Haiden Deegan dominated preliminaries in Round 6 of the SuperMotocross World Championship in Seattle, Washington, but the race was a much different story. Deegan was fiercely challenged for the entire 19-lap race by Levi Kitchen before taking the lead with a handful of laps remaining to win by 1.5 seconds. The lead changed possession between the two riders four times during the evening.
“I’m just going to say that was gnarly; I feel bad to show the chef there’s a new kitchen in town,” Deegan fumbled the metaphor for one of his few mistakes of the evening. “That was the gnarliest battle I’ve had in racing. We were going back and forth. I don’t know what to say. That was the best race I’ve had.”
Kitchen came up just short in front of the hometown crowd.
“I think that was the race everyone has been waiting for,” Kitchen said. “Bummed I couldn’t get it done in front of the hometown crowd, but I rode my heart out. He did too.”
Max Anstie finished third, but after earning the holeshot, he faded to more than 30 seconds behind the lead battle.
Fourth-place Ryder DiFrancesco and Cameron McAdoo rounded out the top five.
In-Race Updates
Anstie earned the holeshot as he looked to rebound from a rough several weeks.
Deegan started fourth, but wasted little time getting to the front. He took it away from Anstie on Lap 4.
Kitchen followed Deegan through the field and took second place later during that same lap.
McAdoo jumped off course on Lap 5, reentered the track ahead of Ryder DiFrancesco, and then lost the position soon after.
Deegan held the advantage for the first half of the race, but he was not able to get away from Kitchen.
Kitchen took the lead on Lap 10.
The lead battle took place 16 seconds ahead of Anstie in third.
Deegan did not allow Kitchen to get away, as they matched lap times.
On Lap 14, Deegan and Kitchen make contact. Both survived and the battle continued.
Deegan retook the lead on Lap 15, and they rode handlebar to handlebar.
Deegan and Kitchen continued to swap the lead for multiple laps.
Deegan held on for the victory and shook hands with Kitchen after the checkered flag waved.
