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Previewing Spring Creek / Viewing Guide
By Zach Newberry,
2024-07-13
The 2024 AMA Pro Motocross Championship stops for round #7 at Spring Creek Mx Park in Millville, MN, for the FXR Spring Creek National. Located in the picturesque Mississippi River Valley, right next to the Mississippi River, Spring Creek is famous for its rich soil.
Before we delve into the 2024 preview, let’s look at the competitive history. In 450MX, Ricky Carmichael holds the top spot for the most wins with eight, Ryan Dungey is second with four, and Ezra Lusk is third with three. In 250MX, it’s a three-way tie at the top with Jeremy Martin, James Stewart, and Mike LaRocco all with three wins.
As we look to the 2024 Spring Creek National, anticipate some changes to the track layout for this year. The track crew has been moving some dirt, adding terrain, and reshaping it heading into the National weekend.
The 2024 season has been exhilarating, with each weekend delivering some of the most intense and competitive racing in recent years. In the 450 division at the RedBud National this past Saturday, we witnessed a significant shift in the points lead as Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton dominated the track, overtaking Team Honda HRC’s rookie and Australian’s Hunter Lawrence with a 1-1 finish. Sexton now leads with seven points up on Hunter. This win was Sexton's career-first moto win and overall victory at his home track, RedBud. He has five moto wins and two overall wins so far this season.
With the defending champion, teammate, and younger brother to Hunter, Jett Lawrence, dropping big news the Tuesday before RedBud that he would be out for the remainder of this Pro Motocross Championship with a UCL injury that required surgery, we were all wondering who would take control of this championship leaving RedBud, between Hunter and Chase. Well, the #4 machine sure answered that question.
Chase Sexton dominates RedBud and takes the points lead.
Photo Courtesy of BluGroove Media &sol Mina Hami
While leading moto 1 with two laps left, Hunter had his biggest mistake of the season so far, hitting the ground hard. He was okay after the crash, but it shook him up in moto 2, knocking his head during that crash. It was nothing serious, but enough of a difference to not run his usual pace. He was able to salvage 3rd place overall after a wrong tire choice, using the traditional knobby tire instead of a paddle off the start. It was bizarre not to see a Honda HRC machine out front off the start.
Sexton’s teammate, Aaron Plessinger, grabbed 2nd overall on the day with impressive rides, and that’s so fitting, right? The cowboy was on the box at the Fourth of July weekend RedBud National!
Moving into the 250 class, these last couple of weeks have been a dog fight up front to contend for wins. In the beginning part of the season, Haiden Deegan, the current points leader on Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing, was dominant while showcasing impressive come-from-behind rides.
When we reached High Point (round #4), it was someone else’s turn to be on the top step of the box. Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s fill-in rider and sixth in points, Ty Masterpool, claimed his career-first moto and overall for Pro Circuit’s 300th overall win. Then, this past weekend at RedBud, second in championship points, Team Honda HRC’s Chance Hymas took his career-first overall win in Pro Motocross. That’s all good, but Deegan is still up the same points as he came into the weekend with, 42 up on the field.
Hymas jumped on a red cross flag during the first moto, docking him five crucial championship points. Third in points, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle tasted moto victory at round #2 of Hangtown a few rounds ago. He was half a lap away from potentially winning his first overall on the season at Southwick round #5 until a tipover while battling for the lead. With multiple crashes, those mistakes have cost the MX2 World Champion so far a chance for an overall win. Team Honda HRC’s and Hymas’s teammate Jo Shimoda grabbed his first moto victory this season during moto 2 in the sand of Southwick, and then another for moto 2 at RedBud.
Chance Hymas wins his career-first overall at RedBud!
Photo Courtesy of BluGroove Media &sol Mina Hami
With all that being said, we have a ton of talent heating up just past the halfway point of this Pro Motocross Championship in the 250MX division. Deegan is coming into Spring Creek off his worst season finish at RedBud, finishing 5th. There were mistakes during the second moto, first stalling the bike in one of the corners. Then, in the race's later stages, he had a gnarly get-off when a lappers bike was in the middle of the track as he landed on the down ramp off a tabletop, sending him flying forward. He was lucky with quickly jumping up and finishing the race without losing a position and seemingly unharmed.
Both classes have questions as we enter the Mississippi River Valley of the FXR Spring Creek National. Will Sexton continue the dominant ride from RedBud to assert control over this championship, or will Hunter strike back to close the points gap, stating this is far from over, leaving Minnesota? Can Haiden Deegan fight back to claim his dominance in this class and his 5th overall win on the season, or will Hymas, Vialle, Masterpool, or someone else claim that top spot?
Looking ahead to September for the SuperMotocross World Championship, Chase Sexton now leads the 450SMX combined points, and Haiden Deegan is still up front in 250SMX points. Be on the lookout for some riders still trying to make the cut and get into that top 20. If you haven't already done so, read our Underdogs from RedBud to familiarize yourself with those on the outside looking in and digging deep in Pro Motocross to transfer straight in.
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