main content of page
Racing News |
LEVI KITCHEN TAKES SOLE POSSESSION OF CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD THROUGH TOUGH HIGH POINT NATIONAL
Monster Energy® Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Levi Kitchen took sole possession of the 250 Class points standings following a hard-fought fourth-overall finish (6-5) at Round 4 of the Pro Motocross Championship at High Point Raceway. Teammate Seth Hammaker entered the weekend carrying the red plate and tied for the points lead alongside Kitchen, but saw his day cut short after a Moto 2 crash, finishing 13th overall (5-40). Drew Adams continued to build momentum in his return from injury with a 15th-overall finish (14-15), while Nick Romano battled through adversity to finish 20th overall (17-22). Enzo Temmerman was forced to retire early from the day following a Moto 1 crash, finishing 42nd (37-DNS). Taking a break from the Canadian Triple Crown Series, Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green riders Vincent Wey and Kade Johnson earned determined overall finishes in 21st (22-18) and 23rd (27-19) respectively. Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Garrett Marchbanks delivered another pair of strong motos to secure sixth overall (5-6) in the 450 class, retaining his current position in the championship standings heading into Round 5 of the Pro Motocross season.
The Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki riders once again showcased their speed during qualifying, placing three riders inside the Top 10 overall. Kitchen led the effort with the second-fastest lap of the session, while Hammaker continued his strong form in fifth and Adams secured eighth overall. Romano qualified 14th, Temmerman 17th, Johnson 26th and Wey 35th, giving the Kawasaki squad a straight shot into the afternoon motos.
In 250 Moto 1, several Kawasaki riders found themselves tangled in traffic early, forcing them to fight their way forward throughout the race. Kitchen, Hammaker and Romano all established themselves inside the Top 10 during the opening laps, while Adams and Temmerman worked from deeper in the field. Kitchen briefly lost ground after a small tip-over but quickly regrouped and resumed his charge through the pack. Hammaker settled into a strong rhythm inside the Top 5 and spent much of the moto applying pressure to the competition in the battle for fourth. As the race wore on, Kitchen continued his recovery ride to sixth while Hammaker secured a fifth-place finish. Adams crossed the line in 14th after steadily working forward throughout the moto, followed by Romano in 17th who struggled to find his rhythm. Temmerman felt strong in the beginning of the day, but had his race impacted by a crash that ultimately left him 37th at the finish. Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green Riders Wey and Johnson found themselves in mid-pack for their Pro Motocross debut, working through the pro competition to secure 22nd and 27th, respectively.
250 Moto 2 began on a much more positive note for the Kawasaki lineup, as both Kitchen and Hammaker launched near the front of the field and immediately positioned themselves inside the Top 5. Unfortunately, disaster struck within the first couple laps when Hammaker suffered a violent crash outside the mechanics area. The Pennsylvania native was attended to by the Alpinestars Medical Crew and was unable to continue, resulting in a DNF for 13th overall. Kitchen remained focused at the front and continued to push forward throughout the moto. After briefly dropping a position during a battle inside the Top 10, he regrouped late in the race and made a pair of key passes to secure fifth at the checkered flag for fourth overall. Behind him, Adams overcame a difficult start and once again fought his way through the field, matching his first-moto consistency with a 15th-place finish to secure 15th overall. Romano's second moto was disrupted by an early crash that dropped him deep in the running order, but the New York native continued charging through the field to salvage 22nd for 20th overall. Wey and Johnson both capitalized on their familiarity with the track after Moto 1, both recording their strongest rides of the afternoon with 18th and 19th place finishes, respectively. Temmerman was unable to line up after sustaining a concussion in Moto 1, ending his day prematurely. Despite not having his strongest performance of the season, Kitchen's overall finish was enough to maintain control of the championship lead heading into Round 5. Hammaker’s crash unfortunately lost him the red plate he shared with his teammate, but holds fifth in the standings. Romano remains eighth in the standings, while Adams continues to climb at 25th following his return to racing and Temmerman rounding out the Top 20 at 20th.
In 450 qualifying, Marchbanks carried his momentum from Thunder Valley into High Point and steadily improved throughout qualifying aboard his KX™450SR. After running near the front of the field during the opening session, the Kawasaki rider secured the eighth-fastest position overall, earning a strong gate selection for the afternoon motos and continuing his trend of consistent qualifying performances throughout the opening rounds of the championship.
In 450 Moto 1, Marchbanks once again demonstrated the consistency that has defined his 2026 outdoor campaign with a strong start in the front of the pack. The No. 36 put himself in a strong position from the opening laps of Moto 1, getting a Top 10 start that allowed him to quickly settle into a rhythm before methodically working his way through the field. Marchbanks advanced into seventh before continuing his charge into the Top 5, eventually securing fifth place while maintaining a comfortable gap over the riders behind him. His pace remained competitive throughout the moto, posting lap times comparable to the riders battling at the front of the field, and holding the second fastest lap a handful of times.
450 Moto 2 required another determined ride from the Kawasaki rider after finding himself buried deeper in the pack during the opening laps. Marchbanks steadily picked off riders one by one as he worked toward the front, eventually moving into a back-and-forth battle for fifth. The two riders exchanged positions during the closing laps of the moto, with Marchbanks briefly making the pass before another rider reclaimed the spot. Despite repeated attempts to close the gap in the final laps, Marchbanks ultimately crossed the line in sixth, securing sixth overall on the day. Going into Round 5, Marchbanks sits sixth in the championship standings, further proving his ongoing outdoor campaign success and commitment to inching closer to the front of the pack each weekend. The Pro Motocross Championship now enters its first scheduled break of the season before returning for the RedBud National on July 4 in Buchanan, Michigan, where Kawasaki riders will aim to be a force to be reckoned with at one of the most anticipated races on the calendar.
“Today was solid. Qualifying was a little better than last weekend, and I was able to put together two consistent motos. In Moto 1, I worked my way from around the Top 10 into fifth, and in Moto 2 I had to fight through the pack again after getting shuffled around early. We made some good passes and kept pushing all the way to the end. The consistency was good, but we'll use this break to keep working on our starts and come back swinging at RedBud.”
– Garrett Marchbanks
“I just felt a little off pace all day. I never really got comfortable, and struggled to find a good flow with the track. It's a bummer because I know we're capable of more, but days like this are part of the season. The positive is, we're still leaving here with the points lead. We'll use the break to reset, recover, and come back ready for RedBud. That's probably my favorite track on the circuit, so I'm definitely looking forward to getting back after it there.”
– Levi Kitchen
“I'm definitely bummed with how the day went. I felt like we were in a good position and riding well, especially before the crash in Moto 2. It's frustrating to lose points that way, but right now the focus is on getting checked out and seeing where we're at. We'll regroup over the break and go from there.”
– Seth Hammaker
“High Point wasn’t my best track, and it showed. I struggled all day and could never really find a flow. Moto 1, I got pretty bad arm pump, and Moto 2, I had a bad start, but worked my way into the Top 10 before hitting a rock and going down. Definitely a day to forget, but we'll move on and get ready for RedBud.”
– Nick Romano
“It was definitely a better day than last weekend at Thunder Valley. Top 15 in both motos isn't where I want to be, but I know it's going to take some time to get back to where I was before my injury. In Moto 2, I got knocked around off the start and was way back, but I was able to work my way up to 15th. We made progress today, and that's something to build on. I'm looking forward to the break and coming back swinging at RedBud.”
– Drew Adams
“It was a tough day at High Point. Qualifying went well, and I was feeling good heading into the motos. Unfortunately, I had a crash in Moto 1 that resulted in a concussion and ended my day early. It's not the way I wanted the weekend to go, but I'll focus on recovering and getting better.”
– Enzo Temmerman
“The day was pretty good overall. Qualifying was a new experience for me, and something I'm still learning, but I felt like I improved throughout the day. I didn't get the starts I wanted in either moto, but I was able to work my way forward and make some passes. In Moto 2, I tipped over while trying to close in on the group ahead, which cost me some positions, but I was happy with the way I rode and the progress we made.”
– Vincent Wey
“Today was pretty solid. The first moto wasn't great with a bad start and a few tip-overs, but the second moto was better and I stayed off the ground. It's only my second pro race and my first on the Kawasaki, so I'm still learning every time I line up. Overall, there are definitely things I can improve on, but it's a good step forward and something to build from.”
– Kade Johnson