Image: Octopi Media.

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan has shrugged off that heat race clash with teammate Jordon Smith, the 250SX East rookie highlighting his hunger to emerge on top whenever the gate drops.

Deegan continued his impressive debut season in the category by qualifying fourth fastest ahead of Detroit’s night show, later taking the early lead in heat one at Ford Field.

With Smith in tow of the 17-year-old, the pair battled intensely at the front of the field, trading blows until contact between them saw the number 58 fall. Deegan rode on to finish second in the qualifier behind Jeremy Martin (Mucc-Off/FXR/Yamaha) who capitalized on the battle to take the number one position.

“Yeah man I don’t really know what happened, I wasn’t paying attention really… nah I’m just playing [laughs],” Deegan joked. “Yeah, it was a good race, it was fun, I don’t know, I just had some fun doing it. It was all cool, it was just racing.”

Later in the main event, Deegan charged to a second-career 250SX podium, working his way by Martin to secure the final spot inside the top three. In turn, it was a disastrous night for Smith, who fell twice more in the heat race before he failed to qualify for the main through the LCQ.

“I think he is like fifth in points, he’s a little out of it,” Deegan added. “But besides that, it was good, I don’t know, I’m not sure, I wasn’t really paying attention. He’s my teammate, but he’s a veteran and he has been in this sport for a while, but I was just up there battling. I want to win just as bad as everyone else, whether it’s a heat race or a main, I want to win. Just trying to push that.”

With four rounds remaining in 2023 250SX East, Deegan is third in the championship standings, 40 points back from runaway red plate-holder Hunter Lawrence (Team Honda HRC). Meanwhile, Smith is sixth in the title-race, 59 from the lead as eastern regional competitors return to action on 15 April at Atlanta Motor Speedway.