Spring Creek - Rider Comments
Take a look at many of the leading riders comments from last weekend Spring Creek round of the AMA Nationals. American riders dominated and that always makes for good reading.
Chase Sexton: "These last two races, I really wanted to capitalize on, because in the past I've been sluggish in the middle of the season, so I have been focused on keeping the momentum going. I had a pretty good start in both motos, just got pushed wide in the second one, so had some work to do. Overall though, I had a really good flow, the track felt a lot better in that final moto for me, and I was able to put in some good laps. Thanks to the whole group behind me – this is fun, so let's keep it going!"
Hunter Lawrence,“I was [tired] and Chase [Sexton] has been riding unreal all day today. I tried to make it tough on him, but he was like a freight train. It’s been a tough day today and we’re working through it. It’s my job to give 100% and that’s what I did today.”
Justin Cooper: “We put on a paddle tire for Moto 2 and that made the difference [on the start]. I sprinted as hard as I could through halfway, but those guys got me. I settled down a bit and made another run at the end and was able to get close to Hunter [Lawrence]. We’ll take the podium and move forward.”
Levi Kitchen: “I finally made it happen! It has been a long time coming and ever since that third place moto finish in Redbud, it was game time. I focused solely on intensity throughout the week coming up to Spring Creek and everything fell into place. In both races, I made crucial early passes and managed to keep up with the leaders, which allowed me to capitalize on my opportunities. Overall, I'm pleased with my bike's performance and my fitness level, also excited to head back to my hometown to put on a show in front of my friends and family.”
Haiden Deegan: “Chance [Hymas] came down and tried to get the edge off the start, next thing I know I flipped over and had to kick my exhaust back into place. This was the time to show I got that dog in me. I sent that all the way to the end. P2 and I’m pretty stoked about that.”
Casey Cochran: I can't even explain the feelings right now. I got a great start, amazing first laps, got a good lead, and I was just shocked... I'm looking back, like, 'Where did everyone go?'. To cross the finish second, I was stoked, and then to come in third overall, it's an unreal feeling. All the hard work is paying off, so I'm ready to keep building and to keep progressing."
Aaron Plessinger: "Millville started off really awesome. Moto 1, I got off to a great start and Chase went around me, then I kind of just stayed in third. Second moto, we got a mid-pack start and I was riding so good, but unfortunately, I lost the back-end around one of the corners and lost a few positions. I got back up and was on it again, before I kind of hit a wall there towards the end. I wish I could have caught those guys, one more position would have landed me on the podium because I was tied for third, but ended up fourth. It was a good weekend though, we're coming out healthy, and I'm excited for Washougal."
Tom Vialle: "The first race was a fight, the whole moto, and I tried to push to the end – second was a good result. Unfortunately, the second moto was tough after I crashed, but we will keep pushing into Washougal next week."
Julien Beaumer: "First moto, I was a little bit sluggish, couldn't quite get back into that race pace that we've been doing, so it took me a minute to get going again. Moto 2, I had a bad start, but came through to eighth and was happy with our progress throughout the day. It's really good to be back at the races and I'm ready for Washougal!"
Christian Craig: "Today started off good with my best qualifying all season. All-in-all, I got better starts, was riding better all-round, and stayed off the ground. We put in two solid motos for my best finish of the season so far – I can't be mad, but we're always striving for more."
Malcolm Stewart: "I actually had fun today. First moto, I went down, but made a lot of passes for eighth and that was great. Second moto, not a terrible start, and then I got together with another rider. I put a hard charge on, went down again, and – I'll be honest – I kind of gassed myself out at that point. It's part of racing when you're on the edge and getting going again. We'll take what we got and learn, so I'm looking forward to getting back to Washougal next."
Ty Masterpool: “Today was tough for me. I couldn’t find my groove in qualifying on this tough track. In Moto 1, I got a good jump out of the gate and tried to maintain my position, but I kept making little mistakes here and there. The track was brutal all day and then the thunderstorm rolled in and made the second moto even more challenging. I got another good jump out of the gate, but got caught in the first turn crash and had to start from way back. I stayed composed and made my way back up to 10th which I am proud of after being down on the ground for quite some time. Time to regroup and go for it next weekend. Thank you to the entire Monster Energy® Pro Circuit Kawasaki team for keeping everything dialed all weekend.”
Jason Anderson: “I felt great in the morning on my KX™450SR and qualified first, which felt good heading into the motos. In Moto 1, I got a good jump out of the gate and thought I had more pace on the guys in front of me, but a few mistakes caused me to stay in that fourth spot all moto. In Moto 2, I had an even better jump out of the gate and maintained pressure on the top guys the entire race, but stayed consistent and finished just outside the Top 3. Overall, I am happy with the direction we are going and I am looking forward to more racing.”
Ryder DiFrancesco: "Millville was good. It started out rough, but got better throughout the day. We need to sort out the first motos, because the second motos have been good – I just need to put the two together. Washougal is next and one of my favorites, so I'm excited to go back west at this stage of the season."
Pierce Brown: "It wasn't a good day here at Millville for me, unfortunately. I haven't been feeling like myself lately with some sicknesses, so we will have to figure that out, but we did what we could today in the end. Onto Washougal!