Two big crashes in the first two turns of the Spring Creek National in Millville, Minnesota, changed the complexion of the championship when points’ leader Cole Davies and second-place Levi Kitchen crashed while third-place contender Julien Beaumer scored his first moto win.
Davies may have damaged him bike in an incident with teammate Caden Dudney and after working his way into the top 15, a mechanical issues kept him from earning any points.
Kitchen moved forward to score top-10 points in eighth.
The biggest beneficiary was Beaumer.
He began the moto third in the standings with a substantial deficit to Davies and Kitchen, but survived the early incidents to end the first lap in eighth. He picked his way forward, passing Parker Ross for fifth when that rider crashed midway, Daxton Bennick for fourth on Lap 7 and Nate Thrasher on Lap 8.
He cut the points deficit to Kitchen to 20 points.
On Lap 11, Beaumer picked off Minear for second. He closed the gap on Michael Mosiman in the closing stage and the two raced side by side for most of trip around the track.
Mosiman had to settle for second.
The leaders’ problems allowed some fresh faces to show up at the front of the pack. Kayden Minear took the lead early before getting passed by Mosiman on Lap 5.
Minear kept his pace and finished third.
Nate Thrasher and Daxton Bennick rounded out the top five.
This was a career-best finish for every rider in the top five.
Dudney retired after the Turn 2 crash and will not line up for Moto 2.
