Washougal Motocross by the numbers: Chase Sexton looks to defend last year's National win
The Pro Motocross battle moves to the Northwest and Washougal (Washington) MX Park, a venue that has been kind to the two strongest riders on the circuit. That should create intense competition at the head of the pack. Chase Sexton won the 450 Washougal Nationals last year; Jett Lawrence was the 250 winner.
In fact, Sexton is the two-time defending champion with another win in 2021, but if one looks a little further back in the record books, Dylan Ferrandis has a 250 win in 2019 and Aaron Plessinger, another weekly threat for a top-five finish this season, won in that division in 2018. Sexton's two overall wins include two moto victories and makes this his best track. In now his fourth round back after suffering a concussion after Week 1 in Pala, California, Sexton should be 100 percent.
As everyone keeps an eye on Lawrence's bid to have a perfect season, the teenage sensation keeps putting his name in the record books. Last week's 14th consecutive moto win ties him with James Stewart (2004) for seventh on the all-time list according to SuperMotocross statistician Clinton Fowler. If Lawrence sweeps the motos again this week, he will jump to fifth all time in a tie with Ryan Villopoto (2008). Ricky Carmichael holds the all-time record with 31 from 2003 through 2005.
If it appeared the competitive gap was closing last week in Spring Creek before Sexton crashed in each moto, that is because it was. In Moto 1 last week, Sexton had seven of the 10 fastest laps; Lawrence was fastest in the other three. In Moto 2, Lawrence had eight of the fastest laps with Sexton taking the other two.
Four has been the operative number for Plessinger this year. In seven Motocross rounds, he's finished there five times, including the last three consecutively. In those three rounds, he finished fourth in every moto and he must be slightly frustrated by missing the podium each week by such a small margin.
Last week Garrett Marchbanks advanced to 20th in SuperMotocross 450 points after moving into that division in Round 3. Ty Masterpool jumped up four position to provide a little breathing room in the standings. The top 20 riders receive an automatic invitation into the main events in the SuperMotocross World Championship.
At the current pace, it appears Christian Craig will drop out of the top 20 and be forced to race in the Last Chance Qualifiers for the three playoff rounds if he is able to return from injury.
In 250s, Hunter Lawrence made a statement last week with a near-perfect performance. He was forced to come from the back in Moto 1, but dominated the second race until he ran up on an intense battle among riders he was attempting to lap. He crashed and finished second to Justin Cooper. His fifth overall win and sixth moto victory reminded the field of his domination. No other rider has more than one overall win or two motos. Lawrence's 11 moto podiums are almost twice that of Cooper and Tom Vialle, the next closest competitors.
Meanwhile, Haiden Deegan has lost speed in the last few rounds. He posted the fastest lap in Moto 1 at Thunder Valley, but has not had a top 20 fastest lap since RedBud and in the last two rounds he's been outside the top five.
Previous Washougal Winners
450s
2022: Chase Sexton
2021: Chase Sexton
2019: Eli Tomac
2018: Eli Tomac
2017: Marvin Musquin
250s
2022: Jett Lawrence
2021: Jeremy Martin
2019: Dylan Ferrandis
2018: Aaron Plessinger
2017: Joey Savatgy
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More SuperMotocross coverage
SuperMotocross Power Rankings after Spring Creek
Spring Creek results and points
Jett Lawrence does it again
Pierce Brown, Austin Forkner return
Garrett Marchbanks pivoting into success
