February 4, 2024

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Forkner Kicks Off Season with 13th Career Supercross Victory

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Austin Forkner claimed his 13th-career supercross victory at the opening round of the Eastern Regional 250SX class at Ford Field in Detroit. The win gives the team back-to-back victories (Kitchen, Anaheim 2) and red number plates in both regions after five rounds. Teammates Cameron McAdoo and Seth Hammaker were involved in a first-turn crash during the main event that hindered their opening round, with McAdoo ending the night in 15th while Hammaker was credited with 21st.

The win for Forkner in Detroit was a long time coming after being sidelined at the opening round last year. Saturday night was a different opening round story for Forkner, who started the day qualifying third. He looked confident as he led every lap of his heat race and readied to make it count in the main event. Forkner was able to get a great start and avoid a huge first-turn crash, launching to the lead, where he held on for a wire-to-wire victory.

"It's such a great feeling to get the win," said Forkner. "Last year at the opening round, I was laying on the ground, and my supercross season was over. I worked really hard to get back up to speed and I am very thankful to everyone who has stuck behind me. It feels great to give them a win and the team its second win in two weeks."

The qualifying times were extremely close, which pushed McAdoo down the charts to the 12th spot. That didn't deter him once the gate dropped for his heat race as McAdoo chased down the leader to claim the opening heat race victory. He had a good jump at the start of the main event but was collected in the first-turn pile-up. It took some time for McAdoo to get going again, but he remounted one lap down and, even with a rip in his gear, pressed on and tried to gain as many points as possible. When the checkered flag flew, he had earned a 15th-place finish.

"The day was going great until that first turn crash," said McAdoo. "Even though I wasn't that high on the qualifying sheets, I felt good and I think that showed in the heat race. It was really nice to get that win. I just wish I had been able to challenge for the lead, but instead, we were fighting to make up as many points as possible after the first turn crash. We've got some time to regroup before Arlington, so I'm thankful for that."

Hammaker started the day looking fast and earned the fifth-fastest time during the qualifying sessions. He had a solid heat race where he finished fourth and was ready to make the most of the first main event of the season. Unfortunately, Hammaker wasn't able to showcase his speed as he was hit on the start straight, sending him to the ground. His bike was in bad shape, and he couldn't return, scoring 21st in the final results on the night.

"It was a decent day to start, but I'm really disappointed how it finished," said Hammaker. "I know that's racing, but I really wish I could have been out there with the guys earning some points. We have to put this behind us and focus on the future races. I'm ready for Arlington to be here, but we'll keep putting in the work the next few weeks to come back stronger."

250SX Class Eastern Overall Results

1. Austin Forkner, Kawasaki
2. Max Anstie, Honda
3. Daxton Bennick, Yamaha
4. Coty Schock, Yamaha
5. Pierce Brown, GasGas
6. Jalek Swoll, Triumph
7. Henry Miller, Honda
8. Guillen Farres, Husqvarna
9. Marshal Weltin, Yamaha
10. Chance Hymas, Honda
15. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki
21. Seth Hammaker, Kawasaki

250SX Class Eastern Points Standings

1. Austin Forkner, Kawasaki, 25
2. Max Anstie, Honda, 22
3. Daxton Bennick, Yamaha, 20
4. Coty Schock, Yamaha, 18
5. Pierce Brown, GasGas, 17
6. Jalek Swoll, Triumph, 16
7. Henry Miller, Honda, 15
8. Guillen Farres, Husqvarna, 14
9. Marshal Weltin, Yamaha, 12
10. Chance Hymas, Honda, 11
15. Cameron McAdoo, Kawasaki, 7
21. Seth Hammaker, Kawasaki, 1

250SX Class Western Points Standings

1. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 84
2. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 84
3. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna, 76
4. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha, 70
5. Anthony Bourdon, Suzuki, 55
6. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 54
7. Mitchell Oldenburg, Honda, 51
8. Nate Thrasher, Yamaha, 50
9. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 48
10. Carson Mumford, Honda, 47
18. Maximus Vohland, Kawasaki, 20

 

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January 28, 2024

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Kitchen Demonstrates Consistency to Win Anaheim 2

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen put another Anaheim 2 win onto his resume thanks to great starts and consistent race scores during the first Triple Crown format of the season at Angel Stadium. The victory also propelled Kitchen into a tie for the lead in the Western Regional 250SX championship standings after four rounds.

The riders enjoyed the first day race since the opening round at the same venue, but were challenged with a new race format of three main events. As the sole representation for the team with Vohland on the sidelines, Kitchen immediately rose to the challenge and found himself second overall during the afternoon qualifying practises. That speed translated to the first main event as he launched out and took over the lead, winning the opening race wire-to-wire.

The second main event saw Kitchen execute another strong start and found himself in third. He stayed with the front pack and was able to get by for second, where he finished. The third main event was more of the same, with Kitchen taking the coveted final holeshot and filing into second. He stayed on the leader but knew he didn't need to make the pass to get the overall, so he kept up pace before finishing third in the final race to give him his second career supercross victory and move into a tie for the championship lead.

"The triple crown format is always a crazy night," said Kitchen. "You really have to be consistent and then in that final race know where you need to be in order to finish the overall. I knew I was in a good spot and tried to ride smart, but I made a few mistakes towards the end. It worked out, and I'm really happy to be able to give this win to the team. They have worked really hard and we'll keep at it to come back strong in two weeks in Glendale."

250SX Class Western Overall Results

1. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 1-2-3
2. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna, 2-1-7
3. Nate Thrasher, Yamaha, 3-10-1
4. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 9-3-2
5. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 4-8-4
6. Anthony Bourdon, Suzuki, 8-6-8
7. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 12-5-6
8. Ryder DiFrancesco, GasGas, 5-7-12
9. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha, 6-16-5
10. Phil Nicoletti, Yamaha, 7-4-18

250SX Class Western Points Standings

1. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 84
2. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 84
3. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna, 76
4. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha, 70
5. Anthony Bourdon, Suzuki, 55
6. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 54
7. Mitchell Oldenburg, Honda, 51
8. Nate Thrasher, Yamaha, 50
9. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 48
10. Carson Mumford, Honda, 47
18. Maximus Vohland, Kawasaki, 20

 

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January 21, 2024

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Kitchen Retains Second Overall in San Diego with Top-Five Finish

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen showcased his speed throughout a rainy day at Snapdragon Stadium, winning his heat race and nearly taking the lead in the main event before finishing a solid fifth place. His determination after tipping over in the main event helped him keep second place in the championship standings. Teammate Maximus Vohland sat out the round in San Diego after suffering an injury leading into the season's third race.

For the second straight week, rain threatened the round in California, but after a solid showing in San Francisco, the team was up for the challenge. Kitchen only had one round of qualifying to put in a fast time, with the second session being canceled, finishing eighth. During his heat race, he was running well, but a red flag caused a complete restart. This benefited Kitchen, who quickly took over the lead and grabbed his first heat race win of the season.

In the main event, Kitchen got a good jump again, slotting in around sixth after the first turn. After a rider went down and broke up thr pack, Kitchen pushed his way up to second and was righton the leader after the first full lap was completed. He looked faster in several sections, but Kitchen couldn't make a pass. After about five minutes, he tried a different line but didn't get the drive he needed out of a corner and went down. Kitchen quickly got up in sixth and worked the remainder of the race to stay close to make up position, eventually crossing the finish line in fifth.

"I hate it for the team to have gone down like that because they worked so hard to get me a great bike for the conditions today," said Kitchen. "I really was trying to take my time but also try different lines and it bit me. I know we were better than a fifth, but I'm feeling really good and can't wait to see what we can do in dry conditions next weekend."

250SX Class Western Overall Results

1. Nate Thrasher, Yamaha
2. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha
3. Jordon Smith, Yamaha
4. Jo Shimoda, Honda
5. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki
6. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna
7. Mitchell Oldenburg, Honda
8. Ryder DiFrancesco, GasGas
9. Hunter Yoder, Kawasaki
10. Anthony Bourdon, Suzuki

250SX Class Western Points Standings

1. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 67
2. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 59
3. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha, 57
4. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna, 54
5. Mitchell Oldenburg, Honda, 41
6. Anthony Bourdon, Suzuki, 39
7. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 36
8. Carson Mumford, Honda, 36
9. Hunter Yoder, Kawasaki, 36
10. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 33
15. Maximus Vohland, Kawasaki, 20

 

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January 14, 2024

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Kitchen Keeps Podium Streak Alive in Sloppy San Francisco

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen survived the downpour that drenched Oracle Stadium on Saturday night, collecting his second-straight podium finish with a runner-up finish. The ride pushed him up to second in the Western Regional 250SX point standings. The rain was consistent throughout the day but only worsened as the night progressed, leaving the track as a test of survival. Unfortunately, Maximus Vohland was one of many riders on the sidelines early in the main event, finishing on the scorecard 19th.

The day started with only one qualifying due to the conditions, putting Kitchen ninth. The rider from the damp Pacific Northwest looked comfortable on the track and finished heat third, giving him a good gate pick for the main event. Once the gate dropped for the main, the skies opened up even more and it was all about survival. Kitchen got a good jump but played it smart and funneled into sixth. Several riders were unable to get past the first few laps, and that propelled Kitchen to second, where he settled in, without recognizing the rider in his sights was in the lead. When he realized it, Kitchen picked up the pace, but time ran out, and he enjoyed a hard-fought second-place finish.

"It was really all about survival out there," said Kitchen. "I had a blast, and once you found a good pace that felt comfortable, it was fun. I didn't realize that Jordon was the leader, and once I saw it on the big screen, I picked up the pace and tried to reel him in. I just didn't have enough time. I'm thankful to be in a good place right now with two podium finished and hope to keep it going next week."

Like the rest of the field, Vohland had only one practice to hone in the track before the night show, finishing qualifying in the 11th. He lined up in the same heat as his teammate, and both were really close to each other, with Vohland finishing fourth. Once again, Vohland's starts were on point and he launched out to second right away. He had some company and tried to keep his competition at bay, eventually having a mechanical issue which forced him to retire at the halfway mark, finishing 19th.

"Tonight didn't go to plan at all," said Vohland. "I knew what I was up against with the weather, but was hoping we'd be able to make it to the end. That's racing, and now we have to put our heads down to make up as many points as possible over the next few rounds. I've felt good overall with my riding so I'm ready for the challenge."

250SX Class Western Overall Results

1. Jordon Smith, Yamaha
2. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki
3. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha
4. Phil Nicoletti, Yamaha
5. Carson Mumford, Honda
6. Anthony Bourdon, Suzuki
7. Joshua Varize, GasGas
8. Hunter Yoder, Kawasaki
9. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna
10. Mitchell Oldenburg, Honda
19. Maximus Vohland, Kawasaki

250SX Class Western Points Standings

1. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 47
2. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 42
3. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna, 38
4. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha, 35
5. Carson Mumford, Honda, 29
6. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 27
7. Anthony Bourdon, Suzuki, 27
8. Mitchell Oldenburg, Honda, 26
9. Hunter Yoder, Kawasaki, 23
10. Joshua Varize, GasGas, 22
11. Maximus Vohland, Kawasaki, 20

 

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January 7, 2024

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Kitchen Starts Season Off With Podium Finish

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen raced his Kawasaki KX250 to a third-place finish at the season opener at Angel Stadium, fighting to the last corner to ensure his season started with a podium result. His teammate Maximus Vohland earned his first career heat-race win before racing to a notable fifth-place result in the main event, giving the team a positive ne to start on for 2024.

The day started really well for Kitchen, who toped the charts in qualifying to take the pole position. In his heat race he had a great jump and funneled in just behind his teammate, but he got caught in a rut and went down early but eventually raced himself back into a transfer position in seventh. Even with the lower gate pick, Kitchen launched out of the main event gate drop and found himself in third after settling in the first two laps. He kept the pace high, and although he seemed to tighten up and fall back a few spots, Kitchen made a late race drive back into third, where he would finish.

"It's amazing how many first-round jitters you get even after racing under the lights for a few years," said Kitchen. "I did end up running a little tight in the middle of the race, which cost me some time catching the front, but in the end, I'm stoked to be on the podium in the first race. It's a long season, but to start it off with a good handful of points is great. It's nice to get this for the team who's been working really hard."

Vohland got things going in practice with a great pace to qualify fifth. When the gate dropped in his heat race, he was right at the front and passed for the lead on the second lap and took home his first career heat race win. When the gate dropped for the main event, Vohland was right in the mix at the front and settled into sixth. With not great opportunities to make passes, he waited for the right time and passed into fifth around the halfway mark. He would get up to fourth but eventually moved back into fifth, where he would cross the finish line.

"It was really awesome to get that heat race win," said Vohland. "I got a great start and made it count. In the main, I got pushed back behind a few guys that were going pretty good and the track was pretty slick. You had to be really smart about where you tried to pass. In the end, a fifth is good, but I want more. I think my speed can get me on the podium and with next week being my local race, I'm excited to get up to San Francisco."

250SX Class Western Overall Results

1. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna
2. Jordon Smith, Yamaha
3. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki
4. Jo Shimoda, Honda
5. Maximus Vohland, Kawasaki
6. Julien Beaumer, KTM
7. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha
8. Mitchell Oldenburg, Honda
9. Ryder DiFrancesco, GasGas
10. Carson Mumford, Honda

250SX Class Western Points Standings

1. RJ Hampshire, Husqvarna, 25
2. Jordon Smith, Yamaha, 22
3. Levi Kitchen, Kawasaki, 20
4. Jo Shimoda, Honda, 18
5. Maximus Vohland, Kawasaki, 17
6. Julien Beaumer, KTM, 16
7. Garret Marchbanks, Yamaha, 15
8. Mitchell Oldenburg, Honda, 14
9. Ryder DiFrancesco, GasGas, 13
10. Carson Mumford, Honda, 12

 

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