Deegan Returns to the Podium at Penultimate East Coast Round
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan keeps himself in the 250SX East title fight with a podium finish at Philadelphia Supercross / Apr 28, 2024 /
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan raced to his fourth podium finish of the season in front of a packed house yesterday inside Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Californian had to rally through the pack in order to keep his title hopes alive, and his efforts paid off with a third-place finish at the Monster Energy AMA Supercross 250SX East Championship’s penultimate round. Rookies Daxton Bennick and Nick Romano were in need of rebound rides following last weekend’s showdown race, and they did just that as they both landed inside the top 10, with Bennick in fourth and Romano in 10th.
Deegan started off the day strong with a fourth-place qualifying position, and when the gate dropped for the afternoon race, he was ready to battle. The heat race was intense as the 2023 250SMX Champion applied pressure to the leader the entire race, ultimately securing a commendable second place. Unlike his heat, the main event posed new challenges with a tough start that forced him to come through the pack from 12th. Undeterred, Deegan navigated through a congested field on a track that didn’t lend well to passing opportunities, showcasing his talent and determination to cross the finish line in an impressive third place. He is 15 points out of the 250SX East Championship lead and remains in the title fight, which will go down to the final race in two weeks.
In need of a strong rebound race, Bennick delivered a solid performance in Philadelphia. The rookie qualified sixth, setting a promising tone for the day. During the heat race, he had a great start to secure a third-place finish behind his teammate. As the main event gate dropped, Bennick capitalized on a good start, quickly settling into sixth position and maintaining a steady pace throughout the race. As riders ahead went down in the tricky conditions, the young North Carolina rider rode on to secure fourth and head into the final round securely in seventh in the championship standings.
Fellow rookie Romano was also looking to bounce back from a tough Nashville round and started it off trying to gel with the track, qualifying in 10th. In the heat race, Romano got a good start and made improvements to finish in fifth place. The main event proved to be a test of his resilience as he encountered setbacks early on, slipping outside the top 10 from an eighth-place start. Even with the tough track, Romano rode with tenacity to move his YZ250F back into the top 10 by the end of the race.
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing will head to Denver, Colorado, next weekend for the Monster Energy AMA Supercross West Region’s penultimate round and Round 16 of the SuperMotocross World Series at Empower Field at Mile High on May 4.
Jensen Hendler – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 250 Team Manager
“Overall, it was a pretty good day to come out as good as we did for what we were dealt. Haiden had a bad start and was pretty well buried before going to work. The track was extremely hard to pass on, and eventually, the sand came into play. So it was hard to make up time. We did lose two points, but we’re not out of it. As we saw in Nashville, anything can happen in those East/West Shootouts. It was really cool to see Dax get a fourth-place finish. We’re proud of him for bouncing back. Nick had a good rebound ride as well, and we’re looking to keep working with our East Coast guys to come out swinging in Salt Lake.”
Haiden Deegan – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #38
“Today was a little bit of an eventful day. In the heat race, I got second, and it was a battle to the end. In the main event, I got pinched on the start even though I had a good jump, and I came from the back and made it up to third. It was a good battle the whole way through. It was a gnarly race, but it’s good to learn and build from it.”
Daxton Bennick – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #59
“I needed a rebound after last weekend so it was a good day. I rode really well in qualifying, rode well in the heat and carried that momentum throughout the day. I had a couple mistakes in the main, but even if I went home with sixth, I would have been really happy. I was able to feel the pace at the front. I did get a little arm pump, but I think it was a good weekend and a positive note to head into the final round.”
Nick Romano – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #511
“Tenth was definitely a better day for me overall. It’s been a rough couple of races, so I’m happy to be back in the top 10. A lot of riders seemed to go down at the end of the main event, so it was survival of the fittest. I’m happy to be back in the top 10 and looking to build on that at the final round and have a good finish to my rookie season.”
2024 Monster Energy AMA Supercross 250SX Philadelphia Results
2024 Monster Energy AMA Supercross 250SX East Championship Standings
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