2025 AMA Pro Motocross Recap - Hangtown

There's heat, then there's what was the heat in Northern California. 103-degree heat blistered throughout the Hangtown facility and made things very difficult on these riders—so much so that the AMA shaved five minutes off of both Moto 2s. Last weekend's winners, Haiden Deegan and Jett Lawrence, didn't seem worse for wear in qualifying, pacing things in the AM, but could they leave California and go into Chicago with their early perfect season bids intact?

Daytime Program/Injury Notes: 

- Much better layout for racing than last week, but that isn't saying much.

- Getting as little information as we did on Chase Sexton's injury from KTM before today is unacceptable in this day and age. He's likely out until Southwick via Lewis Phillips.

- 250 Fastest Qualifier: No. 1 Haiden Deegan (1:56.501) (Two seconds faster than everyone outside of the top five)

- 450 Fastest Qualifier: No. 18 Jett Lawrence (1:55.914)

250 Class Recap

1st) No. 1 Haiden Deegan (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) (1-1)

Almost a carbon copy performance as a week ago for the defending Champion. Same-ish starts, but Deegan was still able to get up front relatively early and more or less maintain things in the scorching NorCal heat. Most of the time he was able to gain on the field came in that opening sector (finish line to downhill rollers after the 180 corner) but he was more consistent than dominant across the other three sections, which honestly was probably better given all the mistakes we saw guys make on the back half of this track. Given the 100-plus degree temps and whatever sickness he was dealing with (listen to him post-Moto 2, hope he feels better today), I wouldn't blame anyone for thinking this was the best outing of his career.

2nd) No. 30 Jo Shimoda (Honda HRC) (2-2)

Speaking of repeat performances, Shimoda is in the same boat as Deegan himself. The beginning and end with him is that these starts he's had have to be better. Even if it means he's in second or third across the holeshot line instead of fifth or sixth, he doesn't have the early race pace that even guys like Levi Kitchen, or even someone like Casey Cochran, showed off today.

17th) No. 16 Tom Vialle (Red Bull KTM) (DNF-8)

Another preseason storyline I brought up was the idea that Vialle had to be better in Moto 1s if he wanted a real shot to be a Champion, and while this DNF at Hangtown wasn't as bad as the one in Thunder Valley last year, which ended his day completely, he, and quite frankly no one else either, aren't in a postion to be giving up 25 points to Haiden in just one Moto. Now he has a massive early-season hole to dig himself out of, and if last year is to be judged, I don't know if Vialle can dig himself out unless he comes out swinging just outside of Denver.

19th) No. 10 Chance Hymas (Honda HRC) (13-DNS)

Haiden Deegan wasn't the only rider under the weather this week. Hymas, despite a bout of food poisoning,Hymas once again showed some good pace right away, but an early mistake cost him the lead, and things slowly fizzled out for him afterwards. Ultimately, Honda opted to sit him out of Moto 2 due to some depleted electrolyte levels, and in those conditions yesterday, that was probably for the best.

250 Class Hangtown National Top 10

1st) No. 1 Haiden Deegan (1-1)

2nd) No. 30 Jo Shimoda (2-2)

3rd) No. 47 Levi Kitchen (3-3)

4th) No. 23 Julien Beamuer (8-4)

5th) No. 36 Garrett Marchbanks (7-5)

6th) No. 19 Jordon Smith (11-6)

7th) No. 107 Mikkel Haarup (10-9)

8th) No. 26 Ty Masterpool (4-16)

9th) No. 44 Dilan Schwartz (9-13)

10th) No. 93 Michael Mosiman (5-17)

250 Class Points After Hangtown

1st) No. 1 Haiden Deegan (100 Points)

2nd) No. 30 Jo Shimoda (88 Points)

3rd) No. 23 Julien Beaumer (67 Points)

4th) No. 36 Garrett Marchbanks (65 Points)

5th) No. 47 Levi Kitchen (52 Points)

6th) No. 16 Tom Vialle (52 Points)

7th) No. 93 Michael Mosiman (47 Points)

8th) No. 26 Ty Masterpool (46 Points)

9th) No. 10 Chance Hymas (45 Points)

10th) No. 56 Seth Hammaker (45 Points)

450 Class Recap

1st) No. 18 Jett Lawrence (Honda HRC) (3-1)

Yesterday's Moto 1 was probably the most bizarre of Jett Lawrence's 450 career due to of his lack of pace. He got blasted with roost from Eli Tomac in the opening corner and closed out in turn two, but legitimately got dropped by both the No. 3 and then Aaron Plessinger up until the final few corners in the case of the latter. Adam Cianciarulo brought up his theory that it was a rear shock issue that hampered Lawrence in the opening 30 of the day, mentioning that "he knew he wasn't winning this one about 2 laps in." Welp, that definitely wasn't the case in Moto 2, as it was back to your regularly scheduled programming and a National win with a 3-1. Not a max points day, but with how things ended up for Tomac, Honda should feel great going to Thunder Valley.

2nd) No. 7 Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM) (2-3)

Where the hell has the Plessinger we saw in the first 27.5 minutes of Moto 1 been all this time??? That was comfortably the best he's ever looked on a 450 bike indoors or out, and it's not even close. It makes it all the more bittersweet that he couldn't seal the deal, but those are the breaks sometimes. Still, it was a very good day for the Cowboy, and for whatever it's worth, he sits second in the Championship at the moment.

4th) No. 3 Eli Tomac (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) (1-9)

Saturday was pretty vintage for Tomac on both sides of the coin in that he had that unreal last 10 minute pace that did him wonders in the late 2010s, but also in the case of Moto 2, a horrendus timely start that put him in the 20s and ended his hopes at a 1-1 right then and there. Give Tomac props for rallying to ninth despite a mid-moto front tire slip, but he left a ton of meat on the bone with (likely) his final trip to Thunder Valley on deck.

450 Class Hangtown National Top 10

1st) No. 18 Jett Lawrence (3-1)

2nd) No. 7 Aaron Plessinger (2-3)

3rd) No. 32 Justin Cooper (4-2)

4th) No. 3 Eli Tomac (1-9)

5th) No. 96 Hunter Lawrence (5-4)

6th) No. 2 Cooper Webb (7-7)

7th) No. 24 R.J. Hampshire (6-8)

8th) No. 21 Jason Anderson (9-6)

9th) No. 70 Jorge Prado (12-5)

10th) No. 27 Malcolm Stewart (8-10)

450 Class Points After Hangtown

1st) No. 18 Jett Lawrence (95 Points)

2nd) No. 7 Aaron Plessinger (79 Points)

3rd) No. 3 Eli Tomac (78 Points)

4th) No. 32 Justin Cooper (76 Points)

5th) No. 96 Hunter Lawrence (73 Points)

6th) No. 21 Jason Anderson (59 Points)

7th) No. 70 Jorge Prado (58 Points)

8th) No. 24 R.J. Hampshire (56 Points)

9th) No. 17 Joey Savatgy (49 Points)

10th) No. 2 Cooper Webb (45 Points)

Main Image via Honda HRC