The Western Divisional 250SMX Class was about as dramatic as Haiden Deegan allowed it to be in Houston. The Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rider was the clear class of the field all night, and once the gate dropped in Race 1, it was pretty obvious how things were going to go. Deegan grabbed the holeshot, put his head down, and politely told everyone else to sort out second place. He cruised to victory over Levi Kitchen and Cameron McAdoo.
Race 2 was more of a slow burn. Deegan started near the front and just went to work—passing McAdoo, then Kitchen, and then stretching things out once he hit clean air. It wasn’t flashy, but it was surgical, and it netted him a 3.9-second win and two straight on the night..
Race 3 finally brought some spice. Deegan and Kitchen played a brief game of cat and mouse for third, complete with an aggressive dive from Kitchen and a not-so-subtle reminder from Deegan that he wasn’t done yet. Once that was settled, Deegan went hunting—first tracking down teammate Max Anstie, then patiently stalking holeshot winner Max Vohland. When the opening came, Deegan pounced, took the lead, and slammed the door shut, completing the sweep with a 1.3-second win over Anstie. Kitchen and McAdoo followed in third and fourth.
“I’m just trying to get to the front and win these races. I’m down for cat and mouse. Aggressive is pretty much my middle name at this point.” – Haiden Deegan
The Triple Crown sweep wasn’t just a win—it was a flex. Deegan is now on a three-race win streak, extending his championship lead and making it increasingly clear that the Western Division is racing for second unless someone figures something out quickly.
After struggling out of the gate with sixth, fourth, and 21st-place finishes, Levi Kitchen finally put it all together in Houston. His consistent 2-2-3 results delivered his first podium of the season and a runner-up finish with seven points. Cameron McAdoo, meanwhile, did what McAdoo does, landing on the podium for the second time in three races and the 25th time in his career with 3-3-4 scores.
Deegan’s advantage is growing fast. He now holds a 19-point lead over Max Anstie, who finished sixth on the night, and a 20-point cushion over Michael Mosiman, who endured his toughest race of the season to finish eighth.
