Reigning AMA Supercross Champion Chase Sexton fought hard to finish eighth in the penultimate round of the 2024 season in Denver tonight, recovering from a first turn incident for position, as Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Julien Beaumer took a top 10 result in the 250SX West Main Event.
Sexton set the third-fastest lap in qualifying and placed second in Heat 2 onboard his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, but his night came unstuck with an early crash in the premier class 450SX Main Event. He clawed his way back to as high as fifth until another fall bumped him back down the order, before he went on to finish P8 – a result that has him tied on points for third in the standings with a single round remaining.
Chase Sexton: "Denver, not a great Main Event, but we had a pretty solid day up until that point. I fell in the first turn, came from pretty much last to fifth and then fell again, so I rode it in from there for eighth. I pretty much have every piece of the puzzle, so I just have to put them together now, and that's encouraging for us at least heading into the final round next weekend."
250SX West rookie Beaumer continued to build experience in Round 9 of the 250SX West division. He was fifth on combined times at the conclusion of qualifying and then raced to third position in Heat 2 of the afternoon, before clawing his way to 10th in the Main Event riding the KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION.
The teenager was comfortably inside the top 10 across the opening laps before a mishap dropped him to the rear of the pack, but he managed to make his way back to P10 by the time the checkered flag flew. As a result, he retains sixth in the championship standings, now within three points of the top five.
Julien Beaumer: "It was a good day overall, probably my best riding of the season, and I'm happy with that. Unfortunately I got landed on early in the Main Event and started from way back at that point, but came back to 10th. I'm happy with my riding, even if the result doesn't show, so we will go back to work this week and be ready for Salt Lake."
Next Race: May 11 – Salt Lake City, Utah
Results 450SX Class – Denver
1. Jett Lawrence (AUS), Honda
2. Hunter Lawrence (AUS), Honda
3. Jason Anderson (USA), Kawasaki
4. Justin Barcia (USA), GASGAS
7. Malcolm Stewart (USA), Husqvarna
8. Chase Sexton (USA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
Standings 450SX Class 2024 after 16 of 17 rounds
1. Jett Lawrence, 336 points
2. Cooper Webb, 316
3. Chase Sexton, 282
9. Justin Barcia, 200
10. Aaron Plessinger, 198
11. Malcolm Stewart, 184
Results 250SX West Class – Denver
1. Jo Shimoda (JPN), Honda
2. Levi Kitchen (USA), Kawasaki
3. RJ Hampshire (USA), Husqvarna
10. Julien Beaumer (USA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
11. Ryder DiFrancesco (USA), GASGAS
Standings 250SX West Class 2024 after 9 of 10 rounds
1. RJ Hampshire, 186 points
2. Levi Kitchen, 186
3. Jordon Smith, 165
6. Julien Beaumer, 118
12. Ryder DiFrancesco, 79