Levi Kitchen’s 2024 SuperMotocross season started strong, and there were long periods when it seemed he would readily challenge for a championship. Starting the season in third at Anaheim 1, he stood on the podium in every race but one in his first seven rounds. That outlier was a fifth on a heavy track in San Diego.
The points’ championship was close for most of the year, and without a crash in an East/ West Showdown in Nashville, a race that proved to be critical for so many riders in both divisions, the 2024 West title could have been his. Kitchen rebounded and finished second in the penultimate round at Denver.
Even with the Nashville disappointment, he entered the finale in Salt Lake City in control of his fate, but RJ Hampshire’s second-place result versus Kitchen’s fifth was the difference-maker. Kitchen finished second by five points.
RJ Hampshire finished second in the 250 division in 2023 and won in 2024. He has one season to defend his title before moving into the 450 class.
Kitchen had several strong races in the 2023 Pro Motocross series, with three podium finishes during the year. Two of these were second-place results at RedBud MX Park in Buchanan, Michigan, and Unadilla in New Berlin, New York, so he had a reason to continue to feel strong — and when he stood on the podium in the first two outdoor races of 2024 at Fox Raceway in Pala, California, and the Hangtown Motocross Classic in Rancho Cordova, California, the following week, the field took him seriously.
The 250 division contests the entire Motocross series instead of being split into East and West divisions, and the strain began to take its toll. Kitchen slipped to fifth at Thunder Valley in Round 3 and was ninth at High Point in Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania, the next week. He would not crack the top five again for the next three weeks.
In both Supercross and Motocross, Jo Shimoda improved in nearly every round.
He excelled and won three of the next four races when he found his groove. Sadly, the only race in that span he did not win was at his hometown track of Washougal, Washington. He finished sixth in that race as his principal rival, Haiden Deegan, took the checkers. Rest assured, Deegan reminded him of that every chance he had, and when Kitchen suffered a crash in the season finale at Ironman Raceway in Crawfordsville, Indiana, Deegan had the Motocross championship firmly locked up.
With the points reset for the SuperMotocross World Championship, Kitchen had another shot at a title. He stood on the podium in Concord, North Carolina, with a third-place finish and narrowly missed the mark at Texas Motor Speedway in Round 2, but he could not keep his momentum and finished a distant eighth in the finale at the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
For most of his career Jordon Smith has been his best in Supercross and he needs to replicate that success in 2025.
It bears noting that Kitchen is only in his third full-time season. He failed to crack the top 10 in points in his first two years, but since then, he has been in the top five in every championship except the 2024 SMX League when he finished sixth. In the 2025 Media Session at Angel Stadium in December, Kitchen told the assemblage that he is more comfortable on his bike now and believes that will make a huge difference this year.
That is undoubtedly true, but Kitchen has also risen in the ranks of the Pro Circuit Kawasaki team as two of their top riders have moved to other teams. Kitchen will find extra speed as a veteran of his squad.
2024 Statistics
Feature starts: 24
Average feature finish: 4.29
Wins: 6
Podiums: 13
Top-fives:17
Top-10s: 22
Best finish: Won (Anaheim 2, Seattle, St. Louis SX, Spring Creek, Unadilla, Budds Creek MX)
SMX Standings/payout: Sixth/$25,000
2024 News
Levi Kitchen scores second straight National win at Budds Creek
Kitchen becomes third first-time winner of 2024 in Spring Creek
A more confident cook: Kitchen finds the recipe for success
Kitchen claims home state 250 win in Seattle
Cooper Webb and Kitchen keep the streak of unique SX winners alive in Anaheim TC
450 Countdown
3. Cooper Webb
4. Eli Tomac
5. Aaron Plessinger
6. Hunter Lawrence
7. Jason Anderson
8. Ken Roczen
9. Justin Cooper
10. Justin Barcia
11. Malcolm Stewart
12. Dylan Ferrandis
13. Christian Craig
14. Shane McElrath
15. Dean Wilson
250 Countdown
4. RJ Hampshire
5. Jo Shimoda
6. Jordon Smith
7. Pierce Brown
8. Cameron McAdoo
9. Ty Masterpool
10. Chance Hymas
11. Garrett Marchbanks
12. Max Anstie
13. Julien Beaumer
14. Coty Schock
15. Ryder DiFrancesco
More SuperMotocross News
2025 SX schedule | MX schedule | WMX Schedule
2025 Supercross tickets on sale | Pro Motocross tickets
2025 TV Schedule | Track Maps
Anaheim 1 by the Numbers: Jett Lawrence aims to double down
Cooper Webb is determined to score one more championship
How to Watch Anaheim 1
RJ Hampshire is set to defend 250 West title
Eli Tomac and one last shot at SMX glory
Jo Shimoda, Honda have high expectations
Aaron Plessinger brought the sunshine
SMX announces partnership to initiate sports betting
Hunter Lawrence shone brightest on 2024 outdoor tracks
WMX announces six-round schedule for 2025
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