MX After-Party: Thunder Valley

The best of a killer day of racing in Colorado.

450 Class

Eli Tomac – 1st

"Everything just felt right today. Similar to Moto 2 from last weekend at WW, I was able to go forward and get to the front like I have done for the past three years. I thought they did a wonderful job with the track; it was smooth in the morning, but by the time our second 450 moto came around, it was rough and challenging, and it wasn't just a big freeway out there. Being able to win in front of the home crowd is always something special and something I don't take for granted. When I passed for the lead, it reminded me of supercross a little bit as I could hear the fans cheering. It makes you appreciate having them back at the race. I am looking forward to finishing out the season strong next week at Fox Raceway."

Eli Tomac.

Adam Cianciarulo – 2nd

"I am frustrated that I couldn't seal the deal today. Moto 1, we led from start to finish with a good amount of pressure from behind. In Moto 2, we got to the front in a hurry on the opening lap, but I kept making a few minor mistakes that ultimately added up and cost me two positions. I try to remind myself that this is only my rookie season, but I also know that I have what it takes to win if I can just clean up some of those little pieces throughout the race. All in all, it was a great day for Kawasaki, going 1-2 on the podium. My Monster Energy Kawasaki KX450 has been an absolute beast this season and has helped put me at the front of the pack in each moto. Let's go have some fun this weekend at Fox Raceway and put on a show for the fans!"  

Adam Cianciarulo leads the pack in moto one.

Zach Osborne – 3rd

"It was a decent weekend," Osborne said. "I had some decent riding there in the second moto, I kind of found my feet a little bit and did some points racing today, so I feel good about my chances going into Pala next weekend. Our focus now is on this championship and wrapping it up, so that's what we're going to go there and do."

Zach Osborne.

Chase Sexton – 4th

"Round eight in Denver was pretty good. In the first moto, I ran behind Adam [Cianciarulo] and tried to make a push for the win and ended up second, which was my best moto finish so far. I had a really good start in the second moto and finished fifth; I didn't ride as well as I wanted but ended with fourth overall, so still top five. We're making improvements."

Chase Sexton.

Christian Craig – 5th

"The day started off good in Colorado. I qualified fourth, which was one of my best of the year. I felt good on the bike and on this track, so I went into the motos pretty confident. Unfortunately, I got off to a bad start, which has kind of been my story all year; I had to make some passes and got up to seventh, tagging along with [Marvin] Musquin for the whole moto pretty much. In the second moto, I got off to a better start, top-five off the line. I battled with some guys, made a couple of passes, and ended up fourth. It's exactly what we've worked for. Obviously, the ultimate goal is to win, but to improve is what we look for every weekend. I ended up with 7-4 for fifth overall and am headed to the final round, ready to go."

Christian Craig.

Marvin Musquin – 6th

"It's frustrating. Obviously, last weekend I did good in more of the sandy conditions, but this weekend was harder dirt, and the track was a bit difficult, just a very tough day overall. It's been a tough two weeks since my crash at Millville and then at practice at WW. I rode a couple of laps this week, but I can't train on the motorcycle during the week because of my thumb. On race day, pain isn't the issue, but strength-wise it's not awesome, and confidence-wise I was off. We'll do everything we can to finish on a high note at Pala next weekend."

Marvin Musquin with a moto two holeshot.

Max Anstie – 7th

"Solid day, we got better each session and had a strong couple motos," said Max Anstie. "I'm pleased with how my crew managed to make the bike competitive at such a high altitude with it being our first time there. I'm looking forward to Pala."

Max Anstie.

Justin Bogle – 9th

"Today was a good day. I was in the groove all day and feeling really fast on the bike. We have been working hard, and it feels good to put in two solid motos like that to earn a top ten for the weekend. I'm ready to end the season strong with another top ten ride next weekend at Pala."

Justin Bogle.

Fredrik Noren – 11th

"I'm more comfortable, but I'm not finishing in the results where I feel like I should and can be." Noren explained his moto two challenge, "In the second moto I had a crazy start crash. I'm glad I didn't get hurt in it. I was able to get going and back to thirteenth place, which was good. I'm looking forward to Pala next weekend to finish the season strong!"

Fredrik Noren.

Justin Barcia – 12th

"It started out to be a great day but didn't end well. I really was happy to be up front with the group in the first moto. The track was tough, but we were able to get a good result. The second moto was even tougher, and I ended up going down and wasn't able to keep going. I'll work on getting back to 100 percent this week so we can end the season strong." 

Justin Barcia.

Broc Tickle – 18th

"I think overall, it was a positive day for myself. That big crash at Millville set me back, and I missed WW Ranch. My starts were a little better today. The first moto was better than what I have been on the start, but I would say my riding wasn't the best. I finally found a flow about halfway through and started clicking off some decent lap times as the track deteriorated. I ended up getting 10th, which wasn't what I'm looking for, but it was an okay finish for the circumstances. Going into the second moto, I knew the track was going to deteriorate even more, which I normally strive and thrive in. I went out there and came close to the best start I've had all year. I was able to be close to the top 10 on the first lap, but unfortunately, I had to pull into the mechanic's area and sit the second moto out. So all in all, like I said, it was a positive day and good to be back at the races, but it's kind of a bummer to miss out on some more points. We'll come back at Pala and work to get back into the top 10 in the championship." 

Broc Tickle.

Adam Enticknap – 27th

"A much improved weekend," said Adam Enticknap. "It wasn't perfect, but night and day my starts and my time spread in the second moto was much better. This has been a huge learning curve for me. The second moto felt like there was something to get excited about. I can't wait to bring the momentum from the second moto to Pala!"

Joey Savatgy – 42nd

"It was another tough weekend," Savatgy shared the news, "A practice crash put a halt to my weekend. I tried to go racing anyway but couldn't hold on with my feet, so I shut it down."


250 Class

Justin Cooper – 1st

"It was a good weekend for myself and the team. We got a win under our belt, and it feels dang good! I felt comfortable all day. I came here looking for this win, so I'm glad to put it on the top step. We're focusing on finishing this season out strong. Not much more to say except that I am just so stoked on the day!"

Justin Cooper.

Dylan Ferrandis – 2nd

"We had a perfect Moto 1 with a good start and took the win. It was a completely different scenario in Moto 2. I had a bad start and a crash and then had to come back from behind. The track was tricky today. I'm happy to leave with second overall and gain some more points before the finale next week."

Dylan Ferrandis.

Jeremy Martin – 3rd

"Today, 4-2 for third overall," said Martin. "Not super stoked on that. I had a really good jump out of the gate in moto one. Straight up, some of the guys went right around me. I don't really know what happened there. I executed my shifts, and everything pretty good. Then it was just a dog fight, really. The whole first moto, I was just trying to catch the blue bikes. I inched up on Shane [McElrath, third place] a little bit, but I'd get up on him a little bit, and then he'd sprint and kind of get away. Moto two, we made a change with gearing, and it just helped a ton out of the gate. I got off to a really good start. I tried to definitely get in on Justin [Cooper, moto winner] there, but he was riding really well. I thought maybe I could get him early, but he started to kind of catch onto some of my lines. Then I just threw a couple of good little efforts at him, and he rode well. I just didn't have anything there, and that was it." 

Jeremy Martin.

Shane McElrath – 4th

"It was a pretty good day for me today overall. We were just shy of a podium, but huge improvements were made. I'm excited about the progress we are continuing to make on the bike for the rough tracks. We will be ready to give it everything at the last round!"

Shane McElrath out in front early in moto one.

Hunter Lawrence – 5th

"For sure, it was definitely a better day today," said Lawrence. "Obviously the year kind of sucked for me, I haven't had many races up the front like today just due to starts and stuff like that and my shoulder not being 100% there. But it was good. We had two pretty decent starts. Just feeling more and more like myself. Hopefully, we can put in a good two motos at Pala, and we'll see how we go."

Hunter Lawrence.

Jett Lawrence – 6th

"Good riding this weekend but just had a bad qualifying time, and that gave me a bad gate in Moto 1," said Lawrence. "I got a good start, but I was on the outside. Made my way to sixth then saved a big mistake. I lost two positions but got back to sixth, but my brother Hunter was too far to catch up to. Second moto, I spun in the gate, so I was starting the moto from outside 20th again. It took me a while to get my lines down, but once I did, I started clicking off good lap times and made my way up to sixth with a last-lap past. So I was pretty consistent, but I just need to sort my starts so I can start up front and make my life easier."

Jett Lawrence.

Jo Shimoda – 7th

"In qualifying [session] 1, I felt loose right away and built my lap time toward the end for p11," said Shimoda. "Qualifying 2 I was running third for a while, but as the track was getting packed in, on the last couple laps guys went faster. In Moto 1, I had an okay start, around ninth, put some good laps in, and made some passes, but I got passed on the last lap for seventh. Moto 2, 15th place start but made some quick passes in the second turn and was running 11th. I got contact with Alex [Martin] and went back to 12th, but I was able to catch up to 8th for 7th overall."

Jo Shimoda.

Mitchell Harrison – 8th

"The track was definitely different than what we've been riding on the past few weeks, but we were up for the challenge," said Harrison. "I was so pumped to get the holeshot in the first moto. I just didn't find a groove right away, and the track was challenging. They put down water, and you had to be really cautious those first few laps. Overall it was a solid day, but I want more. I want that top-five. We'll see how it goes next week with one more chance to try."

Mitchell Harrison jumping out front.

Jarrett Frye – 9th

"It was a good weekend for me. There were a lot of positives to take away from today, including my best result so far. We are getting better each weekend. I'm looking forward to finishing out the season strong next weekend."

Jarrett Frye (134).

Carson Mumford – 10th

"I felt terrible in the second moto in the altitude because I have asthma," said Mumford. "Two bad starts, too. I've been feeling really tense for the first 10 minutes of the first race, not sure exactly why. Maybe just because these are new tracks for me, or racing as a pro in front of the fans, or maybe because fans I'm starting in 35th! Not sure. It shouldn't be an issue this weekend for Pala; I've ridden that track since I was eight years old. I'm definitely feeling better each week. I wish the season was longer because I'm loving it, and I really want to do good!"

Carson Mumford.

Alex Martin – 11th

"I had some rough luck this weekend in Colorado." Martin explained, "I tangled with another rider off the start in the first moto and made a couple more mistakes throughout the day. I'm looking to make a strong comeback at the last race in Pala next weekend and get back into the top three in the championship."

Alex Martin.

Dilan Schwartz – 12th

"Colorado was a step in the right direction. I got a good start in moto one and put together a solid moto getting tenth place." The rookie Dilan Schwartz explained it like a seasoned pro, "In moto two, I didn't get the greatest start but came from the back to finish fifteenth. I'm happy with the bike and the team, and I'm excited to give it our all next weekend at Fox Raceway."

Dilan Schwartz.

Nate Thrasher – 13th

"It was a solid day for me to get my first Pro National under my belt! I had pretty good speed all day. I just needed to clean up a few things. I definitely learned a lot. Thanks to the whole team behind me. I'm going to give it my all for the last round at Fox Raceway!"

Nate Thrasher.

Preston Kilroy – 17th

After Loretta's, I knew Larry and the team had my bike dialed, so I wanted to see where I stood," Said Kilroy after the event. "I set a top 20 goal for Thunder Valley and finished with a 17th overall. I'm excited to work on improving that next weekend at Pala."

Preston Kilroy.

RJ Hampshire – 43rd

"It's a disappointing way to end my season," Hampshire said. "I hit the ground hard the past couple weekends and today finished it off. It's a pain riding injured and always seems to lead to more. I have a couple broken bones in my right hand, but everything is in place, so surgery shouldn't be needed. My body needs a few weeks to recover. I'm bummed for myself and the team, but we have a lot more to look forward to!"


Team Personnel

Erik Kehoe – Team Honda HRC Manager

"Overall, it was a good day for the team, with the cooler weather and hard-packed track conditions in Colorado. Chase and Christian showed good speed all day to realize our goal of putting both riders in the top five overall. Chase was a strong second in the first moto but tangled with another rider on the start in moto two, although he still managed a fifth-place finish for fourth overall. Christian was consistent and posted his best overall 450MX finish in this series so far."

Jim Roach – Yamaha Racing Department Manager

finished fifth, while Tickle worked his way through the field for 10th. In Moto 2, it was Tickle with a good start. However, a technical issue ended his race early. Barcia, who was running sixth, had a hard crash late in the race and was unable to finish. We will move on to the final race next weekend in Pala, California, and work to end the season on a high note."

Jeremy Albrecht – JGRMX/Yoshimura/Suzuki Factory Racing Team Manager

"It was a tough day for us." Jeremy Albrecht summed up the day for the JGRMX team. "Martin rode good in moto one but went off the track and then had a crash. Moto two started off good for him but unfortunately didn't finish well. Freddie had a good first moto. He rode well in moto two but crashed on the start, so he had a lot of ground to make up. Joey tweaked his ankle in practice and then again in the race, and he could not finish. He sat out moto two to ice the injury and hopes to be back at Pala. We are looking forward to next weekend to finish out the series strong."

Dustin Pipes – H.E.P. Motorsports Team Manager

"Another solid weekend for the team," said Team Manager Dustin Pipes. "Max is showing the same speed and confidence he had before the unfortunate wreck at Ironman. We ran in the top 3 again in the second moto, which makes the team really want to get back on the podium for the final round. Adam matched his best moto finish of the series and ending on a track that is familiar to him should lead to improved results. From top to bottom, I am happy with the team's progression throughout our first national season and look forward to the chance to end the season on high note."

Wil Hahn – Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing Team Manager

"It was a great day for us, another points-building race with Dylan getting second overall. I'm also stoked to see Justin get an overall win. He's been working so hard for this after his injury in the preseason, so it's great to see him back on top. It was a really good weekend for the entire team. I'm so proud of all of our guys. We're looking forward to the finale next weekend in Pala." 

Jade Dungey – Mechanic, Chase Sexton

"Time qualifications went pretty good, and going into moto one, we had a good game plan for where Chase wanted to start on the gate. He and Cianciarulo came out first and second, and Chase rode flawlessly with great lines, coming up a tad short to finish with a strong second place. In the second moto, he had a bad start and worked his way up from 11th to fifth. We came up just short of the overall podium, but we're going to head back to California and do some testing with Chase. We're looking forward to racing at Pala and finishing the season on a high note."

Jordan Troxell – Mechanic, Christian Craig

"It was good to have a day where we could get Christian up front in that second moto, where he belongs. I knew this track would suit him well, and today was just about trying to capitalize on that. I was really happy with the way he rode all day, and he almost ended up on that podium in the second moto. Pala should be good for him as well, and I look forward to closing out the season up front again."

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