Haiden Deegan pulled off a major upset during the opening round of the SuperMotocross Playoffs in Columbus. The 20-year-old American won both 450SMX races to claim his first-ever victory on a 450. In the 250SMX class, Levi Kitchen took the overall victory, while Cole Davies missed out on a possible top result after an impressive first race was cut short by a mechanical failure. Heavy mud conditions played a major role throughout the entire event. The opening playoff round was held on Saturday, September 12, at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.

The first 450SMX race produced a special moment right from the start. Jorge Prado made a strong start, but Deegan passed him early in the race. The American felt right at home in the muddy conditions and once he took the lead, he quickly built a comfortable advantage.

Deegan was never seriously challenged and claimed his first race victory on a 450. Ken Roczen crossed the finish line in second, while Prado secured important points with third place. For Hunter Lawrence, the race turned into a disaster. The Australian crashed several times and eventually finished 21st, two laps behind the winner.

After his first victory, Deegan was visibly emotional:

“I don’t think you guys understand how badly I wanted this. I’ve worked so hard for this. The job isn’t finished yet because we still have one more to go. But this is just the beginning!”

Deegan was once again the man to beat in the second race. This time, he took the lead immediately and controlled the field from start to finish. Roczen initially managed to put him under pressure, but after the German crashed, Deegan was given some breathing room.

The American then avoided any major mistakes and secured his first 450SMX overall victory with another race win.

“It’s a dream come true. I just won a 450 race, this is absolutely incredible. I want to thank my team and my family so much. I can hardly describe how happy I am. It really feels like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. You dream about moments like this and I’m incredibly grateful that it happened, especially under these conditions.”

Hunter Lawrence fought his way back to eighth place despite suffering several more crashes. Prado, meanwhile, collected more valuable points. As a result, the Spaniard will carry the red plate into the second SMX Playoff. He has a two-point lead over Deegan. Cooper Webb is four points behind, while Roczen sits eight points behind Prado.

The 250SMX class also delivered plenty of drama. Cole Davies grabbed the holeshot in the first race and looked set for a dominant victory in the mud. The New Zealander built a lead of around 20 seconds and had even worked his way through a large part of the field.

Then disaster struck. Davies’ bike suddenly stopped, forcing him to retire from the race.

Daxton Bennick took full advantage and inherited the victory, with Levi Kitchen finishing second. Jo Shimoda endured a difficult race after a poor start and a crash, eventually finishing 12th. Julien Beaumer went down on the opening lap and had to settle for 16th place.

Davies bounced back in the second race. Starting from the outside, he narrowly missed the holeshot but quickly moved into the lead. He then pulled away from the competition and took a convincing race victory.

Behind him, the battle for the important positions continued all the way into the final stages. Kitchen passed Bennick at the start of the final lap. That move proved decisive for the overall standings: Kitchen won the opening SMX Playoff in the 250SMX class, while Bennick finished second.

Photocredits – Align Media