Mikkel Haarup scores Season-best Result at Southwick Pro Motocross
Triumph Factory Racing started a stint of four consecutive AMA Pro Motocross Championship events with a season-best score in the sand of Southwick, Massachusetts, as Mikkel Haarup romped to fifth in moto one and sixth in the 250MX overall classification.
Unsurprisingly, Haarup was immediately comfortable in the softer conditions and qualified in fifth despite a lack of track knowledge. Starting in fourth position in moto one allowed him to show his raw pace, climbing to third momentarily before ultimately reaching the chequered flag in fifth.
A mediocre start hindered him in the second moto, but he battled hard to secure sixth via four moves in the final three laps. Haarup was classified in sixth overall too – a season-best result – and launched from 11th to eighth in the championship standings.
Jordon Smith's second moto was a better representation of his speed in the sand. Taking 14th in moto one after two crashes, he was desperate for redemption in the final stint and made incredibly swift moves in the opening laps before he settled into eighth place. Losing a position to Haarup in the closing stages, he learned from his teammate and followed him past some competitors to secure seventh in the race and 10th in the overall classification.
Jalek Swoll, competing in just his second event of the year, used the power of his TF 250-X to score a pair of top-five starts in the deep conditions. After scoring seventh in moto one, he ran third early on in moto two and looked comfortable inside the top five. Unfortunately, an untimely fall at the end of the stint cost him multiple positions and dropped him to 15th. Swoll’s 7-15 scores left him one position behind Smith in 11th overall.
Austin Forkner's 19-14 scorecard does not reflect the work that he did aboard his TF 250-X. A remarkable charge was made in moto one – he crashed in the first corner and climbed from dead last to that 19th position. Similarly, he pushed forwards from outside of the top 20 to 14th in moto two to take 16th in the overall classification.
The historic RedBud race – a true celebration of motocross – awaits the Triumph Factory Racing quartet on July 5. The venue in Buchanan, Michigan, will host the sixth round of 11.
Mikkel Haarup
"The team did a great job with the bike today. The first moto was good – I battled for a position in the top three and eventually took a season-best finish of fifth. There was some bar banging on the start straight in moto two, which forced me to let off a little bit. Things started clicking at the halfway point and I eventually made my way to sixth. I took advantage of some other riders getting tired. I am proud of my performance today, as well as what the team did."
Jordon Smith
"I really struggled in practice and did not ride great in moto one. I was 14th in that, after a couple of crashes, but I rode much better in moto two. That was the best that I performed all day. I was seventh, which is not where I want to be, but there are improvements."
Jalek Swoll
"This was another positive step for me. I am really happy with my starts – the team have put in a lot of work to put me at the front of the pack – and the speed is there. It is a shame about the mistake late in moto two, but there are so many positives to take from this race. I am excited to take another step forward at RedBud!"
Austin Forkner
"I was caught in a crash in the first turn of moto one – I was so far back and charged hard. I probably pushed too hard, to be honest, as it cost me some energy in moto two. Last to 19th was not bad! I was too hesitant in turn one in moto two. I was cautious after the first start and did not have the intensity that I needed. It was not a bad day. I'm healthy and know what I need to work on. My lap times were positive at points too."
Jeremy Coker – General Manager, Triumph Racing America
"What a positive day and step in the right direction. We had great starts, especially with Jalek. It was a shame about his crash at the end of moto two, as that dropped him out of the top 10. Mikkel had a very, very good day. The first moto was a good indication of where he belongs, then he stayed strong in moto two and showed his true speed after the halfway mark. I am so proud of him. Jordon rebounded well after some struggles earlier in the day – he rode really well in moto two – and we stacked more points with Austin too. There are improvements there. I'm very happy with the team today."
250MX Results: 2025 AMA Pro Motocross, Round Five – Southwick
1. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 1-1
2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 3-3
3. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) 2-4
4. Michael Mosiman (Yamaha) 4-5
5. Jo Shimoda (Honda) 10-2
6. Mikkel Haarup (Triumph) 5-6
10. Jordon Smith (Triumph) 14-7
11. Jalek Swoll (Triumph) 7-15
16. Austin Forkner (Triumph) 19-14
250MX Standings: 2025 AMA Pro Motocross, Round Five – Southwick
1. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 244pts
2. Jo Shimoda (Honda) 186pts
3. Tom Vialle (KTM) 165pts
4. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) 164pts
5. Garrett Marchbanks (Kawasaki) 162pts
8. Mikkel Haarup (Triumph) 113pts
12. Jordon Smith (Triumph) 94pts
20. Jalek Swoll (Triumph) 44pts
21. Austin Forkner (Triumph) 43pts
