ROUND 16 / MAY 4, 2024
EMPOWER FIELD AT MILE HIGH / DENVER, COLORADO
SUPERCROSS I 2024 MONSTER ENERGY AMA SUPERCROSS SERIES / SMX WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
P76
[Hampshire]," Kitchen said. It
would've been nice to catch Jo,
but he was riding phenomenally
and keeping the gap the same,
and I was doing my best to keep
RJ behind me."
Hampshire crossed the line
third. He started outside the
top three and nearly got taken
out on the opening lap in a
daring move by Yamaha's Nate
Thrasher. The Rockstar Energy
Husqvarna rider rode with vis-
ible intensity in the opening laps
as
he moved into position be-
hind Kitchen. A key pass around
Jordon
Smith put him third, and
Hampshire even set the fast-
est lap of the race in his quest
to
beat his opponent, Kitchen.
Time eventually ran out, and
because I skimmed the whoops
early and I felt like my boot al-
most came off. After about four
or
five laps, I pretty much forgot
about it."
Kitchen worked up to the
back of Shimoda as the laps
wore down and finished less
than a second behind the leader.
Despite not making a pass
for the win, finishing ahead of
Hampshire was the main goal,
as the points are now tied going
into the finale.
"For me, it was pretty much
a race between me and him
through three, those guys just
get away from you really quick.
It's a big difference between first
and second, so I think the starts
are just the biggest thing."
Kitchen took the runner-up
position. After crashing at the
last round in Nashville, his
championship hopes seemed
to be dwindling, as he handed
off the red plate to Hampshire.
But Kitchen rebounded nicely
with a podium finish in Denver
and, more importantly, beating
his title rival. The Kawasaki rider
held things together despite his
boot buckles coming undone
early in the race.
"It happened in the first turn,"
Kitchen said. "The first couple
laps, I didn't know what to do,
Despite his boot coming
unbuckled, Levi Kitchen still
finished second in the
250SX West main.
