Sexton & Shimoda Rose to the Occasion at Washougal

Another exciting weekend of racing is behind us with some very close calls and everything that was needed to make a great racing weekend.

450 Moto One: Sexton Fends Off the Storm

The day lit up with Jorge Prado grabbing a textbook holeshot, but his lead was short-lived as Chase Sexton wasted no time taking command. Just half a lap in, Jett Lawrence and Eli Tomac also sliced past Prado, making their intentions clear. Sexton tried to sprint away early, but Jett wasn’t having it—he stalked the leader like a predator, gradually shaking Tomac and applying serious pressure up front.

For over ten minutes, the Washougal crowd witnessed a masterclass battle: Jett attacking relentlessly, Sexton defending with grit. Every move Jett made was countered perfectly by Sexton. The tension finally snapped when Jett tucked the front in a righthander, opening the door for Tomac to pounce back into second. Jett regrouped and mounted a late charge, but Tomac held firm, expertly navigating lapped traffic to lock down the runner-up spot behind Sexton. Jett settled for third after an exhausting, action-packed opener.

450 Moto Two: Absolute Chaos and a Shocking Twist

If 450 Moto One was intense, Moto Two was a madhouse.

Hunter Lawrence grabbed the early spotlight with a massive holeshot, followed closely by Jett Lawrence and Chase Sexton. The gloves came off instantly—Jett attacked Hunter, Sexton attacked Jett, and Tomac lurked dangerously in fourth. Jett made the first move, slicing past Hunter, but Sexton was stuck in the Honda sandwich. Hunter threw everything at Sexton, blocking every line until Sexton finally found an outside line that worked, rocketing into second.

Just as things were boiling over, a huge crash somewhere else on track triggered a red flag.

The restart saw Jett fire off the line and reclaim the lead, with Hunter again in tow. Sexton quickly made his move to get around Hunter again and set his sights on Jett. For a while, Sexton hung close, applying pressure, but Jett held strong. As laps ticked away, Sexton couldn’t keep the intensity, and Jett edged out a small cushion.

Meanwhile, Tomac lurked in third, showing flashes of a challenge, but ultimately had to settle. Sexton’s 1-2 score earned him the overall win—only the second time Jett Lawrence has been denied a 450 overall in his young career!

250 Moto One: Deegan Delivers, Shimoda Charges

Triumph Racing has been on fire with starts, and Jalek Swoll kept that streak alive with a blazing holeshot. But heartbreak followed—Swoll lost the front and took a scary spill, prompting concern after lying motionless briefly. He remounted but was black-flagged for medical safety.

With Swoll down, Ryder DiFrancesco inherited the lead, but the pressure came fast in the form of Haiden Deegan. Their battle turned chaotic as their lines collided in mid-air—Deegan held on, but DiFrancesco hit the deck, handing Deegan the lead. Jo Shimoda kept Deegan honest midway through, closing in and showing serious pace. But Deegan found another gear and stretched it back out, riding flawlessly to a dominant win.

Behind them, Dilan Schwartz backed up his blistering qualifying with a standout performance, running third most of the race. Garrett Marchbanks, despite a mid-pack start, came on strong to take fourth, while Austin Forkner and Jordon Smith delivered a thrilling fight for fifth—Forkner ultimately getting the nod. Max Vohland had flashes of brilliance, climbing as high as fourth before fading to eighth.

250 Moto Two: Shimoda Strikes Back

Seth Hammaker came out swinging in Moto Two, nailing the holeshot, but Jo Shimoda wasn’t interested in playing nice. He was on a mission, and it showed—Shimoda sliced past Hammaker early and simply disappeared. The HRC Progressive Honda rider laid down heaters all moto long, winning by a landslide and securing the overall with a 2-1 score.

Deegan didn’t get the start he wanted, stuck mid-pack early on, but the #38 was electric in the second half. After surviving a fierce battle with Marchbanks and DiFrancesco for fourth, Deegan surged forward. Just when he caught Mikkel Haarup, the Husqvarna rider crashed out of third, handing the spot to Deegan. With Hammaker in sight, Deegan kept pushing, made the pass cleanly, and locked in second.

Hammaker regrouped and held off a late charge from Marchbanks to seal third in the moto, but it was Shimoda’s day through and through.

Washougal delivered one of the most thrilling rounds of the season so far, with heartbreak, redemption, and world-class racing in every moto. The title fights are heating up, and with only a few rounds left, every point—and every pass—matters.

Here you can also watch highlights from both classes: