Monster Energy’s Tomac, Sexton & Kitchen all podium at Lakewood, Colo. MX National

450 class rider’s miscue costs Eli Tomac (Star Racing/Yamaha) the o/a victory; Levi Kitchen (Star Racing/Yamaha) scores first career moto win & o/a 250 podium

CORONA, CA – June 13, 2022 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – In front of his home state fans, Colorado native Eli Tomac (Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha) came out blazing at the Lakewood Thunder Valley Raceway MX National, Round Three of 2022 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, presented by Monster Energy, catching and passing longtime rival Ken Roczen (Honda) in the opening 450 class moto to take the win. Then, in the second and decisive moto, Tomac rallied back from a sub-par start and raced his way up to 3^rd place – which would have been enough for the overall victory (1^st-3^rd).

Only problem was that Tomac’s Monster Energy-backed cohort, 450 class point leader Chase Sexton (Honda), who was leading the second 450 moto, made a last lap mistake that not only cost Sexton a spot on the overall podium, the bobble allowed Roczen to sneak by for the win – giving him the overall 450 victory over Tomac on the day at Lakewood.

Tomac, a three-time MX Nationals champion, would take the situation in stride, acknowledging the crowd and saying “It’s always fun racing Ken (Roczen). We both raced each other really clean. Bummed I didn’t get the overall, but it was a good weekend for the Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha team.”

Sexton, for his part, got right to the point on the Moto 2 podium, saying: “It’s a bonehead mistake. That’s the last one I’ll make this season.”

Overall on the weekend it was an incredible run for the Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha team. In addition to Tomac, the 250 team was led by Levi Kitchen’s opening moto victory and career-best 3^rd place overall finish. As a whole, the team put four of its five racers in the top ten (Justin Cooper 4^th, Matthew Leblanc 8^th and Nick Romano 10^th). And had it not been for a Moto 2 crash that was not his fault, Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha’s Nate Thrasher (14^th), who placed 8^th in the opening 250 moto, could have also made the top ten.

And on the Monster Energy-backed Green Machines, Monster Energy/Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson was fast all weekend in the 450 class, placing 4^th (3^rd-6^th) overall while his teammate, Joey Savatgy placed 9^th (8^th-9^th). And on the 250s Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki was led by Jo Shimoda in 5^th (7^th-6^th) and Seth Hammaker in 9^th (5^th-15^th).

450 class podium L to R – Monster Energy’s Eli Tomac (left) and Chase Sexton (right)

Here’s a look at what went down at Lakewood’s Thunder Valley Raceway, beginning with the 450 class.

450 Moto 1 – Eli Tomac (Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha)

Sexton (1^st) and Tomac (2^nd) dominated the timed qualifying, with Sexton’s 2:14.509 being the only rider in the 2:14s. Anderson (4^th) and Savatgy (6^th) also ran well in the 450 qualifying for Monster Energy.

Anderson ripped a good start (4^th) in the opening moto, and was in hot pursuit of early race leader Roczen and holeshot winner Antonio Cairoli (KTM). …  Anderson would make quick work of the multi-time World Champion Cairoli, then moved up onto 2^nd place Justin Barcia (Gas Gas). … Local Tomac would show the speed that’s allowed him to win four of six career 450 races at Thunder Valley, passing Sexton, then Cairoli – within two turns – to move into 4^th place. … At the 17:24 mark Anderson would power past Barcia for 2^nd place, with Tomac onto Barcia – and past – soon thereafter. … Right after the moto’s midway point, Sexton set the fast lap time with a blistering 2:17.5. … As Tomac made his move to catch Anderson, the Kawasaki racer clipped one of the larger upright track markers and allowed Tomac to move in close. … Two sections later Tomac was past Anderson and railing his YZ450F towards race leader Roczen. … At the 7:37 (plus two laps) remaining mark Roczen had a 5.2 second lead on 2^nd place Tomac. And at the 6:27 mark Tomac had cut that to just over three seconds (3.1), then 1.3 seconds with five minutes and two laps remaining. … “Eli is just on one of those rides where he’s unstoppable,” commented race announcer Ricky Carmichael. … And at the 4:48 mark Tomac set up and passed Roczen, cleanly, and put the hammer down for the 3.197 second victory. … Anderson would place 3^rd and Sexton 4^th.

Said Tomac: “That was nice to get a good first moto going there, and I had a lot of fun doing it.”

450 Moto 2 – Monster Energy’s Chase Sexton

Off the start of the second 450 moto it’d be Anderson (4^th) and Tomac (6^th) towards the front for Monster Energy. … Anderson would move into 3^rd on lap one, then up to 2^nd, past Cairoli, on lap four. … With Tomac in 4^th behind Anderson, Sexton made a mad charge into the top five from a 9^th place start. … At the 26:25 mark Anderson made a slight mistake and went down while he was pushing the pace chasing race leader Roczen. … Sexton, who was flat out flying, would pass Tomac for 3^rd, just 2.2 seconds back of 2^nd place Cairoli. … At the 21.53 mark Sexton would get past the nine-time World Champion, while Anderson got into a battle with three-time MX Nationals champion Ryan Dungey (KTM) for 7^th place. … At the race’s halfway point Sexton was onto Roczen, 1.1 seconds back of the former MX Nationals champion – and closing. … Two laps into the second half of the race Sexton charged up onto his Honda teammate. There was some incidental contact, but both racers managed to stay upright and Sexton went on to take the lead. … By the 9:41 mark Sexton was up 2.3 seconds on Roczen, with Tomac coming on strong – putting up a 2:17 lap to Sexton’s and Roczen’s 2:19s. … An epic battle would ensue between Tomac and Roczen, bringing the Thunder Valley faithful to their feet to cheer on their fellow Coloradoan (Tomac). … Tomac would snatch the lead from Roczen, only to have the German great take it right back. … Knowing with Sexton comfortably up front he still had the overall, Tomac made one last run at Roczen on a downhill section – but blew out of his berm at the bottom and conceded 2^nd place, keeping in mind his 1^st-3^rd would give him the overall win. … Then, on the last lap, Sexton suffered a very minor get-off, where he quickly remounted – only to have Roczen blitz past him while he was righting his bike. … Sexton would hold onto 2^nd place in Moto 2, Tomac 3^rd, Anderson 4^th and Savatgy 9^th.

Said Tomac: “That was a lot of fun racing. I gave it my all there, tried (to pass) twice on the downhill, and couldn’t make anything happen.”

Said Sexton: “I came into that corner and got a little end swing with the rear tire and cross-rutted.”

250 Moto 1 – Levi Kitchen (Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha)

Kitchen launched his YZ250F off the start and carried the lead on the uphill straight through the holeshot chalk line. … Hot in pursuit was Cooper, pulling into 2^nd place ahead of Stilez Robertson (Husqvarna). … Kitchen, racing his first time at Thunder Valley Raceway, was on it, putting 2.185 seconds between him and Cooper by the end of lap one. … Monster Energy had four other racers running in the top ten after lap one, including Hammaker (5^th), Romano (6^th), Leblanc (9^th) and Shimoda (10^th). … Hammaker would soon pass Robertson for 4^th, about the same time Jett Lawrence (Honda) got past Cooper for 2^nd. … Kitchen, who averaged 15^th place starts in his first two pro MX National races (Fox Raceway & Hangtown), opened his lead to 4.6 seconds on Jett Lawrence. … At the halfway point, with Kitchen up 5.5 second on Jett Lawrence and Cooper 5.9 seconds back of Lawrence in 3^rd, Hammaker and Hunter Lawrence (Honda) engaged in a fierce battle for 4^th. … Shimoda would move up to 7^th with a pass on Jalek Swoll (Husqvarna). … Towards the end of the contest Jett Lawrence realized he wasn’t going to catch Kitchen, backed his pursuit down a click, and settled in to his eight-second deficit. … Hammaker would place a career-best 5^th in Moto 1, while Thrasher would managed to fight his way through the pack to 8^th, Romano in 9^th and Leblanc in 10^th.

Said Kitchen: “Honestly? I was tempted to not even race today. I was really feeling under the weather, but there was something with this track that I thought I would enjoy. Got a great start, got the holeshot and was thinking to myself ‘I’m leaving it all out here.’ It was unreal. I always knew I had their (top guys in the 250 field) speed, but I never got the start to be up there with them. Once I got a start like that it was just like being out in practice.”

Said Cooper, who now hast 27 podiums in 52 starts: “I had a rough opening round and we’re just trying to dig ourselves out of a hole now. Just trying to gain some confidence. Been a long time out of the gate.”

250 Moto 2 – Seth Hammaker (Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki)

Cooper pulled a great start, 3^rd, then quickly moved to 2^nd past Jett Lawrence. … Hammaker gets out in 6^th, Shimoda 7^th and Kitchen a disappointing 9^th following his opening moto holeshot and race lead. … Hammaker would overshoot a corner and crash into Thrasher, with Kitchen going down in the melee as well. … Monster Energy’s Shimoda and Leblanc would take advantage of the situation, moving into 5^th and 6^th, respectively. … Kitchen would bounce back and, despite the effects of being ill, thin air at elevation and extreme heat, moved from 11^th to 8^th quickly. … Kitchen then caught, and passed, Robertson for 7^th. … At the 15:42 mark Kitchen would get past Shimoda to the outside on an uphill stair step section, and moving into 5^th place. … Nearing the end of the contest Cooper settled in to 3^rd place, Kitchen in 5^th and Shimoda in 6^th and that’s how they’d finish Moto 2.

Said Kitchen: “This is huge. Big learning experience, to get out and run up front. After I got Jo (Shimoda), to be honest, I didn’t think I had 3^rd overall. But I’m stoked. Never rode this track and I’m sick. Fans have been great and I look forward to doing it again.”

Overall 2022 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, presented by Monster Energy, Points (Round 3 of 12)

450 class

Chase Sexton

1^st – Sexton

3^rd – Tomac

4^th – Anderson

5^th – Craig

250 class

Levi Kitchen

3^rd – Shimoda

4^th – Kitchen

5^th – Cooper

7^th – Hammaker

Up Next

The Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship, presented by Monster Energy, hits Pennsylvania for Round Four of the series at High Point Raceway in Mt. Morris, Pa., Saturday, June 18. For more information visit www.promotocross.com

About Monster Energy

Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes and musicians represent. More than a drink, it’s the way of life lived by athletes, sports, bands, believers and fans. See more about Monster Energy including all of its drinks at www.monsterenergy.com

Source: Monster Energy Company

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