Budds Creek is a tough track as it seems like you’re on the edge of your tires A LOT! It also brings out some imperfections in your bike set up as you need a setting that is compliant enough to soak up chop while on the edges of your tires as well as a setting that can handle loads while coming down hills. It’s a complicated track for a suspension tuner. However, this isn’t an article about set up but more about the riders/teams that I thought looked good! Here’s a few…
Chase Sexton: Chase is a little like Jeffrey Herlings where he doesn’t worry about where he’s at early in a moto, then from 15 minutes on, he just seems to out-ride/out-fitness the others. I asked around and Chase’s KTM hasn’t changed much lately so consistency with the bike also has something to do with the results as well. Chase will wrap this thing up next weekend at Ironman but can he take on Jett come SMX? I think he has something for him, but his starts need to be on point if he wants to battle Jett. He will simply not be able to catch Jett like he does the other guys when/if Jett gets a start.
Hunter Lawrence: To be clear, there IS a little difference between the 2025 Honda CRF450R frame and the 2024 HRC race spec frame but it is NOT that big of a change where we all need to freak out on what Hunter is doing. Think about this… If the frame has THAT much of a difference, don’t you think Honda would want some extra time to test/develop suspension settings and chassis settings before rushing into Unadilla? Yes, I think they would. Some small bike changes are felt by a rider/racer (which is true) and that can make a rider/racer feel more comfortable on the bike (which is happening in front of our eyes with Hunter). It is NOT completely the 2025 frame updates. It is SOME of the bike, but let’s all just chill back on this just a bit. I will say kudos to Honda for making the change and listening to their riders on what they may need to do better on the track. Again, I think the HRC Honda squad/personnel are absolutely gelling right now and are open minded enough to make changes on the fly if needed. The Honda team used to be a little rigid (company wise) but since Lars has been team manager, I think some of that has been improved and the results show this.
Malcolm Stewart: Mookie has been out there this summer grinding it out rather than fishing (wish I am sure he’d rather be doing) and the results are coming around. From what I “hear”, the Rockstar Husqvarna team will be around one more year and then maybe will come to an end after 2025. Mookie has another year on his contract so next year will be the year to impress other teams for a new ride. I believe with this summer under his belt, Mookie will be even better in SX next year.
Broc Tickle: I love it when test riders race! Tickle raced two events and a ninth at Budds is impressive for a guy who doesn’t race anymore. Racing is a true way for a test rider to feel what the team rider is talking about if he is complaining. Even though I think the Jason’s setting is more rear biased than front (like Broc’s), it’s great for him to feel what the bike is doing under race conditions. There is a big difference between race test rider and production test rider. Sometimes when race test riders enter the world of production testing, the bike can go too stiff if he is not set in the production mind set. Production testing needs to be “average rider” based with a touch of “racer” along with it. A production bike needs to please the average consumer but also needs to be a good enough base for the race teams to race and “sell” the product on Saturdays. It’s a slippery slope, Broc does it well. Nice work!
Levi Kitchen: Being sick and winning is not a joke. It’s pretty amazing to me when a rider wins and he doesn’t feel well. You have to expend A LOT of energy when racing and when you’re not at your best, that is sometimes hard to tap into mentally, not just physically. I also like to watch Kitchen ride because he is so good at using his legs to find traction, it’s unreal. He pumps the bike around like it’s a BMX bike and finds pockets of traction where there isn’t much to go around. You tall riders, learn a thing or three from 47.
Julien Beaumer: I DID NOT think this kid would be good at outdoors. I’ll be straight up. A 4-7 for sixth is damn good and I think KTM should be happy with his results this year. I heard KTM wanted more out of him earlier in the year, but I was like, damn, calm down, I think he’s doing good! I honestly think he can be a podium guy in SX next year and then be a top five guy outdoors if he stays healthy enough. Also, good job to Davi Milsaps for helping this kid along in his professional journey.
Deegs: I mean, hate it or love it, it’s fun to watch. I am not anything like Deegan but it’s nice to have another personality in the sport. It makes it fun to watch. I am actually looking forward to his podium speeches because I don’t know that the hell the kid is going to say. One thing we ALL can’t deny is the dude absolutely shreds a dirt bike. He will be a problem in the 450 class. Chase, Hunter, Jett all better look at this kid when he gets to a big bike.
Extra Credit/Scoop Tire: Also… Maybe a Race Tech rant? This scoop or non scoop talk is out of control. Yes, Hunter ran a scoop for the second moto but that is not the reason he got beat by Chase. The scoop has more of a wide range than you might think. Yes, it isn’t quite as good on lean angle (on hard pack) but it’s not that far off either. Sure, the braking is a little “looser/slides more” than the traditional MX34 tire but it isn’t that much worse either. The modern day MX14 scoop tire is quite good even when the track gets a little hard pack in areas. The advantages are so much more on the MX14 where the track is soft compared to the MX34 that it makes choosing not that hard to do. Hunter went with the MX14 and got beat, yes, but that wasn’t becasue of the tire choice. He got the holeshot and lead for a bit then faded near the end. That wasn’t ALL on the tire. The MX14 needs a little more respect on the intermediate terrain.
