Spring Creek MX National 2023

Another excellent day in the dirt for Monster Energy-backed racers on the AMA Motocross Championship Series tour as the M-claw logo was all over the podium in both the 450 and 250 classes at Saturday’s FXR Spring Creek MX National in Millville, Minn.

Leading the way in the 450 class for Monster Energy was Honda’s Chase Sexton, who continued his comeback from an early season injury with a very fast, though error-riddled, 2-2 two moto effort for 2nd place overall. Right behind Sexton on his YZ450 was Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha’s Dylan Ferrandis, who parlayed a 5-3 finish into the third and final 450 podium spot – solidifying his 2nd place hold on the season overall standings in the 450 class. Monster Energy/Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo would have a solid day at Spring Creek as well, pulling a holeshot in Moto 1 and bringing home a 5th place overall finish with a 7-5 two moto effort.

And though a 2nd place run for Sexton seems positive, the defending Monster Energy AMA Supercross champion wasn’t all that happy with his effort – and wants that to change. “We’re close, but I’m sick and tired of getting second place,” he said. “I’m disappointed going down in both motos. I kind of blew it.”

On the 250s Monster Energy got a (second) moto win from Justin Cooper (Star Racing/Yamaha), but his 4th place effort in the opening moto kept him off the top of the box (2nd). Grabbing 3rd place with an excellent effort on the day was Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Jo Shimoda, who raced up front in both motos in a 2-3 effort for 3rd place overall. And also making the top five for Monster Energy was Levi Kitchen (Star Racing/Yamaha), who’s 7-4 finish was good enough for 5th place..

Added Cooper: “We’ll take it. Still have some work to do, but we’re making progress and looking forward to next weekend (Washougal).”

Also noteworthy was Monster Energy super rookie Haiden Deegan’s (Star Racing/Yamaha) 7th place (5-8) effort, which saw his 1st place overall position in the standings, and red race # plate, last for just one week as race winner Hunter Lawrence (Honda) took back the points lead with his overall win at Spring Creek.

Spring Creek MX

450 class results                                                 250

2nd - Sexton (Monster/Honda)                            2nd - Cooper (Monster/Star/Yamaha)

3rd - Ferrandis (Monster/ Star/Yamaha)              3rd - Shimoda (Monster/PC/Kawasaki)

5th - Cianciarulo (Monster/Kawasaki)                  5th - Kitchen (Monster/Star/Yamaha)

Overall Standings (7 of 11 rounds)

450 class                                                             250

2nd - Ferrandis, 269 points                                 2nd - Deegan, 247 points

4th - Cianciarulo, 206 points                              4th - Shimoda, 240 points

5th - Sexton, 174 points                                       5th - Cooper, 239 points

450

Moto 1

Cianciarulo got things off to a blazing start in the 450 class, pulling the MotoSport.com holeshot and taking the early race lead. Sexton was close behind Cianciarulo (and Jett Lawrence), but went down early and dropped back a number of positions. … As Sexton began to make his way back towards the leaders, Cianciarulo would drop back a couple spots – behind Lawrence and KTM’s Aaron Plessinger. … Sexton would make quick work with the racers in front of him, moving into 2nd place by the race’s 10 minute mark – and cutting into his Honda teammate Lawrence’s lead. … Monster Energy/Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson would join the top five, creating a three-way battle for the third and final podium spot with Cianciarulo and Plessinger. … As the 30 minutes plus two lap moto wore down, things got real interesting between Sexton and Lawrence – foreshadowing what should be a hotly contested four remaining races on the AMA Motocross Championship schedule. Sexton would cut Lawrence’s once double digit second lead down to two seconds – before dropping his bike on a downhill section, which ended his run at the opening moto win as he’d remount and place 2nd. Anderson would lock down 3rd place, with Ferrandis rallying back to make the top five (5th).

Moto 2

An all-Honda drag race to the MotoSport.com holeshot stripe would see Sexton win that battle (vs. Lawrence), only to have Lawrence earn the top spot back when Sexton made a traction error on a corner exit. … While all this was going on up front, Anderson, who was on the podium in the opening 450 moto and poised for an overall podium, was collected in a crash – and had to leave the moto (DNF). … With Anderson out, the Honda teammates separated from the pack, only to have Sexton go down again. The 2022 450 class MX Nationals’ runner-up was quick to remount, losing only one spot to a fellow Monster Energy factory pilot Cianciarulo. … Sexton would make a quick comeback on Cianciarulo, snatching 2nd place back from the Kawasaki racer. During this time Ferrandis would make up for lost time, arriving to challenge Cianciarulo for 3rd place. … No sooner was Ferrandis onto Cianciarulo was he past, taking 3rd place while Cianciarulo would give up the 4th spot to Plessinger. … With the early mistake that allowed Lawrence to break free, followed by the crash, Sexton had basically given Lawrence a 17-second lead – which is an eternity in motocross. With 1st and 2nd place secured, the fans at Spring Creek MX turned their attention to the great battle for 3rd place between Ferrandis and Plessinger – which Ferrandis won, which earned him the final 450 class podium position (5-3), his fifth podium of the season.

250

Moto 1

Monster Energy was out front to kick off the FXR Spring Creek MX National as Shimoda pulled the MotoSport.com holeshot, ahead of a trio of Monster Energy compadres, including Deegan, Cooper and Kitchen. … With Shimoda’s lead nearing five seconds as the race clock hit the 10-minute mark, Cooper would grab the 3rd position from Kitchen, with Honda’s Hunter Lawrence making his way into the top five. … Deegan was running fast at the moto’s midway point when a miscalculation on Mt. Martin would send the 250 class points leader off the track. Lawrence was quick to pounce on 2nd place, with Cooper, who Lawrence had passes moments earlier, holding onto 3rd place. … Shimoda was enjoying a near six-second lead with 10 minutes remaining when Lawrence began to make up time. It was around this time as well that RJ Hampshire (Husqvarna) would wrestle the 3rd position from Cooper. … With a few minutes remaining Shimoda and Lawrence were locked in an epic back-and-forth battle, with Shimoda holding the fastest lines while Lawrence did everything possible to get past the Monster Energy racer. … As the 2 Lap board came out, and with the Spring Creek faithful on their feet, Lawrence would win a drag race with Shimoda to take the lead, which the Honda racer held through the checkers. Shimoda would lock down a hard-earned 2nd place podium finish, while Cooper place 4th and Deegan 5th.

Moto 2

Shimoda got another great start in the second 250 moto, right next to Kitchen – and eventual holeshot winner Lawrence. … Once things got sorted out off the start, Cooper would sneak in past Shimoda for 3rd, while Kitchen held strong in 2nd. Points leader Deegan would not get the greatest start, coming around on the opening lap in 13th place. … With Lawrence running up front, Kitchen was running in 2nd place, with Cooper hot on his trail. Cooper would make the pass on Lap 4. … As Cooper began clicking off hot laps in an effort to catch leader Lawrence, Shimoda was putting on a podium battle as well, passing Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Ryder DiFrancesco for 4th, then closing on Kitchen for the third and final podium spot. … Toward the end of the contest the Shimoda vs. Kitchen battle would highlight the day’s final 250 moto, with Shimoda getting the better of the young Kitchen. Lawrence would then faulter while in the lead, crashed, and handed the moto win over to Cooper – his second moto win of the season. Shimoda would hold onto 3rd, fiercely battling Lawrence for 2nd on the last lap.

Notes & Quotes

• “Tough day for me, but I’m glad to be on the box. It’s tough to accept, but it is what it is. I gave it everything I had, and third was the best for me today.” — Ferrandis
• “That’s not acceptable, and I’m going to throw everything I have at it for the final four rounds. … I’m going to get one of these (an overall race win) before the season’s over.” — Sexton
• “I wouldn’t say I settled (in Moto 2), but I wanted to maintain the gap in case something happened. That worked out in our favor.” — Cooper
• “I had to rebuild myself from last year.” — Cooper 
• “I feel happy with my starts more than my riding. The riding is getting better, too.” — Shimoda
• “All it takes is one little slip up, and it’s the domino effect.” — NBC TV announcer Ricky Carmichael on the pile up at the start of the opening 250 moto that collected Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker.
• After an opening 450 moto podium (3rd), Anderson got tangled up with local Millville pro Henry Miller on the first lap and went down hard. Anderson left the race under his own power, but was unable to continue. His 3-38 resulted in a 10th place finish.
• Great to see Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Austin Forkner return to 250 class racing action. Injured at the Monster Energy AMA Supercross opener this past January in Anaheim, Calif., Forkner made his triumphant return to the MX Nationals at Spring Creek and placed a respectable 9th (11-9).