First Motos Conclude, Second Motos Begin on Wednesday at Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship

All 36 Classes Wrap Up First Gate Drops of 2022 Event

HURRICANE MILLS, TN – August 4, 2022 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – After an action-packed opening day of motos, another full slate of racing was on deck Wednesday at the 41st running of the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship from Tennessee’s Loretta Lynn Ranch. The morning half of the day’s races completed the opening set of motos for all 36 classes and following a midday intermission gave way to the start of the second motos for nine classes, in which the championship battles started to take shape.

Moto 1: 250 Pro Sport

Many of the star-studded prospects in 250 Pro Sport would take to the track at the Ranch twice on Wednesday, but a major emphasis was placed on the opening moto of this highly competitive headline division.

After an impressive win in Open Pro Sport, Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Ryder DiFrancesco was arguably the rider to beat in 250 Pro Sport. While the California native came up short in his bid for another moto win, he was once again impressive with a come-from-behind effort that saw him overcome an opening-lap tip over and an 11th-place start to just narrowly miss out on victory by mere bike lengths.

The battle for the first moto win began as a hotly contested affair between GASGAS Factory Amateur Team rider Caden Braswell and NSA Yamaha Factory Amateur Team rider Gavin Towers. Towers made the first move and prevailed with the STACYC Holeshot, but Braswell went on the attack early and took over the top spot. The GASGAS rider set a strong pace through the opening laps to assert himself out front, but misfortune caused him to lose valuable ground and drop from first to third.

Towers assumed the lead and relied on his experience to manage the advantage, with consistent lap times that allowed him to keep Team Honda HRC’s Chance Hymas at bay through the middle of the moto. As Towers continued to control the lead, DiFrancesco jumped into the mix with both Hymas and Braswell, and got the better of both riders.

The final lap of the moto was filled with tension as DiFrancesco closed onto the rear of Towers’ Yamaha and looked for a way around. The two riders were side-by-side entering the final corner, but Towers held on for the Moto 1 win. Braswell made a late pass on Hymas to grab third.

250 Pro Sport Moto 1 Top 5

1. Gavin Towers, Venetia, Pa., Yamaha
2. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield,…