It only took two rounds for Haiden Deegan to claim his first-career 450MX overall podium in Pro Motocross, the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rider racing to P3 at Hangtown. In this Debrief feature, the 20-year-old reflects on an important step forward in his premier class progression.

Image: Octopi Media.

Hangtown assessment

For sure, definitely good. Just keep building on these weekends. I think that’s the only way I can progress, if I’m up there every weekend. I’m getting some better starts, a little better today. The first moto was a pretty good start. I was able to run it with the boys and just kind of get a feel for it. They’re fast, so find their lines and see how they do it up there, and that’s kind of my thing right now. Just keep building each weekend and hopefully keep on reeling them in.

Learning the Lawrence’s speed

It’s good for me if I can battle with them, even if it’s for a little bit, even if it’s for a lap or a section, and just get that pace. They have a fast pace. So I think it’s really, honestly, all it’s going to come down to – if I can keep starting up front with them and keep learning that pace and keep advancing each weekend. They’re on it, right? So it’s my second race, though, and I’ve got to take it step by step and not get ahead of myself. I don’t want to put myself backward either, so I’ve got to be smart with it. But any chance I can get to run up front with these boys is good.

Image: Octopi Media.

That pass on Cooper Webb

I’m still pretty loose on that 450. I enjoy sometimes just scrubbing that thing. It’s heavy and you can kind of get a good rotation out of it. So when I passed Webb, I just laid it over off that thing… It was pretty sick. I’d like to see that clip for sure. But yeah, it was dope.

And on Justin Barcia

I mean, honestly, I was just charging towards the front. I laid it into that corner, I saw someone on my outside, and I wasn’t letting them get me back, honestly. It was either [Barcia] or [Dylan] Ferrandis, there’s only two of those bikes out there. But no, really, I was charging forward. I was trying to get to that lead pack quickly. I know they break away fast.

Coming through the pack

Yeah, I feel like I kind of said that before we even started this season. You kind of learn each rider and learn what they do, and it’s, in a way, good and bad. I feel like I’m kind of learning each one of those guys. That second moto was probably around 10th or so, but again, I don’t want to start back there. I’m going to go back to work again. It was even better than Fox [Raceway], so that’s a positive, but we just have to keep building on that.

Image: Octopi Media.

The pace of 450MX

No, it’s what I expected. It’s nothing surprising. I know these boys are quick, and I think it kind of goes back to the fact of just trying to close that gap each weekend. I feel like I did a whole lot better than Fox and just made baby steps, not getting right over my head also. So I’ve got to take that into account. Going back to my 250 rookie season, I just kept building each weekend and was there for every race, and I feel like that’s my goal for this 450 season as well.

Lucas Coenen coming for Colorado

I’m down to ride with anyone. That’s cool that those guys come over here and race. I feel like every GP guy is slowly making their way over here. I don’t know why that is, if the money’s better or something, but maybe I’ll just start to go over there and race those guys next. But I don’t know. I think the coolest one is if [Jeffrey] Herlings would come over again and race – that’d be sick.