This week in US Powersports racing.
Chase Sexton Racks Up the Win at Birmingham Supercross and Narrows Points Gap
After a two-week break, the intense racing of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship is back and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton earned the win inside Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama with (1-1-2) Race results in the third Triple Crown-formatted event of the season.
Protective Stadium hosted Round 10 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship. The final Triple Crown event thrilled the Birmingham crowd with great battles that included lead changes in nearly every Race.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Malcolm Stewart gritted out three incredible finishes (3-2-3) after a crash in qualifying left him in severe hip pain throughout the night. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger led laps and earned his second podium of the season with (2-3-5) Race finishes. The Birmingham Supercross capped off the Triple Crown championship; Sexton earned that title with 1-3-1 finishes at the Glendale, Arlington, and Birmingham Supercross events. In the Eastern Divisional 250SX Class, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Nate Thrasher took the win and became the fifth different winner in the first five rounds, something that hasn’t happened in the class since 2016.
First place 450SX Class
“Triple Crowns are tough because even if you win the first two Races, just like what happened to RJ [Hampshire in the 250SX Class], something can go wrong in the first turn. Thank God my starts were good tonight; I got the holeshot. I rode pretty solid. I wasn’t doing the [triple jump] in the last Race, just being a little conservative. It was a good race, Coop rode good, and I’m stoked to get that monkey off my back and get another win and get this season going in the right direction finally… This is my favorite part of the season, these last seven or eight rounds. It seems like it’s where I really shine… Coop is riding really good, he’s a fighter, so it should be a good fight to the end.” – Chase Sexton, after the overall win which moved him from 15 points down to within 8 points of the title chase
Second place 450SX Class
“I just made a mistake in practice and caught Justin Hill’s front wheel [in mid-air]. I hit my hip pretty good. The good news is I’ve got a solid group with my team. They just said, ‘Just go out there and give it everything you’ve got.’ Huge shout out to Doctor G for getting me back in [shape] to go out there and do these three Races… It’s awesome and I’m so blessed to get back up on here [on the podium]. Yeah, baby, maybe I’ve earned a little bit of fishing money now!” – Malcolm Stewart, who rode through intense pain.
Third place 450SX Class
“I just feel like I’m on a roll, like I’ve found another gear, found a good groove. The boys at the practice track, they’re keeping me on my toes. The Baker’s Factory [Training Facility] is a riot right now; we’re going off. Aldon’s keeping us in shape… It was just a good night. Good starts, good riding, I led a lot of laps, and then just couldn’t seal the deal. But we’re up on the podium… all these fans out here in Alabama, they were insane. We’re going to keep it up and hopefully podium the season out.” – Aaron Plessinger (#7 in photo)
Fourth place 450SX Class
“You just can’t make that mistake like I did in the first Race. That pretty much dictates your night. I had luck at Dallas, and tonight [I didn’t]. You just can’t put yourself in that position. Obviously that last one was a great ride for me. I finally applied myself well. It’s a bit of a bummer to get fourth [overall], but I feel like I was riding good, that first one really cost me… they say all good things come to an end, so the podium streak’s gone… We’ll regroup and come back swinging, that’s for sure.” – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb, who went (7-4-1) due to a first-lap crash in Race 1.
In 250SX Class racing, Nate Thrasher took the event overall through consistent (3-3-2) Race scores. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire (1-2-5) was in good position going into Race 3, but after being slowed by another rider’s crash in the first turn he found himself well outside of the top 15. Hampshire raced his way up to fifth place, one spot shy of a finish that would have given him the overall. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle, the points leader entering the event, finished on the podium with (2-5-3) Race results. Vialle extended his points lead due to a DNS from Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Max Anstie who crashed out of the event during daytime qualifying. The winner of the previous round, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker, crashed on the opening lap of Race 1 and could only recover to ninth. He took the win in Race 2 and Race 3, but his (9-1-1) was only enough to earn him a fourth place overall in Birmingham.
First place 250SX Class
“I really felt coming into this season that this was going to be my year. Tampa went okay, I ended up crashing on the first lap. But then we just kept fighting every round. I just knew that I’m tough enough to be out there. This week I was finally able to do two days [of practice] before coming to this race and those two days were great. I’m super excited and I’m just ready to get the ball rolling. We’re not out of [the championship] yet!” – Nate Thrasher
Second place 250SX Class
“You could tell, even the first two races, I just didn’t have the spark. I felt good in practice and then was just flat. I don’t know if it’s things catching up to me or what, but I just didn’t have that intensity. And then I butchered the start in my last Race. My starts were saving me [in Race 1 and 2]… We’re still in this thing and looking forward to Boston in a couple weeks [for the next 250SX East race].” – RJ Hampshire
Third place 250SX Class
“I’m happy to survive that Triple Crown. It’s always a pretty sketchy race. In the second moto I finished fifth; I made a lot of mistakes and lost some ground and that might have put me out for the overall tonight. But I want that win really bad. I’m working for it and hopefully in the next few races I can do it.” – Tom Vialle
Fourth place 250SX Class
“The night that could have been… but I’m healthy, that’s a lot of what we’re working on this year. That first Race, just gotta learn from it and be better the next time. If you learn off of your mistakes that’s the best thing you can do. Those were good performances in the last two Races, I’m proud of that.” – Seth Hammaker
The future stars of sport delivered one of the wildest races of the night. The SMX Next riders returned for their third race of the year, giving the world’s top amateur racers another opportunity to compete on a professional Supercross track in front of a packed stadium. With three race leaders crashing out of the top spot, Team Green Kawasaki’s Enzo Temmerman took the win through speed and composure. Orange Brigade KTM’s Luke Fauser earned the second-place spot, and Phoenix Racing Honda’s Tiger Wood rounded out the podium. The SMX Next schedule will host one more round, at the Foxborough Supercross, then line the young racers up to compete in the SMX Next – Supercross AMA National Championship at the Pittsburgh Supercross.
First place SMX Next Class
“I’m going to be honest. I didn’t think this would be the night that I won. I struggled all day in practice. I just tried my best out there and let the race come to me. I was in the right spot at the right time, and we got the win. I can’t thank everyone behind me enough.” – Enzo Temmerman
Of the VIPs in attendance in Birmingham, country music artist Bailey Zimmerman visited the Race Day Live broadcasting booth where he mentioned his first dream was to race dirt bikes. He was humble about his talent on a motorcycle and grateful for the success of his music career. He said, “I’m so blessed to do what I do. Even though my first dream was racing dirt bikes, I’m cool with the dream I live now. It’s a lot of fun.”
Aaron Plessinger (left) and Bailey Zimmerman (right) enjoying rider track walk together in Birmingham.
The Birmingham Supercross pays points toward both the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross season as well as toward the SMX World Championship™. The SMX League™ is in its third year; it combines the Monster Energy AMA Supercross season, the AMA Pro Motocross season, two SMX Playoff rounds in September and culminates in the SMX World Championship Final on September 20th.
Live viewing of every Monster Energy AMA Supercross event is available everywhere across the globe. Each race is presented live and on-demand on Peacock. Select events can also be viewed on NBC, CNBC, USA Network, and NBC Sports digital platforms. An encore presentation airs on CNBC on the Monday at 1:00p.m. ET following each. A Spanish-language live presentation is available for every race on Telemundo Deportes’ Facebook and YouTube channels. The SuperMotocross Video Pass (supermotocross.tv) provides live coverage internationally in English, Spanish and French languages. Races can also be heard live on NBC Sports Audio on SiriusXM Channel 85.
Round 11 takes place next Saturday night, March 29th at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington. The night’s racing begins at 8:00p.m. ET, 5:00p.m. local time. Tickets are available now for the Seattle Supercross and every remaining round of the 2025 season. For event information, video highlights, race results, live timing, and Supercross as well as SMX World Championship ticket sales please visit SupercrossLIVE.com.
Thrasher Returns to the Top at Birmingham Supercross
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Nate Thrasher returned to the top step of the podium, securing his sixth career 250SX victory with a 3-3-2 score at the final Triple Crown event of the season at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama. Daxton Bennick overcame adversity to earn a top-five overall finish (8-7-4). Christian Craig made his supercross debut aboard the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing YZ450F, finishing 12th overall (11-15-13) in his first race back after having knee surgery last fall. Unfortunately, Max Anstie sustained a broken leg from a crash during qualifying that sidelined him from Round 5 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross 250SX East Championship.
Thrasher led the way for the team in qualifying with fourth in the combined times. He then had a good start in the first main event and managed to avoid getting caught up in the multi-rider pile-up on the opening lap, slotting into third, where he would finish. In the second main event, he was sixth after the opening lap but kept pushing and made the pass for third on the final lap to return to the podium. In the final race, Thrasher got a better start in the runner-up spot, riding a smart race in the position to finish second, securing the overall victory and his first win of the season. The Tennessee rider, who has shown grit and determination by pushing on despite feeling less than 100% with a broken finger, sits tied for fourth in the 250SX East standings and 21 points from the championship leader.
Bennick also had a strong start to the day in Birmingham, topping the timesheets in practice and qualifying fifth in the combined times. Unfortunately, it was a tough start to the night show as the young North Carolina rider got caught up in the multi-rider pile-up on the opening lap, went down, and rejoined in 14th. Bennick put his head down and steadily made his way forward through the field to cross the line eighth. With the less-than-ideal gate pick, he didn’t get the start he was hoping for in the second main. In 11th after the opening lap, he once again went to work and made his way to seventh. Bennick got a much better start to the final main event in sixth and made his way to fourth by Lap 2. He continued to push and made an attempt to pass for third but ultimately crossed the line fourth to earn a top-five overall finish.
It was a strong first race back for Craig, who returned to action and made his Supercross 450 debut with the team at Round 10 of the 450SX Championship. He qualified 14th in the combined times and had a solid start to the first race of the evening despite the less-than-ideal gate pick. In 11th after the first lap, Craig was shuffled to 13th but continued to battle for position and made his way back to 11th. In the second main, the Californian was 15th after the opening lap and worked his way through to 12th around the halfway point but ultimately crossed the line 15th. In the final race of the evening, Craig was 11th after the start. He did what he could to try and make his way forward but would cross the line 13th, ending the night 12th overall.
Anstie showed speed in practice, but unfortunately the 250SX East title contender had a crash during qualifying and broke his leg, sidelining him from the event. The British rider underwent evaluation on-site by the Alpinestars Mobile Medical Unit and will undergo further evaluation, with an update on his return to follow at a later date.
The Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team heads back west next weekend for Round 7 of the 250SX West Championship and Round 11 of Monster Energy AMA Supercross and the SuperMotocross World Championship at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, on March 29.
Jensen Hendler – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 250 Team Manager
“It was definitely an up-and-down day at the final Triple Crown of the season in Birmingham. Max had a big crash and broke his leg in qualifying, so that was a tough way to start the day. We’re all super bummed for him but know he will come back stronger. Both Nate and Dax had a great practice and qualifying, and were fast all day. In the first main, there was a big pile-up that unfortunately Dax got caught up in, but he fought back and was able to finish the night fifth overall. Nate rode great and got his first win of the season, which was awesome, and we’re looking to keep building on that. On the 450 side, Christian had a good start to the season, and we will continue to work on getting up to speed.”
Nate Thrasher – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #41 YZ250F
“It was a good day. I was finally able to ride like myself. I felt really good all off-season, we were putting in the laps and putting in the motos. At the season opener in Tampa, I felt really good all day, I just got unlucky and was cleaned out in the first lap but charged back to eighth from last, which was actually a good ride. Then I’ve just been battling injuries, and we were just trying to fight and stay in it. This week, I was finally able to practice after about a month and a half, so I felt like I was more like myself this weekend. I actually came out and qualified well. Before that, I was outside the top 10 and just trying to get through it. So this weekend, I was finally back to what I can do and proved it tonight. It feels great to get the win. I knew I had the speed this year and knew I could do it. It was just a matter of trying to get healthy and put it all together. We’ve got a lot of rounds to go, and we’re 21 points back, so we’re not out of it.”
Daxton Bennick – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #34 YZ250F
“It’s definitely a little frustrating. I was riding really good today. The results may not have been what I wanted – fifth overall – but I pulled it together in the last main and rode solid. I’m just happy to be healthy and to get another shot at it in two weeks.”
Chrisitan Craig – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #28 YZ450F
“It felt good to be back behind the gate! The results weren’t the greatest, but I know what I’m capable of. We’re going to push hard to improve each weekend!”
Webb Rallies Back at Birmingham Supercross Triple Crown
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb rallied back to finish the evening with a main event victory and score fourth overall (7-4-1) at the final Monster Energy AMA Supercross Triple Crown event of the season at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama. The two-time 450SX Champion’s determined ride scored valuable points in the hotly contested premier class title chase, maintaining his spot at the top of the standings. Justin Cooper finished sixth overall with a 6-7-6 score at Round 10 of Monster Energy AMA Supercross and the SuperMotocross World Championship.
Webb was off to a strong start as racing resumed after the mid-season break, qualifying third in the combined times. Unfortunately, he had a tip-over on the opening lap of the first main event and found himself back in 15th. Undeterred, Webb fought through the pack on a track that was difficult to pass on, salvaging a solid seventh-place finish. In the second main event, he got a much better start in second. Although he was shuffled back to fifth early, he kept pushing and made his way to fourth, where he would finish. In the final race of the evening, he got another good start, slotting into second and then claiming the lead from his title rival on Lap 3. Webb continued to ride a strong pace up front and rode on to his fourth Triple Crown main event victory of the season, securing fourth overall and scoring valuable points. The North Carolina native’s resilient ride helped him maintain control of the red plate, leaving Birmingham with an eight-point lead in the 450SX Championship.
Cooper showed strength early, topping the timesheets in the first practice session and qualifying second overall. Unfortunately he did not get off the gate as he had hoped, making for an uphill battle in all three main events. In the first race, he found himself 10th after the opening lap but steadily climbed to sixth. He was on the heels of the rider in fifth but ultimately would finish shy of the top-five finish. The New Yorker got a better start to the second main event in eighth and advanced to seventh on Lap 4, holding the spot to the checkered flag. In the final race, Cooper was seventh and once again did what he could to make his way forward, ultimately finishing sixth to end the night sixth overall. He now sits fifth in the championship standings, just two points shy of fourth.
Next weekend, the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team heads West for Round 11 of Monster Energy AMA Supercross and the SuperMotocross World Championship at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, on March 29.
Rich Simmons – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team Manager
“It was an up-and-down day in Birmingham. The day started out well with a good practice for both guys, but our starts kind of hurt us all night. It didn’t seem like a track we could make up much time on, so starts were key. Webb got a good start in the second one but got pushed a little wide. Justin didn’t get good starts in all three of them, so that didn’t put him in a great position. Webb regrouped in that third one and got another win, which was nice. We’ll go home, and work on a few things and come back in Seattle.”
Cooper Webb – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #2
“It was a tough night at the Triple Crown. I made a mistake in the first one that really cost me, but I was able to get it going after that. I got a main event win at the end, which was awesome, but yeah, it was a bummer of a night not to end up on the podium, for sure. We’ll regroup and come back at Seattle, and try to get back up front.”
Justin Cooper – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #32
“It was a pretty good day. Qualifying went really well, but I felt like once this dirt dried out, it kind of never formed back the way I thought it was going to. My starts weren’t too great tonight, so I need to work on those a little bit. It was a pretty quiet night for me – sixth overall, and pretty much sixth the whole night. It was a decent night, but obviously, I’m looking for more. We’re going to come back next weekend and try to be better.”
Malcolm Stewart and RJ Hampshire race to Birmingham Triple Crown podiums
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Malcolm Stewart claimed a hard-fought second-place finish at Round 10 of the 2025 AMA Supercross Championship in the Birmingham Triple Crown, with 250SX East Class contender RJ Hampshire also sealing P2 on the night.
The Birmingham conditions made for a challenging race track, with the dry, hard-packed dirt forcing riders to exercise patience and finesse. Stewart, equipped with the Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition, charged to third place in Race 1 as he worked to overcome a major fall during the afternoon in qualifying.
Second place in Race 2, followed by third in Race 3, was enough to earn Stewart an inspired second position overall on the night, moving him up to fourth place in the overall 450SX series standings.
“I’m really stiff right now after the hit to my hip,” reflected Stewart. “Aside from that, I felt really good today and connected with the whole track. My Team Manager Nate Ramsey mentioned that I looked really good today in practice, and we made a game plan of going out there and giving it our all to see where we ended up, and second place was our spot for tonight!”
For 250SX East Class contender Hampshire, starting the day with the second-fastest qualifying time was quickly converted to the opening Triple Crown Race victory. Second place in Race 2 had the Florida native lined up in position for the overall, before being caught up a first turn fall in Race 3, which saw him fight back to a fifth-place score.
With his 1-2-5 results riding the Husqvarna FC 250 Factory Edition, Hampshire claimed second overall on the night and he is currently P2 in the standings following five rounds, 10 points outside of the lead.
“Overall, I can’t be too bummed with walking away second tonight,” commented Hampshire. “The first two Main Events were good, and then I just got caught up in the last one there – not a lot I could’ve done, but I’m happy to have clawed back some championship points. We’ve got a weekend off now, so I’m looking forward to Boston and hopefully knocking off a win there.”
Also on the line were the SMX Next contenders in Alabama, with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Landon Gibson leading the Main Event before an unfortunate crash with just minutes remaining on the clock dashed his hopes of a podium result.
Next Race: March 29 – Seattle, Washington
Results 450SX Class – Birmingham
1. Chase Sexton (KTM)
2. Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing)
3. Aaron Plessinger (KTM)
9. Justin Barcia (GASGAS)
Standings 450SX Class 2025 after 10 of 17 rounds
1. Cooper Webb, 211 points
2. Chase Sexton, 203
3. Ken Roczen, 184
4. Malcolm Stewart, 162
7. Justin Barcia, 142
8. Aaron Plessinger, 125
9. Justin Hill, 125
Results 250SX East Class – Birmingham
1. Nate Thrasher (Yamaha)
2. RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing)
3. Tom Vialle (KTM)
Standings 250SX East Class 2025 after 5 of 10 rounds
1. Tom Vialle, 99 points
2. RJ Hampshire, 89
3. Seth Hammaker, 86
SMX Next Main Event
1. Enzo Temmerman (Kawasaki)
2. Luke Fauser (KTM)
3. Tiger Wood (Honda)
19. Landon Gibson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna)
Ryder LeBlond charges to U.S. Hard Enduro victory at the Grinding Stone
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Ryder LeBlond claimed a breakout overall victory during Round 3 of the 2025 U.S. Hard Enduro Series at the Grinding Stone in Page, Arizona, this weekend, as Korie Steede and Craig DeLong were in the mix in the U.S. Sprint Enduro Series.
U.S. Hard Enduro Series – Round 3
Equipped with the Husqvarna TE 300, LeBlond was up-front throughout the entirety of the race weekend, picking up two second-place finishes during the opening qualifying encounters, before performing when it mattered most with victory in the Main Event.
As a result of his timely Grinding Strone Hard Enduro win, LeBlond is now firmly in contention for the U.S. Hard Enduro Pro Class title after the opening three rounds.
“Got the win here in Grinding Stone!” commented LeBlond. “I had a big one in the straight rhythm on Saturday, but fought through the pain today and we got the win. The bike was feeling good, it’s nice to get a win and get the momentum rolling. It feels like it has taken five years to get to this point, so I’m stoked to manage the race as I did and pick up a win.”
Pro Class Results
1. Ryder LeBlond (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing)
2. Will Riordan (Sherco)
3. Cody Webb (Yamaha)
U.S. Sprint Enduro Series – Round 4
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing teammates Steede and DeLong raced to consistent finishes following Round 4 of the 2025 U.S. Sprint Enduro Series at the Olde Mill Farm in Charlotte Hall, Maryland.
The Pro Women Class saw Steede race to a comfortable victory on Saturday riding her Husqvarna FC 250, before a fall while running strongly on Sunday resulted in a second-place finish overall for the weekend.
“Saturday went well and we had good momentum after that, but unfortunately today was tougher,” Steede recalled. “I managed to overcome a crash to finish on the podium, which we are still satisfied with at the end of the weekend.”
Equipped with the Husqvarna FX 350 in the Pro 1 class, DeLong claimed a pair of fourth-place results across the two days of competition, which gave him fourth in class for the event.
“It was a less than ideal weekend at the Sprint Enduro, but we are working hard,” recalled DeLong. “I need to find more speed to run at the front… there’s not much more to it than that. Big thanks to all of the team for their continued help.”
Pro 1 Class Results
1. Johnny Girroir (KTM)
2. Liam Draper (Yamaha)
3. Cody Barnes (Honda)
4. Craig DeLong (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing)
Pro Women Class Results
1. Tayla Jones (Honda)
2. Korie Steede (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing)
3. Rachel Gutish (Sherco)
BIRMINGHAM TRIPLE CROWN RESULTS IN NINTH-PLACE FINISH FOR JUSTIN BARCIA
Rockstar Energy GASGAS Factory Racing rider Justin Barcia claimed a ninth-place result at Round 10 of the 2025 AMA Supercross Championship, after what was a chaotic night of Triple Crown action.
• Justin Barcia finishes ninth place overall at Round 10
• P5 in Race 2 demonstrates front-running pace for BAMBAM
• Experienced racer maintains P7 in the 450SX standings
Barcia entered the Birmingham event equipped with his GASGAS MC 450F Factory Edition riding a wave of momentum, after a season-best fourth-place finish at the previous round in Indianapolis.
The number 51 would showcase speed throughout Birmingham’s Triple Crown format, with a fifth-place finish in Race 2 showing the New York native’s all-out pace. Mishaps in the other two races, however, would see Bam Bam finish the night in ninth place following a 18-5-7 scorecard.
Having completed 10 rounds of AMA Supercross competition this season, Barcia maintains seventh overall in the 450SX standings, closing in on sixth place.
Justin Barcia:“Birmingham should’ve been better than it was! I was feeling really good, first race would’ve been a top-five before an endo, and then I flew off into the nets, which was a bummer. The second race, I was top-five and I was happy with that, and then the third race was unfolding in the same way before another endo knocked the wind out of me for a second. Everything was going well tonight, just a few too many mistakes cost me. I like Seattle, I got my second 450SX win there, so I’m aiming for a podium next weekend!”
RED BULL KTM CELEBRATES TRIPLE PODIUM RESULTS IN BIRMINGHAM SUPERCROSS
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton raced to his third victory of the season at Round 10 of the 2025 AMA Supercross Championship, posting a convincing scorecard of results across the three-race Triple Crown format in Birmingham. 450SX teammate Aaron Plessinger and defending 250SX East Champion Tom Vialle also claimed podium results tonight.
Equipped with his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, Sexton registered the fastest time in the afternoon qualifying sessions, applying the perfect balance of throttle control and aggression on the dry, hard-packed Protective Stadium circuit.
With his starts dialed throughout the night, Sexton was inside the top three during the opening lap of each Race and converted his track position to victory in the opening two encounters. A measured second-place ride in Race 3 was enough to capture the overall.
In terms of the championship standings, Sexton now sits eight points down on the series lead as Supercross heads to Seattle for Round 10 next weekend.
Chase Sexton: “It’s really nice to get the monkey off my back tonight – it feels like I haven’t won in forever! Getting good starts and the first two race wins was super-important, but it reminded me quickly when RJ [Hampshire] got caught up at the start in Race 3 that anything can happen, so I locked in on executing that start as well. From there, I rode my own race in the last one, tried not to do anything stupid and learn from previous mistakes, but I always thrive in these last eight races, so I’m stoked to kick things off this way.”
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Plessinger featured prominently during the Alabama event, powering his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to the opening two Triple Crown holeshots.
After collecting a commendable 2-3-5 scorecard, ‘The Cowboy’ earned third position on the night, which continues his recent run of mid-season form.
Aaron Plessinger: “These last couple of races have given me a lot more confidence, and that’s showing in my starts, which put me in a really good position tonight. Ever since Daytona I feel like we’ve been rolling, it gave me the belief that I can run with the boys at the front, and that’s everything to me. So, that combined with the work we’re doing at the Baker’s Factory, means we’re in a really good spot right now!”
250SX East Class number one Vialle also returned to action in Birmingham following the mid-series break, with the ever-consistent Frenchman powering his KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to 2-5-3 results across each race, claiming third overall on the night and extending his championship points lead as a result.
Tom Vialle: “I felt great from the first practice on the track, I pretty much didn’t change my bike all day aside from a couple of clickers. I want that win, believe me, but I’m also letting it come to me. We’re in a great spot in the championship, although I train during the week to win, so we’ll get back to work during this weekend off for us to try and click one off.”
Next Race: March 29 – Seattle, Washington
Results 450SX Class – Birmingham
1. Chase Sexton (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
2. Malcolm Stewart (Husqvarna)
3. Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
9. Justin Barcia (GASGAS)
11. Justin Hill (KTM)
20. Tristan Lane (KTM)
Standings 450SX Class 2025 after 10 of 17 rounds
1. Cooper Webb, 211 points
2. Chase Sexton, 203
3. Ken Roczen, 184
4. Malcolm Stewart, 162
7. Justin Barcia, 142
8. Aaron Plessinger, 125
9. Justin Hill, 125
Results 250SX East Class – Birmingham
1. Nate Thrasher (Yamaha)
2. RJ Hampshire (Husqvarna)
3. Tom Vialle (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
18. Crockett Myers (KTM)
20. Gage Linville (KTM)
Standings 250SX East Class 2025 after 5 of 10 rounds
1. Tom Vialle, 99 points
2. RJ Hampshire, 89
3. Seth Hammaker, 86
VICTORY FOR JOHNNY GIRROIR AND GRANT DAVIS IN OLDE MILL FARM U.S. SPRINT ENDURO
Defending U.S. Sprint Enduro Champion Johnny Girroir raced to victory at Round 4 of the 2025 season in Charlotte Hall, Maryland, as FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers’ Grant Davis continued his unbeaten streak in Pro 2 at the Olde Mill Farm round.
FMF KTM Factory Racing standout Girroir put in a solid display onboard his KTM 350 XC-F, securing the overall win at Olde Mill Farm, overcoming a slow start on Saturday to remain on top of the Pro 1 Class standings.
Johnny Girroir: “It was a good weekend, started off a bit slow and it’s tough when everyone is ripping so hard right now. Gathered myself on Saturday, and then today I had a lot of good tests – a couple of crashes, but overall I felt good. Everyone is ripping, so it’ll be a good final three rounds.”
It was another Pro 2 Class win for Davis, who powered his KTM 250 XC-F to his fourth victory in as many races of the U.S. Sprint Enduro Series, which sees his winning streak in class remain intact with three rounds remaining.
Grant Davis: “I tried to give Johnny a run for it, but the guy always pulls something out of the bag, so hopefully at the next one we can try to get him again! Really happy with how I am riding at the moment and another Pro 2 class win – huge thanks to my team and all those who support our racing.”
Pro 1 Class Results
1. Johnny Girroir, FMF KTM Factory Racing
2. Liam Draper, Yamaha
3. Cody Barnes, Honda
4. Craig DeLong, Husqvarna
Pro 2 Class Results
1. Grant Davis, FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers
2. Jason Tino, GASGAS
3. Gavin Simon, Husqvarna
Suzuki’s Ken Roczen Fights for Fifth at Triple Crown Challenge
Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama hosted Round 10 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and the third and final Triple Crown event of the season. The weather was perfect at the open-air stadium, but the Triple Crown format puts the top racers on the track for more laps and, as expected, the red clay track broke down considerably through the night’s racing.
Race Highlights:
- Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki
- 450 Class
- Ken Roczen earned his eighth top-five result in the first 10 rounds of the 2025 Supercross season.
- 450 Class
- Twisted Tea Suzuki Presented by Progressive Insurance
- 450 Class
- Colt Nichols matched his season-best Triple Crown Race result in Race 1.
- Kyle Chisholm used two season-best race results to card his best Triple Crown overall result of the year.
- 450 Class
Ken Roczen (94) retains his 3rd-place position in the championship standings with a 5th-place overall finish.
Ken Roczen (94) had both a momentous and also a rough two weeks leading up to the Birmingham race. The high of gaining his US citizenship was tempered by the low of a practice crash that resulted in an AC shoulder injury just eight days before the event. In Birmingham, Roczen bowed out of the second qualifying session in an effort to preserve his sore shoulder; the Triple Crown format meant the 450 riders would compete in three 12-minute plus one lap races. Roczen’s steady rides aboard his RM-Z450 resulted in consistent (4-6-4) race results, good for a top-five overall. Roczen’s gritty ride kept him well in the championship hunt, keeping his Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki in third place in the standings.
“It was a tough weekend for us here in Birmingham,” said Roczen. “I had a practice crash a week ago and separated my AC joint a little bit. We rode press day to see how it felt, and it was pretty decent, but throughout the day on Saturday if definitely got worse. As we got deeper into the night it became a pain battle. But we made it through, ended up fifth on the night, and only lost one point in the championship. All things considered, we had a pretty good night and fought really hard. The Triple Crowns are now over and we’re back to regular races, and we still have a few rounds to go. I’m going to do my best to heal everything up during the week and try to just show up next weekend better than this weekend.”
Colt Nichols (45) matched his season-best Triple Crown Race result in the first 450 race.
Colt Nichols (45) delivered a strong ride in Race 1 but had early troubles in the remaining two races. Although he was pushed wide in the first turn of Race 3, Nichols used his Suzuki RM-Z450’s sharp handling to slice forward through the pack. He gained six positions in the short race as the track broke down to its roughest condition.
“The birthday weekend wasn’t really the one I wanted, but that’s how it goes sometimes,” Nichols commented. “In the first race I just started way back. In the second race I started way back again and then crashed. It was just a tough night. I tried some settings to get a little more comfortable all day and I went the wrong direction on some; that was my bad. I just need to put myself in a better position; if I do that, I’ll be okay, I just haven’t done that this year and it’s been frustrating. But we’ll try again next weekend in Seattle.”
Kyle Chisholm (11) and his Twisted Tea Suzuki delivered strong performances, marking his two best Triple Crown Race results of 2025.
Kyle Chisholm (11) put in strong qualifying times and excellent race results in the first two races of the night, including a top-10 start in Race 1. Chisholm capped the event with a late-race pass in the final laps of Race 3.
“I’m pretty happy with my riding. I always want to do better, but I went 14-14 in the first two races, and I was right there. I could see the 10th, 11th, and 12th just up in front of me, so we were kind of in the battle more,” reported Chisholm. “My bike was really good; I made just a few little clicker and sag changes throughout the day, so it’s been nice to just keep the bike mostly the same and just be able to keep riding and focus on myself. The team did a great job, and it was nice having the week off leading up to this; I worked on some stuff, and I think it paid off a little bit, but I still want more so we’ll give it a go in Seattle.”
“It was a tough weekend. The track was really good, one of the better tracks we’ve had this year, but Ken Roczen had an injury coming in and it was a bit of struggle,” said Larry Brooks, Twisted Tea/H.E.P. Motorsports/Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance Team Manager. “We weren’t even sure that Ken was going to race at the beginning of the week. So for him to race, and finish fifth overall – these Triple Crowns are quite hectic – it’s like a win to us right now. So, he lost a couple points, one point on the rider in the lead right now, but he’s still in the title hunt, and that’s really good. Kyle Chisholm finished 16th overall and Colt Nichols finished 18th overall, so we had three Suzukis in the top 20. It’s not a win, we didn’t win any of the races, but for us, as a team, it was a victory. It was something special just because Ken was able to race, and he dug deep, and was tough. So, for us, this weekend, we’re really happy.”
The Supercross season continues an 8-week final push without any weekends off. Next up is Round 11 inside Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington. The weather shows rain, and the open-air stadium could deliver the first true mud race of the 2025 season.
