Round eight of the J Day Off-Road / AMA East Regional Championship, sponsored by FMF, kicked off with another Saturday showdown at Hemond’s MX Park in Minot, Maine, on July 26. A mix of haze and sunshine created a hot and dusty day of racing, but Factory AmPro Yamaha rider Brandon Gregoire had no trouble battling the conditions as he took home the number-one plaque in the Pro AA class.
Story by Kylie Kulpa | Photos: Kylie Kulpa/Eighteen Photos
As the first 30-minute Pro moto got underway, the sun was blazing, and engines were roaring. When the Fox Racing green flag dropped, Gregoire launched out front and grabbed the holeshot. He quickly set a strong pace and began pulling away from the rest of the field. By the end of lap one, Gregoire had already opened up a 39-second lead over Justin Cokinos, securing a dominant moto-one win.
Plaistow Powersports Yamaha’s Cokinos had a midpack start in moto one but worked his way up from fourth place, battling his way into second.
Jiggs Fustini (KTM) fought hard with both Cokinos and Brayden Nolette (Beta) to land in third. Nolette had a great start and held onto second place for much of the moto before eventually dropping back to finish fourth.
Moto two started off just like the first, with Gregoire leading the Pro lineup through the motocross track and into the woods. The course was challenging—with rocky woods, dusty hillclimbs and slick sections—but nothing slowed Gregoire down. He led from start to finish, wrapping up the five-lap moto with a 35-second lead.
Fustini, who started moto two in third place, had a close battle with Cokinos. The two riders swapped positions multiple times, with Fustini eventually taking second and Cokinos rounding out the podium in third. On the podium, all three riders mentioned how rough and technical the track was, with each of them crashing at some point; yet they all agreed it was a fun and exciting race.
Nolette held steady in fourth throughout the second moto, finishing just off the podium again.
With a perfect 1-1 score, Gregoire claimed the overall win and earned 25 points toward his championship standings. Fustini’s 3-2 finishes earned him second overall, while Cokinos’ 2-3 landed him in third.
Heading into round nine in about a month, Gregoire holds the championship lead with 175 points, putting him nine points ahead of Cokinos, who has 166 points.
The top Amateur of the day was Allen Adkins, aboard his KTM. Adkins raced in the A Open class and rode his way to eighth overall in the A class and grabbed the A overall trophy. Jonathan Alipio (KTM) finished 21st overall and won the A 200 class, while Matt Webb secured the A 250 win, finishing 12th overall.
Trail Jesters rider Addison Harris (KTM) secured the Women’s Pro win, finishing 24 seconds ahead of the Women’s Pro points leader Kayla O’Neill, who now sits 53 points ahead of Harris.CN
2025 J Day Off-Road Series Round 8 Results
OVERALL (Top 10)
- Brandon Gregoire 1-1 (Yam)
- Jiggs Fustini 3-2 (KTM)
- Justin Cokinos 2-3 (Yam)
- Brayden Nolette 4-4 (Bet)
- Jake Abbot 5-5 (Hus)
- Taylor Beckwith 7-6 (Yam)
- Jack Zarse 6-9 (KTM)
- Allen Adkins 8-10 (KTM)
- Patrick Gougeon 10-11 (GG)
- Kyle Rougeau 11-12 (Yam)
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