Max Anstie Grabs Victory at Pennsylvania’s First-Ever 250SX Class Race
Philadelphia, Pa., (April 27, 2024) Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence grabbed the Holeshot and was never challenged for the lead to win Round 15 of the 2024 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season. The victory, his seventh of the year, extends the rookie’s championship points lead to 12 with two rounds remaining.
Lincoln Financial Field hosted its first Supercross event, marking the return of the sport to Philadelphia for the first time since 1980. The 43-year gap between 450SX Class events in a city is the longest gap in the sport’s history. The 2024 event marks the first time the 250SX Class has dropped a starting gate in Pennsylvania. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton put down impressive laps late in the race to claw his way up to second place inside Lincoln Financial Field. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson used a risky charge on an outside line going into the final corner to grab the final spot on the podium. In the Eastern Regional 250SX Class, Fire Power Honda’s Max Anstie won a thrilling, must-see Main Event that delivered intense thrills.
“There’s only really one option with the start is: get a good start and be up there. And on this track, that’s a little difficult to pass [on], it definitely helped [to get the Holeshot]. Nailed my start finally and I know we’re still focusing on each race. I mean, [the] job’s not done yet so we’re going to stay focused and make sure we execute these last two rounds.” – Jett Lawrence
“I might have found some of my speed back in that Main Event. I had some good laps, came from pretty far back and, especially on a track like this that’s really hard to pass on, I feel like I made the best of it. Yeah, we made some big [adjustments] this week on the bike, and it seemed to pay off somewhat. So we’ll go back to work, keep improving, and [we] gotta get another win before the season’s out. I think I’m starting to get back to my normal form, and we’re looking forward to these last two rounds and heading into outdoors.” – Chase Sexton
“I wish I knew. I’ve just been, you know, working hard with the team, just trying to get better, get the bike better, me be better. I had that little mid-season [period] where I wasn’t riding that good and it’s nice to be back up here. I couldn’t do it without the whole Monster Energy Kawasaki team; man, we’ve been working our butts off… I’m excited to keep going and let’s keep charging!” – Jason Anderson, when asked what made the difference recently with his improved speed.
The Eastern Regional 250SX Class held its final non-Showdown event of the season and it was one of the most exciting races the class has yet to deliver. Max Anstie fought forward for the win after exiting the first turn in fifth place. It was Anstie’s first win of the season. The series points-leader, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle, got off to a bad start and had to push forward from outside the top ten. He eventually reached second place to extend his points lead to 15 with one round left in the season, the East/West Showdown at the finale in Salt Lake City. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan stalked Vialle as they both moved through the pack throughout the race. Deegan secured a third-place finish at the checkered flag and sits second in points in the championship.
“Man, I know you Philly crowd were cheering for Seth [Hammaker, who lead early in his hometown race]… It was so loud. It was crazy. I heard the crowd going wild and then I looked back and he wasn’t there, and I don’t know what happened. But man, obviously it was an exciting race. We needed this, my whole crew: Firepower, Yarrive my boss is over [from Australia], Marty [Davalos]; we’ve had a great couple of years, and we needed this this week. They’ve had a bit of rough week so [I’m] proud to give it to ‘em. I’m happy to get this done and looking forward to the final round in Salt Lake in a couple of weeks.” – Max Anstie
“I had a bad start and I was like, ‘Alright, this is going to be tough.’ And I actually saw Haiden was just in front of me, so I was like, ‘Okay, we are together in that.’ And we actually had a really good race. We came back from almost dead last to right behind Max. And no, I kept Haiden [for] the whole race behind me [after passing him on the opening lap]; that was my goal. And we did it. It was hard, but we pushed ‘till the end and I’m really proud of my ride tonight, and I really want to thank the team for the hard work, and everyone here. Philadelphia the city is awesome, actually, and thanks to everyone here.” – Tom Vialle
“If this race right here didn’t make you a fan of Supercross I don’t know what will. That was literally heart from every rider out there ‘till the end. That was gnarly. A lot of the good guys had a bad start, man, and we came through. Dudes were taking each other out over there [gestures to sand section]. I hope Pierce [Brown] is alright; that was exactly what I did at Daytona, just a gnarly cross rut [mistake] and it throws you off… I did go out there to win and it sucks obviously [not winning], but it was a good race, coming from the back. [We showed] good speed out of me and Tom; we had fun out there. I gave him a wheel every here and there but he’s a tough opponent and I respect [him], and I respect Max, too… To go out here and win in this supercross field is a gnarly deal. But going to the last round we’re going to try our best. It’s not over ‘till it’s over. But I’m still young, I have a big career ahead of me, but you know we’re going to fight ‘til the end. I got to give glory to God, man he’s by my side all the time watching over me and pushing me every day, and also my whole team… thank you guys.” – Haiden Deegan
With only two rounds now remaining, the 2024 Monster Energy Supercross season sprints toward its climax with two rounds over the next two consecutive weekends. Round 16 hits Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado on May 4th. The event returns to the standard evening schedule and opening ceremonies commence at 4:30PM local (Mountain) time.
Every Supercross race in the 17-round season also pays points toward the SuperMotocross World Championship, which brings the heightened excitement of a post-season to the sport. The SuperMotocross League, in only its second year, totals up the Monster Energy AMA Supercross points and the AMA Pro Motocross season points. The post-season racing seeds the top 20 riders in each class, enters riders in positions 21-30 into a Last Chance Qualifier race at each post-season round, then re-sets the points to the equivalent of one Supercross event payout. Riders outside the top 30 who win a Supercross Main Event (or Triple Crown overall) or a Pro Motocross moto will also be seeded into the LCQ group of riders. Point payouts escalate over three rounds in September with the Final determining one SuperMotocross World Champion in each class.
Every race of the 28-round SuperMotocross World Championship, plus two round playoff and World Championship Final will be streamed live and available on-demand on Peacock. CNBC will air next-day encore presentations of each round, and select races will also be broadcast or streamed on NBC, USA Network, CNBC, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app. Live audio coverage for each Supercross race can be found on SiriusXM Channel 85, NBC Sports Audio. International coverage is available through the SuperMotocross Video Pass (supermotocross.tv) live and on-demand, in both English and Spanish.
Nothing compares to experiencing the racing in-person, and Supercross tickets are on sale now for both remaining Monster Energy Supercross events. For ticket information and event details, as well as video highlights, race results, feature stories, and more, please go to SupercrossLIVE.com.
Monday, April 29 at 9am ET the annual Love Moto Stop Cancer Supercross auction kicks off, benefitting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Race-worn jerseys, pants, helmets, goggles, and bike plastics from the sports top racers are donated to the online auction in an effort to raise money for the fight against childhood cancer. Fans can find the link to bid at supercrosslive.com/st-jude.
Facebook: facebook.com/supercrosslive
X: twitter.com/supercrosslive
Instagram: instagram.com/supercrosslive
YouTube: youtube.com/supercrosslive
TikTok: tiktok.com/supercrossliveofficial
Official Merch: SupercrossSuperstore.com
About Feld Motor Sports:
Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting specialized arena and stadium-based motorsports entertainment. Properties include Monster Jam®, Monster Energy AMA Supercross, and the SuperMotocross World Championship. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a subsidiary of Feld Entertainment, Inc. Visit monsterjam.com, SupercrossLIVE.com, and feldentertainment.com for more information.
About Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship:
Monster Energy AMA Supercross is the most competitive and highest-profile off-road motorcycle racing championship on the planet. Founded in America and sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) since 1974. Over 17 weeks, Supercross attracts some of the largest and most impressive crowds inside the most recognizable and prestigious stadiums in North America to race in front of nearly one million live fans and broadcast to millions more worldwide. For more information, visit SupercrossLIVE.com.
About the SuperMotocross World Championship:
The SuperMotocross World Championship™ is the premier off-road motorcycle racing series that combines the technical precision of stadium racing with the all-out speed and endurance of outdoor racing. Created in 2022, the SuperMotocross World Championship combines the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and the AMA Pro Motocross Championship into a 31-event series that culminates in a season-ending two round playoff and SuperMotocross World Championship Final. Visit SuperMotocross.com for more information.
About the American Motorcyclist Association:
Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders’ interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit americanmotorcyclist.com.
