main content of page
Racing News |
Monster Energy® Kawasaki Brings Home An Overall Podium Finish At Round 4 Of The AMA Pro Motocross Championship
Foothill Ranch, Calif. (June 18, 2023) - Round 4 of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship was held at the renowned venue of High Point Raceway in Mount Morris, Pennsylvania. Tucked amidst the rolling hills of vibrant trees, Monster Energy® Kawasaki rider Adam Cianciarulo secured his first overall podium finish of the season, clinching third place in the 450 Class with a consistent performance (4-4). Cianciarulo maintains fifth place in the AMA Pro Motocross Championship, only four points back from fourth. In the 250 Class, Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Jo Shimoda earned a Moto 2 podium to earn a fourth overall (7-3) and Ryder DiFrancesco claimed his career best with seventh overall (5-8).
High Point Raceway has a rich history of hosting national and international motocross events dating back to the 1970s. High Point Raceway is known for its beautiful views of rolling hills and the technical sections this track offers to test the skills and endurance of riders hosting Pro Motocross on Father’s Day weekend. Spectators and enthusiasts consider High Point Raceway to be a significant landmark in American motocross and continues to attract racing talent from all over the world. Despite the muddy qualifying conditions, Cianciarulo skillfully secured the fifth place position on his KX™450SR, completing the challenging track with a 2:24.85.
In Moto 1, Cianciarulo executed another one of his impressive starts in fifth place, skillfully navigating his way through the renowned staircase section of the track. As the track conditions deteriorated, the No. 9 quickly advanced to fourth place. However, a minor mistake momentarily dropped him back to seventh. Undeterred, Cianciarulo regained his composure and meticulously hit his marks. As riders in front of him made costly mistakes, Cianciarulo capitalized on the opportunities, executing crucial passes to finish fourth.
At the start of Moto 2, Cianciarulo unleashed the power of his KX™450SR, charging into the first corner with incredible speed. He secured another impressive start, battling for the holeshot amongst the championship contenders. With strategic line choices, the No. 9 swiftly maneuvered his way into second place as Lap 2 unfolded. The track presented a challenging combination of deep ruts and a mix of wet and dry sections. The current points leader, Jett Lawrence, found his rhythm and executed a pass on Cianciarulo, relegating him to third place. As the race neared the end, former champion, Dylan Ferrandis overtook the No. 9. Despite this, Cianciarulo would secure a fourth place finish once again, accumulating enough points to claim his first overall podium appearance in third position.
During the challenging early morning qualifying sessions, the riders from Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki faced the demanding conditions head on. Shimoda, determined to conquer the difficult terrain, found his rhythm and achieved an impressive fourth place time of 2:22.01. DiFrancesco took some time to find his groove, resulting in a time of 2:27.02, placing him in the 15th position.
Both Shimoda and DiFrancesco faced a challenge in the first moto due to the track's battered condition from previous qualifying sessions. As the gate dropped the No. 30 catapulted off the starting line, securing a prominent position among the top three. However, an unfortunate mistake caused Shimoda to go down in the second corner, triggering chaos among the 250 Class riders behind. DiFrancesco skillfully navigated through the pile-up continuing the race in fourth place. As the Moto 1 clock ticked away, the current points leader, Hunter Lawrence executed a pass on the No. 75. At the checkered flag DiFrancesco would maintain the fifth place position to secure his career best moto finish. As for the No. 30, he fought his way back from 13th to finish in seventh position.
Moto 2 for the 250 Class kicked off with DiFrancesco crossing the holeshot line in third place while the No. 30 found himself tucked into the eighth position. As competitors made mistakes due to the treacherous track, Shimoda raced his KX™250 into fifth place before Lap 2 began, relegating his teammate to sixth place. Shimoda was determined to recoup the vital points he had lost in Moto 1. With two laps to go, he executed a swift pass claiming fourth position. As he embarked on the final lap, trailing third place by a few seconds, he focused intensely and managed to make a crucial pass in the last few corners to ultimately secure a podium finish in third place. Meanwhile, the No. 75 navigated through the treacherous ruts, ultimately crossing the finish line in eighth place.