Deegan Dominates Ironman: Monster Energy Sweeps 250s, Tomac Podiums in 450s
Haiden Deegan goes 1-1 at Ironman, leading five Monster Energy riders into the 250 top ten, while Eli Tomac secures a strong third in the 450 class.
The pros of motocross were back in action as the world’s premier outdoor off-road motorcycle racing series, the AMA Pro Motocross Championship, dropped the starting gate in Crawfordsville, Ind., for Round 9 of the series – The Ironman National. And back on top of the 250cc class podium was the white-hot Haiden Deegan (Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha), who stepped up and swept both motos (1-1) in victory.
“I felt like myself again,” said Deegan, who now leads Honda’s Jo Shimoda by 51 points with two races remaining this summer. “That felt nice. I really haven’t felt like myself for a while. I got out there and started to put the track together and I found some sick lines and I said (Shimoda) is definitely not doing this.”
Deegan would, in the opening moto, battle back from a substantial deficit (seven seconds) to Shimoda to outlast the great Japanese racer for the win. He (Deegan) also had to come from behind in the second moto, after scoring the holeshot, to track and catch leader Shimoda, which he did again to secure the 1-1 victory – his sixth overall win of the season.
Rounding out the top ten in scoring at the Ironman’s 250 class were a bevy of Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki racers, including Garrett Marchbanks in 4th place (3rd place overall in the series); rookie Drew Adams, who scored a career-best 5th place overall; Levi Kitchen in 8th and Seth Hammaker in 10th.
In 450 class racing Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha’s Eli Tomac rallied from an undisclosed physical ailment to make the overall podium in 3rd place (6-3), based in part to two holeshots pulled on his rocket ship YZ450F.
“I’m surprised,” Tomac said. “I’ve just been having a rough day. Physically, I’m not well right now. I was able to come back in Moto 2 and honestly, I’m surprised I held on there.”
Tomac’s Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha teammate, Justin Cooper, who’s currently in 4th position in the overall series standings with 315 points, continued to run fast and consistent with a 4th place effort (4-5) in Crawfordsville. And blitzing back into the top five, with his best finish in recent weeks, was Monster Energy/Kawasaki’s multi-time world MXGP champ, Jorge Prado, who placed 5th (5-6).
| Ironman MX 250 Class Results | 450 MX Class Results |
|---|---|
| 1st - Deegan (Monster/Star/Yamaha) | 3rd - Tomac (Monster/Star/Yamaha) |
| 4th - Marchbanks (Monster/PC/Kawasaki) | 4th - Cooper (Monster/Star/Yamaha) |
| 5th - Adams (Monster/PC/Kawasaki) | 5th - Prado (Monster/Kawasaki) |
| 8th - Kitchen (Monster/PC/Kawasaki) | |
| 10th - Hammaker (Monster/PC/Kawasaki) |
Overall Standings (7 of 11 rounds)
| 250 Class | 450 Class |
|---|---|
| 1st - Deegan, 418 points | 3rd - Tomac, 324 points |
| 3rd - Marchbanks, 286 points | 4th - Cooper, 315 points |
| 4th - Kitchen, 265 points | 6th - Prado, 224 points |
| 8th - Mosiman, 180 points | 10th - Webb, 151 points |
| 9th - Hammaker, 180 points |
Notes & Quotes
- Prior to the start of the Ironman National, the AMA announced the riders who’ll compete for Team USA at the upcoming Monster Energy Motocross Des Nations (Oct. 2-5) right back at Ironman MX. Monster Energy’s Tomac and Deegan will head up Team USA, which also includes former Monster Energy racer Chase Sexton (KTM).
- Infront Moto Racing, the organizers of the Monster Energy Motocross Des Nations, also announced at Crawfordsville that the 2031 MxoN will be run in the United States at a yet-to-be-named venue.
- “Eli (Tomac) had his starts figured out today.” NBC announcer James Stewart on Tomac’s domination on the start line in the 450 mains.
- In the combined Monster Energy AMA Supercross/AMA Pro Motocross Championship points, aka “SMX,”Monster Energy’s Cooper has a commanding 80-point lead over 2nd place Cooper Webb (Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha), 596-516.
- Great news for Haiden Deegan (and Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha) fans this week as Deegan signed a multi-year contract extension with the team – and announced he’ll race the YZ250F for the ’26 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season, them move up to the 450 class for outdoors and SMX.
- And it’s still rumored that Deegan, should he clinch the 250 outdoor title next weekend at Unadilla MX (NY), will bump up to the 450 class for the season finale at Budds Creek MX (Md.)
- How about that 250 class finish for Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki? All four racers – Marchbanks (4th), Adams (5th), Kitchen (8th) and Hammaker (10th) finishing in the top ten. Excellent work by Mitch Payton’s squad with their best total team finish of the season.
- Also this week… Monster Energy and Feld Motor Sports extended their agreement that has the No. 1 by volume energy drink company as the title sponsor of AMA Supercross through 2030. Monster Energy will also be the title sponsor for the entire SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) series.
Up next: The 2025 Pro Motocross Championship stays east for Round 10 of the series, the Elf Unadilla National at Unadilla MX in New Berlin, N.Y., August 16. For more information on the AMA Pro Motocross Championships, link to www.promotocross.com
