'24 Washougal 450 Moto 1
Transcript
00:00We hook up the Frenchman, Roman Pope, I believe this is the second year he has been racing
00:08with us.
00:09And he was very strong at our last race.
00:12At spring creek and millville, Minnesota.
00:15We wish him the best of luck today, always throwing a shout out to the riders paying
00:18their own bills to get to the races.
00:20Now we get ready for the first 450 moto.
00:24Send it down to Will Christian.
00:27And for the number 32 of Justin Cooper, the goal from this point forward was going to
00:32be podiums to finish out the season.
00:35And he did an excellent job of starting that flow last weekend, guys, in spring creek,
00:39going five through there for that third overall when I checked in with him today, said expectation
00:44now has changed a little bit throughout the season.
00:46Let's remember this is his rookie season.
00:48He said he feels like everybody else is expecting it.
00:50So that carries on through.
00:51Can he do it here today, J.T.?
00:54Just like Justin Cooper for Aaron Plessinger, the goal is a podium.
00:58They all sense it with the absence of Jeff Lawrence.
01:00It's opened up that seemingly impossible before third spot to attain.
01:04So for AP, he's got to put two solid motos together.
01:07And it really feels like his race will be between Justin Cooper and Jason Anderson for
01:12that coveted third spot today.
01:16Fly racing, 32nd car is up.
01:18Thank you, J.T. and Will.
01:20We're ready to go.
01:2140 riders on the gate.
01:23Three minutes and two laps is the race duration.
01:25They will race twice today.
01:27Will be here all day long on peacock or the smx video pass outside the United States.
01:31Will be joined by the NBC audience in a bit.
01:35We're ready to go.
01:36Important round with two weeks off after this.
01:38Who will carry the momentum in?
01:40Let's go!
01:41Firing start by the number 7 of Aaron Plessinger.
02:00Got a great jump out of the gate.
02:02Able to get to third gear quicker than anybody else.
02:06Rockets out of there.
02:07And that is huge on this racetrack.
02:10Sometimes this racetrack has a tendency to race really narrow.
02:13Nevertheless, a fun racetrack for these racers.
02:16Last year he shot the second moto and did this exact same thing.
02:19When he had the lead, he really rode well.
02:21Plessinger out of Ohio.
02:22Listen to this crowd.
02:23They love him.
02:24They call him the cowboy and they're pumped to see him up front.
02:27He definitely is a fan favorite, 100%.
02:31I like what I see from Aaron Plessinger.
02:33He was riding really well last weekend at millville.
02:36Had a lot of aggression, a lot of speed.
02:40Had a couple of mistakes that costed him some sweet position.
02:46He's making good on that right now.
02:47Making up for it.
02:48Cooper second.
02:49Now, Hunter Lawrence, not the whole shot, but he's three positions in front of Sexton.
02:55Another probably not as good a start as he wanted beginning to this race.
02:59He's sixth.
03:00J.T.?
03:01Well, it's interesting to look at both Justin Cooper and Hunter Lawrence behind A.P.
03:08Now, remember, both of those two riders, this is their first year here on a 450.
03:12This racetrack is significantly different on a big bike.
03:15There's so much more power to contend with on a very slippery and very tricky racetrack.
03:20So A.P.
03:21Looks a little bit more comfortable.
03:22You can see that Hunter's kind of settling in a little bit, but that's the difference
03:25between experience.
03:26You just are a little bit more comfortable early, especially in tricky track conditions.
03:29Well, if you can be comfortable early on these conditions, you're going to have a huge advantage.
03:35Like that?
03:36Oh!
03:37Jason Anderson makes the move on Hunter Lawrence, puts a little mustard on the pass, runs into
03:42him a bit.
03:43No love lost between these two.
03:45Yeah.
03:46To make passes here on this racetrack today, you're going to have to be aggressive, and
03:49I don't mean aggressive by making contact, but what I mean is aggressive with the moves,
03:53and if the door opens up, you've got to take it immediately because it is so challenging
03:58to make a move by all of these riders here.
04:00You can see all the ruts here.
04:02So it's hard to move around from left to right.
04:04So when that door opens up, you've got to take it right there, Will.
04:07And we're seeing a lot of progression again here with Jason Anderson.
04:11He came fifth last weekend at spring creek, but that sounds worse than Justin Cooper.
04:16What we've got to remember is Justin Cooper, Aaron Glassinger, and Jason Anderson all scored
04:22eight points there from the motos, but it was just how it was shuffled up because obviously
04:25it goes to the tiebreaker of where they positioned in that second moto.
04:29Now Jason Anderson with that strong showing last weekend, I was told, has made even more
04:34gains on the bike, his comfort set up, and we've got to remember as well, a hard base
04:38track like this, Ricky, is really going to play into his hands.
04:41So put all those pieces together, and it could be a good day.
04:43Yeah, you talk about making improvements on that monster energy Kawasaki for Jason Anderson.
04:48I was watching him in the first time qualifying practice earlier today, Jason, and I was telling
04:53you, he looked very comfortable.
04:55Just looked like he could go anywhere he needed to go, and it looked to me like his bike was
04:59very forgiving and that he could put the bike where he needed to go rather than the
05:05bike putting him where it wanted to go.
05:08To J.T.
05:09Yeah, and I think for Jason Anderson, I think you become a product of your environment.
05:14For Anderson growing up in New Mexico, a really low traction environment, he had to learn
05:19those characteristics, throttle control, carrying momentum, because he was also at elevation,
05:24so he couldn't rely on that power because he simply didn't have as much with the lack
05:28of oxygen.
05:30So I think on a track like this where it's tricky, the traction is always out to kind
05:33of fool you.
05:34I think he feels at home here and just more comfortable than many of the other riders.
05:37Talking about being fooled, J.T., you spoke about the shadows on this racetrack, and early
05:44on on these tracks, early on in these races, the tracks are very slippery because the track
05:49crew are putting water down.
05:51So when you get in these shaded areas, you can't really see because the dirt's already
05:55dark to start with.
05:57Watch this.
05:58Chase Sexton had lost a position, and now we see why.
06:01Here he goes.
06:04Jumping in.
06:05He's going to go to the inside rut, and as he does that, he initiates the corner.
06:09When he does that, the front end goes right over the top of the rut.
06:13Doesn't lose too many positions.
06:15He only lost one to Derek Kelly, then he got it back, but he's at sixth.
06:19The problem is he was about five seconds off the lead.
06:23Now he is 11 seconds, nearly 12, and his teammate getting away.
06:29Yeah, this guy, this isn't a surprise for a guy like Aaron Plessinger, especially going
06:35after how well he was riding last week, and the guy knows how to ride.
06:39He's a champion in the 250 division, so he knows what he's doing, and with this being
06:43kind of a technical track with all the ruts and shades, I feel like he thrives in those
06:49type of conditions.
06:51And it certainly helps to have the fan support, which you're hearing all the way around this
07:02track.
07:03Cooper lurking.
07:04Listen to this.
07:12But Justin Cooper hanging in there, keeping it to about two seconds.
07:15Yeah, he is.
07:16He's keeping him honest, but at the same time, man, if Plessinger is able to get out
07:21a little bit further, he's got to get to an area where he'll be able to manage that gap
07:26or lead and not necessarily have to override the bike, which in turn on a track like this,
07:35you can almost be faster sometimes by going slower.
07:38You're able to go faster because of the conditions, and if he gets a couple more seconds on Justin
07:43Cooper, he will be in that spot.
07:46Now what's interesting about this battle here, RC, you've got Anderson on the 21.
07:50Hunter Lawrence starting to catch him, but there has been some rough riding, some aggressive
07:56riding between these two all year.
07:58If you're Hunter, is that in the back of your mind?
08:00Are you almost worried or wondering how do you approach if you want to make the pass?
08:05Yeah, I don't believe that there's any worry there.
08:08You just have to plan your pass precisely, and make sure you do it in a place where maybe
08:14Jason Anderson cannot retaliate, so the timing of where he makes the move is going to be
08:20absolutely crucial if he's going to want to get by the 21 of Jason Anderson.
08:25This date's back with both Jett and Hunter Lawrence, the brothers to multiple run-ins
08:29at supercross.
08:30Some arguments off the track when the race was over, and then Anderson threw a little
08:37something extra on the pass in the beginning of this moto, but Hunter, he's got to move
08:43forward.
08:44This is an opportunity to make up points with Sexton still in sixth.
08:47Send it back to J.T.
08:48Yeah, Jason, why can't you make a great point there?
08:51What I would love to see from Hunter here is really turn up the intensity, because you've
08:54got a rider behind you in Chase Sexton that has won five motos coming in here and has
08:58built up a 13-point lead.
09:00Well, he's just opened the door for Hunter Lawrence to claw some of those points back.
09:04It really hurts, though, if Chase Sexton can't do better than a fifth or a sixth and
09:08Hunter doesn't capitalize.
09:09He's really got to take advantage of this.
09:10So I'll be watching to see if the mechanics can share that information, because when the
09:15door is open, I'm a firm believer that you have to walk through it.
09:19Yeah, thank you, J.T.
09:20Yeah, so how is Hunter going to play it?
09:22RC, most of the year we have seen Hunter working from the front.
09:25The good starts.
09:26Yeah, he is.
09:27I mean, he's been so dominant on the starts, getting the whole shot, leading, you know,
09:33the first half of the races, and you come to a track that is so start dependent and
09:39you're not able to get up front, this could be huge of what maybe could have been, like
09:45Jason Thomas was telling us about, one track you want to get a good start at is this racetrack.
09:52Just unfortunate timing for Hunter Lawrence, but there's still so much racing left, and
09:57although you probably want to make up more points and be in the lead, a couple points
10:01is better than zero.
10:07So behind Lawrence, you'll have the veteran Frenchman Dillon Ferrandez, then it's Sexton,
10:12Kelli, Nicoletti, Craig and Norton round out the top ten, and he still has Anderson in
10:18sight, Doug Lawrence.
10:20There's the next rider in line.
10:22Looks like a pass has been made.
10:23That's not Ferrandez.
10:24That's Sexton.
10:25Sexton making up the move these next couple laps.
10:30So keep an eye on the timing and scoring, but there's a great view right there.
10:34Hunter Lawrence was exiting the whoops, or the rollers, and he just put in the fastest
10:40lap of the moto, 219.
10:45Sexton on the move now.
10:47Yeah, so first rider with the 219 lap time is Sexton.
10:54Last couple weeks, or I would say the last three or four weeks since Jett has been gone,
10:58I feel like there is a calm with chase Sexton to where he doesn't have to override the bike
11:04and have to worry about other guys getting too far out early on because I believe the
11:09reason he's able to do that is because he knows that he has the speed on these guys,
11:14the strength on these guys.
11:17And the team there at red bull ktm, you're obviously there to support him through these
11:22remaining races now as he tries to navigate through that strategy and it's obviously mental
11:26and physical as we talk about so much.
11:28I got to speak to the director of racing, Roger da Costa there and said, you know, what's
11:33your vibe?
11:34What's your messaging to chase Sexton at the moment?
11:36He said most importantly is to stay calm.
11:39He said he's in a great place.
11:40Our job is to keep him in that place, but he also did mention how proud he is of chase
11:46Sexton and the whole team as far as how good he looks on the bike, how comfortable he is
11:50now as well.
11:51Documented the struggles that they have when he went to this new team at the beginning
11:55of the supercross season and said the gains are huge and he said it's honestly a lot down
12:00to the relationship between the two as to where they've got to.
12:03Well, and for the number 14 of Dylan Ferenc who finds himself right behind chase Sexton
12:09here.
12:10He's been searching a lot throughout this season.
12:12Brand new team that he's joined in Phoenix Honda and they've really been trying to sort
12:15out this Honda 450, but at a track like Washougal, the bike should work well and the reason is
12:21the Honda turns really well and a track that doesn't have a lot of traction.
12:25There's a lot of very tight corners here at Washougal.
12:28He's probably going to find more front end traction than some of the other motorcycles
12:32he's up against.
12:33It doesn't surprise me at all to see him having a good day here at Washougal aboard that brand
12:37new Honda.
12:39Thanks, J.T.
12:41And Ferrandez won this championship two years ago, second in the series last year.
12:46I guess three years ago back to 2021 when he was champion.
12:49This has been a little below that standard.
12:51He took some time off midway through the supercross season and battling a sickness, so had to
13:00take some time off the bike, but he has certainly found some form later on the pro motocross
13:06championship and riding a little bit more like we know how Dylan Ferrandez can ride.
13:13And this team, Phoenix Honda, first go of it at this level, racing a 450 outdoors with
13:19a rider of Ferrandez's caliber.
13:21We're going to be joined in a moment by the NBC audience here in America, so we'll have
13:25a quick intro for them.
13:27You can, of course, keep watching here on Peacock as Plessinger has opened it up to
13:32over four seconds now over Justin Cooper.
13:35Ferrandez never won a moto in his career.
13:55In progress watching live super motocross world championship action, motocross motorcycles
14:01here for the motosport dot com Washington national in Washington, Washington, about
14:07a half hour from Portland, Oregon, the race leader, Ohio's Aaron Plessinger.
14:12He is a fan favorite, but he has never won one of these 450 races in pro motocross, but
14:17boy, does he look strong.
14:18Jason Wygant, Ricky Carmichael with the call.
14:19What do you see here, R.C.
14:20On the number seven?
14:21Well, I'm watching a guy that looks extremely confident on his motorcycle, able to put that
14:28machine anywhere that he wants to, not making hardly any mistakes, not making, I mean, just
14:34absolutely executing, pulling away.
14:37He's got a four and a half second lead, still a little over halfway to go here.
14:41He keeps reeling on some laps like this.
14:43He's going to have a very comfortable lead.
14:46And the rider he's leading is the one out of New York, Justin Cooper, second on the
14:51number 32, the monster Yamaha star racing machine, and these are two riders that have
14:56been battling for third in a lot of the races as of late.
14:59Hunter Lawrence battling for wins his third today.
15:02Here he is on the red, and then it's Jason Anderson here in green on the Kawasaki 4th.
15:06And he got two rookies.
15:08Two rookies in the second and third place in this race right now with Justin Cooper
15:13like you were talking about, Hunter Lawrence in that third position.
15:16Now, keep in mind, Hunter Lawrence only 13 points behind Chase Sexton for this championship.
15:21And we are only now seeing Sexton right there on the orange Red Bull KTM number four.
15:26He's been dominant as of late, but not a good start in this race.
15:29He's in fifth, and he has not really been able to see the leaders until about now.
15:33Well, you're watching a very dominant rider, hence the 13-point lead that he has over Hunter
15:40Lawrence, number four on that Red Bull KTM ride, and this is an incredible athlete, the
15:45strength that he has, the cardiovascular strength that he has.
15:48And aboard this new Red Bull KTM machine this year, he looks extremely comfortable.
15:53I love the balance of the motorcycle.
15:55When I talk about the balance of the motorcycle, I feel like the front and rear has a nice
16:00profile to it, like the front end isn't too low or the rear end isn't too low.
16:05And this guy has just been an expert all season long in the pro motocross championship.
16:10And look at this, Ricky.
16:11He's trying to make a pass on Jason Anderson to the top of what they call horsepower hill.
16:16He's on the inside.
16:19Anderson able to hold him back.
16:21Very tough racetrack to get by.
16:23He's going to have to be crafty of where he can make the move.
16:26Watch as he tries to get creative, taking different lines.
16:31Trying to leap around the outside, and he makes it happen.
16:38An unbelievable pass by chase Sexton.
16:41Fully commits to the outside to go around and make the move by the number 21 of Jason
16:46Anderson.
16:47He holds the gas on a lot longer, goes around that at the bump, that little jump, single
16:52jump on the inside.
16:53He's able to carry the speed and make the move.
16:57And what's critical now, Hunter Lawrence in red on the 96th is catching second place Justin
17:04Cooper.
17:05And he has to.
17:06He needs to stay ahead of Sexton to try to make championship points back on him.
17:11Jason Moygant joined by the ten-time pro motocross champion Ricky Carmichael, Will Christian
17:15and Jason Thomas providing a reporting from the racetrack.
17:19And we're halfway through the 30-minute and two-lap race.
17:22A reminder that monster energy available now at Fred Meyer.
17:26Here's the famous group section, this series of jumps headed toward the finish line section.
17:34Hunter is closing on Cooper for second.
17:38We talked about this racetrack and why the difficulties and challenges is to make passes.
17:44This is a great view from the drone.
17:47All the fast lines just funnel into the inside and all these guys are taking the preferred
17:53lines.
17:54That's what makes it so challenging.
17:55So to make a pass for everyone just tuned in here to NBC, these guys are going to have
18:00to get aggressive.
18:01And when that door opens up to make a move, they're going to have to pounce on it immediately
18:05and walk through it.
18:06Because if they don't, they may not get another opportunity to make a move.
18:10So keep your eyes on just those.
18:12We'll give you an idea of when we can see a potential pass.
18:16Big leap from Sexton and orange, the third rider on the screen.
18:19He is catching this battle for second place in a hurry.
18:23The man who's won the last five races in this championship.
18:26You think about that.
18:27In the 96 of Hunter Lawrence, he knows what's at stake right here.
18:31All these points and positions matter.
18:33Going for it.
18:34Got the inside on Cooper.
18:36Cooper is going to try to fight back.
18:37He'll be on the inside of the next turn.
18:39Not enough.
18:40Hunter Lawrence making passes.
18:42Got a great pass by Hunter Lawrence going up horsepower hill.
18:46Getting a better drive.
18:47That pass initiated from a better drive coming out of that corner before the horsepower hill.
18:54Powers by Justin Cooper.
18:56And Sexton has Cooper as well.
19:01Reason you see the aggression right here between these two riders of the 96 of Hunter Lawrence
19:05and the number four of chase Sexton.
19:07These are the guys that are first and second in the championship.
19:11Hunter Lawrence understands what's at stake here and to keep ahead of chase Sexton and
19:16try to beat him in this moto to gain as many points as possible.
19:21Final minutes and two laps remain.
19:23Sexton closing on Lawrence and Aaron Plessinger in the lead has never won one of these pro
19:28motocross motos.
19:41And for our fans watching on peacock or the smx video pass, stay with us.
19:46You get to enjoy the sounds and sights of Washougal as Sexton closes.
21:51Smx from Washougal, Washington, Aaron Plessinger.
22:14He might be the most popular rider in the championship.
22:18The cowboy off the track.
22:20Oh!
22:21Hunter Lawrence from second has gone down.
22:24He's trying to hold off his championship rival, chase Sexton.
22:32Sexton will inherit the number two spot.
22:34Is there time for him to run Plessinger down?
22:37And what happened to Lawrence?
22:42For the man, the rookie running second in the points championship leading in front of
22:50chase Sexton.
22:51The points leader.
22:52Watch the inside.
22:53He's been going to the inside here.
22:54And as he does, he goes into the corner and the bike gets a little bit light and at the
22:59same time he's leaning to initiate the corner and as he does that, there's nothing for the
23:04bike to lead into.
23:05The tires give way.
23:06Down he goes.
23:07Costly mistake by Hunter Lawrence.
23:08Yes, because Ricky, he not only lost a spot to Sexton but Justin Cooper and chase Anderson
23:15have gotten by him as well and that would be a huge difference in the series standings
23:19if he ends up fifth instead of second.
23:22But the story now, you see, if it ends, the 13-point lead for Sexton would become an 18-point
23:28lead.
23:29But the fans at Washougal, they're only concerned with this.
23:34They want to see Aaron Plessinger bring this thing home.
23:38This guy has been riding phenomenal all moto long.
23:41He's riding great last week at Millville and just had some unfortunate crashes.
23:47Couldn't stay off the ground but he is making it happen today.
23:50Got a really great start and has led this race from the beginning, wire to wire.
23:56No one's really in his zone right now.
23:59However, keep your eye on the number four of chase Sexton because that guy has been
24:04known to put in some incredible rides, especially late in the race.
24:08We're watching Justin Cooper back to third place right now on the 32 out of Long Island,
24:15New York and then the rider from New Mexico, Jason Anderson is close behind him in green
24:20on the Kawasaki.
24:21A good fight for a spot on the podium in this race.
24:24These lappers.
24:28Coming up on these lappers.
24:29They can be challenging sometimes because they're in a race, too, and they don't always
24:33move out of the way.
24:34However, Justin Cooper getting through there pretty quick.
24:37Not losing any time.
24:39Will.
24:40And he's reinherited that third spot there, Ricky.
24:43For Justin Cooper.
24:44Check a few of the other guys.
24:45For different reasons, it's very important.
24:46He's in a place with his contract there with monster energy, Yamaha, star racing, where
24:53he's looking to get it renewed and a lot of that is incentive based, based on how many
24:58overall podiums he's got.
25:00Now he's got big teammates, as we know, Eli Tomac and Cooper Webb, multi-time champions.
25:06So he wants to stay in that spot.
25:07He told me he's feeling pretty confident about where he's at with the team.
25:10The team are happy with his performance and where he's got to, especially as a rookie
25:14this year.
25:15You know he wants to check that box to ensure that new contract.
25:20Currently his teammates, Eli Tomac, Cooper Webb, champions in their own right, both super
25:24cross and motocross, and I'm going to tell you right, they cast a big shadow, but he's
25:30doing great as a rookie, and I think for a third guy on a race team like monster energy,
25:35star racing, Yamaha, he's so reliable, doing a great job.
25:38Yeah, and those teammates are out currently, each with injured thumbs, both Webb and Tomac.
25:44So it's up to Cooper to put the Yamaha on the podium now.
25:48Hey, SMX fans, you can experience the most immersive race day scene in motorsports.
25:54The inside track VIP ticket gets you down to the floor and closer to the action than
25:59ever before.
26:00Go to smxexperiences.com and find out about all the unique opportunities coming in the
26:06SMX playoffs, which take place in September.
26:12Battle brewing now.
26:13Anderson on the 21.
26:16He has not let Cooper go.
26:18Talk about those SMX playoffs coming up in September.
26:24Jason Anderson looking really good in the SMX points championship, going to have a great
26:29opportunity to go into the playoffs at a very high seed, which will help him.
26:35No doubt.
26:37Yeah, we take the monster energy super cross standings, the indoor stadium races, and then
26:43combine those together to create a seating for the playoffs.
26:46And Anderson has made every round this year.
26:48Hasn't had many bad races, even though he doesn't have a win.
26:52Uh-oh.
26:53Sexton has cut the gap in half to Plessinger.
26:57It was about five seconds.
26:59Now it's about two and a half.
27:02Can Plessinger hold on and get his first ever 450 moto win?
27:11It's going to be close.
27:23So once again, on break on NBC, we'll stay with the action and you can listen in as we
27:29stretch road.
29:30We'll be right back.
29:58He is responding to the challenge of his teammate, chase Sexton.
30:04It's a pair of KTMs running one, two, and you can win one of those KTMs for yourself.
30:08And it is the two-stroke model, the KTM 250SX, courtesy of the folks at motosport.com.
30:14Just scan the QR code on the screen now or go to motosport.com slash win for your opportunity
30:21to get that motorcycle.
30:23Stretch run now, Ricky Carmichael.
30:25Can Aaron Plessinger hold on?
30:27Well, he might because I'm just looking at the lap times right now.
30:30He just set his fastest lap at a 219.7 at a perfect opportunity in the race with only
30:37about three laps left.
30:39With the teammates battling, Ricky, and I'm in the mechanics area.
30:43I'm here with Red Bull KTM's crew chief, Carlos Rivera, and just asking, how does this look
30:48like for him?
30:49He's got his two guys out there, one closing on the other one going for a championship,
30:52the other going for his first win.
30:54I said, how do you balance that?
30:55He's like, look, I just give them the equipment, the best equipment we can possibly give them,
30:59and they have to figure it out after that.
31:02But under the tent here, guys, there's nerves.
31:05And that's understandable.
31:07For Sexton, he wants maximum points, wants to win every race.
31:10For Plessinger, it would be his first ever win.
31:12We go back to round two at Hagtown in California in May.
31:16Plessinger led Sexton until four turns to go in the race, and Sexton ripped it away.
31:22And that was one of the races that we were talking about at the top of the show where
31:26he has just put in some incredible rides.
31:28It was that race.
31:29When he's in one of those modes, Jason, there is just no way you're going to beat this guy.
31:35And that's what Plessinger might be up against now.
31:37It's about as close as it has been.
31:40Three to go.
31:41The clock did not expire.
31:43Two laps to go.
31:45The sign will come out the next time around.
31:48And this is just the first of four races today.
31:51Stay with us on Peacock.
31:53You want to watch the 250 class with all the young stars of this sport.
31:57And then the second, the 450 moto.
31:59But right now, two laps.
32:01Oh, no.
32:02He stole the motorcycle.
32:04He got it refired.
32:06But Sexton is going to try to make the pass.
32:09He does.
32:11Chase Sexton to the lead.
32:15Oh, another heartbreaker for the 7.
32:20There's the mechanic trying to motivate him.
32:26What happened to be standing right past that section.
32:29We missed it on camera.
32:31But Plessinger went over the jump right before the mechanics and slapped himself in the helmet.
32:35He's so frustrated with himself.
32:37He knows he just blew an opportunity there.
32:39Just happened right in front of him.
32:41Hopefully get a replay of it.
32:43That just shows you the emotion that's going through his head.
32:45In the middle of this race, he's got a few laps left.
32:47Horsepower hill right there.
32:49These guys are riding right on the edge.
32:51Here's a replay.
32:53This is how he stalls the bike.
32:55Leans the bike over.
32:57Boom.
32:59Stalls it.
33:01And that will be the end of it.
33:03I thought he was going to hold on to the lead.
33:05I thought he was going to be able to stay low.
33:07Scrub speed going over that roller jump.
33:09But just didn't have the advantage.
33:11Now chase Sexton looking at six straight moto wins with two and a half laps to go.
33:17He has been so strong late in the races.
33:19He's doing it again here.
33:21Now we have heard there are a few riders on track that are being investigated for what they call a wheels on the ground violation.
33:28If there's a down rider on a jump, a flag will come out that says you can't jump.
33:31It was right here in this section.
33:33That jump in particular.
33:35And it was chase Sexton, I believe Hunter Lawrence.
33:40But I didn't see any downed riders as well.
33:42So they'll investigate that.
33:44And I don't expect them to be penalized.
33:47Because like I said, even though the red cross flag was waving, there were no downed riders anywhere.
33:53But I've been wrong many a times in my life.
33:55But I didn't see any suspicion of why it was out.
33:58Now two things to mention here.
34:00Generally the red cross penalties are championship point penalties.
34:03Not position penalties.
34:05The position penalty might be coming because Blesinger is back.
34:09He has reeled his teammates back in with two to go.
34:13You see the lap riders just in front of chase Sexton.
34:17Those guys are in a race of their own as well.
34:19So it's going to be interesting to see if they give way to the leaders.
34:23It is a courtesy flag.
34:25Courtesy to move out of the way if you're getting taken over by the lead position.
34:31Coming up to put you a lap down.
34:33It's going to be crucial to see how it plays out.
34:36Like you said, Jason Weigand, number seven there has closed back in the gap.
34:42And the three riders you first see are all lap riders.
34:45Sexton's in the middle now.
34:47And he looks over and sees just how close Blesinger is.
34:50This is the start of the racetrack where the starting area hooks on.
34:54We'll give you the motorsport.com whole shot replay here and show you how Blesinger grabbed that early lead.
35:02Here's a replay of the whole shot.
35:04You see that number seven getting a firing start coming out.
35:09Great, great reaction time.
35:12There's a motorsport whole shot.
35:14You cross that line, you're rewarded with the whole shot.
35:19And he led every inch of this race until the mistake.
35:22Stalled the engine, refired it, couldn't hold Sexton off.
35:26Now the two teammates are in the tight S turns together.
35:29There's Sexton in orange.
35:32One rider between them, a lap rider.
35:34Sexton able to get past this next rider here.
35:38This next lap rider.
35:40He will have some clean air in front of him.
35:43Maybe be able to put in a little gap between himself and Aaron Blesinger.
35:46Blesinger still got to get by some lappers.
35:48Two more lappers at that.
35:50This could be huge for chase Sexton.
35:52Local rider getting to get his home track in on the circuit this year.
35:57Max Miller grew up in Oregon.
35:59He's going a lap down in 19th place in yellow.
36:02Sexton clears him as you mentioned.
36:04And not far now for the white flag and one to go.
36:09A nice flurry for Blesinger to try to get back in it.
36:13But Sexton looking to secure it now.
36:15Talk about the challenges of this track here at Washougal motocross park.
36:19In the shaded areas.
36:22Just how difficult it is to see in the depth of the braking bumps because of all
36:26the shadows makes it very, very challenging.
36:30We're seeing braking bumps all over.
36:33The ruts in the corners.
36:36I love what chase Sexton has been able to do as well.
36:39Looks very comfortable on that red bull machine.
36:42This guy, like I said, is an incredible athlete.
36:45So strong.
36:47Physical strength.
36:49Cardiovascular strength.
36:51Mental focus.
36:54This guy is firing.
36:56And the 24-year-old from Illinois came so close to this pro motocross
37:01championship two years ago against the legendary Eli Tomac.
37:04They took it down to the final race of the year.
37:07Tomac was able to edge him.
37:09Last year everyone overshadowed by Jet Lawrence who won every single race.
37:13Sexton was battling Jet this year.
37:15Jet now out with a thumb injury.
37:17And since then Sexton has been doing this.
37:20Late in the race.
37:22Taking over.
37:23And he's dependable.
37:24And he's strong.
37:26And you know that he does a lot of his best work at the end of these
37:30races.
37:31And this is where you need to shine.
37:33A lot of guys towards the end of the race start to slow down just a
37:37little bit.
37:38Maybe lose a little bit of strength.
37:40And this is where Sexton really puts in his best work running
37:44consistent laps.
37:51And his racetrack getting really, really choppy and rough.
37:55Coming out of the corners.
37:57Having acceleration bumps.
38:00Coming into the corners.
38:01Breaking bumps from the tires slowing down.
38:04Suspension moving up and down.
38:07Is it a different type of rough than we've seen the last couple of
38:10tracks where Sexton has been winning on?
38:12A little bit, yeah.
38:14He's in the past from my recollection is the breaking bumps are a lot
38:19shorter.
38:20A lot steeper.
38:21More abrupt.
38:22Because of the harder soil.
38:24Harder dirt.
38:25So I feel like that's part of it.
38:27And why it's different.
38:29And again, we talked about the shadows right here.
38:31And you can't see the depth of the breaking bumps as well.
38:34Because a lot of these riders, they're able to adjust.
38:37Well, he has adjusted quite well from sixth to first.
38:41And he keeps the streak alive.
38:44Six straight moto wins for chase Sexton.
38:49And what might have been, there it is for Aaron Plesinger.
38:54Loves the cheers from the fans.
38:56But he led and he stalled.
38:59I really feel like he had a shot to win.
39:02Good ride by this guy.
39:04Cooper had to deal all the way to the end.
39:07Jason Anderson was on him.
39:09And finally late he was able to break away.
39:11Cooper will take third.
39:13Anderson fourth.
39:15And Hunter Lawrence second in the championship coming in after a fall.
39:18Heads up fifth.