Triumph Factory Racing Riders Excel in Hangtown Heat

Triumph Factory Racing immediately applied the lessons learned from round one of the 2025 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, using that data to help Mikkel Haarup and Jordon Smith catapult into the top 10 at the second stop of the season in Sacramento. Temperatures soared at the Hangtown Motocross Classic, making this event Pro Motocross' toughest challenge since 2022.

Smith pushed from 16th to a respectable 11th in the first moto – one position behind Haarup – but it was the second moto where he dominated headlines via an impressive climb from outside of the top ten into sixth place. It was an incredible ride when the conditions were at their most challenging, and one that reinforced his potential aboard the TF 250-X. An 11-6 score placed him sixth at the second round of 2025 Pro Motocross and helped him climb from 19th to 15th in the championship standings.

Haarup's prowess was made clear in the second timed qualification session; he finished sixth in that despite no previous experience in Northern California. Unfortunately, that pace did not translate into a positive start in moto two, yet he showed incredible conditioning to claim 10th on the final lap when his peers started to fade. The TF 250-X launched him into the first turn in fourth in the second moto, a position that he battled to maintain before ultimately crossing the chequered flag in ninth. 10-9 scores put him seventh in 250MX's overall classification.

Putting an unlucky season opener in the rear-view mirror, Austin Forkner battled hard to log points in both motos. Forkner captured 15th on the final lap of moto one – a move that underlined his desire for gradual improvements – and showed similar heart to jump from 16th to 14th with two laps remaining in the grueling second moto. A very consistent 15-14 scorecard left him 16th on the day.

Pro Motocross' third round in succession will be run at elevation in Colorado: the world-famous venue of Thunder Valley will host the event on June 7.

Jordon Smith

"Today was a lot better. I had two average starts and, with the conditions, I had to dig until the very end. I am proud of myself for pushing through and the extra bike time this week certainly helped. I think that we will continue to grow as a team each week, so let's shoot for the top five next week."

Mikkel Haarup

"I feel like this has been a very successful weekend for me. With no press day, I had to adapt quickly in timed practice and I feel like I handled it well. I actually improved once the track slowed down in the second session. I am still working on intensity in the first half of a race, but I kept grinding for a 10th in the first moto. The better gate pick in moto two helped a lot and I had a great start. I ran fourth for a little while, learned a lot and then dropped back to ninth. It was great to experience the American heat as well!"

Austin Forkner

"Hangtown was a scorcher. I actually had a nice start in moto one, but I was pinched off coming into turn one. I paced myself – knowing how tough the challenge ahead was – and I was strong at the end for that reason. The same was true in the second moto: I passed two or three riders in the last couple of laps. I need to be better and I am struggling with intensity at the start, but it was a trade off in today's conditions. There was a lot of progress today, which is good. I am ready for more improvements at Thunder Valley."

Jeremy Coker – General Manager, Triumph Racing America

"Today was a huge improvement for the team. Everyone involved worked very hard this week to make improvements and it showed. Today was extremely hot and our guys showed how strong they are. Jordon and Mikkel pushed very hard in the second moto and stayed with the pack. Two guys in the top 10 – nearly in the top five – is a huge step in the right direction. We will never stop pushing to get on the podium."

250MX Results: 2025 Pro Motocross, Round 02 – Hangtown

1. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 50pts

2. Jo Shimoda (Honda) 44pts

3. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) 40pts

4. Julien Beaumer (KTM) 32pts

5. Garrett Marchbanks (Kawasaki) 32pts

6. Jordon Smith (Triumph) 27pts

7. Mikkel Haarup (Triumph) 25pts

16. Austin Forkner (Triumph) 15pts

250MX Standings: 2025 Pro Motocross, Round 02 – Hangtown

1. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 100pts

2. Jo Shimoda (Honda) 88pts

3. Julien Beaumer (KTM) 67pts

4. Garrett Marchbanks (Kawasaki) 65pts

5. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) 52pts

14. Mikkel Haarup (Triumph) 38pts

15. Jordon Smith (Triumph) 36pts

19. Austin Forkner (Triumph) 15pts