Moto 3: 250 Pro Sport

A solid week at the Ranch put Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Ryder DiFrancesco in position to wrap up one of Loretta Lynn’s most high-profile titles on Friday. A moto win and a runner-up finish provided a much-needed edge for the California rider entering Moto 3, but he still needed to put forth another high-level performance in order to potentially secure his first 250cc crown. Unfortunately for DiFrancesco, the heartbreak of racing left him wondering what could have been at the end of the moto.

For the second straight moto Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Talon Hawkins surged to the early lead with the STACYC Holeshot to open Moto 3, with DiFrancesco tucked into second and his main championship rival, GASGAS Factory Amateur Race Team’s Caden Braswell, in third. The top three were separated by mere bike lengths in the early stages of the moto, which allowed Braswell to pass DiFrancesco as the Kawasaki rider searched for a way around Hawkins. Braswell’s pursuit of the lead continued, and he soon seized control of the moto. The move by the GASGAS rider put the pressure on DiFrancesco to respond, but the Kawasaki rider lost ground to Hawkins in his pursuit of second.

As Braswell added to his lead out front, DiFrancesco started to receive pressure from fourth place and suddenly pulled off the track. He then removed his goggles and made the slow ride back to the mechanics area with an apparent issue with his motorcycle. DiFrancesco got off his bike and made a lonely walk to his pit.

Braswell’s already promising fortunes took a more positive turn with DiFrancesco’s heartbreak and put him in line for the biggest title of his amateur career. Braswell continued to add to his lead and never looked back en route to what is arguably his most memorable moto win, several seconds ahead of NSA Yamaha Factory Amateur Team’s Jayden Clough, who made a late pass on Hawkins.

With his 3-2-1 moto finishes Braswell captured his third Loretta’s championship in his first appearance as a member of the GASGAS squad.

250 Pro Sport Moto 3 Top 5

1. Caden Braswell, Shalimar, Fla., GASGAS
2. Jayden Clough, Elko New Market, Minn., Yamaha
3. Talon Hawkins, Temecula, Calif., Husqvarna
4. Gage Linville, Lake Park, Ga., Yamaha
5. Benjamin Garib, Las Condes, Calif., Yamaha

250 Pro Sport Overall Podium (Moto Finishes // Event Score)

1. Caden Braswell, Shalimar, Fla., GASGAS (3-2-1 // 6)
2. Gavin Towers, Venetia, Pa., Yamaha (1-4-7 // 12)
3. Jayden Clough, Elko New Market, Minn., Yamaha (5-7-2 // 14)

Moto 3: 250 B

A wild week of action in 250 B meant the championship was still up for grabs entering Friday’s final moto. Following a big win in Moto 2, KTM Orange Brigade’s Daxton Bennick led the way, albeit slightly over NSA Yamaha Factory Amateur Team’s Evan Ferry and Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Preston Boespflug.

As the gate dropped on Moto 3 the rider most expected to also be in the championship hunt, Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing’s Haiden Deegan, vaulted out to the early lead. Due to a DNF in the opening moto Deegan was not in the mix for the title, but the final moto presented an ideal opportunity to leave a lasting impression on the Ranch.

As Deegan led the way, the trio of championship hopefuls slotted in behind him and engaged in a tense battle. Bennick and Boespflug occupied the remaining podium spots, with Ferry right behind. These three riders continued their fight until Ferry encountered misfortune and went down, which dropped the Yamaha rider outside the top 10.

With Ferry out of the picture, the title fight came down to Bennick and Boespflug. After persistent pressure, Boespflug got the opening he needed halfway through the moto and made the pass for second. Deegan extended his lead in the late stages of the moto and wrapped up a challenging outing in 250 B with his first moto win in the class. Boespflug finished in second, with Bennick third.

By virtue of his 4-1-3 moto finishes Bennick secured his first “big bike” title at the Ranch and the fifth Loretta Lynn’s championship of his career, with his Moto 2 win proving invaluable in edging out Boespflug by a single point.

250 B Moto 3 Top 5

1. Haiden Deegan, Cleveland, N.C., Yamaha
2. Preston Boespflug, Battle Ground, Wash., Kawasaki
3. Daxton Bennick, Morganton, N.C., KTM
4. Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., Yamaha
5. Trevor Colip, Bowling Green, Ind., GASGAS

250 B Overall Podium (Moto Finishes // Event Score)

1. Daxton Bennick, Morganton, N.C., KTM (4-1-3 // 8)
2. Preston Boespflug, Battle Ground, Wash., Kawasaki (2-5-2 // 9)
3. Matti Jorgensen, Pompano Beach, Fla., KTM (1-8-7 // 16)

Moto 3: 125 Jr. (12-17) B/C

After a dominant Thursday in which he captured two moto wins, Husqvarna Factory Amateur Race team rider Casey Cochran entered Friday’s final moto of the 125 Jr. (12-17) B/C class with a ton of confidence, some late week momentum, and a comfortable lead in the overall standings.

When the gate dropped for the third and final time it wasn’t a surprise to see Cochran emerge from the fray with the lead and STACYC Holeshot, with NSA Yamaha Factory Amateur Team’s Logan Best right behind him. While Best did well to try and keep the pressure on Cochran in the opening laps, the Husqvarna rider was simply too good and added to his lead little by little. By the halfway point of the moto Cochran had opened up a double-digit advantage over the field.

With Cochran well on his way to victory, the battle for second heated up between Best and BJ Stevens KTM’s Noah Stevens. The two riders traded the position several times over the course of the moto, where Best ultimately got the upper hand. 

Another dominant performance capped off a tremendous surge to close out the week for Cochran, where his wire-to-wire win secured his first “big bike” championship in emphatic fashion. Best finished second, with Stevens third.

Cochran’s 2-1-1 moto finishes brought him the fourth Loretta Lynn’s championship of his career in his first appearance as a member of the Husqvarna squad.

125 Jr. (12-17) B/C Moto 3 Top 5

1. Casey Cochran, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna
2. Logan Best, North Port, Fla., Yamaha
3. Noah Stevens, Danbury, N.C., KTM
4. Collin Allen, Clayton, N.C., Yamaha
5. Jeremiah Willoughby, Byers, Colo., KTM

125 Jr. (12-17) B/C Overall Podium (Moto Finishes // Event Score)

1. Casey Cochran, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna (2-1-1 // 3)
2. Noah Stevens, Danbury, N.C., KTM (5-2-3 // 10)
3. Klark Robbins, Shamong, N.J., KTM (6-3-6 // 15)

Moto 3: 85cc (10-12) & Mini Sr. 1 (12-14)

Captivating battles highlighted both 85cc (10-12) and Mini Sr. 1 (12-14) all week long and culminated with a pair of thrilling final motos on Friday that didn’t see either championship contender at the head of the pack.

In the 85cc (10-12) class Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Caden Dudney entered Moto 3 with a two-point advantage over KTM Orange Brigade’s Seth Dennis. The two riders had been the ones to beat with every gate drop, but when the checkered flag flew it was Dudney who prevailed with his third Loretta Lynn’s title in his first outing with Kawasaki. As the gate dropped on the final moto it was second-generation racer Vincent Wey who emerged at the head of the pack aboard his Husqvarna Factory Amatuer Team ride, followed by Future MX KTM’s Carson Wood and Dennis. Dudney, meanwhile, started just outside the top 10 in 11th place. In his pursuit of second Dennis crashed and dropped outside the top 10, which effectively ended his title hopes. Wey and Wood continued an exciting battle for the lead that came to a heartbreaking end for Wood after he tipped over mere moments after making the pass on Wey on the final lap. Wey carried on to take an exciting moto win while Dudney showed patience, stayed out of trouble and worked his way through the field to finish a distant second.

Later in the afternoon both Dudney and Dennis returned to the starting gate for the final Mini Sr. 1 (12-14) moto. This time Dennis held the slight upper hand with a single-point edge over Dudney, which meant the better finisher would ultimately secure the championship. Off the start it was RJR Motorsports KTM’s Cole Timboe out front ahead of STR Racing/Tapthouse Husqvarna’s Deacon Denno. Dennis emerged in seventh, which sat him six positions ahead of Dudney in 13th place. As Timboe began to open up a gap on the field, the paths of Dennis and Dudney crossed in the early laps as they both fought their way forward. Dudney had some better lines and after a couple slight bobbles by Dennis it allowed the Kawasaki rider to get by for what was fifth place at the time. Dudney continued to gain ground and climbed all the way into second in the closing laps while Dennis remained a couple spots back in fourth. Timboe went on to take a convincing win with Dudney not far back in second, while Dennis’ fourth-place finish left him on the wrong end of the title fight.

The pair of come-from-behind runner-up efforts by Dudney were enough to secure each respective championship, with an eight-point margin in 85cc (10-12) and a single point in Mini Sr. 1 (12-14). His impressive resiliency in the final motos capped off the memorable debut at the Ranch with Team Green, which brought Dudney his third and fourth Loretta Lynn’s championships. 

85cc (10-12) Moto 3 Top 5

1. Vincent Wey, Murrieta, Calif., Husqvarna
2. Caden Dudney, Athens, Texas, Kawasaki
3. Brennon Harrison, Jacksonville, Fla., KTM
4. Grayson Townsend, St. George, Utah, KTM
5. Carson Wood, Zephyrhills, Fla., KTM

85cc (10-12) Overall Podium (Moto Finishes // Event Score)

1. Caden Dudney, Athens, Texas, Kawasaki (3-1-2 // 6)
2. Brennon Harrison, Jacksonville, Fla., KTM (6-5-3 // 14)
3. Seth Dennis, Groveland, Fla., KTM (2-4-10 // 16)

Mini Sr. 1 (12-14) Moto 3 Top 5

1. Cole Timboe, Calimesa, Calif., KTM
2. Caden Dudney, Athens, Texas, Kawasaki
3. Deacon Denno, Malakoff, Texas, Husqvarna
4. Seth Dennis, Groveland, Fla., KTM
5. Kannon Hargrove, Montgomery, Texas, KTM

Mini Sr. 1 (12-14) Overall Podium (Moto Finishes // Event Score)

1. Caden Dudney, Athens, Texas, Kawasaki (1-3-2 // 6)
2. Seth Dennis, Groveland, Fla., KTM (2-1-4 // 7)
3. Deacon Denno, Malakoff, Texas, Husqvarna (4-6-3 // 13)

Moto 3: Senior (40+) & Masters (50+)

No rider at the Ranch had been more dominant over the past week than Tennessee legend Mike Brown. The home state rider entered Friday with an undefeated record in both Senior (40+) and Masters (50+), winning all four combined motos by significant margins. He made those rides even more impressive with a series of incredible starts that left little doubt in his path to victory. Despite the success, Brown’s consistency was matched in each class by his closest rival, leaving him with a pair of two-point advantages entering the final motos.

The start of Senior (40+) Moto 3 began like all the others, with Brown’s Munn Racing KTM leading the way ahead of the RMATV/MC-FXR Yamaha of Kris Keefer. The clear track and a torrid early pace saw Brown open a near 10-second lead on the opening lap, which effectively put him on course to wrap up both the moto and the class championship. The gap over the field continued to grow and soon surpassed the half-minute mark as Brown dropped his pace significantly and cruised home to a sweep of the Senior (40+) motos and an assertive clinch of the title. 

It wasn’t a surprise to see a similar dynamic unfold in Masters (50+) Moto 3, as Brown once again put his KTM at the head of the pack. He established another multi-second lead on the opening lap and proceeded to build that margin into the half-minute range after just a few laps. Brown once again dropped his pace dramatically in the waning stages of the moto and wrapped up a perfect, undefeated week of competition with his sixth moto win and a swep of the Masters (50+) motos.

The Senior (40+) crown was Brown’s fourth in the division, while this year marked his first eligibility in the Masters (50+) class. All told, Brown now has 11 AMA National Championships from Loretta Lynn’s, including an incredible nine titles in 10 tries in his post-professional career.

Senior (40+) Moto 3 Top 5

1. Mike Brown, Bristol, Tenn., KTM
2. Shane Kelleher, Cumberland, R.I., Honda
3. Kris Keefer, Hesperia, Calif., Yamaha
4. Robby McQuary, Tulsa, Okla., Yamaha
5. John Grewe, Rockford, Mich., Kawasaki

Senior (40+) Overall Podium (Moto Finishes // Event Score)

1. Mike Brown, Bristol, Tenn., KTM (1-1-1 // 3)
2. Kris Keefer, Hesperia, Calif., Yamaha (2-2-3 // 7)
3. Shane Kelleher, Cumberland, R.I., Honda (6-3-2 // 11)

Masters (50+) Moto 3 Top 5

1. Mike Brown, Bristol, Tenn., KTM
2. John Grewe, Rockford, Mich., Kawasaki
3. Barry Carsten, Bayville, N.J., Suzuki
4. Allen Horne, Highland, Mich., GASGAS
5. Earl May, Tallahassee, Fla., Kawasaki

Masters (50+) Overall Podium (Moto Finishes // Event Score)

1. Mike Brown, Bristol, Tenn., KTM (1-1-1 // 3)
2. John Grewe, Rockford, Mich., Kawasaki (2-2-2 // 6)
3. Barry Carsten, Bayville, N.J., Suzuki (3-4-3 // 10)

Moto 3: Vet (30+)

What a week to remember for Muc-Off/FXR/ClubMX Yamaha team owner and manager Brandon Haas, who prevailed with his first Loretta Lynn’s title in the Vet (30+) class after three exceptional moto performances. It signified the Minnesota native and South Carolina resident’s first trip as a competitor at the Ranch since 2012, where his many years of developing riders and building a winning program paid off with arguably the most memorable personal achievement of his racing career.

Haas’ journey through the week saw him achieve success in every way. The first moto saw Haas show some grit on his way to victory after he started second, dropped to third, and recovered to claw out an important opening win. The second moto was considerably less stressful as Haas put his Yamaha out front off the start and was dominant the rest of the way with a wire-to-wire victory that put him on the doorstep of the class title.

Friday’s moto saw Haas enter with a comfortable three-point cushion over Championship Powersports Honda’s Broc Peterson, which allowed for some wiggle room in his result in the final moto. As the moto got underway Haas avoided his first obstacle with a clean start that saw him put his Yamaha at the head of the pack with the STACYC Holeshot. He led the opening laps but faced heavy pressure from Peterson throughout the early stages. Not needing the win, Haas didn’t put up too much of a fight with Peterson once the Honda rider attempted to make the pass for the lead and settled into second. Peterson maintained his hold of the top spot through to the finish as Haas gave chase the rest of the way to bring home a runner-up result.

While he missed out on a sweep of the motos, Haas’ 1-1-2 finishes and four points was more than enough to put him atop the overall standings for his first Loretta Lynn’s crown.

Vet (30+) Moto 3 Top 5

1. Broc Peterson, Delta, Ohio, Honda
2. Brandon Haas, Chesterfield, S.C., Yamaha
3. Jeff Loop, Clarksville, Tenn., Yamaha
4. Daniel Jaramillo, Pembroke Pines, Fla., GASGAS
5. Matthew Hougentogler, Wrightsville, Pa., Kawasaki

Vet (30+) Overall Podium (Moto Finishes // Event Score)

1. Brandon Haas, Chesterfield, S.C., Yamaha (1-1-2 // 4)
2. Broc Peterson, Delta, Ohio, Honda (3-2-1 // 6)

Matthew Hougentogler, Wrightsville, Pa., Kawasaki (5-5-5 // 15)