Jo Shimoda, Levi Kitchen look to take control at RedBud
· Yahoo Sports
One point separates Jo Shimoda from Levi Kitchen in the battle for the 250 Pro Motocross championship, but for much of the middle stage of Moto 2 at High Point Raceway in Round 4, it appeared the defending SuperMotocross World Championship titlist would leave Pennsylvania with the red plate.
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The round began with focus on Kitchen and Seth Hammaker, a pair of Pro Circuit Kawasaki riders who shared the red plate before the motos began. Hammaker finished fifth in the first moto and briefly held the advantage over Kitchen, who finished sixth.
"I wasn't too concerned about it because coming into this race with me and Seth tied," Kitchen said following High Point. "I just wouldn't say this is one of my best tracks, so I'm okay with the day. It wasn't great, but if this is my bad day, then we can only go forward."
The 2026 250 Motocross championship has refused to be pigeonholed through four rounds. Each race has featured a different winner, and that has contributed to a lot of uncertainty in a season when the dominant rider, Haiden Deegan, have moved up to the premier class.
Cole Davies sweeps High Point to become the fourth 250 winner in four roundsCole Davies dominated both motos and closed in on the points leaders."Everyone's pretty fast nowadays," Shimoda said after earning his second podium of 2026. "The tracks are not super-technical anymore. They prep the track for the most part. So, some guys had a bad first motto, saved energy, then goes all out second moto - and then you're kind of stuck. There's a lot of that, so we just honestly just got to be really fit and get a start. I still need to figure out the start, and I need a little more pace out of me and then if we can figure that out and I should be fine."
Moto 2 featured what 250 fans have come to expect in the first third of the season: No one seems to want to take control.
A scary crash for Hammaker eliminated him from contention on the very first lap of the second moto. With the guarantee that his principal rival entering the round would not earn points, it should have been a time for Kitchen to shine.
Instead, he recorded a few fast laps and then had problems of his own. On Lap 3, he put his bike on the ground while running fourth and faded as far back as eighth.
Levi Kitchen and Seth Hammaker lined up on the Moto 1 gate with a share of the red plate. Align Media
Levi Kitchen and Seth Hammaker lined up on the Moto 1 gate with a share of the red plate. Align Media
Meanwhile, Shimoda rode forward, from eighth on Lap 1, to fifth on Lap 5, and fourth on Lap 4, where he finished the race. He was nine seconds behind the leader at the checkers.
Kitchen mounted a comeback and pulled to within one position of Shimoda, which salvaged the red place. He was a little more than 10 seconds behind Shimoda.
"Points-wise, it was good for us," Shimoda said. "We got a little bit closer to the leader, so take positive on that. But today, honestly, I was on the struggle bus. I mean I haven't been able to ride like myself yet on these first couple rounds, so we definitely need to find more pace out of me.
"Now we have a little bit of break, so we're going to review some things, try to come out better for RedBud."
Julien Beaumer: ‘The best version we’ve seen’ after High Point second-place finishJulien Beaumer: “I think it’s the best version that we’ve seen. I don’t think it’s the best version of myself, yet.”The danger for Kitchen and Shimoda is that inevitably, a rider will stop making mistakes, dial in the set-up, and do to the field what Deegan has done in recent seasons.
Both riders are hoping the next race provides that opportunity. But then again, so is Cole Davies, who swept High Point with a 1-1 finish. Julien Beaumer is also lurking in the shadows, two points behind Kitchen and one behind Shimoda.
"It was a tough day for sure," Kitchen said following High Point. "The first moto, had a fall early, which kind of sucked. I think I was up there pretty good, but I just was off the pace really. I feel like all day was pretty uncomfortable. Bummer day, but I keep the red plate. Going to get a little break, rest up and then RedBud.
"I like all the tracks, but I would say RedBud's probably my favorite track on the circuit, so looking forward to that."