Scorching temperatures force shortened motos at Prairie City Saturday for 56th Annual event that benefits local charity

Thousands of motocross fans poured into region this past weekend, enduring record-setting temperatures to witness one of the region’s most iconic sporting traditions. The 56th annual Hangtown Motocross Classic transformed Prairie City OHV Park into a buzzing, adrenaline-fueled festival of speed and endurance, as crowds packed the venue for world-class racing despite the blazing conditions.

The story of the day for the second race of the Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, was the weather, as a weekend heatwave pushed temperatures into the triple digits for Round 19 of the SMX World Championship and the Michael’s Reno Powersports Hangtown Motocross Classic Presented by Seven MX. 

While racers were tested even further across each pair of motos in the 450 Class and 250 Class, in the end the respective points leaders rose to the occasion to take firm hold of the early championship battles. 

In the 450 Class, Team Honda HRC Progressive’s Jett Lawrence made a statement in the final moto to prevail with the win, while Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan remained unbeaten four motos into his 250 Class title defense.

The Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing machine of Justin Cooper led the field through the first turn to open Moto 1 with the Pro Motocross Holeshot, but an aggressive Aaron Plessinger was able to wrestle the lead away aboard his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing ride. Slotting into third was Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac, followed by the Team Honda HRC Progressive mounted siblings of Hunter and Jett Lawrence.

Tomac pushed the pace early and got around his teammate for second. He then looked to erase the two-second deficit Plessinger established through his early laps sprint. Behind the lead duo, Cooper and Jett Lawrence engaged in a battle for third, with the Australian rider able to get the upper hand. The top three then settled in through the middle portion of the moto.

All was relatively quiet until the final five minutes, when Tomac picked up the pace and began to close in on Plessinger. The KTM rider responded initially and re-extended the lead, but Tomac didn’t relent. As time ran out on the moto clock and they crossed the line with two laps to go, the Yamaha rider gave it all he had to get onto Plessinger’s rear fender and make the pass. Once out front, Tomac ran away to his first moto win of the season and the first since his championship-winning 2022 campaign. Plessinger dropped well back for second, just ahead of Lawrence in third, and later admitted he misjudged how much time remained and made too soon of a push to keep Tomac at bay. Cooper parlayed his holeshot into a fourth-place finish, with Hunter Lawrence rounding out the top five.

“On days like today, as sweet as it is to be on the podium, being out there on that last lap, you don’t want to be out there. It takes a lot of heart. I was hurting, but I knew I needed to make the passes I did. I’m really proud of myself today and what we’ve done so far after two races,” Plessinger said.

The final moto of the afternoon featured the hottest temperatures of the day and was shortened by five minutes as a precautionary measure. Out of the gate, it was the Hondas of Jett and Hunter Lawrence alongside Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb, who inched ahead for the Pro Motocross Holeshot. Meanwhile, Tomac made contact with another rider off the start and was mired outside the top 20 in the running order. Back up front, Jett Lawrence sprinted out to a multi-second lead as teammates Cooper and Webb moved into second and third, respectively.

“The main obstacle today was the heat, and I did what I wanted to do,” Lawrence said. “I wanted to get the start and then sprint in the opening laps to get a gap that I could manage the rest of the way. My plan worked, so I’m happy.”

With Lawrence pacing the field, all eyes were on Tomac and his journey through the running order, as the Moto 1 winner was on the cusp of the top 10 after just five minutes. Back up front, Hunter Lawrence made a move around Webb to take third, while Plessinger followed into fourth. Lawrence and Plessinger then engaged in a battle for third for several laps, from which Plessinger got the upper hand. At this point, Tomac had climbed up to eighth and had three riders within his sights to break into the top five. However, as he looked to make a move, he lost traction with his front tire and went down. He remounted in 12th with a little more than 10 minutes remaining.

Back up front, Jett Lawrence went unchallenged from the conclusion of the opening lap and put an exclamation point on an impressive performance with a wire-to-wire moto victory. Cooper equaled his career-best moto finish from one week prior in second, 10.9 seconds behind Lawrence, while Plessinger wrapped up a solid afternoon in third. Tomac soldiered home in ninth.

“Two good starts today and we did well to adapt to the track [with bike setup],” Cooper said. “It was really hot weather and a dry, hard track, but everyone worked together well, and we came home with a great result. We all suffered a bit today, but I know I did all I could and I’m happy with the result.”

“A couple things happened to me,” Tomac said. “Bad luck on the start as I hit the guy next to me off the gate. Then I made a mistake on my own and washed the front end. I think I would have had a good shot to make the podium had I not made that mistake, but it was just too much to overcome in the end.”

250 Class is all Deegan

In the 250 class, the first moto of the afternoon began with Team Honda HRC Progressive’s Chance Hymas surging to the Pro Motocross Holeshot ahead of the Rockstar Energy GASGAS Factory Racing duo Casey Cochran and Ryder DiFrancesco, in addition to Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle, who crashed out of the moto early on. Deegan started just outside the top five aboard his Yamaha. Hymas then gave up the lead after he miscalculated a jump and went off track, reentering the fray in second as Cochran assumed the lead. Behind them, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker fought his way up into third.

Deegan’s march forward began a little more than five minutes into the moto as he made a series of passes to slot into the top three. That pushed Hymas’ pace onto the rear of Cochran, which ignited a three-rider battle for the lead. Deegan made the move around Hymas and gave pursuit to Cochran, taking control of first just before the halfway point. Once out front, Deegan sprinted to a lead of more than two seconds.

“I woke up pretty sick today and my throat is pretty shot right now. I could barely swallow in the second moto. But this sport is pretty much all mental and I’m willing to push through it and do what it takes,” Deegan said.

Deegan continued to build on his lead and soon moved out to an advantage of more than five seconds as Cochran fell into the clutches of a hard charging Jo Shimoda and his Team Honda HRC Progressive machine. The Japanese rider made the move into second and asserted his hold on the position. As the race entered its final five minutes, Cochran continued to lose ground and eventually dropped off the podium as the Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki trio of Ty Masterpool, Levi Kitchen, and Hammaker all got by.

Deegan cruised to his third straight moto win, 6.9 seconds ahead of Shimoda, while Kitchen made a late pass to secure third. Masterpool finished fourth, followed by Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Michael Mosiman in fifth.

Due to the increasing temperatures entering the final moto, the race was reduced by five minutes. As the field stormed out the gate and through the first turn it was Cochran out front once again, but he conceded the lead to privateer Honda rider Lance Kobusch, who led the first laps of his career. Deegan started in third and was able to make the move around Cochran into second. A little more than a lap later, Deegan took control of the moto. Kobusch then dropped outside the top 10 over the next few laps.

With Deegan out front, the attention shifted to the likes of Shimoda and Kitchen, who were making moves to break into the top three. Kitchen was able to move up to third and then got around Cochran for second just before the halfway point of the moto. Shimoda then passed Cochran for third a couple laps later and continued his march past Kitchen to grab second with a little more than 10 minutes remaining. Deegan, meanwhile, managed a lead approaching seven seconds.

“There’s a little bit of pace and fitness that I can still improve on. Haiden [Deegan] is really strong [in those areas]. We will keep working on those things. Everything went great today and we’re going to keep pushing,” Shimoda said.

The gap over the field continued to grow for Deegan, up to nearly 10 seconds, as he emphatically put the finishing touch on another moto sweep by a margin of 9.1 seconds over Shimoda. Kitchen finished a distant third.

“I just had to get my butt in gear Kitchen said. “I fought hard today. I can still get better, but things have been tough for me lately. All in all, it was a big bounce back from last weekend. We’ll just keep plugging away and fight for this thing.”

A Community Cornerstone with Economic and Charitable Impact

More than just a racing spectacle, the Hangtown Motocross Classic plays a vital role in the Folsom area’s tourism and economic development. According to Choose Folsom CEO Joe Gagliardi, the event draws more than 20,000 attendees annually, generating major revenue for local hotels, restaurants, and small businesses.

“The annual Hangtown Motocross event is a proud Folsom tradition,” said Gagliardi. “The competitors and fans add to our economic vitality as they eat and shop in our Folsom businesses and support our lodging partners. Hangtown’s well-known brand offers Folsom national visibility.”

The event’s national spotlight is shared by Rancho Cordova, which proudly serves as the home of Prairie City SVRA and its dedicated off-highway facilities that transform into a full-blown racing village each spring. Fans arrive days early to camp on-site, turning the park into a self-contained motocross community by race day.

Weekend of Racing Benefits Local Charities

At the heart of Hangtown is its charitable mission. The Dirt Diggers North Motorcycle Club (DDNMC), the volunteer-based organization that has managed the event since its move from Placerville to Prairie City in 1979, donates event proceeds each year to support local causes. Chief among these is Friends of Folsom, a nonprofit that provides critical support services to underserved families.

Volunteers from Friends of Folsom assist in everything from building the track to managing hospitality and vendor logistics on race day. Proceeds from the event are crucial to funding the nonprofit’s annual Thanksgiving turkey drive, which feeds more than 10,000 local families.

“One hundred percent of the proceeds we receive from this event go toward our turkey drive in November,” said Friends of Folsom Vice President Sarah Woods. “Historically, the funds from this event alone make up about 40 percent of our annual fundraising goal. We are grateful to have this opportunity and to be part of such an amazing event each year.”

Additional profits are reinvested into the Prairie City facility itself, ensuring upgrades that benefit both amateur and pro riders, spectators, and the wider off-road community in a self-sustaining model that puts local needs first.

T”hanks to all all of the volunteers from Friends of Folsom that withstood the heat, the fatigue, and the hard work and made sacrifice for others,” said Friends of Folsom President Jeff Garcia, as the crew was set to complete the tear down of the venue Sunday morning, just days after putting it all up. “Thanks to Dirt Diggers North for providing us the opportunity to do so. As they say, it’s a sadistic pleasure. But, it proves that the folks that are in it believe in the mission and that’s special.

56 Years of Racing and a Legacy Built in Folsom’s Backyard

What makes the Hangtown Motocross Classic unique among the 11 national stops on the Pro Motocross circuit is its unmatched longevity and local heritage. The first Hangtown race was staged by the DDNMC in 1969 on the dusty trails of Murray Ranch in Placerville. Back then, just 150 sportsman riders and 30 pros showed up, racing for a $600 purse and motocross bragging rights.

The name “Hangtown” was borrowed from Placerville’s Gold Rush-era nickname, and the grassroots event quickly became one of the most beloved on the racing calendar. As the event’s popularity exploded, it outgrew Placerville and then Plymouth before finding a permanent home at Prairie City in 1979, where it has remained ever since.

Over the years, legendary riders like Bob Hannah, Ricky Johnson, Jeremy McGrath, Ricky Carmichael, and James Stewart have battled on the brutal hills of Hangtown, cementing the event’s reputation as one of the most challenging and exciting in the sport. Generations of fans return each year for the tradition, the adrenaline, and the pure spectacle of watching world-class athletes test their limits on one of motocross’s most demanding circuits.

450 Class Overall Results – Hangtown Motocross Classic

1. Jett Lawrence – Landsborough, Australia (3-1), Honda
2. Aaron Plessinger – Hamilton, OH (2-3), KTM
3. Justin Cooper – Cold Spring Harbor, NY (4-2), Yamaha
4. Eli Tomac – Cortez, CO (1-9), Yamaha
5. Hunter Lawrence – Landsborough, Australia (5-4), Honda
6. Cooper Webb – Newport, NC (7-7), Yamaha
7. R.J. Hampshire – Hudson, FL (6-8), Husqvarna
8. Jason Anderson – Edgewood, NM (9-6), Kawasaki
9. Jorge Prado – Lugo, Galicia, Spain (12-5), Kawasaki
10. Malcolm Stewart – Haines City, FL (8-10), Husqvarna
11. Joey Savatgy – Thomasville, GA (10-11), Honda
12. Coty Schock – Dover, DE (11-12), Yamaha
13. Benoit Paturel – France (13-14), Suzuki
14. Colt Nichols – Muskogee, OK (19-13), Suzuki
15. Lorenzo Locurcio – Venezuela (17-15), GasGas
16. Derek Kelley – Riverside, CA (16-16), Yamaha
17. Fredrik Noren – Lidköping, Sweden (18-17), Kawasaki
18. Valentin Guillod – Switzerland (15-20), Yamaha
19. Grant Harlan – Justin, TX (14-40), Yamaha
20. Mitchell Harrison – Lansing, MI (25-18), Kawasaki
21. Dante Oliveira – Hollister, CA (28-19), KTM
22. Harri Kullas – Estonia (20-21), Husqvarna
23. Mason Semmens – Australia (21-26), KTM
24. John Short – Pilot Point, TX (24-23), Honda
25. Romain Pape – France (23-25), Yamaha
26. Dare DeMartile – Lincoln, CA (32-22), Beta
27. Bryson Gardner – Paso Robles, CA (33-24), Beta
28. Matti Jorgensen – Denmark (31-28), Husqvarna
29. Tyler Stepek – Mount Airy, MD (26-33), Yamaha
30. Scotty Verhaeghe – Paris, France (30-31), Yamaha
31. Benny Bloss – Oak Grove, MO (22-39), Beta
32. Bryce Shelly – Telford, PA (27-35), Yamaha
33. Joshua Boaz – Eagan, MN (36-27), KTM
34. Tristan Purdon – Falkirk (29-34), Husqvarna
35. Josh Mosiman – Sebastopol, CA (35-30), Yamaha
36. Brad West – Dingo, Queensland, Australia (38-29), Yamaha
37. Clayton Tucker – El Dorado Hills, CA (37-32), Beta
38. Brandon Ray – Fremont, CA (34-36), Honda
39. Derek Drake – San Luis Obispo, CA (39-37), Yamaha
40. Max Miller – Springfield, OR (40-38), Yamaha

250 Class Overall Results – Hangtown Motocross Classic

1. Haiden Deegan – Temecula, CA (1-1), Yamaha
2. Jo Shimoda – Suzuka City, Japan (2-2), Honda
3. Levi Kitchen – Washougal, WA (3-3), Kawasaki
4. Julien Beaumer – Lake Havasu City, AZ (8-4), KTM
5. Garrett Marchbanks – Coalville, UT (7-5), Kawasaki
6. Jordon Smith – Belmont, NC (11-6), Triumph
7. Mikkel Haarup – Silkeborg, Denmark (10-9), Triumph
8. Ty Masterpool – Fallon, NV (4-16), Kawasaki
9. Dilan Schwartz – Alpine, CA (9-13), Yamaha
10. Michael Mosiman – Sebastopol, CA (5-17), Yamaha
11. Casey Cochran – Portsmouth, VA (12-12), GasGas
12. Maximus Vohland – Sacramento, CA (14-11), Yamaha
13. Drew Adams – Chattanooga, TN (19-7), Kawasaki
14. Parker Ross – Herald, CA (16-10), Yamaha
15. Seth Hammaker – Bainbridge, PA (6-40), Kawasaki
16. Austin Forkner – Richards, MO (15-14), Triumph
17. Tom Vialle – Avignon, France (40-8), KTM
18. Ryder DiFrancesco – Bakersfield, CA (17-18), GasGas
19. Chance Hymas – Pocatello, ID (13-DNS), Honda
20. Alexander Fedortsov – Hallandale, FL (39-15), Yamaha
21. Avery Long – New London, MN (20-19), KTM
22. Nate Thrasher – Livingston, TN (18-23), Yamaha
23. Jack Chambers – (DNS-20), Kawasaki
24. Lux Turner – Gardnerville, NV (21-21), KTM
25. Gavin Towers – Venetia, PA (23-26), Honda
26. Jace Allred – Riverton, UT (29-24), Honda
27. Patrick Murphy – Clinton, IA (26-27), Honda
28. Kyle Wise – Modesto, CA (33-25), Yamaha
29. Dalton Venter – Meyersdale (31-28), Yamaha
30. Kai Aiello – Temecula, CA (30-29), Husqvarna
31. Lance Kobusch – New Florence, MO (22-37), Honda
32. Preston Masciangelo – Brantford, ON, Canada (32-30), GasGas
33. CJ Benard – Peoria, AZ (25-38), KTM
34. Vincent Varola – Simi Valley, CA (27-39), Husqvarna
35. Wyatt Mattson – El Dorado Hills, CA (38-32), Yamaha
36. Reven Gordon – Murrieta, CA (37-33), Kawasaki
37. Charlie Heyman – Brinsley (36-35), Husqvarna
38. Crockett Myers – (35-36), KTM
39. Brock Bennett – (DNS-22), Husqvarna
40. Enzo Temmerman – Visalia, CA (24-DNS), Kawasaki
41. Austin Black – Tualatin, OR (28-DNS), KTM
42. Blake Gardner – Canyon Country, CA (DNS-31), Husqvarna
43. Cole Timboe – (DNS-34), Yamaha
44. Jeremy Martin – Millville, MN (34-DNS), Yamaha

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