#WHIPITWEDNESDAY

Rider: Levi Kitchen

Levi is one of those riders who proved hard work pays off. He was not the fastest mini-cycle rider growing up, or should we say he was not the most watched rider, as he did have good results as a kid. The real talent began to show when he moved up to 125’s. He would start to get results in the top three after moving up to big bikes, grabbing the attention of the Star Racing Yamaha program. In his final two years at Loretta Lynn’s ranch, he won four classes winning almost every single moto. When he went pro he started by racing in the outdoor motocross series and in his first race at Hangtown he grabbed a top-ten finish. He would race only a few events over the next year, but since 2023 he has not been out of the top ten overall and was runner-up in the 2024 Supercross series. Levi and Rj Hampshire will face off again in the 250 East Coast division of the 2025 Supercross series.

CHASE SEXTON RECLAIMS 450SUPERCROSS  RED PLATE WITH GLENDALE WIN

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Chase Sexton has climbed back to the top of the 2025 AMA Supercross Championship 450 Supercross standings with a winning performance at Glendale’s State Farm Stadium to complete the first Triple Crown event of the season.

Sexton became the first two-time winner of the year by securing victory tonight, using consistent 3-3-2 results across the trio of Main Events to stand on top of the premier class podium. After qualifying second fastest, the 25-year-old worked his way forward in the first two races to finish with a pair of P3 results. A strong start in the final encounter saw Sexton take the early lead, before he ultimately took the checkered flag in second position to earn the overall. In terms of the championship standings, Sexton now holds a two-point advantage as the Supercross series heads east to Tampa for Round 5 next weekend.

Chase Sexton: “The track was really gnarly and dry, but I had fun racing with the guys tonight. In the first two races, I really made it hard on myself with terrible starts, and that made my life difficult – especially with the short races. I finally got a start in the last final when I needed it and finished that one in second. I feel like I rode really well tonight apart from a mistake in the final race, but other than that, it was solid. I’m pumped to get the overall and to get the red plate back!”

JETT LAWRENCE TO UNDERGO SURGERY TO REPAIR TORN ACL

Following an injury incurred during Saturday’s Glendale, Arizona, round of AMA Supercross, Honda HRC Progressive rider Jett Lawrence was diagnosed today with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee, and he will undergo surgery. Early in the third race at the Glendale Triple Crown, Lawrence dabbed his right foot in a corner to maintain his balance, and immediately pulled off the track in pain. An initial visit to the Alpinestars Mobile Medical unit didn’t reveal any serious injury, but an MRI scan today revealed that Lawrence had suffered a torn ACL, as well as a small tear to his meniscus.

Jett Lawrence stated on Monday: “I found out today that I tore my ACL and am having surgery tomorrow to repair it. I’m not exactly sure when I’ll be able to return, but rehabbing will be my new full-time job, so I hope to see you guys as soon as possible! I’m super-bummed to let the fans down, and I can’t wait to get back out there.”

CLUBMX COTY SCHOCK AND JETT REYNOLDS TAKE A REST AS 250 SERIES HEADS EAST

Jett Reynolds.

A statement from the ClubMx Team: And just like that, the first four rounds of the series are in the books and Coty and Jett get a well-needed break in the action. The series is not exactly played out as the pre-season experts prognosticated and that is the beauty of the sport. As they say – that is why they run the races. As for our team, we are a bit behind expectations, however, the goals can and will still be met in the remaining rounds. The first four rounds show the series to be in good health with amazing attendance at every event so far. The weather has cooperated for the most part and hopefully, that trend continues.

Coty Schock

Coty’s night at the Triple Crown in Glendale was almost really good. Unfortunately, he landed on a tough block in race one and went from fifth place back to thirteenth. He fought his way back to ninth position which was good for the little time there was left. In race three he passed his way up to fourth place and was then run off the track by his fellow competitor sending him back to eleventh place. He again fought his way back up to ninth place and finished the night with an eighth place overall on the night. He held on to his sixth place in the standings through four rounds but expects to start moving up when the series gets to Arlington. The time off will be well used to fine-tune his craft.

Jett has been fighting the flu for the last few weeks and just when he thought it was clear, it came back with a vengeance on Friday. The goal was to get through qualifying without having to run the LCQ and he made that part look easy in the second session. By the time the main races rolled around, he had his sights set on a top ten which he achieved in the first race. Unfortunately, in race two, he hit a tough block before the finish line that relegated him back to twentieth place, and that took the wind out of his sails. Still, Jett deserves a lot of credit for his perseverance on the night, knowing that he was headed to some well-deserved time off. Now that he has a break, he can spend the time getting healthy and rolling into Arlington, ready to show what he can really do.

2025 SUPERCROSS GLENDALE BEST IN THE PITS

MXA PHOTO TRIVIA

Who is this rider? The answer can be found at the bottom of the page.

WHAT GOES ON IN THE CLUBMX RADIOS?

Have you ever wondered what is said on all of those two-way radios during the race? Now you will get a chance to be a part of the action. The Muc-Off/FXR/ClubMX team has come up with a creative way to enhance the viewer’s experience by creating a system where the fans can listen live while their bikes are on the track through a program called Race Link.

Keep in mind that you must be 18 years old or older to participate. Some of the content can be “unfiltered” and there is a content advisory as part of the registration process. Starting in Glendale this weekend, fans will be able to purchase a Race Link pass for one event for only $9.99, allowing them to listen at the track or at home. The insider access to the communications between the staff and the mechanics showing how messages are relayed to the rider via a pit board can be very interesting. ClubMX is taking the lead on implementing this new technology to Supercross. LINK → clubmx-radio.replit.app

THE ALPINESTARS SPRING 2025 SPORTSWEAR COLLECTION: MOTORSPORTS CULTURE IGNITES RACE-INSPIRED STREETWEAR 

Experience the Spring 2025 Sportswear Collection that fuses unmatched comfort, high-performance design, and bold style into every piece. Designed for riders and fans alike, this dynamic lineup features hoodies, tees, and headwear that push the boundaries of streetwear.

Our hoodies command attention with advanced fabrics and eye-catching graphics, while our tees redefine performance and style—crafted from sustainable materials and adorned with oversized lettering and geometric prints.

Completing the collection, our headwear offers hats and beanies engineered with moisture-wicking stretch fabrics, welded seams, high-contrast stitching, and vibrant pops of color that set you apart.

Unleash your passion for speed and style with the Spring 2025 Sportswear Collection—a bold way to showcase your connection to Alpinestars, on and off the bike.

ASK THE MXPERTS: THE WHEN, WHERE, HOW & WHY OF TITANIUM BOLTS

Titanium bolts save weight on your bike and in your wallet.

BOLT KITS IN VARIOUS ALLOYS

Dear MXA,
I want to exchange all the bolts on my 2018 Kawasaki KX450F for titanium replacements, including the axles, tank bolts, seat bolts, fender bolts, bar mounts and subframe bolts. I’m interested in saving as much weight as possible. What do I need to know?

Titanium has a high strength-to-weight ratio. In motocross, titanium applications are used to save weight and not for strength. Every factory team utilizes titanium modifications in some capacity. Ti is expensive, and while the material costs are greater, it is the manufacturing process that accounts for most of the increased price of a titanium part over a chromoly or aluminum one. Ti fasteners aren’t just copies of stock bolts made with lighter material; the designs are more complex than the stockers, and they require additional machining. Using titanium wisely means considering more than overall weight savings.

The location of the desired weight savings determines some degree of performance. Reducing unsprung weight with Ti parts, like axles can improve suspension performance. Reducing weight away from the center of gravity of the bike with things like a Ti muffler or subframe bolt kit can help the handling performance slightly (although not always commensurate with the cost). Reducing reciprocating mass in the engine with parts like titanium valves and piston pins can increase engine performance. Titanium fork and shock springs should be given special consideration in any weight-saving situation. Titanium’s light weight and high modulus of elasticity allow for fewer coils and a more active feel. Additionally, half the weight of the springs can be counted as unsprung weight. Finally, due to the physical properties of the material, Ti springs feel springier, livelier and perform better. It is smart to have any Ti spring’s actual spring rate tested, since it isn’t always the same rate as a steel spring.

As a rule of thumb, titanium fasteners are about half the weight of steel, and aluminum fasteners are about half the weight of titanium. Aluminum fasteners are also approximately the same price as steel. The drawback is strength. Before choosing a bolt, consider each fastener’s specific duty. Is it under stress during normal operation? Is it vulnerable to sheer in a crash? Could you remove or break the bolt and still ride the bike? In the case of most bodywork bolts, aluminum is a better choice than Ti. The amount of weight saved on Ti bodywork bolts is insignificant when you can save double with aluminum bolts.

Honda’s stamped titanium gas tank is cool, but it weighs about the same as the plastic tank it replaces.

The weight savings using titanium can be impressive—and so can the cost. A bike can lose about 3 pounds if you replace the stock axles, swingarm pivot bolt, shock linkage bolts and big fasteners with titanium. Aftermarket Ti exhaust systems are 1 pound lighter than their aluminum/stainless brothers and 2 or 3 pounds lighter than the OEM unit. A Ti shock spring can save as much as 1-1/2 pounds. As for the prices, a kit that includes axles, linkage bolts and a swingarm pivot bolt will cost over $1000. A full Ti exhaust runs anywhere from $300 to $500 over the cost of an aftermarket stainless/aluminum exhaust. A Ti shock spring is around $420.

There are a few things to watch for with Ti bolts. Titanium bolts are close to steel in terms of strength, with the benefit of being 47 percent lighter. With a Ti bolt, it is much easier to gall and bugger up threads. If left untouched, Ti bolts can seize. This is caused when two dissimilar metals contact each other in the presence of an electrolyte. The galvanic action forces one metal to corrode at a much faster rate than normal; this is especially true of titanium and aluminum. This is not a problem on a factory bike, because the mechanic takes everything apart on a weekly basis. But, it could be an issue for the casual racer. Some mechanics use waterproof grease, anti-seize compound, Loctite or a mixture of the two (careful, some may not mix). If a titanium bolt does break, the harder material is much more difficult to drill out.

If it were us, we’d forgo most of your titanium dream and focus on the exhaust system, rear axle ($350), swingarm pivot bolt ($450) and shock linkage bolts ($400). Then, get an aluminum bolt kit for the bodywork ($60).

MXA PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Jordon Smith on the line prior to making history for Triumph by winning them their first 250 Supercross overall. Jordon Smith has been the most consistent rider this year finishing in the top four at all four opening 250 West rounds.

CLASSIC MXA PHOTO

A classic whip from James Stewart back in 2006.

MXA Photo Trivia Answer: 1999 125cc champion Nathan Ramsey