Chase Sexton Claims 450MX Championship at Ironman
Photo: MX Sports Pro Racing
CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. (August 24, 2024) – A summer of intense and exciting competition culminated in the racing capital of the greater Indianapolis area as the 2024 Pro Motocross Championship Finals, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, saw Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton emerge with the Edison Dye Cup at the Tucker Freight Lines Ironman National to become the prestigious series’ newest 450 Class Champion with a dominant 1-1 performance that encapsulated his title campaign. In the 250 Class, Frenchman Tom Vialle ended his season on a high note as the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider captured his second career victory with a 1-4 performance. It was a banner afternoon for the Austrian brand, which not only went 1-2 in the 450 Class but also completed its first sweep of the overall wins since the inaugural Ironman National during the 2014 season. The milestone achievement capped off KTM’s Team of the Year honors as the top manufacturer in the championship, while fourth Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider, Julien Beaumer, captured Rookie of the Year honors.
450 Class
Moto 1
The first moto saw Muc-Off/FXR/ClubMX Yamaha’s Phil Nicoletti grab the MotoSport.com Holeshot in the final Pro Motocross race of his career, but he soon gave way to Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger. By the completion of the opening lap, Sexton had moved into third, closely pursued by Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac. Out front, Plessinger made his way around Lawrence to take the lead. Not long after that, Sexton was able to make his way around Lawrence for second in what proved to be a championship-winning pass. As the moto surpassed its opening 10 minutes, just three seconds separated the top four.
Sexton was able to close in on the rear fender of his teammate and needed a couple pass attempts to eventually seize control of the moto. While Plessinger was able to keep Sexton honest for a few laps, the championship leader was able to put a little breathing room over his rivals halfway through the moto with a margin of 2.5 seconds. Plessinger, meanwhile, was forced to contend with a resurgent Lawrence in third, while Tomac continued to lurk in fourth. The top four tightened up once again inside the final 10 minutes, but Sexton responded to establish his largest lead of the moto.
Sexton continued to pull away in the closing stages and captured his 12th moto win of the season by a margin of 4.8 seconds over Plessinger. Lawrence finished third, just ahead of Tomac, while Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson finished in a distant fifth. The victory was enough for Sexton to clinch his first 450 Class title with one moto to go.
Moto 2
The final moto of the 2024 season started with the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing machine of Justin Cooper edging out Lawrence and Plessinger for the MotoSport.com Holeshot. Plessinger had the momentum to grab the lead while Cooper, Lawrence, and Sexton engaged in a three-wide battle for second. Sexton came out on top and continued his push past Plessinger to go from about fifth to first on the opening lap. Cooper settled into third, with Lawrence and Tomac in pursuit.
The KTM teammates looked to sprint away from the field as Lawrence was able to assert himself into third and bring Tomac along into fourth. A few laps later, Tomac made his way around Lawrence for third and faced about a six-second deficit to the lead with less than 20 minutes to go. Back up front, Sexton briefly stalled his motorcycle, which allowed Plessinger to close in and go on the attack. Plessinger made a couple attempts to slip past, but Sexton fended him off and reestablished a gap that continued to grow as the moto continued.
Sexton didn’t put a wheel wrong the rest of the way and wrapped up a baker’s dozen of moto wins by 26.1 seconds over Plessinger. Tomac grabbed a moto podium in third in just his second race back from injury. Lawrence faded late to finish sixth.
Overall
Sexton’s fifth 1-1 effort of the season capped off an impressive six-race win streak that carried him to the title. He now has 13 career victories, which moves him into a tie for 11th on the all-time 450 Class wins list. Plessinger finished in the runner-up spot (2-2) for his sixth podium result of the season and his fourth in-a-row. Tomac’s strong second moto landed him third overall (4-3), for his 72nd career podium, the second most in 450 Class history.
Sexton became the 28th different rider to capture a 450 Class title in 53 seasons and is also the 17th racer to win both a Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and Pro Motocross Championship. Lawrence, who finished fourth (3-6), finished second in the standings, 42 points behind Sexton, while Plessinger finished third, 101 points behind his teammate.
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1st: Chase Sexton, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (1-1)
“Last summer was tough for me, not being fully healthy. Then this supercross season, to build up, come down, build up, and come down…to come out here outdoors and have such an awesome season, I don't know what to say. This is the best I’ve ever ridden. It’s such an amazing feeling. This one is special to me. Now I just want more.”
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2nd: Aaron Plessinger, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (2-2)
“I put it all out there [today]. I was trying, giving it my all. Those last few laps were tough, but I left it all on the track. It was a long, hot day, but it always feels good to be up here [on the podium].”
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3rd: Eli Tomac, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing (4-3)
“I was just flowing in both motos. It’s good to be up here [on the podium]. It’s easy to think you can just jump right back into this, but it’s tough. The bike was working great today and it’s good to be back.”
Ian Harrison, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager
“It’s a privilege to work with riders like this and for a company that supports off-road racing the way KTM does. We have a great group of riders and an amazing team, so it makes my job easy.”
Roger DeCoster, Director of Racing, KTM North America
“It's our first championship since 2015 with Ryan Dungey. It’s an awesome feeling. Not only are these great riders, but they're awesome people. This is such an amazing group to work with and everyone is fully committed to winning.”
250 Class
Moto 1
The first moto kicked off with Vialle at the head of the pack to open Moto 1 with the MotoSport.com Holeshot, ahead of Team Honda HRC’s Chance Hymas and the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing ride of Jordon Smith. Newly crowned champion Haiden Deegan started his first race carrying the No. 1 plate on the ground after a tip-over on the opening lap, forcing him to start outside the top 30 in the 40-rider field.
It didn’t take long for the lead trio to settle into their respective positions, with Vialle managing a lead of just over a second on Hymas. As the moto surpassed its opening 10 minutes Vialle was able to withstand a brief challenge from his Honda rival and move back out to a margin of two seconds. That lead continued to grow as the moto reached the halfway point and soon Hymas found himself under pressure from Smith, who made the pass for second. Not far behind was Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Ty Masterpool, who soon made the move on Hymas for third. Masterpool continued to push and closed in on Smith to establish a battle for second. However, as he looked to find a way around, Masterpool went down and lost several positions, remounting in sixth. His misfortune saw Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen move into third, with Hymas fourth and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire in fifth.
While Vialle moved out to a seven-second lead the battle for second intensified between Smith and Kitchen, with the Kawasaki rider able to make the pass with two laps to go. Back out front, Vialle went wire-to-wire for his third moto win of the season, 4.4 seconds ahead of Kitchen. Smith earned his best moto result of the season in third, with Hampshire fourth and Masterpool fifth.
Moto 2
The final moto in the 250 Class started the same as Moto 1, with Vialle out front to sweep the MotoSport.com Holeshots, just ahead of Hymas. Both Kitchen and Smith found themselves mired outside the top 10, with Kitchen eventually crashing out of the moto. Back up front, Vialle and Hymas engaged in a spirited battle for the lead, with the Honda rider showing a wheel in several spots, only to have Vialle close him off. That allowed Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing’s Ryder DiFrancesco to close in from third, along with Deegan and Hampshire. Deegan made the move on DiFrancesco to take over third.
Despite the heavy pressure from Hymas in the opening laps, Vialle withstood the challenge and stabilized his lead right around a second. Meanwhile, Deegan made the move past Hymas for second. Just past the halfway mark, Deegan closed in and attempted a pass on Vialle, initiating some contact between the two in the track’s tightest corner. Deegan slipped ahead briefly, but Vialle countered to reclaim the position. This battle allowed Hymas to close back in from third. The battle for the lead continued, with more physical racing from the lead duo, while Hymas bided his time in third. Deegan went after Vialle once more and successfully completed the pass with a little less than 10 minutes to go. Hymas also got around Vialle for second and looked to track down Deegan. A couple laps later, Vialle gave up third to Hampshire.
Deegan withstood Hymas’ initial challenge and was able to pull away in the closing stages of the moto to finish off his championship-winning campaign the way he started it, with a moto win, his 10th of the season. Hymas finished in second, 6.6 seconds behind Deegan, with Hampshire in third and Vialle fourth.
Overall
Vialle’s 1-4 effort easily secured his first overall win of the season and the second of his career. He became the fifth different rider to claim victory in the 250 Class this summer, which is the most since the 2021 season. Hymas made an anticipated return to the podium in second (6-2) for his fourth on-the-box result of the season, which ended a four-race drought dating back to his win at RedBud. Hampshire rounded out the podium in third (4-3) in just his second start of the season. It was the 12th podium result of his career.
Despite his Moto 2 win, Deegan failed to finish on the overall podium for just the second time in 2024 and completed the season with a championship-winning margin of 69 points over Vialle, who moved into second with his victory. Kitchen wrapped up third in the final standings, 76 points behind Deegan.
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1st: Tom Vialle, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (1-4)
“I was super tired in the second moto. Haiden was pushing me hard, but I couldn’t hold him [off]. I knew I didn’t need the win for the overall, but I really wanted it. I’m still really happy to finish the season with a win. I felt really good on the bike all day.”
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2nd: Chance Hymas, Team Honda HRC (6-2)
“I definitely need a little rest after this summer. It was a good way to cap off the season with a battle with those boys. We’re stoked right now. I’ll take a little time off and then get ready for SMX [playoffs].”
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3rd: RJ Hampshire, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (4-3)
“To even show up here, I just came to get gate drops in. [But] it’s not in me to go out there and cruise around. I just kept thinking get him, get him, that whole moto. I was just born different, I guess. I can't wait for the playoffs in a couple weeks.”
Words by MX Sports Pro Racing