainable mystique about them.

Check out the strange seat bump placement on Savatgy's Triumph! We jokingly asked him is his balls were so big that he needed a platform to set them on... Apparently, he uses the bump to keep from sliding too far forward.

Savatgy also uses the pucks from a Steg Pegz assembly. "We've had a lot of time. to test different things, and I figured why not try them," he said. "I like the way they help when you're in a bad position. I don't feel them most of the time while I am riding, but they do come in handy at times."

Fifth in the first moto, Savatgy was in a first turn crash at the start of race two and could only get back up to 13th for ninth overall. Still, he was pleased. "I was anxious to see where I stood, as far as speed goes," he told us. "I was worried that I might not have the pace...like if I was several seconds down and couldn't get it back, that would have been a problem." Savatgy qualified second fastest, so speed is obviously not the issue. "Starts," he added. "I need to work on my starts!"

Levi Kitchen showed up at Fox Raceway with a new hairdo. "I cut my hair short and thought, 'this is kind of lame,' so I had it dyed," he said. "The cheetah is the fastest land animal, so why not?" Chef told us he's leave it like this until Red Bud, when he'll go red, white, and blue, again.

We asked Kitchen a few months ago when he switched to the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team if he'd be bolting Steg Pegz on his new ride this summer and he said that he had to talk to Mitch Payton about it. It looks like the pucks themselves are bolted straight to the sidepanel, sans mount. Levi told us that he actually uses them to lift the bike...

Jason Anderson's Monster Energy Kawasaki KX450 is equipped with a CRM Compositi carbon fiber tank from Italy. AMA allows for aftermarket fuel tanks as long as they are larger capacity than stock.

Have you ever noticed that some mechanics lean their bikes over on the triple clamps, to prevent damaging the grips?

Fox Raceway was the last time that the Star Racing team will run the 50th Anniversary livery on its bikes. Haiden Deegan joked that since both of his 250 National wins have come with the white/purple/pink theme, he wants to keep it on all summer long.

Brent Duffe always seems to have a smile on his face while he's working on Haiden Deegan's Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha YZ250F. We asked him if he liked it when the tea decides to run the 50th anniversary livery. "I love the look of the bike but it is a ton of extra work," he explained. "It's more than just swapping plastics, graphics, and a seat cover. We've got purple triple clamps, purple engine head covers, and purple wheels. You wouldn't believe the number of wheels that are upstairs in the truck. Every rider needs multiple sets and they have to get built up every time we go retro." Duffe also indicated that this is the only round of the 11-stop Pro Motocross tour that the team is slated to go retro.

We wondered aloud what that was on the clutch perch of Haiden Deegan's bike. Dangerboy told us at press day that it was simply to protect his body from the billet aluminum bracket. "My dad is big on protecting his internals," he said. When we got a closer look at it, it looks like a Polar Watch handlebar mount, adapted to cover the clutch perch mount.

Remember to put fuel in your bike!

We asked Duffe what the trickest part on his bike was and he pointed towards the titanium footpegs, which has an extra piece welded on for a larger platform. "When Haiden was learning to go fast through whoops, we found that having that extra bit of material helped him add more pressure and leverage to the bike," he said.

We asked Jo Shimoda what his butt patch said and meant, and he said, "I'm not sure?" Memo is one of the head designers at Fox Racing...could that be it?

Jordon Smith's Blair butt patch is for his daughter, Barbie style!

Giddy Up: no explanation required.

One guess whose this is!

You know you're a cowboy when you pair shorts and boots. AP always has time for his many fans, young and old, big and small.

Red Bull KTM's Julien Beaumer was not pleased with his showings at Fox Raceway as 13-9 moto finishes are indicative of what he is capable of. JuJu indicated that lots of suspension testing is in store this week before the Hangtown National in Sacramento.

Tom Vialle is the sole holdout on the Red Bull KTM team that continues to run the standard 2024 chassis. "He is slow to make changes," said team manager Ian Harrison.

Ever spot the TwinAir radiator nets that some mechanics run? Simply put, it keeps mud from building up in the radiator louvers and impairing airflow.

Zapata Espinoza is a legend in two-wheeled journalism, having worked at titles like Motocross Action, Mountain Bike Actio, Road Bike Action, Mountain Bike Magazine, and more. These days, he helps run the Husqvarna, Gas Gas, and Felt Bicycle division at Pierer Mobility. Hi, Zap!

What advice do you think Brian Deegan is giving to his son, Haiden? Wrong answers only.

We think thats Lux Tuner and Ryder McNabb, but it could be Ryder McNabb and Lux Turner. Are we sure these AEO Powersports teammates are not related? Either way, props to all three of the AEO 250 racers as they all scored National points at Fox Raceway: Turner was 17th in moto one, McNabb 19th in moto two, and Talon Hawkins 20th in moto two.

Temperatures at Fox Raceway weren't as horrible as they have been at the facility in the past, but Nate Thrasher still elected to stay cool with the portable fan that plugs into the bike's wiring harness.

When we see riders using music to get pumped up on the starting line, it's always fun to ask what they're listening to. Julien Beaumer: Polo G.

Chance Hymas: Korn.

Jalek Swoll: Meek Mill.

Levi Kitchen, stretching every single ounce of power out of his Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki KX250.

The sound of. the first gate drop of the MX Nationals season is always a hair-raising affair. Forty riders racing for the same piece of real estate...does it get any more exciting?

Former MX2 World Champion Tom Vialle was reknowned for his starting ability in Europe, and its obvious that he brought it with him.

Being at the races is always a good chance to catch up with family. Casey Davis started his career at TransWorld Motocross with swap, and is now with Octopi Media. He also married into the Maeda family with swap's neice, Zayne!

The recently retired people's champion, Adam Cianciarulo, was on hand at Fox Raceway to do some work with the broadcast team. AC is a natural in front of the camera, and we expect to see him in the booth sooner or later.

The first 250 moto saw Levi Kitchen lead most of the race until he clipped one of the Acerbis track markers and got it caught in his boot. As best we could tell from the broadcast coverage, it worked its way up under the buckle and beneath the shin plate. "I could feel it against my leg, inside my boot," explained Kitchen. "I knew that I couldn't race with it stuck in there like that so I slowed down to pull it out." Unfortunately, that was just the pause Deegan needed to find his way past.

After seeing several riders cut this corner short on the first lap of the opening 250 moto, AMA official Tim "Tooltime" McAdams made the "super inside" line impassable with some large rocks before one of the large Acerbis "Spongebob" track markers could be added.

Haiden Deegan's 1-1 moto sweep at Fox Raceway was reviewed for over two hours after the final checkered flag flew, as there were three instanced when the Yamaha rider went off course during the two motos. While Red Bull KTM's Tom Vialle was penalized immediately for his moto one off-track excursion next to the infield rollers, the AMA deliberated until nightfall over the Deegan protest before ruling against it.

We asked both Deegan and Kitchen if it is easier to lead of chase, as they each spent plenty of time in both roles at Fox Raceway. Both indicated that chasing is both easier and more fun, as you could watch your competitor's lines and learn from them.

Chance Hymas, just missing the surprise track markers!

Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha's Jordon Smith was happy with his speed and fitness, but not the results as they looked on paper. "Too many mistakes and a first-turn pileup in moto two left me 12th overall," he said. "It's something to build on, though!"

This fast, rutted section of the track always separates the men from the boys. Most of the front-runners attacked the inside rut without letting off the throttle.

Julien Beaumer was allowed to design a custom O'Neal kit for the Salt Lake City Supercross finale, which also landed on his birthday weekend. He kept every set, washed them, and raced with them at Fox, too. "It's all I'm wearing all summer," he joked.

Coors Light Kuhry drinking a Modelo?

Tom Vialle told us that he is looking forward to the summer now that he's seen all of the track once before. "I have a better idea of what to expect at each track now," he said.

Justin Cooper pickup kit spotted in the crowd!

Is MX Sports' Davey Coombs holding the track marker that got Levi Kitchen? Actually, he graciously obliged when photographers asked him to move the marker that would have been in all of our first-turn photos. Thanks, DC!

A much better photo of Hunter Lawrence's first moto holeshot without the yellow Acerbis stake in the middle of the frame!

A first-turn crash in the opening 450 moto claimed Jason Anderson, Freddie Noren, Robbie Wageman and Dayton Briggs, among others. El Hombre charged back up to 10th.

Dylan Ferrandis looked great in his return to action. The former 450 MX Champion was fourth overall with 7-5 moto scores aboard his Honda CRF450R and to us, he looked better on a Honda at Fox Raceway than he did all throughout Supercross. There were plenty of fire drills in the Factory Connection Honda pits, though...we saw the bike plugged into the laptop and/or torn apart a few times. Once Ferrandis gets 100% comfortable, we'd love to see him challenge at the front of the field.

Local guy Brad West turned in 25-25 moto scores in his 450 National debut. He looked strong and solid all day long.

Aaron Plessinger had a great thing going at Fox Raceway. He finished third in the first moto after holding down second for much of the race. A late-race charge by Hunter Lawrence forced him to settle for the show position, but Plessinger's return to action after injury looked promising. Sadly, the Cowboy tucked the front end of his KTM in the first corner in moto two and started a multi-bike pileup. AP charged back to a commendable 12th with bent bars and a banged-up left arm. Eighth overall, Aaron told us that he, "loves being the underdog!"

Justin Hill and the Team Tedder KTM squad showed up at Fox Raceway and scored points in the first moto with a 19th at the checkers.

We asked Malcolm Stewart if it was great to be back in the great outdoors, and also if the new Husqvarna FC 450 is better for Supercross or Motocross. His answers were great, but you'll have to watch the OGIO Powersports How Was Your Weekend video elsewhere on our website to hear what he had to say.

Props to Motocross Action Magazine editor Josh Mosiman, who qualified for the 450 National aboard a KTM 350 SX-F and carded 37-37 scores for - yep - 37th overall. After the motos, Mosiman got out of his gear, drank some water, and hit the pits to interview other racers.

Phil Nicoletti wasn't bashful about his feelings about the Fox Raceway track. Even though he rode great and finished in the top 10, he said, "I am so glad this is my last ever race and I'm so glad I never have to ride at this place ever again. Place is a shit box."

The Plessinger/H.Lawrence battle in the first moto had the crowd around the entire track cheering for the KTM rider. It really is impressive to see what AP's personality and happy-go-lucky disposition has done for his popularity with fans.

Troy Lee/Red Bull/Gas Gas rider Justin Barcia is one of the few riders who enjoyed a better overall finish than his motos would lead you to believe. Barcia's 6-6 netted fifth overall. It will be interesting to see if Barcia continues to gain comfort, confidence, and speed in his MC450F through the summer months.

AEO Powersports rider Derek Kelley rode strong in the opening 450 moto and earned 14th-place points. He was collected in the second-moto first-turn crash, though, and was unable to finish. More on that in a bit...

Haiden Deegan was quickest off the line and assumed the point position from the get-go, while Levi Kitchen sliced his way past several competitors and moved into second in short order. Kitchen stayed close throughout the moto but was unable to make a serious big for the lead. The lead duo pulled well away from the field, finishing with a near 40-second gap over third-placed Tom Vialle at the finish line. We're looking forward to plenty of battles between these former teammates throughout the summer.

Dilan Schwartz was impressive aboard his Bar-X Suzuki RM-Z250. The kid from San Diego County was the top Suzuki rider in 14th and he looked comfortable hanging it out at speed.

Nick Romano was 18th in the first 250 moto but his afternoon came to an early end in the final race after he was involved in a first-turn pileup. Romano us healthy and looking forward to Hangtown this weekend.

Tom Vialle was penalized one position for an off-track excursion he took in the first moto while running third. After losing control at the start of the infield rollers section, he apparently accelerated too hard on the side of the track for the AMA's tastes. "It is a grey area," he said. "I don't feel like I gained any advantage." Following an opposite ruling on a similar situation later in the day with Haiden Deegan, we're betting that some rule clarification is presented during the Hangtown MX riders' meeting.

Daxton Bennick, at speed en route to 14th in the second 250 moto.

Haiden Deegan and Levi Kitchen were about this close throughout the second 250 moto. "I know exactly how he rides," said Deegan of Kitchen. "When you're teammates with someone and train and practice together, you learn what to expect."

Jalek Swoll held control of third place through the first half of the second moto aboard his Triumph, but he came under fire from Tom Vialle as the two crossed over the starting straight. Vialle worked past Swoll by staying lower over this jump...

...and Swoll took a look back to see who else was coming on the next massive step up!

What do you think Mookie and Chase are sharing a laugh about? We're 99% sure it doesn't involve dirt bikes...

10/10 times that AP sees you pointing a camera his way, this is what you get.

Eyewear check on the starting line: Chase Sexton.

Eyewear check on the starting line: Jett Lawrence.

Eyewear check on the starting line: Justin Cooper.

Justin Barcia has always been one to take advantage of safety equipment. Once a neck brace and double wrist brace-wearer, Barcia now uses a mouthguard to not only protect his grill, but guard against concussions, too.

Eyewear check on the starting line: Dean Wilson and Cullen Park.

Eyewear check on the starting line: Aaron Plessinger, only a smile.

While the starting grates offer awesome, consistent traction, they do fill up with roost as the motos wear on. Well-prepared mechanics like Jade Dungey bring a stiff-bristled brush to help clear the teeth of the grates for maximum traction.

Christien DuCharme uses a Makita cordless blower to keep airflow on his rider on the starting line.

Gratuitous Monster Girl 30-second photo.

Hunter Lawrence was precise in both gate drops on Saturday and led the way into turn one both times aboard his Cameron Camera-tuned Honda CRF450R.

Aaron Plessinger tucked his front end in the first corner of moto two and caused a big pileup that collected Justic Cooper, Cullen Park, Dean Wilson, and Derek Kelley.

Dean Wilson was trapped beneath his bike momentarily, but he remounted in time to work up to 16th at the finish.

Plessinger, meanwhile, had to adjust his bars/front brake with a swift kick of his Alpinestars Tech 10s before rejoining the race.

Derek Kelley, however, was unable to rejoin the race. When he picked his bike up to get going, he let out a unbelievably loud scream of disgust when he saw that his handlebars had snapped. Take a look at his fork - his starting device is still locked down! Kelley was upset, but uninjured.

After being taken down in the moto one pileup, Jason Anderson got through turn one cleanly in the second 450 moto and rode alone in fourth to the checkered flag. "I felt good and was happy with the bike," he said. "It was just nice to get the first race out of the way."

Congrats to Dayton Briggs on his professional debut. The MX Locker-backed rider finished 33rd overall on a Rockstar Energy Edition Husqvarna FC 450 that he bought only a few days prior to the race.

The Lawrence vs. Lawrence battle in the middle of the moto was exciting, to say the least. Hunter's adaptation to the 450 outdoors is impressive, to say the least and we're sure that he will become a familiar site on the podium. Can he steal and overall from little brother? Time will tell...

There was no denying Chase Sexton in the second moto, however, as he worked past Hunter and kept Jett honest to the finish. It was odd to hear Jettson and Chase both comment afterward that they lacked comfort...makes you wonder how fast they will be when they get their settings dialed.

See you in Sacramento!