Thunder Valley National Report: Challenging Day for Monster Energy Kawasaki
Lakewood, CO – The Monster Energy Kawasaki team faced significant difficulties at the Thunder Valley National, round three of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Both riders, Jason Anderson and Jorge Prado, struggled to secure results amidst challenging track conditions and elevation challenges.
Qualifying Highlights
Jorge Prado, still acclimatizing to the Kawasaki KX450SR and the Thunder Valley track, faced a rocky start in qualifying. He found himself in 42nd position late in the second session but managed to secure 11th overall, just behind Anderson, who qualified 10th.
Moto Results
In the first moto, Prado demonstrated resilience, finishing eighth, while Anderson finished twelfth. Unfortunately, both riders encountered issues in the second moto, resulting in premature exits—Prado officially positioned 39th and Anderson 40th. Overall, Prado ended the day in 13th place with a 8-39 score, while Anderson concluded in 19th with a 12-40 finish. After three rounds, Prado holds eighth overall with 72 points, and Anderson is close behind in ninth with 69 points.
Key Rider Insights
In a post-race release, both riders assessed their performances:
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Jorge Prado:
“Not the results I was looking for today. The track conditions were pretty difficult. The rain made it slippery, and the ruts were deep. In Moto 1, the track felt super soft, so we made some bike adjustments for Moto 2, but I hit a hole in a deep rut that ended my race. We’ll build on this experience for next weekend.” - Jason Anderson:
“Today did not pan out as I hoped. The elevation is always a concern for me due to altitude sickness. I ended up 19th overall. My start was squeezed, and during the second moto, I tweaked my knee after a fall. I didn’t feel safe finishing the race, so I’ll have my knee checked next week.”
This round highlighted the challenges both riders face as they adapt to difficult conditions and manage injuries. The team will look to regroup and improve ahead of the next event.
