Teams Prepare for the Motocross Final and SMX Post-Season
Brea, CA – (August 19, 2024) – The Budds Creek Motocross National delivered great racing at the penultimate round of the 2024 AMA Pro Motocross season. Rain the day before and the morning of the race gave way to clear skies for the afternoon’s racing. Track conditions were excellent during the motos on the popular Mechanicsville, Maryland track.
Race Highlights:
- Twisted Tea Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance
- 450 Class
- Kyle Chisholm earned additional points to remain seeded directly into each SuperMotocross World Championship round.
- Colt Nichols battled to a top-ten overall qualifying spot in just his second Motocross event of the season.
- 450 Class
- Toyota Redlands BarX Suzuki
- 450 Class
- Max Miller carded a win in the LCQ to earn a spot into the motos.
- 250 Class
- Dilan Schwartz nailed down a top-ten qualifying result in the first 250 Group A session.
- Preston Boespflug put in strong rides throughout qualifying and racing.
- Leo Tucker brought home his career-best moto finish.
- 450 Class
Kyle Chisholm (11) earned a top-20 overall spot via two top-twenty moto results.
Kyle Chisholm (11) rebounded well from a slow start to the day. As the track dried throughout the motos, Chisholm railed his Suzuki RM-Z450 around the Budds Creek track. Chisholm’s consistency matched his speed, and he earned strong points in each outing. Chisholm goes into the final Outdoor race with a strong opportunity to maintain his direct-transfer spot into the three post-season SuperMotocross events.
“Overall, it was a decent day, but it started out a little tough,” said Chisholm after the final moto. “After a lot of rain in the morning and Friday night, the track was wet for practice and qualifying. I could not put it together this morning slopping around in the wet conditions. I got into the motos, but not with a very good gate pick. The start here definitely favors the inside gates, but I made it through and ended up 16th in the first moto. I rode a little tight and wasted some energy just fighting the track and not finding a good flow. It was warm and humid, and recovery between the motos wasn't as easy as I would’ve liked. I used quite a bit of energy in that first moto. I knew it was going be tough, but I gave it my all in the second moto. At the end of the day we earned points, which is great, and I’m looking forward to the Ironman National next weekend; to finish strong and to secure a top 20 spot for the playoffs.”
Colt Nichols (45) was riding at a top-ten race pace in only his second race on the Twisted Tea Suzuki team.
Colt Nichols (45), while on a different team at the beginning of the year, missed much of the Supercross season. Nichols joined the Twisted Tea Suzuki team mid-way through the Motocross season, and made his race debut at round nine, just one week prior to Budds Creek. Nichols grabbed a top-ten start in Moto 2, and held a top-ten position until a crash ended his day early.
“The day started off much better than my first weekend back, with me qualifying P10,” reported Nichols. “In the first moto I had a crash on the first lap, which buried me. After that I got a bit stuck in the pack. In Moto 2 I had an awesome start and was running eighth before I had a crash and was unable to finish. I’m all good, just a little beat up, but I will be ready to go for next weekend.”
Max Miller (87) was one of three Suzuki racers inside the top-20 at Moto1’s holeshot stripe.
Max Miller (87) continued to show solid speed in the 450 class. MIller earned his way into the motos via a race win in the LCQ.
“It was an up and down day at Budds Creek: from qualifying 37th, to winning the LCQ, to running in the top 20, to crashing,” summarized Miller. “I’m happy with my speed during the motos, but I just couldn’t stay off the ground today. I’m looking forward to finishing strong at the Ironman National!”
Dilan Schwartz (40) put in a strong charge in the second 250-class moto.
Dilan Schwartz (40) was incredibly strong in the muddy conditions at the start of the day; earning a top-ten spot in the first qualifying session. Schwartz ended the day equally fast, pushing through the pack to grab a top-20 result in both the moto and overall. Schwartz currently sits one position outside of a direct-seed spot for the SuperMotocross post-season rounds. With a strong result at the final Motocross race Schwarz could bypass the LCQ races at each post-season SMX event.
“In the first moto I had an issue and in the second moto I struggled with my wrist,” said Schwartz. “It was a tough weekend.”
Preston Boespflug (128) recovered brilliantly after being set back, but not taken out, in a large first-turn pile-up in the opening moto.
Preston Boespflug (128) had more speed at Budds Creek than his results show on paper. The young Suzuki racer looked great with one round remaining in the Motocross season.
“The track was sick, and my Suzuki handled the soft track really well!” exclaimed Boespflug. “My starts were a lot better this weekend. Unfortunately, a few tip overs cost me better results.”
Leo Tucker (154) was faster each time he took to the track on his Suzuki RM-Z250.
Leo Tucker (154) was also held up by the pile-up in the first turn of the opening moto. Tucker rode strong in both motos, and took home the best finish of his career in the second moto.
“In the first qualifying session I struggled with the track and just couldn’t get a flow going,” said Tucker. “Q2 came and I put in some solid laps and ended up qualifying P33. In the first moto, I struggled with severe arm pump, so I just rode to a 36th. In the second moto, I started in 37th and just charged the whole time. I ended up 27th, which I am happy about. We will keep working and come back strong for my favorite track at Ironman!”
“Kyle finished 16th the first moto and 19th in the second moto, giving him 18th overall. Colt Nichols finished 19th in the first moto after a tip over on the first lap, which really cost him a lot of time, and then had a crash in the second moto, knocking the wind out of him and not allowing him to finish. He ended up 23rd overall,” reported Larry Brooks, Twisted Tea/H.E.P. Motorsports/Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance Team Manager. “It was definitely a humid and hot day. Both riders were riding pretty well, but with Colt crashing that really took a toll on his finishes. We have one more round left, in Indiana, and Ken Roczen’s going to be riding the RM-Z250 at that event. Ken’s just wanting to have fun; it’s a special event for him and he just wants to do something different. So, we're all excited and we'll see what happens next weekend.”
“It was a bit of a rough day overall for the BarX boys, but Leo Tucker made strides,” said Myron Short, Toyota Redlands BarX Suzuki Team Principal. “Leo qualified straight into the program. He had a couple crashes in the first moto but came back with a 27th in the second. He rode solid and the second moto was his best moto of the year. Preston is still suffering from a lingering thumb injury sustained at Hangtown. Dilan Schwartz had a setback in the first moto and had to pull off. In the second moto, he was struggling with his wrist. Max Miller had a crash in the qualifier in the rain, forcing him into the LCQ, which he won. We're looking forward to finishing the year strong at the Ironman National."
The racers compete in the final Motocross event of the season next Saturday, August 24th, in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Ken Roczen will race his second Motocross event of the season and has opted to race the RM-Z250 in the 250cc class. Roczen’s strong Supercross season, including his win in Glendale, Arizona secured his spot in the SuperMotocross World Championship’s 450-class events. Roczen’s one-time race in the 250 class will be a unique experience for Roczen and all Suzuki race fans.
Please visit SuzukiCycles.com/Racing/Motocross and HEPMotorsports.com for more team news.
Photos by BrownDogWilson Photography
