There are few stops on the AMA Pro Motocross calendar as scenic as Washougal, Washington, yet the abundance of storylines ensured the picturesque backdrop took a back seat to the on-track action. Lewis Phillips recaps the biggest talking points from 450MX's two motos.

'WASH' AWAY NEGATIVITY

The Lawrences epitomize excellence, yet Washougal's unique characteristics have proven to be a worthy foe of both Jett and Hunter. Hunter had never finished in the top two in either class in the Pacific Northwest, whilst Jett had just two wins in four starts (a remarkably modest return in the context of his wider career).

2026's event flipped that script: Hunter won in 450MX for the fifth time, only matched by Jett (who had the most raw pace across the two motos, proven by his ability to run lap times as low as 02:14). What made the difference on this occasion? Rather than their traditional Floridian base, the Lawrences prepared for the slicker surface in California and therefore enjoyed a simpler travel schedule.

There were no notable set-up revisions, the only discovery being what was learned about each other's shock in their bike swap on press day. "Jett likes his bike," said HRC team manager Lars Lindstrom. "I think Hunter liked some of Jett's bike – his shock was a little different. They tried some of that. I believe [that he had some of it on in the race]." The Lawrences were faster to praise overcast skies that removed shadows than advancements with either motorcycle.

With his fourth win in five rounds and second consecutive, Hunter sits on a comfortable cushion of twelve points. Jett does not surpass Hunter in a single statistical category – he merely sits level with his brother in podiums and top five appearances – and will have no room for error once AMA Pro Motocross resumes. Will the limitations that come with his talus issue let him perform at such a level?

Verdict: Hunter and Jett sit in unfamiliar positions.

HAIDEN HUNTS FOR WINS

Winless in Washougal, opportunities for Haiden Deegan to prosper in his maiden 450MX season are dwindling. It was the Pacific Northwest track that was tipped as his best shot – he was beaten once there on a 250F – yet it was not to be.

A fall after he holeshot moto one put him on the back foot, but his lap times never indicated that he had the raw speed to run with either Lawrence. Deegan never went quicker than a 02:17 lap time in either moto whilst those Lawrences found 02:14s and 02:15s each time. It's not a deficit that can be overcome in a week's break (otherwise it would have happened by now) but he appears to be aware of that fact.

"Maybe the fans or the spectators don't really see what I see or what I am achieving as much as my team would," he reflected. "My goals that I have written down: one of them was to pull a holeshot and one of them was to qualify first. There's two [items] checked off the list. I'm trying to check these goals off and not rush the process. I have a long career ahead of me, so I'll just take it step by step."

In sports like Formula 1 or MotoGP, it's easier to track development outside of the traditional race classification. Let's attempt to use a metric like that to establish a trend of how much closer Deegan's getting to the pinnacle of 450MX, yeah? Take the deficit to the race winner in each moto and divide it by the number of laps and an average gap per lap appears. 

Using that metric, four motos stand out with a pace deficit of under one second per lap. His strongest performance came in moto two at Southwick, where he conceded 0.22 seconds per lap to the benchmark. The second moto at High Point ranked next at 0.47 seconds per lap, while the first moto at Hangtown and second moto at Millville shared third at 0.90 seconds per lap. 

Washougal's second moto at 1.15 seconds a lap ranked as his eighth-best appearance by the same measure. These numbers can be influenced by how much the race winner backs it down on the final two laps, but it offers a fairly accurate picture. The motos where he crashed at the start (of which there are three) are extracted from the data, as the deficit to the winner was immense due to time lost in the initial laps.

Naturally, bike set-up is pivotal to premier class success. "No one has won outdoors since [Eli] Tomac on the YZ450F," Deegan reflected. "It has been a while. There's not much development, I'd say, towards the way I ride. I don't have someone to test for me. I don't have a teammate that's my style to test for me. It's all up to me. It's all up to my words to the team. I may feel something, but maybe it's not right."

It's true that Yamaha hasn't won in 450MX since 2022's final round. The YZ450F has won eleven 450MX events in the 2020s at the hands of Dylan Ferrandis (2021) and Tomac (2022). If Deegan can win before the end of this season, it would mark the end of a drought of 1410 days and counting.

Verdict: Haiden realizes his best shot lies in 2027.

DYLAN DEBATES FUTURE

Whilst Ferrandis has not won since 2021's season finale, he's been a mainstay inside of the top ten ever since (he has fallen out of those positions five times in his last thirty-four starts). Washougal marked the second time that he has put his Ducati Desmo450 into the top three. Simply, he is still one of the best in 450MX.

However, could the end be near?

It's documented that Ferrandis has a clause in his Ducati deal that ensures an automatic renewal will be initiated if he finishes in the top five in the final 450MX classification (he is thirty-eight points from that position). Before that, he must determine whether he wants to extend his fifteen-year career.

"Days like this help but, for me, I don't really think about that. I more think, 'can I do another year with my body and fitness?' I've just been struggling a lot with my right knee and thumb," Ferrandis commented. "It's more that I am questioning whether my body can do another year. That's it right now.

"I'm thirty-two. In the week, I cannot do a full week of testing. I must rest and recover. Lately, I've been struggling a little bit with that. I ride once a week and cannot do much. The team wants to do more and I'm like, 'boys, I am sorry. I have to recover.' It's frustrating and difficult for me, but I really try to do my best."

Ferrandis exists as a critical piece in the transfer market puzzle. Malcolm Stewart's all but confirmed as a Monster Energy Kawasaki athlete, so Ferrandis' seat at Ducati (the last spot now that RJ Hampshire has committed) is of interest to many. Justin Barcia is in a turn of form and would be happy to stay with the Italian manufacturer, but he will be in competition with his current teammate.

Verdict: Ferrandis' fine form should motivate him.