Did Jett Lawrence ACTUALLY Break the Rookie Win Record?

The 2024 San Francisco Supercross is up next and it's round two of the Monster Energy Supercross season. In This Week in MXA, episode 160, presented by O'Neal, we look ahead to San Francisco while also highlighting the Anaheim 1 A1 Supercross. Did Jett Lawrence really break the record of being the first rookie to win a 450SX Main Event? Josh lays out the facts of Josh Grant and Ken Roczen doing this in a similar fashion before.

Norton Replaces Cairoli - KTM

 Preparation for the 2024 FIM Motocross World Championship is already well underway and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing will aim to defend their MX2 title and push for more MXGP spoils with the same rider line-up but under new management. Stepping up from his Technical Co-ordinator role, Harry Norton has assumed the position of Team Manager and the 29-year-old Australian will guide the efforts of the crew and Jeffrey Herlings, Andrea Adamo, Liam Everts and Sacha Coenen with KTM 450 SX-F and KTM 250 SX-F machinery in the 20-round series.

Norton arrived in Austria in 2019 after a long association with KTM and KTM Australia in his native country where he worked at a local dealership and then also around the national racing scene. His passion for dirtbikes and competition meant he was eager to break through to the hub of the factory’s motorsport activities in Europe. His easy-going manner and technical proficiency allowed him to forge an immediately beneficial relationship with rookie Tom Vialle; the Frenchman won a Grand Prix in his first season and the pair scooped two MX2 world championships in the following three years.

Norton quickly assumed an instrumental role inside the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing organisation and was seen as the natural successor to Dirk Gruebel in 2023 as Team Technical Co-ordinator. The crew underwent a major revamp with three new riders and a wholesale reset of technical staff as KTM looked to the future. Norton was able to marshal the squad to a fifteenth MX2 crown with the KTM 250SX-F thanks to the positive first step with Adamo, and also help Herlings reach a new all-time win record of 103 Grand Prix triumphs in the MXGP category and with the KTM 450 SX-F.

Harry’s positive growth and growing influence means he will take the reigns of the MXGP operation for 2024, backed by Gruebel, Team Co-ordinator Valentina Ragni, Team Trainer Joel Smets and other figures such as new Technical Co-ordinator Stefan Simpson.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing will be competing in MXGP pre-season events in Spain, Italy, France, Holland and the UK before the season begins in Argentina on March 10th.

Harry Norton, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “People have asked me how I feel about this, and the answer is simply: excited. It was a dream to work for this team, and to make it as one of the key figures and to have such an input into how we go racing is next level for me. I’ve had some of the best possible influences around me, such as Dirk, Peter [Tillerkvist], Robert [Jonas] and Pit [Beirer], and I want to thank them for their help and for sharing their experience. We’ve got another big season ahead and with the same goals we always have. We have a strong team and we’ll work with the same passion and the same dedication to achieve what we can.”

Robert Jonas, Vice President Offroad Racing: “Harry has reached this position based on qualities that we really appreciate and we really value. He is passionate about the sport and dedicated to the brand: he already has a long KTM history and made a huge change to travel across the world and chase his professional dreams. He not only has the technical knowledge but has shown a high willingness to learn and can evaluate situations very well. What is also important is his character: Harry is open, friendly and calm and these are essential qualities for a race team that needs good organisation, a good atmosphere and to face the drama that sport can bring. We really believe in him. 2023 was already a test of what he can do and now he’s directing one of our most successful Red Bull KTM teams. We are confident that he, Valentina, Dirk and all the guys have a strong 2024.”

Haiden Deegan Injured... SX Season in Jeopardy!

There were many rumors circulating in the Anaheim pits last weekend during the first round of Supercross. Speculation was rife about a wrist injury, and indeed, the injury is in Haiden Deegan’s wrist, specifically the scaphoid.

As Haiden Deegan gears up for the 2024 AMA Supercross Season in the 250 East, commencing on February 3rd at Detroit SX, Steve Matthes confirmed today that Deegan is indeed injured. Despite the setback, Deegan is determined to participate in the Detroit Supercross. A scaphoid injury typically requires up to 12 weeks for recovery, but considering that Deegan sustained the injury in December, there may be sufficient time for healing before the event on February 3rd.

Amidst swirling rumors suggesting that Deegan might withdraw from Supercross to focus on the Pro Motocross Season, Matthes clarified today that Deegan will make an attempt to compete

Dakar Stage 6

The newest addition to the Dakar Rally – the 48 Hour Chrono – finally got underway on the opening day of Stage Six in the gargantuan Empty Quarter dunes, where 626 km of desert tested both mental and physical stamina on Thursday and continues into Friday

Riders were tasked with making their way across the route as fast they could today, and once the clock got to 1600 riders headed to the nearest bivouac.

Adrien Van Beveren was on favoured terrain and with a second-place finish on stage five he kept Ricky Brabec – who led for much of the day – within his sights. Less than 30-seconds covered them in a battle across the dunes, before the number 42 took the provisional lead after 400 km.

Brabec judged the dunes to perfection to finish second, keeping an eye on that important fuel consumption which unfortunately caught out Pablo Quintanilla.

Ricky Brabec

After a great stage victory yesterday, Quintanilla ran out of fuel 184 km into the special test and just 10 km prior to the first refuelling point, losing him over an hour and a half to the front runners. The rally veteran eventually found some fuel and rejoined the stage to try and regain as much time as he can. Teammate José Ignacio Cornejo finished the day ninth.

Pablo Quintanilla faced disaster after running out of fuel

Taking advantage of his third-place result on Wednesday’s stage five and the reverse start to today’s special, Toby Price pushed hard right from the off, using his skill and experience to navigate through the vast dunes

Increasing his pace as he chased down the 14 riders ahead of him, Toby moved into third place on the timesheets by kilometre 200 – a position he defended to the close of the day’s racing. The Australian will now camp out in the Saudi desert with little in the way of facilities ahead of Friday’s second half of the stage.

Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Daniel Sanders also successfully made it through the first leg, as one of just 12 riders to reach the sixth temporary bivouac on the special, ranked fourth-fastest as it stands. With racing resuming tomorrow, Chucky is well-placed to complete the unique special in a strong position, as he slowly chips away at the overall lead.

Andreas Hölzl  – GASGAS Rally Team Manager

“It’s been a great day for Daniel. He delivered a mistake-free ride and reached the sixth temporary bivouac on the stage today with no problems. The stage started a little later than normal, which meant that the temperatures were a little higher than usual, so it’s been a really long and tough stage. Overall, I’m happy with Daniel’s performance. We’re almost halfway through the race now and once tomorrow’s second leg of the stage is complete, we’ll certainly enjoy the rest day.

Luciano Benavides completed the top five for the first half of the new 48-hour chrono stage, while brother Kevin was the seventh rider to enter the special on stage six and despite the earlier start, ended the day in the same position – seventh-fastest.

The overall outright cumulative rankings are still very much provisional but we believe Ricky Brabec has overhauled Ross Branch to now be the outright leader.

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Dakar Stage 5

2024 Dakar Rally Stage 5 in a nutshell – Al Hofuf > Shubaytah , Special: 118km Liaison: 527km

• There’s not much to say about today’s special stage except that it was mainly dunes and at 118km was basically a sprint for these guys. A sprint ahead of the mysterious two-day Chrono stage to follow (more on that below).
• 1:32.53 on the special for today’s winner Pablo Quintanilla (subject to any speeding fines again, eh Pablo?!). Less rocks, less trick navigation, more dunes saw the Chilean finish ahead of sand lovers Adrien Van Beveren, Toby Price and Daniel Sanders – all three having their best daily results of the rally so far (they need it).
• Two engine changes on his Kove done already, Mason Klein popped back into the mix today with P5. We know he should be here in the top 10 but Mason hasn’t been so this year much due to mechanical problems on his new ride (this is development riding and some for the Chinese manufacturer!). Starting in 56th place today Klein did get an hour and 15 longer sleeping relative to the leaders, so it’s not all bad…
• Sixth on the stage and 3:42 off the pace, Ross Branch was steadier after two crashes yesterday but did enough to regain the overall race lead, swinging back in his favour by one minute. That’s four of the five stages he has lead already for Hero.
• Stage four winner, and overnight leader, Nacho Cornejo had a harder time leading in the soft stuff and though he tried, gaining a meagre .49s of bonus time (added at 1s for every kilometre led), he got hoovered up by the guys following his wheel tracks and finished 12th and over six minutes down.
• Ricky Brabec remains a solid third overall, 3:47 down but still, it feels like these three have the race in their hands at this stage. Van Beveren in gaining momentum, and the next few days will be crucial in the sand, but he is the best of the rest 18 minutes adrift on scratch times.
• “I’m happy I could finish but in the last 5kms my bike stopped three or four times, we will see…”. It sounded ominous for World Rally-Raid Champion Lucian Benavides who arrived by the skin of his teeth on a bike sounding very rough. It could be an engine change for Luciano tonight which means 15 minutes added to his time which will drop him outside the top 10.

• What does need pointing out in no uncertain terms is how damn far they rode to get to the start of the special – it took two fuel stops and was a long, straight and boring road in the cold and dark.
• As we’ve said before, drop into Google Maps and check how far 527 kilometres (327 miles) is from your front door. Now get up at 3:30am and do it on a dirt bike.
• It’s no fun in a freezing desert either, plus this is day five of the Dakar so they’re already knackered. “That’s the furthest I’ve ever ridden a motorbike!” Said EnduroGP Women’s World Champion Jane Daniels (62nd today), competing her first Dakar. ‘On yer’ Jane as the Aussies say.
• They needed it easier (on the bike at least) today because from tomorrow morning they are on their own again in this vast and empty place.
• A two-day marathon stage, or rather one single stage spread over two days which they are dubbing the “48hr Chrono” section begins tomorrow. So Stage 5 is run across Thursday and Friday – Stage 6A and Stage 6B if you like.
• Details remain thin as the organisers are keeping schtum until tonight’s briefing, leaving riders and teams in the dark until the last minute. One detail is the GP class departs in reverse order meaning Joan Barreda, last in class tonday, goes first while Quintanilla will go 17th (Rally2 class follows on after in classification order). Stage 6A will be long and potentially hot again like today, riding to a time cut-off point where they stop, have limited time to check their own bikes and then bed down in a tent village (no service crew and limited facilities, no catering etc).  
• When we’ve listened to the briefing tonight, we’ll pass on the info because we’re as curious as the riders and teams are. Stay tuned.

2024 German SuperEnduro

Billy Bolt Extends Championship Lead At 2024 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship

Jorge Prado on his first AMA Supercross

Jorge that was impressive, how did you find the experience, was it a success finishing 13th? For me it was!

Yeah, I think it was a very good day. Everything is new for me, the race format, racing at night, racing at night made me feel a bit uncomfortable, just because I am not used to it. There are things I need experience to start feeling better, the track was so different compared to what I am used to too!

A1 Rider Comments

Eli Tomac – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #3
“It was great to be back on the gate, but I underperformed, to say the least. We will be back stronger next week.”

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb showed strength at yesterday’s Monster Energy AMA Supercross season opener at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. The North Carolina rider ended the night sixth, despite a late-race crash while battling up front in the main event. Justin Cooper also overcame adversity to finish eighth, and Eli Tomac had a solid first race back, joining them in the top 10 with a ninth-place finish.

Webb hit the ground running at Angel Stadium and was third in the combined times. From there, he got a great start and kept cool under pressure to win his first heat race at the revered venue. In the main event, he got another good start in third and was on the heels of the runner-up rider, and kept trying to make his way forward on a track that was difficult to make passes on. Unfortunately, Webb crashed in the final laps but quickly rejoined in sixth, where he would finish to score some valuable points in the championship. 

His teammate Cooper also showed strength at the opening round, which kicks off his first entire season in the premier class. The New Yorker qualified fifth but didn’t get off the gate as he was hoping for in his heat race and finished seventh. With a less-than-ideal gate pick for the main, he found himself caught behind an early race pile-up and was 16th after the first lap. Undeterred, Cooper put his head down to make his way up to eighth, where he would finish.

Tomac had a solid first race back, qualifying sixth. With chaos in the first turn of the first 450SX heat race collecting multiple riders, he didn’t get the start he hoped for, but he made his way from sixth to fourth. In the main event, he had the seventh gate pick and was 11th after the start. The multi-time champ fought his way up to eighth and ultimately crossed the line ninth.

Next weekend, the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team heads north to San Francisco, California, for Round 2 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and the SuperMotocross World Series at Oracle Park on January 13.

Jeremy Coker – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team Manager
“Anaheim 1 is one of those races with a lot of unknowns, and anything can happen. So even though our results didn’t show what we can do, I’d say it was a good start to the season overall. Cooper was riding great all day. He got some great starts, won his heat race, and was on pace with the lead group and battling up front. Unfortunately, he crashed late in the main, but he didn’t give up and salvaged some points. Justin also had a good first round, and Eli had a good first race back. We’ll go back to work and come back swinging next weekend.”

Cooper Webb – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #2
“Today was a great day. Qualifying went really well. I was second and third, which was awesome for me, and then I won my heat race. I’ve never won a heat race at A1, so that was really cool. In the main event, I got off to a decent start. I was in third place and trying to get around Jason (Anderson) the whole race. It was kind of us three the whole time – me, him, and Jett (Lawrence). I was trying to make passes, but I just couldn’t make anything stick. Then I had a big crash there at the end. I don’t really know what I did, maybe hit a kicker or something, but all I know is the front went over, and I took a big hit. I’m lucky to be feeling alright. I’m just a little beat up, but nothing crazy, and I still salvaged some decent points. Overall, I’m really happy with my riding. I felt like I was one of the best guys tonight, so I’m super stoked about that and ready for 16 more rounds.”

Justin Cooper – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #32
“The day started really well. I felt really good in practice and qualified fifth, so that was really good. From there, I wouldn’t say the day went south, but I didn’t get the best of starts and got seventh in the heat. In the main, I had a poor gate pick, so I kind of got shuffled to the outside and was part of that pileup. Then I just had to work my way through the pack. I felt really good in the main, honestly. I had a good flow, clicked off as many guys as I could, and got up to eighth, and that’s where I stayed. I’m happy with the progress and most importantly, happy to get through the first one safe. It’s definitely something to build on, and I’m excited about how I was riding today.”

Benavides Wins Dakar Stage 3

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Kevin Benavides has topped the timesheets on the grueling third stage of the 2024 Dakar Rally. Putting in an impressive performance on his KTM 450 RALLY, the Argentinian moves up to sixth in the provisional overall standings. Meanwhile, after an action-packed day in the Saudi desert, Toby Price wrapped up the stage in ninth place. He now lies seventh overall.

Including a long timed special of 438 kilometers, stage three of the Dakar proved to be another huge test of skill and endurance for all competitors. Leaving the bivouac at Al Duwadimi, riders covered a total distance of 733 kilometers to Al Salamiya. Marking the first half of the event’s opening marathon stage, just two hours of assistance were permitted before competitors left their teams and completed a final liaison to a separate bivouac to spend the night.

Starting stage three from 19th, due to losing several minutes from a small mistake on the previous day’s special, Benavides knew he had to deliver his best over the course of day three to make up time on his rivals. Using his experience and speed, the reigning Dakar Rally Champion put in a superb ride over the mixed terrain, immediately slotting into second on the timesheets at the first checkpoint, and carried that momentum to the finish. Securing his first stage win of the 2024 Dakar so far, Kevin’s result elevates him to sixth in the provisional overall standings.

Stage three proved to be an interesting one for Price. Despite showing good speed over the special, Toby’s day was far from straightforward. Stopping to assist two different riders didn’t slow the Aussie’s pace however, and the two-time Dakar champion was able to make up ground on his rivals. Initially completing the stage in 23rd, with the time lost reallocated to him, Price finished in a highly commendable ninth place and now lies seventh overall, just one position behind teammate Benavides.

Stage three at the 2024 Dakar Rally was a bittersweet one for Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing. For Daniel Sanders, it was largely positive as he delivered a fault-free ride through the 438-kilometer special to secure the 13th fastest time. Frustratingly for Sam Sunderland, the two-time winner of the Dakar was forced to withdraw from this year’s event after suffering from a technical issue just 11 kilometers into today’s special.

Maintaining a consistent start to what is only his fourth ever Dakar Rally, Daniel Sanders focused on completing the tough stage three special without issue – a task made even more challenging due to the low winter sun – and that’s exactly what he did! Placing 13th was the result of a smart and steady performance by the Australian who now lies eighth overall in the provisional standings.

After an encouraging start to this year’s Dakar, and with hopes of securing a third win at the prestigious event, Sam Sunderland’s race is sadly over. Shortly after entering the time special, Sam encountered a technical issue that he was unfortunately unable to resolve.

On the fourth day of Dakar 2024 the Monster Energy Honda Team riders made their mark on the first part of a marathon stage as they ventured from Al Duwadimi to Al Salamiya. Making the trek into the heart of Saudi Arabia they’d cover a variety of terrain including soft dunes and stony tracks which required a high level of navigation to make sure they got to the finish unscathed. 

Second place finisher Ricky Brabec put in a fantastic ride to end the day just over a minute behind stage winner Kevin Benavides. He kept his third place in the overall standings and more importantly took time out of overall leader Ross Branch. 

Adrien Van Beveren was disappointed with his result yesterday after a couple of navigational issues, but today saw him up amongst the front runners on a much happier day for the Frenchman as he mastered the conditions for third.  Skyler Howes also spent most of the day in the fight and despite stopping to assist Hero Motosports Team Rally’s Sebastian Bühler after his crash, time spent at Bühler’s side was given back to the American. A hugely positive fourth place was his result just six seconds behind Van Beveren. 

After his stage victory yesterday, José Nacho Cornejo was faced with the difficult task of being first off the line to cover the 438 km test.  Pairing up with Quintanilla early on saw them both take advantage of the bonuses on offer for leading the way, on a stage which really put them through their paces mentally as Cornejo took sixth, with his fellow countryman just one place behind. 

At the end of today’s stage mechanics had just two hours to work on the bikes before parting ways with their riders who will spend the night camping and with their bikes in Parc Fermé with nobody able to touch them.

Husqvarna Factory Racing's Luciano Benavides has successfully completed the third stage of the 2024 Dakar Rally with the 16th fastest time. The day presented a challenging mix of varied terrain and complex navigation, but Benavides skilfully steered his FR 450 Rally through the long timed special to safely complete this opening half of the event’s first marathon stage. The Argentinian now lies ninth in the provisional overall standings.

Following his excellent runner-up performance on Sunday’s stage two, Luciano was the second competitor to take on today’s first leg of a challenging marathon stage. Totalling 733 kilometres, the stage included an extremely tough, 438km timed special that tested riders with a combination of dunes, faster sandy stretches, and rocky sections.

Navigation on the stage was technically demanding throughout, which led Benavides to lose his way for a short time just after the start. Although setting off near the front proved to be a disadvantage, Luciano was able to then maintain a solid pace over the course of the special to complete the rest of the stage without any major issues.

In completing stage three of the race in 16th place, Benavides now lies ninth in the overall standings. Heading into tomorrow’s 631km stage four from Al Salamiya to Al-Hofuf with a favourable starting position, the Argentinian will be looking to attack the stage right from the start and claw back some time on his rivals.

Jason Anderson on his A1 Performance