Sexton Crashes Out

Chase Sexton said his crash wasn’t caused by him after his Kawasaki appeared to lock up in mid-air and send him over the bars into a violent landing that means Sexton is away home to get his knee checked out. 

Sexton said: “Well not a great day. Knee feels cooked but will get it checked when I get home. Incident was out of my control and feeling like a passenger was very scary. I’m just very lucky to be somewhat okay and the man up above was looking over me. Thanks for the messages and everyone checking in, it means a lot.” 

Is this the last time we see Sexton on the Kawasaki? Speaking before the crash to Lewis Phillips, Sexton admitted his ghost ride in the Hangtown was the result of six months of frustration building up, saying he was just riding around, in very similar quotes to Jorge Prado last year. It looks like the intelligent Spaniard was 100% correct and more people should have believed him.

Sexton commented BEFORE the bike ended his weekend: “So I obviously had a rough first moto. I got hit two turns to go, went on the ground again. Webb. He got me back for San Diego. So yeah, I was frustrated, but  just, yeah, not comfortable. I was just kind of riding around, to be honest out there. I mean, I’m riding as fast as I can, but it’s not even close to my pace, and I just came back. I lost my cool, definitely wasn’t very professional with me, and it wasn’t like a good look.

“It’s just been a lot of build up to get to that point. I’ve been trying to suppress it, suppress it, and it just came out. And yeah, I got caught in my chain, getting through my washer to put my bike back, and I just left the clutch out. I mean, everyone thinks I just ghost-rode it into the semi, but I really just like, it went like three feet in front of me and just fell over it. And I didn’t ghost ride it into Garrett.

“Garrett was not as close to me. So, a lot of speculation on what happened. I just, honestly, I just left my clutch out, left it there, and it wasn’t. I mean, that’s obviously not the right move. I felt bad about it after I cooled down, but it’s just a lot of frustration building up, and it finally came to a peak there.”

Mammaker Learning from the Lawrences!

Sexton's problem is not the Kawasaki

Since Chase Sexton's move to Kawasaki, almost every mixed result has been blamed on the bike. After the second AMA Pro Motocross However, this view is met with opposition in Hangtown – namely from two riders whose opinions carry weight in American motocross.

Ryan Villopoto and Ricky Carmichael do not primarily see the KX450 as the cause of Sexton's current situation.

Villopoto rides the KX450 himself

Villopoto made no secret of his opinion on the Tite 24 podcast that he considers the criticism of the motorcycle to be exaggerated. The former Kawasaki factory rider stated that he regularly rides a stock KX450. Apart from the handlebars, he rides the motorcycle practically in its factory condition.

He is therefore convinced that much more is possible with the Kawasaki than the recent results suggest.

Villopoto doesn't see the recurring crashes as solely a motorcycle problem. At some point, a rider has to accept the characteristics of a motorcycle and adjust their riding style accordingly.

Carmichael recalls previous championships

Ricky Carmichael also rejects the notion that a motorcycle must be perfect to win races. The record champion pointed out that many titles have been won on motorcycles that had their weaknesses. The crucial factor, he said, is not whether problems exist, but how the rider and team deal with them.

They both agree on this point: Anyone who has spent enough time on a motorcycle knows its limits. From this point on, it's no longer just about technical modifications, but also about making the best possible use of the existing strengths.

Marchbanks provides the counter-argument.

Villopoto's reference to Garrett Marchbanks was particularly interesting. While the discussions surrounding Sexton and the Kawasaki repeat themselves week after week, Marchbanks finished fifth in the day's standings in Hangtown with a sixth and a fifth place.

Of course, nobody would claim that Marchbanks is currently riding at the level of a Chase Sexton. Nevertheless, his weekend shows that the Kawasaki is not automatically an obstacle to competitive results.

This is precisely where their argument begins.

The criticism is not directed at Kawasaki.

No one disputes that the Kawasaki still has development potential. However, that's true for almost every motorcycle in the paddock. What's remarkable about Villopoto and Carmichael's statements is that both now place more responsibility on the rider than on the machine.

A position that not everyone will share.

The discussion is likely to continue in the paddock. However, Villopoto and Carmichael are clearly contradicting the widespread theory that the Kawasaki alone is responsible for Sexton's problems.

Ken Roczen Interview

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Deegan Learning Fast!

Haiden Deegan learns quickly – and knows exactly where he's still wasting time.

 Ralph Marzahn  June 10, 2026

In the second race of the 450cc class, Haiden Deegan made it onto the podium. Despite this, he didn't sound like a rider who was already satisfied after the Hangtown National. While many observers are primarily focused on the results, the Yamaha rider is currently preoccupied with something else: trying to figure out how the top riders in the 450cc class win their races.

That's precisely why the laps behind Jett and Hunter Lawrence were almost as valuable to him as the podium.

The gap has narrowed.

Compared to the season opener in Pala, Deegan felt much more comfortable in Hangtown. One reason for this was his starts. He had already worked specifically on improving his gate starts during the week, and it paid off.

The rookie found himself in the leading group on several occasions and was able to keep pace with the favorites, at least for extended periods. "When I start at the front, I can see what the guys there are doing differently," Deegan explained. "That's the most important thing for me right now."

Especially in Formula 1, learning during the race is crucial. Instead of driving alone through the field, he can directly observe which lines the experienced drivers choose and how they structure their races.

Patience instead of brute force

It was striking that Deegan, despite his aggressive riding style, drove with relative control. The 20-year-old repeatedly mentioned not wanting to set his sights too high. The season is still long, and he wants to avoid putting himself under unnecessary pressure.

“It’s only my second race,” he said after the weekend. “I have to take it step by step.” This approach is surprising. After all, Deegan has been known for years as a driver who rarely holds back and doesn’t shy away from big names.

In Hangtown, however, he appeared much more strategic. Instead of putting all his eggs in one basket, he focused on gaining further experience and consistently scoring points.

The 450cc requires a different riding style.

Deegan is still learning on the motorcycle itself. After the race in Hangtown, he spoke about how the 450cc bike handles differently than the motorcycles he was used to. He said he still needs to get used to the higher weight and the power delivery, especially when jumping.

That didn't stop him from pulling off some spectacular maneuvers, though. After an overtaking maneuver in the second heat, even Deegan had to chuckle at his own riding style. "Sometimes I just throw the bike in sideways. The 450cc handles pretty cool like that."

The podium is no longer a surprise.

Just a few weeks ago, the discussion centered on how quickly Deegan would adapt to the 450cc class. After two race weekends, the question now seems to be when he can fight for his first overall victory.

The Yamaha rider himself avoids such discussions. Instead, he speaks almost exclusively about progress, starts, and race rhythm. This is precisely what makes his results so far remarkable.

Although Deegan repeatedly emphasizes that he is still learning, he is already in the middle of the top group of the strongest motocross series in the world.

Is Sexton Confused?

Deegan Humble after Hangtown

Haiden Deegan had RIP Jett on shirt at the Pala press conference but the Aussie super talent has come back to life pretty fast with a dominant 1-1 at Hangtown with Deegan starting behind Jett in moto one and eventually getting dropped then passed by Hunter and had Prado closing in late until the KTM rider’s engine went bang!

Deegan started tenth in race two and rode himself into third in another good ride, but he is still looking for the pace to win – so we asked him was he surprised at the pace of the Lawrence brothers when he started with them in moto one,

Deegan said: “Just keep building on these weekends. I think that’s the only way I can progress is if I’m up there every weekend, I’m getting some better starts or a little better today. At first, when I was a pretty good start, I was able to run with the boys and just kind of get that feel”.

They’re fast, so find their lines and see how they do it up there. And that’s kind of my thing right now. And just keep doing each weekend and hopefully keep on rolling in.”

We then asked if he is surprised at the level of speed at the front compared to what he was expecting…“No, it’s what I expected. It’s nothing surprising. I know these boys are quick, and I think it kind of goes back to the fact of just each weekend trying to close that gap. I get a whole lot better than Fox and just make baby steps and not ride over my head also, so I got to take that into account, and going back to kind of my 250 rookie season, I just kept building each weekend and was there for every race, and I feel like that’s my goal for this 450 season as well.”

Is the American looking forward to Lucas Coenen lining up this weekend? “I’m down to ride with anyone that’s cool, and those guys come over again and race. I feel like every GP guy is slowly making their way over here. I don’t know why that is. The money is better, but maybe I’ll just start to go over there and race those guys next, but I don’t know. I think the coolest one is if Herlings came over again and race, that would be sick”.

Ian Harrison with an update on Eli Tomac

The Lawrence Brother's Show at Hangtown!

One week after the season opener in Pala, the AMA Pro Motocross Championship has received a clear indication of its intentions. Jett Lawrence is back.

At the prestigious Hangtown Motocross Classic in Rancho Cordova, the Honda rider celebrated his first overall victory of the season, displaying the same dominance as in his prime. Two race wins, the fastest qualifying time, and a perfect points haul made it clear that the reigning Pro Motocross and SMX champion, despite his winter injury, once again poses a serious threat to all his title rivals.

Jett is in control of the situation

Lawrence made a statement right from qualifying. He was the only driver to break the 1:50 mark, clearly relegating rookie Haiden Deegan to second place.

In the first race, the Australian left no doubt about his dominance. After taking the holeshot, he controlled the race from the start and managed his lead confidently to the finish. Behind him, his brother Hunter Lawrence and Haiden Deegan battled for the remaining podium positions.

While Hunter overtook Deegan shortly before the end of the race, Jett drove towards an unchallenged race victory.

Even in the second race, there was ultimately no getting past the Honda star. Although a race stoppage followed by a restart added extra excitement, Lawrence once again took the lead early and prevailed against the strong competition.

The duel of the brothers

The second race proved particularly interesting. For much of the race, Hunter Lawrence seemed to be within striking distance of his brother. The championship leader repeatedly closed the gap and put Jett under pressure.

But it was precisely in this phase that the younger Lawrence showed his class.

“I knew that Hunter would be right there if I went all out from the start. That’s why I first found my rhythm and then later did a short sprint to disrupt his rhythm. That worked,” Jett explained after the race.

Within just a few laps, the gap grew from just under a second to several seconds. The race was decided. "It's harder to race against Jett than against anyone else. He's my toughest opponent," Hunter admitted afterward.

Deegan continues its advance

Even though victory remained out of reach, Haiden Deegan could be pleased with another strong weekend.

The Yamaha rider, in only his second Pro Motocross race in the 450cc class, once again stood on the podium and gained valuable experience against the established top riders. Notably, Deegan rode two almost identical races. With third-place finishes in both, he avoided mistakes and consistently collected points.

“I want to improve from weekend to weekend. That’s the goal. We’ll keep working and try again next week,” said the rookie.

With third place in the championship, Deegan is already in the middle of the title fight after two events.

Hunter remains top of the table

Despite the defeat against his brother, Hunter Lawrence was able to leave Hangtown with a positive feeling. Following his double victory in Pala, he now secured an equally convincing 2-2 result. This keeps the Honda rider leading the championship.

However, the lead has shrunk considerably. Only six points now separate the two brothers after two of eleven races. This sets up exactly the scenario many fans had hoped for: a direct title fight between Hunter and Jett Lawrence.

Title fight picks up speed

While Jett Lawrence celebrated his first victory of the year in Hangtown, the weekend also provided another insight: the Honda brothers currently appear to be the ones to beat in the 450cc class.

Behind them lurk drivers like Haiden Deegan, Chase Sexton and Jorge Prado, but in Rancho Cordova no one managed to keep up with the pace of the two Australians over the full race distance.

After two races, the season is still long. However, Hangtown has shown that the reigning champion has returned to where the competition least wanted to see him: right at the front.