Craig, Sexton Ninth and 10th Overall at RedBud II AMA Pro MX

Round five of the AMA Pro Motocross series–the second race of the Labor Day Weekend doubleheader at RedBud MX in Buchanan, Michigan–saw Team Honda HRC’s Christian Craig finish ninth overall via 10-6 finishes, while a 9-9 moto tally put teammate Chase Sexton 10th on the day. 

Craig enjoyed a decent ride in the first moto, running in the top five before suffering a fall that eventually contributed to him finishing 10th. After some minor mechanical adjustments, he showed consistent speed in the second outing and charged to a sixth finish to earn ninth overall. It was an up-and-down day for Sexton, whose results were damaged by crashes. The first moto saw him go down in the second turn, but he quickly rebounded and worked his way up to sixth before a fall slowed him. He finished ninth. In moto two Sexton was balked by a crash with Justin Barcia in the second corner, but he gained momentum and moved up to sixth place before falling and taking a ninth-place finish for 10th overall. 

NOTES

• Though the RedBud National is typically held on Independence Day Weekend, round 5 of the AMA Pro Motocross series was scheduled on Labor Day Monday, making it the first Monday event held in 45 years. 

• With only two days off following the previous round, the Team Honda HRC crew spent most of their time at the track, prepping the bikes for Monday’s race. Meanwhile, Christian Craig passed some downtime with his wife Paige, while Chase Sexton visited a local race near his hometown in La Moille, Illinois, less than a three-hour drive west.

• On Sunday afternoon, Team Honda HRC mechanics did some final minor prep work on the bikes. This included bleeding hydraulic brake and clutch lines and preparing spare parts. The Showa technicians also serviced the suspension components.

• Though Team Manager Erik Kehoe was home sick during RedBud I, he rejoined the team in Michigan on Sunday for round five the next day.

• During qualifying, Sexton posted the fifth-fastest lap, a 2’05.075” in the final session. Craig’s 2’07.155” in the same session was good enough for 10th-quickest.

• After the first 450 moto, it was evident to the Team Honda HRC crew that Sexton’s bike was having mechanical issues, and repairs were made prior to the second moto. 

• During 250 racing, GEICO Honda’s Jeremy Martin battled back from a poor moto-one start but was taken down in a pass attempt by Dylan Ferrandis and finished 11th. Martin came back with a solid win in the second moto but found himself one point away from the overall podium. Jeremy’s teammate Jett Lawrence was also competitive, earning sixth overall, with Jo Shimoda, Carson Mumford and Hunter Lawrence earning 10th, 15th and 18th overall, respectively.

• Due to several riders flying home following Monday’s race, the post-race press conference was rescheduled for Tuesday evening via Zoom.

• With five of the nine rounds in the books, Team Honda HRC will enjoy a weekend off before heading to Millville, Minnesota, for the sixth round of the AMA Pro Motocross series. 

Media contact:

Kayla Mead // Jonnum Media // kayla@jonnummedia.com // +1 (760) 822-4786