PALA, California: Haiden Deegan swept the 2024 Fox Raceway Nationals and won the first Pro Motocross round of 2025. Deegan scored an easy win in both races and remains perfect in regard to 250 moto wins on his hometown track, which he has raced since he first climbed on a bike in pre-school.
Deegan began his title defense in fine fashion.
Deegan was forced to pass riders in both motos, starting the first race outside the top five and Moto 2 in third. But overcoming modest finishes has never deterred Deegan and he patiently moved through the field with the confidence of a dominant rider.
“My bike could be better,” Deegan told Peacock’s Jason Thomas at the end of the second race. “I was in a little chop. This track is so gnarly; it’s outdoors. You’ve just got to dog out. Perfect. One-one, same as last year. I’m stoked. We’re going to send it this year.”
Deegan has a six-point lead in the Motocross championship over Jo Shimoda.
Finishing second overall, Shimoda was posted second in both motos. He will enter the second round with his sight set on Deegan.
“It was a lot of surprise,” Shimoda said of his second-place finish. “To be honest, I wasn’t feeling that great coming in, but I told myself, ‘let’s get a good start and make something happen.’ ”
Shimoda took a little too long to get around Julien Beaumer for second in the middle stage of the race, which allowed Deegan to surge to a comfortable lead.
Tom Vialle finished third in Moto 2. Coupled with his fourth in the first race, he finished third overall.
Fourth-place Beaumer led early but faded to fourth at the checkers.
Garrett Marchbanks rounded out the top five.
Chance Hymas finished sixth in the second race and failed to score an overall podium. He was fourth overall with a 3-6.
In-Race Notes
Beaumer and Vialle had a gnarly start, but they emerged in the top two positions.
Beaumer led the first lap — the first of his Pro Motocross career.
Deegan got a much better start in the second race than Moto 2. He settled into third immediately with a three-second gap to the leaders.
Deegan made the move around Vialle on Lap 5 and moved into second. Deegan was 2.3 seconds behind Beaumer.
Just shy of the halfway mark, Shimoda got around Vialle for third.
Marchbanks rounded out the top five.
On Lap 7, Deegan was on Beaumer’s back tire. Shimoda was a little more than a second behind Deegan.
Later on that same lap, Deegan took the lead. Shimoda could not follow him through.
Deegan set his fastest lap in the last seven minutes.
With two minutes on the clock, Levi Kitchen retired. He earned minimal points in Moto 1 as well with a 10th-place finish. His chain broke.
With time off the clock and two laps remaining, the top five were Deegan, Shimoda, Vialle, Beaumer, and Marchbanks.
More SuperMotocross News
Chase Sexton retires after Fox Nationals Moto 1 crash
Perfection: Jett Lawrence wins fifth moto in Pala
Haiden Deegan wins Fox Raceway Moto 1
Fox Raceway: 450 Qualification | 250 Qualification
Mikayla Nielsen wins 2025 WMX opener
Fox Raceway Preview
Chad Reed joins ClubMX as a consultant
Betting odds set expectations for Pro MX championship
Bajaj Auto Ltd secures loan, potentially for KTM
Alexander Fedortsov to turn pro in MX opener
Levi Kitchen renews with Pro Circuit
