00:00Now, someone at home is asking themselves, how in the world could he get there?
00:03Well, look at that stat right there.
00:05The first three rounds, his average first lap position was 18.
00:08That simply will not lead to success.
00:11Last week, he changed everything about his starting technique
00:14and threw three triple crown rounds, averaged 2.3 across the green flag.
00:19So look for that same technique to show up here tonight
00:22because he can get to the front on the first lap.
00:24He's already proven he can stay there.
00:26Well, thank you, JT.
00:27Yes, Kitchen has changed so many things.
00:30Two years ago, he's getting great starts,
00:32but they've improved the motorcycle off the gate a lot.
00:35And he told me yesterday that now he is having to adjust a lot of his own technique
00:39to match how much faster that bike is out of the hole.
00:43Max Anstey started the year with great starts and a win at the opener,
00:46and then a bit of a lull after that,
00:48and then finally bounced back with a good race to end last weekend's race.
00:51So those two will be two of the favorites here in this first heat.
00:56Here it is for the first time tonight in Glendale.
00:59It's racing time.
01:06And Anstey going to outbrake, everyone, and outbrake himself.
01:09He goes too far wide.
01:11It's the 43.
01:12And Lux Turner to the lead for this teammate, Parker Ross.
01:15What a start for these two guys right here.
01:17And they have quietly been putting in some fantastic rides early on in the season,
01:23and this is an incredible opportunity for these guys.
01:26Yes, and same for Avery Long there in third.
01:29So you've got the Bar X, Toyota Redlands, Yamaha's leading.
01:32Oh, hitting the tough blocks.
01:33Oh, no.
01:34If we lose Ross.
01:35Yeah, Ross was coming out of that sand section,
01:38and as he was going to double before the finish line jumps right on the tough block.
01:43Well, you mentioned the great opportunity,
01:45but does a rider think about that when he's up front for one of the first times?
01:49Well, it's a lot different racing up front and when you're contending for the lead, for sure.
01:53So it's going to be interesting to see if we have a playback, if not yet.
01:57Completely different.
01:58Wow, look at the speed they carried through the whoops.
02:00Max Follin of the 19 RC.
02:02He's the one making moves.
02:03And there is Kitchen now up to fourth.
02:06JT, you were talking about the start,
02:08and I was watching closely to the number 47 of Levi Kitchen.
02:11And when he came off that gate,
02:13it did look like the front wheel lifted up a little bit,
02:16and he had to double clutch it.
02:18And you know what happens when you double clutch it.
02:20That slows down your drive down the straightaway wheel.
02:24Yeah, just to give you a little bit more understanding of what he's been changing also, Ricky.
02:28He told me there was a lot about his position on the bike.
02:31Well, he told me he's actually changed everything he's ever known about starting.
02:34He said a lot of it, he used to start very far forward,
02:37like sitting almost on the tank there.
02:38And he said now he's a little bit further back,
02:40and then he kind of uses his upper body weight there to get his weight forward.
02:44So whilst these aren't subtle changes at all, these are big changes.
02:47Honestly, I've been making subtle changes in the past.
02:50It hasn't really done anything.
02:51So he's hoping once he gets into this groove of this new technique,
02:54it'll make a difference.
02:57Thanks, Will.
02:58It's working now as he begins to move forward.
03:01Meanwhile, we'll go back to the early part of this race.
03:04Yeah, here you go.
03:05You're going to see the 61 of Max Anstey.
03:08He comes in there flying late, breaks it, and just can't get turned up from here in our angle.
03:15That apex there in that first corner is really, really tight.
03:20Now here's a replay of Parker Ross.
03:23Boom.
03:24Goes, jumps right off the track, kind of like we talked to.
03:26I don't think that he could really see that good behind his teammate, so just got off center.
03:32Is that because of the sand?
03:33Yeah, probably because of the sand.
03:36And again, like you talked about, it's much different racing for the lead than it is, say, fourth or fifth.
03:41And he'll learn from that and be better next time.
03:45Bottom box is Anstey, who is not in a qualifying position at the moment after the off-track excursion on
03:51the start.
03:51He is in 11th, but making moves right now on Revan Gordon.
03:56Gordon on the grindstone, freezing Kawasaki.
03:59And that team said they want Revan in the main events.
04:03And he's in position right now.
04:04He's 10th.
04:05He's got to get around Camparizzi, the Italian, right in front of him.
04:07But here comes Max.
04:08And a big pass to the 61, JT.
04:11We're just trying to make moves here.
04:13And it'll be interesting to hear what went on in that first corner.
04:16But in these heat races, sometimes what can happen is the mechanic will do a lot of work.
04:21They'll put new brake pads in, sometimes change the rear brake oil.
04:25If they don't get it seated in just right and get those brake pads worked in,
04:29you simply won't know it until you get into that first corner and try to apply those rear brakes.
04:34Because you can see him desperately trying to slow down there.
04:37So an interesting question to pose to him after this heat race.
04:40JT, great observation there.
04:42And I will tell you, just to allude on that, I used to tell my mechanic back in the day,
04:46do not spray my bike with any kind of shine or armor or whatever for that reason right there.
04:53You just didn't have that good feel and touch.
04:55And it's like the brakes got glazed.
04:58Yeah, I've heard some teams even have to be very careful with even not putting brand new pads on.
05:04That's right.
05:04Before the race for that reason.
05:05We'll find out hopefully later.
05:07Later, what happened to Anstie is he's working on Logan Leissel for eight.
05:11He's in qualifying position up front.
05:14Turner, this is his first laps led ever.
05:16And he is looking good with a two and a half second lead.
05:19It's the battle for second with Kitchen and Boland.
05:22And Turner's got an incredible story.
05:24If you haven't, you definitely should check him out.
05:27And it's incredible.
05:28Oh, Levi almost pushes the front.
05:31That was an incredible save.
05:32He was walking it with his right foot down.
05:36Boland just barely kept it upright.
05:39And I'll tell you what, Max Boland has done a great job all season long.
05:42I think this is a breakout year for him.
05:45Bringing Chad Reed along to that Club MX team, I feel, has paid off major dividends.
05:50Even Max Boland said it today on RDL about how he thought that was maybe a missing link for the
05:55team.
05:55And Max has done a fantastic job.
05:58But he had a great season last year.
06:00And I think he's bettered that and has built on that what he was able to accomplish last year.
06:06A little bit further down.
06:07He got Parker Ross, RC, trying to work forward after that early crash.
06:11He is in the tent.
06:12So he's about to get into a transfer spot.
06:15Makes the move.
06:16Yeah, what an incredible run into the whoops right there.
06:19And this is a great comeback ride for Ross to go off track, go down, get up,
06:26and already be into transfer position for that main event.
06:30Surprise set, Levi hasn't made up more ground on these two guys in front of him.
06:38I mean, when you listen to JT in that opening segment,
06:42he's a guy that you would expect to win and be a championship contender.
06:46But it's also, again, the testament to how well Turner and Boland are riding.
06:51They are catching Turner, though.
06:54Now we've got a three-rider battle for the lead.
06:58And look at Boland setting himself up on the inside.
07:03And Turner has come unraveled here.
07:05They're looking for a two-for-one.
07:06Yeah, Levi's got to try to stay low in this rhythm section.
07:08If he's able to do that like he does, he's going to have more drive and make the move.
07:13Man, bummer for Turner.
07:15Had the ride of his life going here.
07:16Career best for him.
07:17He's a fifth in a heat.
07:18Well, he was in a hornet's nest right there between two guys that have experience running up front.
07:24And that's an example like we talked about.
07:26Jason, you asked, what is it like racing up front compared to maybe not racing for the win?
07:30There you go.
07:31Yeah, now let's see if Boland can hang on.
07:34Hey, SMX betting and DFS gaming is back for 2026.
07:38New sportsbook bonuses and prop markets are live.
07:41Now, scan the flow code on your screen or go to nxtbets.com slash playsmx.
07:46See what's available in your area and claim bonus offers.
07:50Remember, play responsibly.
07:51And each weekend is another chance to win big with Super Motocross.
07:56So who's going to win big here?
07:57Boland, the team was supposed to go back to their Publix facility in South Carolina.
08:02It was snowed out.
08:03So they drove from Houston to Arizona to ride.
08:07And then Boland got sick.
08:08Only got one day in.
08:09I can't believe he's riding this well.
08:11He had a fever on Thursday.
08:13He's just hot right now.
08:15Yeah, this is a magnificent performance for this guy.
08:17Again, building on some great runs that he had last year.
08:21And he's going to get this heat race win.
08:23Here it is.
08:24Fourth career heat race win en route.
08:27Max Boland on the Club of X Yamaha.
08:30And one thing about this incredible heat race win is how he did it.
08:34He was able to hold off a guy that has almost won this championship,
08:39Levi Kitchen, a couple years ago, and just straight up put it to him.
08:43Great point.
08:45Boland earned it.
08:45Turner is going to hold on for a third over long.
08:48And here is Anstey all the way up to fifth after going off track in turn one.
08:55And Ross able to complete the comeback.
08:57Thompson and Wageman in as well.
08:59And see you all the way up to fifth.
08:59And this played atllyokko.com.
09:00Bye.
09:00Bye.
Comments