2023 Southwick Motocross Photo Gallery

2023 Southwick Motocross Recap

The beeeach!

Not exactly, but it sure looked like it with the heat and sand, minus the pleasant smell of a day spent on the coast a costly fragrance does make. No castle making either, though the Wick 338, the only sand track on the circuit, knocked a potential king off the top spot while another continued on his merry way.

Forget about the "premier" 450 class, the air sucked out of this competition like a downed Chinese spy balloon, because all the action takes place in the 250 class as the Red Plate changes hand for the first time this season. But before getting to that, two-time Motocross World Champion Tom Vialle finally found the success enjoyed overseas in that series' equivalent 250 class and secured his first Moto win and overall. The sand suited him well, a more common soil used on European tracks. The man from France took advantage of Justin Cooper - who grabbed the MotoSport.com Holeshot and led nearly the first 25 minutes - laying his bike over in a turn and giving the lead away.

In Moto 2, Vialle appeared headed for the sweep grabbing the MotoSport.com Holeshot and leading for more than 10 minutes before Joe Shimoda smoothly got around for the lead and easily took the checkers for his first Moto win this season. Cooper also caught Vialle for second in the second Moto but the (1-3) day for Vialle bested Cooper's (2-2).

"That was a tough one, but I love the track. It is so fun. Seems today is like Europe. I felt comfortable, it was nice for me," Vialle said. "A win."

Even bigger news fell with Hunter Lawrence who, until last week, was poised to runaway with the series like his brother has in the 450 class. A pileup at the start of Moto 2 a week earlier at RedBud initially put his season in jeopardy but he survived with no broken bones though lost a potential 25 points allowing those in his soul crushing wake to catch up. At Southwick, Lawrence's dirt bike gave up the ghost with time run out and two laps remaining while solidly in fourth. He finished 13th overall on a (26-8) day, as Moto 2 gave him some two-steps forward, one step back fits. Nevertheless, two zero-point Motos in a row hands the lead to rookie Haiden Deegan, who didn't exactly capitalize on Lawrence's misfortune but nonetheless rides the Red Plate on Saturday at Spring Creek.

Deegan, who won his first career overall at RedBud, finished sixth overall in the sand pit including a season worst 10th in Moto 2. Deegan crashed in both Motos but his finishes gave him enough to take a five point lead in the standings with five rounds left. RJ Hampshire (3-4), finishing fourth overall, also moves back into title contention, as he now sits third in the standings, just eight back of Lawrence and 13 behind Deegan. Jo Shimoda, finished third overall on a (6-1) day, faces a 20-point deficit for the top spot. Cooper's absence at High Point no longer locks him out of competing for the championship either as he moves into fifth-place 22 points from first.

2023 Motocross 250 Class Standings after Round 6

Haiden Deegan - 218
Hunter Lawrence - 213
RJ Hampshire - 205
Jo Shimoda - 198
Justin Cooper - 196

450 Class

OK, the 450 class. Jett Lawrence must have some type of Jett Fuel in his bike because no one has anything in their tank to keep up. Chase Sexton grabbed the MotoSport.com Holeshot in Moto 1 and Dylan Ferrandis took it in Moto 2 but within a few corners, if that, Lawrence afterburned into the lead and never looked back.

Whelp not much more to say. Sexton kept pace in second for both Motos for a while but never mounted much of chase (haha, no pun intended!) for the lead. Moto 2 looked good for some action but Sexton eventually tired or Lawrence found an extra gear and won by nearly 15 seconds with a less than enthusiastic arm pump as he crossed the finish line. Ferrandis rode hot in Moto 1 charging from fifth to third on some rails but did little thereafter and finished third in both more than 50 seconds behind Lawrence.

The rookie Lawrence remains undefeated and holds a 67 point lead over Ferrandis. Sexton who missed three rounds because of injury and illness only poses a threat for the undefeated season as he sits in seventh, 170 points out of the title hunt. His second-place finishes push Ferrandis further and further back of Lawrence, who at this pace should wrap up thye 450 class Championship two rounds early.

"I didn't enjoy that one bit, that was a brutal track," Lawrence said. "The end laps were sloppy. It was survival man. Definitely one of the most brutal tracks. We're going to enjoy this and go back and recover from this one and get ready for Millville."

Fun to watch privateer Ty Masterpool kept pace with the factory riders for a while as he has most of the season, even battling with Jason Anderson for fifth in Moto 1 as time ran down but took ninth overall on a (5-10 day) though he was tied in points with Garrett Marchbanks (10-5) who finished fifth overall, Spanish rider Jose Butron (9-6) for sixth overall, local rider Chris Canning (8-7) in seventh and Adam Cianciarulo (7-8) who took eighth overall.