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MONSTER ENERGY® KAWASAKI BATTLES THROUGH CHALLENGING CONDITIONS AT BUDDS CREEK
Monster Energy® Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Levi Kitchen battled through a challenging day of changing conditions at Budds Creek Motocross Park to secure fifth overall (14-2) at Round 10 of the Pro Motocross Championship. After leading the field as fastest qualifier, Kitchen rebounded from a difficult opening moto with a runner-up finish in Moto 2. Teammate Drew Adams also responded to early adversity with an impressive fifth-place ride in the second moto to earn 10th overall (17-5). In the premier class, Monster Energy® Kawasaki rider Garrett Marchbanks fought through a pair of demanding motos to secure 11th overall (9-11), while Cornelius Tøndel finished 20th overall (17-22) aboard the KX™450SR.
Rain moved in and out throughout the morning at Budds Creek before intensifying during the second qualifying sessions, saturating the field and leaving standing water across portions of the track. The heavy rainfall quickly transformed the circuit into deep, muddy conditions, creating one of the most challenging mud races of the season and adding another variable for riders as they prepared for the afternoon motos.
Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki opened the day at the top of the timesheets as Kitchen quickly adapted to the wet, changing Budds Creek conditions. The No. 47 Kawasaki set the fastest time in the opening qualifying session and, as the rain intensified during the second session, opted to end his qualifying effort early. Due to the worsening conditions and shortened session, Kitchen’s opening lap time remained atop the combined qualifying results, securing the first gate selection heading into the afternoon motos. Adams also displayed strong pace throughout the morning, qualifying seventh and giving both KX™250 riders ideal gate selections.
In 250 Moto 1, Kitchen launched out of the gate to secure his first holeshot of the season and immediately positioned himself at the head of the field before losing traction in the slick conditions and tipping over on the opening lap. The No. 47 remounted deep in the field and quickly began working his way forward, picking off riders one by one as he climbed back toward the Top 10. Complicating his charge, the muddy conditions forced Kitchen to race without goggles for the majority of the moto, limiting his visibility and his climb through the field. Despite the adversity, Kitchen worked his way back to 10th at the checkered flag before being docked four positions for gaining an advantage off track along the start straight. Adams was buried in the pack following a difficult start and faced an uphill battle of his own. Two crashes throughout the moto further hindered his progress, but the No. 35 continued fighting through the challenging conditions to finish 17th.
In 250 Moto 2, Kitchen and Adams put their opening-moto struggles behind them and immediately returned to contention near the front of the field. Kitchen emerged from the opening turns inside the Top 10 before quickly advancing to fifth during the first lap. The No. 47 continued to find opportunities to move forward, charging into third before making another decisive pass for second. Determined to limit the points damage, Kitchen reeled in the leader to within one-second, but ultimately ran out of time and claimed second place. His runner-up finish salvaged fifth overall on a challenging afternoon and sits 14 points out of the championship lead going into the final round at Ironman Raceway. Adams capitalized on a favorable inside gate selection and strong launch to establish himself within the Top 10 off the start. The rookie maintained his momentum throughout the moto, making several passes to advance into fifth and holding the position to take his best moto finish of the season. His impressive rebound earned him 10th overall and showed the speed and composure he has continued to develop throughout his first full Pro Motocross campaign.
In 450 Qualifying, Monster Energy Kawasaki placed both KX™450SR riders inside the Top 10 for another strong start to the day. Marchbanks led the team's effort with eighth overall, while Tøndel followed closely behind to qualify ninth. The pair entered the afternoon with consecutive gate selections as they prepared to navigate the increasingly challenging Budds Creek conditions.
In 450 Moto 1, Tøndel emerged from the opening turns inside the Top 15, while Marchbanks was pushed wide and forced off the track in the early stages of the race, dropping the No. 36 into the middle of the field. Marchbanks quickly regrouped and began charging forward, overcoming a sizable gap to the riders ahead before making his way into sixth. He continued his push to advance into fifth near the halfway point as Tøndel maintained a position inside the Top 15. Marchbanks lost several positions while attempting to navigate lapped traffic, but recovered to ninth at the checkered flag, while Tøndel continued battling through the closing laps to secure 17th.
In 450 Moto 2, both Monster Energy Kawasaki riders faced adversity after difficult starts left them with significant ground to make up. Marchbanks once again went to work from deep in the field, steadily advancing aboard his KX™450SR as he fought his way toward the Top 10. The No. 36 continued pushing through the changing track conditions to cross the finish line 11th, combining his 9-11 moto scores for 11th overall. Tøndel's difficult start was compounded by a first-turn crash, forcing the Norwegian rider to remount at the back of the field. He continued fighting throughout the remainder of the moto and crossed the finish line 22nd, earning 20th overall with 17-22 scores. Monster Energy Kawasaki now turns its attention toward the final round of the Pro Motocross Championship at Ironman Raceway.
“Today was definitely a tough one. The track conditions were changing all day and there was a lot going on, so I just tried to stay focused and make the most of every moto. Fifth overall obviously isn’t where we want to be, but we’re still right there in the championship and this season has shown anything can happen. We’ll regroup this week and come back ready to fight to the end."
- Levi Kitchen
"Budds Creek was definitely a 50-50 day for me. The first moto was tough with the muddy conditions, and after a bad start and a couple crashes, I ended up 17th. I really tried to reset mentally before Moto 2 and was able to get a much better start. I made a couple passes and worked my way up to fifth, so I’m happy with how I was able to turn the day around. Tenth overall isn’t where we want to be, but there are definitely positives to take from that second moto. Ironman is one of my favorite tracks, so I’m looking forward to getting there and ending the season on a good note."
- Drew Adams
"It was a difficult day results-wise, but there are still some positives to take away from it. The team worked really hard and we made some great changes throughout the day. I felt really good on the bike and felt like we were moving in the right direction, so I’m thankful for that. Sometimes you just have one of those weekends where things don’t go your way, and unfortunately today was one of them. We’ll put this one behind us, regroup and focus on finishing the season strong at Ironman."
- Garrett Marchbanks
"It was a tough day. Qualifying started off okay, but unfortunately things went downhill from there. First moto didn’t go our way and then I crashed in the first turn of Moto 2, so it was difficult to recover from those setbacks. It definitely wasn’t the day or the results we wanted, but we’ll put it behind us and focus on finishing strong at Ironman."
- Cornelius Tøndel
