250 Pro Sport

The rising stars of 250 Pro Sport were back at it again on Wednesday with the second of three motos. A rare post-race penalization saw Bar X/Chaparral/ECSTAR/Suzuki Racing’s Preston Kilroy get awarded the victory, while Monster Energy/Star/Yamaha Racing’s Levi Kitchen, the penalized rider, entered Moto 2 in search of minimizing the damage.

The second gate drop of the week saw AEO Powersports GASGAS’ Austin Black put himself out front initially with the STACYC Holeshot, but it was Phoenix Racing Honda’s Hunter Yoder who assumed the early lead ahead of Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Jett Reynolds and Kitchen, while Kilroy found himself outside the top 10.

Yoder maintained his hold of the lead through the conclusion of the opening lap, but then came under fire from Reynolds, who had Kitchen right on his rear fender. As he looked for a way around, Reynolds tucked the front tire of his Kawasaki and went down. He remounted just outside the top 10. Back up front, Kitchen took advantage of his second-place positioning to challenge Yoder for the lead. The Honda rider made a slight bobble to stall his momentum, which allowed Kitchen to easily move into the lead and bring Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Chance Hymas along into second.

Kitchen continued to lead the way and started to put some distance on the field midway through the moto. That left Hymas and EBR Performance/bLU cRU Yamaha’s Kaeden Amerine to do battle for second. Amerine got the upper hand initially, but a persistent Hymas bided his time and fought back to reclaim the position.

Out front, Kitchen stayed clear of any drama and took his second checkered flag in as many days, this time clear of any penalties. Hymas followed in second, with Amerine third. Reynolds recovered from his early misfortune to finish fourth, while Kilroy salvaged fifth.

250 Pro Sport Moto 2 Results

1. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha
2. Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Kawasaki
3. Kaeden Amerine, Great Bend, Kan., Yamaha
4. Jett Reynolds, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki
5. Preston Kilroy, Afton, Wyo., Suzuki

After two motos, Kitchen holds the top spot in the overall running. Kilroy is second, followed by Reynolds in third. Hymas and AEO Powersports GASGAS’ Austin Black round out the top five.

250 Pro Sport Overall Standings (Moto Scores)

1. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha (3-1)
2. Preston Kilroy, Afton, Wyo., Suzuki (1-5)
3. Jett Reynolds, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki (4-4)
4. Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Kawasaki (7-2)
5. Austin Black, Tigrad, Ore., GASGAS (2-7)

Open Pro Sport

The excitement was palpable as the same riders that put on a show in 250 Pro Sport made their return to the track for the opening moto of Open Pro Sport later in the afternoon. Based on his performances in the other class, Kitchen was the favorite as the field lined up for the first time, but his rivals were eager to make their own statement.

As the field stormed through the first turn to start Moto 1 it was NSA/bLU cRU Yamaha’s Luca Marsalisi who came away with the STACYC Holeshot, followed by Crow Hill Moto KTM’s Robbie Marshall. Yoder and Kilroy were the best of the high-profile group of riders, with Hymas seventh and Amerine in eighth. Both Kitchen and Reynolds endured through poor starts and were buried deep in the top 20.

Sensing an opportunity, Kilroy went to work. He passed Yoder for third and then put in a charge to get around both Marshall and Marsalisi on the same lap to seize control of the moto. Kilroy’s early attack ultimately proved to be the difference maker in the moto because Hymas was on an equally impressive charge forward. The Kawasaki rider worked his way into the top three after just a few laps and kept Kilroy in his sights, while Marsalisi hung tough behind them in third.

As the leaders started to settle in up front, Kitchen was relentless in his attempt to overcome the bad start. He gained five spots after the first lap and broke into the top 10 on the ensuing lap. From there, he methodically marched his way to the front and closed in on the rear fender of Marsalisi just past the halfway point. Once he caught the early race leader, Kitchen made quick work of his fellow Yamaha rider and took over third. However, he was simply too far back from the leaders to do anymore.

Kilroy managed a multi-second lead for the majority of the moto to earn a moto win on the track for the first time this week. Hymas followed in a strong second, while Kitchen was nothing short of impressive in his ride up to third. Amerine finished fourth, while Marsalisi held on for fifth. Reynolds found difficulty overcoming his tough start and finished a distant 14th, likely dashing any hopes he had of contending for the title.

Open Pro Sport Moto 1 Results

1. Preston Kilroy, Afton, Wyo., Suzuki
2. Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Kawasaki
3. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha
4. Kaeden Amerine, Great Bend, Kan., Yamaha
5. Luca Marsalisi, Danbury, Conn., Yamaha

Schoolboy 1 (12-17) B/C

The first appearance of the Schoolboy 1 class signified the second time on track for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Evan Ferry. While the second-generation racer enjoyed a strong start Tuesday, it was bittersweet given a late-race miscue resulted in a missed win. Wednesday’s moto provided an opportunity to rebound.

The moto began with Grindstone Compound KTM’s Kayden Smith out front in the early stages, with On Track School/GPF/KTM’s Jordan Renfro in second and Ferry in third. The Husqvarna showed patience in the opening laps and methodically worked his way around both Renfro and Smith to take control of the moto.

Once out front, Ferry quickly established a comfortable lead that he continued to build on over the course of the moto. He was never challenged en route to an assertive moto win, followed by Best in second and KTM rider Ivan Aldama Jr. in third. EBR Performance Yamaha’s Crockett Myers was fourth, with KTM rider Trevor Colip completing the top five.

Schoolboy 1 (12-17) B/C Moto 1 Results

1. Evan Ferry, Largo, Fla., Husqvarna
2. Logan Best, North Port, Fla., Yamaha
3. Ivan Aldama Jr., Marathon, Fla., KTM
4. Crockett Myers, Anderson, Texas, Yamaha
5. Trevor Colip, Bowling Green, Ind., KTM

Supermini 2 (13-16)

After a dominant performance Tuesday in Supermini 1, all eyes were on KTM Orange Brigade’s Haiden Deegan in his quest for a pair of AMA National Championships. The second-generation racer entered as a heavy favorite, but had his work cut out for him in the early stages of the opening Supermini 2 moto.

Off the start it was Monster Energy/Vision Wheel/GASGAS’ Casey Cochran who secured the STACYC Holeshot ahead of JMC Motorsports GASGAS’ Reven Gordon. Cochran went down on the opening lap, which handed the lead over to Gordon, followed by Race Tech KTM’s Dilon Blecha and Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Krystian Janik. Well behind all this action up front was Deegan, who endured through a challenging opening lap and came around in 16th place. Deegan’s lack of presence at the front of the pack was an unusual sight at Loretta Lynn’s, but it provided an opportunity to see him work his way through the field. 

Back out front, Gordon continued to lead the way, but KTM Orange Brigade’s Enzo Temmerman was on the move. He made his way up to third, then second, and made the pass on Gordon to grab the lead. Janik was in pursuit of Temmerman and was able to fight his way up to second.

While Temmerman asserted his hold on the lead the attention shifted to Deegan, who defied the odds and put himself into the top three. With less than two minutes to go Deegan made the pass on Janik for second, but shortly thereafter he failed to complete a tabletop jump that Janik had already committed to. Janik landed on Deegan in a frightening incident that saw Janik continue on while Deegan quickly moved out of harm's way and fortunately did not appear to be injured. Unfortunately for Deegan, his race, and likely his hopes of a Supermini 1 title, ended there.

Zemmerman went on to take the moto win over Janik, but both riders were penalized following the conclusion of the race and docked two positions apiece. That moved KTM rider Adler Caudle to the top of the results, with Rides Unlimited KTM’s Noah Viney in second. Zemmerman was dropped to third and Janik to fourth, with Blecha in fifth.

Supermini 2 (12-15) Moto 1 Results

1. Adler Caudle, Moore, Okla., KTM
2. Noah Viney, Murrieta, Calif., KTM
3. Enzo Temmerman, Visalia, Calif., KTM
4. Krystian Janik, Oak Lawn, Ill., Kawasaki
5. Dilon Blecha, Fruita, Colo., KTM

Senior (45+)

Arguably the most accomplished class at Loretta Lynn’s is Senior (45+), which boasts former AMA Pro Motocross champions Jeff Emig and Mike Brown, in addition to multi-time National winner Ryan Hughes. They’re accompanied by the likes of Barry Carsten, Kurt Nicoll, Kevin Walker, and more. 

A lot of excitement surrounded the first gate drop for this division, from which Brown emerged with the STACYC Holeshot aboard his Rockstar Energy/Munn Racing Husqvarna with Walker in pursuit aboard his Ulrich Performance/Triangle Cycles Suzuki. As Brown looked to take advantage of the clear track, Walker and The Wick 338/Pilgrim Powersports Kawasaki’s Keith Johnson battled for second, with Johnson gaining the advantage. 

The holeshot worked like a charm for Brown, who found himself more than seven seconds clear of the field at the completion of the opening lap. At that point his lead was going to be too much to overcome, so the attention shifted to the battle behind him. Johnson gained a firm hold on second, but soon had Emig and his Shift MX Husqvarna pressuring from third. Johnson and Emig engaged in an exceptional battle that saw the Husqvarna make the pass halfway through the moto. Johnson didn’t give up and the battle reignited in the closing stages. Johnson reclaimed the position from Emig and then posted his fastest lap of the moto to put the finishing touches on the pass.

Brown went wire-to-wire for the moto win, with Johnson second and Emig third. Hughes was fourth aboard his Rynopower Honda, while Carsten completed the top five on his RM Army Suzuki. 

Senior (45+) Moto 1 Results

1. Mike Brown, Bristol, Tenn., Husqvarna
2. Keith Johnson, Carver, Mass., Kawasaki
3. Jeff Emig, Riverside, Calif., Husqvarna
4. Ryan Hughes, Escondido, Calif., Honda
5. Barry Carsten, Bayville, N.J., Suzuki