Washougal rider Levi Kitchen claims top trophy at SuperMotocross Championship

In five years as a pro Motocross and Supercross rider, Levi Kitchen’s career has been full of close calls. Last weekend, close calls were good enough to earn the Washougal native a championship. With a 2-2 finish in the 250 class final on Saturday, Kitchen won the SuperMotocross World Championship at Ridgedale, Mo. “Nothing really hit me until right before the finish line,” Kitchen said during a post-race press conference. “I saw my teammate, he was screaming for me, and, yeah, it kind of hit me then, and I was like ‘Man, finally.’ ” The SMX World Championship is a three-event playoff that combines the technical precision of supercross racing with the all-out speed and endurance of outdoor motocross. Riders get seeded into the championship based on their performance in the Monster Energy Supercross and Pro Motocross seasons. Kitchen was seeded fourth in the 250 class after finishing second in the Supercross West division and third in the Pro Motocross campaign. He finished 2-2 in the two motos in the first playoff race on Sept. 12 in Columbus, Ohio. A slow start left him seventh in the first moto in the second playoff event in Los Angeles on Sept. 19, but he rebounded to win the second moto. In the championship final on Saturday, another 2-2 finish was enough to give Kitchen the championship. “I would say (the SMX Championship is) almost a little easier because you know you got to stay consistent for three rounds,” said Kitchen, who now lives in Orlando, Fla. “If you blow at one of them, you’re kind of screwed. … That’s what it’s going to take going into Supercross, just stay on that podium. And I think that’s how you win a championship.” Kitchen said Saturday’s triumph was vindication for all the hard work he has put in and the work put in by the Pro Circuit Kawasaki team. The victory came with a $500,000 bonus. “It’s just unreal,” he told NBC Sports. “I mean, just the amount of people that for one, believe in me, but also just for the people that don’t believe in me, man. That’s kind of what you do it for. I hate to say it. You do it for yourself, but it’s also like it just feels good to win, to get it done. “It’s been tough on me. … Just being close a few times, you know, it’s gnarly. But I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for that. I’ve grown a lot as a person, and it’s taught me a lot of things.” Kitchen grew up racing on local tracks in Southwest Washington, particularly Washougal MX Park which was practically in his backyard growing up. “Levi’s success is something the entire Washougal community can be proud of,” said Ryan Huffman, owner of Washougal MX Park. “He grew up here, raced here and has represented our community every step of the way. Seeing a hometown rider reach the pinnacle of professional motocross is incredibly special.” Next up for Kitchen is the FIM Motocross of Nations where he’ll represent Team USA on Sunday in Ernée, France.

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