Image: Octopi Media.

The potential for a 250MX overall podium at Budds Creek was there for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Jalek Swoll, who featured at the front in moto one, but was limited by a bad start in the final encounter.

After undergoing arm surgery following a practice crash, Swoll was sidelined for the 2023 Monster Energy Supercross Championship, set to compete in 250SX East earlier this year.

Swoll returned for Pro Motocross and his best overall result of the season prior to Budds Creek was P7 at Unadilla, despite the number 38 showing flashes of speed at stages during the season to date.

In the restarted opening moto, Swoll fired to the lead and held P1 for five laps, before taking the checkered flag in third position behind Justin Cooper (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) and Hunter Lawrence (Team Honda HRC), marking a season-best result.

A poor start left Swoll buried a lowly P22 after the first lap in moto two and he was able to claw his way forward to finish P12, landing sixth overall on the day.

“I’d say this was a positive for me,” Swoll recalled. “I got back on the box, but I couldn’t secure it for the overall. I had a tough second moto and not the best start.

“I was buried, but I fought as hard as I could and got to 12th. I felt like I could have been on the box for the overall today… We’re taking this confidence and the momentum to the last round and getting excited for the playoffs.”

Entering the final round of the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship this Saturday at Ironman Raceway, Swoll is ninth in the 250MX standings. Additionally, he currently sits 11th in the combined points ahead of the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) post-season.