Image: Octopi Media.

New 450SX champion Chase Sexton is aiming to regain winning form in his Pro Motocross return, with an improved second overall at Southwick marking another step forward.

Sexton made his second appearance of the year last time out at Redbud, indicating that he ‘needed to be better‘ than what he was on his way to a 2-3 scorecard and third overall.

The number 23 qualified second fastest at round six and led the pack out of turn one in the opening moto, before being relegated to second shortly after by Team Honda HRC teammate Jett Lawrence, finishing the race in P2 and 46s clear of Dylan Ferrandis (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing).

In moto two, Sexton worked his way forward from fifth to second, securing the runner-up result on the day with a consistent 2-2 results sheet, admitting that he felt the added physicality of the Southwick sand after being sidelined through rounds two to four of 450MX.

“It’s a lot harder when you haven’t been racing – I really realised that today,” Sexton explained. “RedBud, I felt pretty good the whole time, but this one was tough, just to get back into race shape.

“I feel like my riding today was a little bit better, I felt more solid on the bike, speed was good, I just didn’t really have it that second moto, I was riding not very smooth. When you don’t ride smooth, the track will beat you up pretty bad.

“As far as that, I’ve got to keep getting better and climbing the ladder to where I was last year. Jett’s not going to make it easy, neither is Dylan, so it’s going to be a fun rest of the year but overall just trying to get back where I was. That’s where my mind is at right now.”

In last year’s Pro Motocross Championship, Sexton pushed took the title fight with eventual 450MX champion Eli Tomac (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) right down to the wire and, after the CRF450R rider clinched the 450SX title earlier this year, he pressured Lawrence in moto two at Fox Raceway as the outdoors commenced.

Despite then missing Hangtown, Thunder Valley and High Point, Sexton is currently seventh in the 450MX standings and leads the premier class points table for the inaugural SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX).