A second-place result for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team rider Chase Sexton saw him reclaim the 450SX Class points lead at Round 5 of the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship inside Detroit’s Ford Field tonight, as teammate Aaron Plessinger pieced together a consistent ride in technical conditions to earn a P6 finish.
Defending champion Sexton found comfort immediately in practice and qualifying, posting the third fastest laptime as he took his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION into the night show. The momentum would continue for Sexton as he raced to P4 in his Heat Race.
A top-three start in the Main Event for Sexton saw the number 1 in the fight from the beginning, and he would maintain pressure throughout the duration of the race on the deteriorating track to earn a convincing second position. He now takes the 450SX points lead back from teammate Plessinger heading into Glendale next weekend.
Chase Sexton: “It’s nice to reclaim the red plate! Tonight was one of my better rides… we’ve had a lot of ups and downs this year with the mud races, then last week was a Triple Crown, which meant this weekend was one of our first real Main Events and I felt pretty solid in the conditions. I didn’t have a great Heat Race, then seeing the 250 start I was a little bit nervous starting so far outside. I was fortunate to get a good start, then had some good speed, although a few little mistakes cost me. All in all, it was a good Main Event, and now I’m looking forward to Arizona."
Holding the 450SX series lead entering Detroit, Plessinger powered his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to P10 in qualifying as he adjusted to the softer, East Coast surface, before charging to a popular opening Heat Race victory of the night.
A mid-field start in the Main Event saw The Cowboy's work cut out for him, as he steadily climbed through the pack throughout the race, before crossing the finish line in sixth place. He now sits third in the standings, only two points back from Sexton and the red plates.
Aaron Plessinger: “Detroit, I had a good night overall. We got a Heat Race win and in the Main I just messed up the start – came from around 15th place and ended up sixth, so not too mad with that! We’ll go back, do some homework and stay in this championship fight. Onto Glendale, I like that stadium, so we’ll go get back to the warmth and look forward to it.”
The Detroit round marked a shift in contenders for the 250SX division, with the Eastern Regional series commencing as dual MX2 World Champion Tom Vialle enters his second season of AMA Supercross competition.
The day began well for the Frenchman, who recorded P4 in qualifying on his KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, before notching a strong third-place score in his Heat Race. A first turn pile-up that claimed a sizable portion of the 250SX East field unfortunately saw Vialle caught up in the chaos, with the number 16 eventually remounting to be credited with P18 on the night.
Tom Vialle: “I actually had a pretty good day going, top five in all of the qualifying sessions and then P3 in my Heat Race, so the riding was pretty good until the Main Event. I had a crash and couldn’t really do anything about it – I was hit from the back, which of course makes me pretty disappointed. I felt great on the track and I think it would’ve been a great race. A lot of top guys were on the floor in the first turn, which means that a few are a ways down in the championship, so let's regroup and come back for the next East Coast round in Dallas.”
Next Race: February 10 – Glendale, Arizona
Results 450SX Class – Detroit
1. Jett Lawrence (AUS), Honda
2. Chase Sexton (USA), KTM
3. Ken Roczen (GER), SUZ
OTHER KTM
6. Aaron Plessinger (USA), KTM
19. Tristan Lane (USA), KTM
21. Justin Hill (USA), KTM
Standings 450SX Class 2024 after 5 of 17 rounds
1. Chase Sexton, 98 points
2. Jett Lawrence, 97
3. Aaron Plessinger, 96
OTHER KTM
19. Justin Hill, 16
26. Justin Rodbell, 5
28. Tristan Lane, 3
Results 250SX West Class – Detroit
1. Austin Forkner (USA), Kawasaki
2. Max Anstie (GBR), Honda
3. Daxton Bennick (USA), Yamaha
OTHER KTM
18. Tom Vialle (FRA), KTM
Standings 250SX East Class 2024 after 1 of 9 rounds
1. Austin Forkner, 25 points
2. Max Anstie, 22
3. Daxton Bennick, 20
OTHER KTM
18. Tom Vialle, 4