This week in US Powersports racing.
Jett Lawrence Grabs Third-Consecutive 450SMX World Championship
Jo Shimoda’s Heroic 250SMX Class Ride Earns History-making 250SMX World Championship
Team Honda HRC Progressive’s Jett Lawrence grabbed his third consecutive SMX World Championship™ with a dramatic overall victory on the SMX track built over The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. After winning the first moto, Jett delivered a nail-biting charge late in the second moto to reach second place; his (1-2) moto scores combined to win the night’s racing, the $100,000 race win bonus, and more significantly the one million dollar championship payout.
Team Honda HRC Progressive’s Hunter Lawrence, entering the race with enough points that a victory would bring him his first 450SMX title, toughed out a win in the second moto despite entering the event under the weather. Hunter’s third-place finish in the opening moto netted him second overall at the Vegas race as well as in the championship, which brought him a $500,000 championship runner-up bonus. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac battled up front in both motos and finished the night with (2-3) moto scores. Tomac wrapped up his season with a third place result in the moto, the event, and the championship, which came with a $250,000 bonus.
In what may have been the wildest and most thrilling motorsports race of the year, Team Honda HRC Progressive’s Jo Shimoda captured the 250SMX Class SMX World Championship. Needing only a second place overall from the event, Shimoda succeeded despite aggressive tactics from his competitors. Shimoda finished the second moto with enough points to capture event win and with it the 250SMX Class title and its $500,000 win bonus. Shimoda became the first Japanese rider to win an SMX title.
Jett Lawrence – First place – 450SMX
“[It’s conflicting] emotions of obviously wanting to win this, and get this, but then I also hate to see [Hunter not get the win] – today he deserved that. He executed two really good starts and obviously the guy’s battling with a cold right now, and [I’m] bummed to see him sad about it, because he worked really hard; we both worked hard, but I’m happy. Halfway through [the second moto] I honestly had some doubts that I could even catch those guys. [Hunter and Eli] were riding really, really well. But I had to dig deep and just try to send it. It was either sending it or crashing at that point. So, I tired, I was able to catch up to Eli. I had a few good laps and was able to make a quick pass when I had the chance. I’m happy for the team, with going 1-2 for Honda, but right now my mind’s thinking about multiple things… Because, obviously, this could be [Hunter’s] first 450 championship. But obviously I want it really badly as well, it’s a lot of money. It’s difficult, because you want to see your brother do well, it’s difficult competing against him.” – Jett Lawrence
Hunter Lawrence – Second place – 450SMX
“[Sarcastically] I feel amazing, if you can’t read it on my face… Yeah, I’m gutted. I did everything I could in that one, felt like I just gave it 110% every time I went on the track… Just came up short.” – Hunter Lawrence
Eli Tomac – Third place – 450SMX
“It was a fantastic crowd; we had such wonderful support all night. I did what I could. I tried. No lack of trying. Those brothers are really good. I actually didn’t have quite as much in that second moto, so [I’m] a little disappointed in myself. But the night as a whole – [it was] okay… Thank you Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing. This was a good podium for us. Of course I want more, but we’ll take this third. Thanks.” – Eli Tomac
The 250SMX Class delivered peak thrills for any form of racing, and just the type of scenario that the SMX World Championship postseason structure was designed to create. The first moto delivered excellent racing, but almost nothing in motorsports could match the excitement delivered in the second 250SMX Class moto.
Sitting second in championship points, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan lined up to the inside of Shimoda for the final 250SMX moto of the year. The two bumped just off the gate, and by the third corner Deegan appeared to slow to take Shimoda wide; neither rider went down, but Shimoda lost two positions. Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker had the holeshot and the early lead, and as the riders were positioned as they crossed the green flag, Hammaker would have the points needed to take the night’s win and the championship. That was the math if every rider stayed where they were… but the race was about to explode with incredible riding, aggressive passes, take-out moves, heroic bravery, and frantic moto math to sort out what every development did to the championship standings.
Six minutes into the race, Deegan made his way past Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen to take over second place. From there Deegan appeared to alter his pace to mix up the front runners’ positions. Six and a half minutes into the race, Deegan moved past Hammaker, which included contact on a high-speed section. Shimoda, still in fourth at that moment, needed a third-place finish in the moto to secure the title from Deegan. Kitchen then dropped out with what appeared to be a bike problem.
At the moto’s midpoint, Shimoda reached second place and Deegan slowed to allow Hammaker to tighten back up to them. Over the next laps, Deegan instigated contact against Shimoda no less than three times, and the third impact put both riders on the ground. Shimoda quickly remounted in second place while Deegan walked away from his bike with what was later diagnosed as a broken collarbone. The games up front allowed Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle to catch Shimoda and pass him with less than two laps remaining. With Hammaker leading, Vialle holding second, and Shimoda in third, the title would go to Shimoda with the night’s overall going to Hammaker. But Shimoda put on a final burst and passed Vialle in the final corner to earn second in the moto, an overall victory for the night, and secure the 2025 SMX World Championship. The title marks Shimoda’s first professional title and he becomes the first Japanese rider to earn an SMX, SX, or MX title.
The crowd was wildly enthusiastic for Jo Shimoda at the podium when he received his championship trophy, the $500,000 payout, and what sounded like a massive increase of the earnest racer’s fan base.
Jo Shimoda (#30) – First place – 250SMX
“I kind of slipped out on the start. I’m not going to lie, I was a little nervous. But I think we made good passes in the first few laps. I caught Seth, passed him. [Then] I caught Deegan, but he slowed to let me pass, so I kinda knew already [that] something’s going to happen and he might attack pretty crazy, which he did. At one moment I had my leg cramped and everything because of him hitting, but I just want to say thank you to my family first, my trainer, my whole team, my mechanic Ben. You know, it’s only a three-round [postseason] series, but for me, I think getting this title and finishing off the year good, with the [red] plate, that’s what I needed. And yeah, confidence booster, for sure.” – Jo Shimoda
Seth Hammaker – Second place – 250SMX
“Came up a little short on that one, but I’m just so grateful. [There were] a lot of ups and downs to this season, and I’m just grateful to be up here. It’s awesome to finish second, Jo was riding awesome, and a hectic race for sure… Man, it just feels good. Second overall in the series, a good way to end the season, and now just time to rest up and get ready for next year. My time will come, just gotta stay true to the plan. Thank you to everybody at Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki, my entire family, everybody at the Dog Pound [training facility], Burner, my race mechanic, my practice mechanic, and everybody. These fans are wild. Thank you to everybody that comes out and supports us, so let’s go!” – Seth Hammaker
Tom Vialle – Third place – 250SMX
“It was a big weekend for me. It was my last 250 race, so I’m really excited to move to the 450 next year. My start today was not that good. I think the riding was good. I’m pretty happy with the way I [wrapped] up my season. Third in the SMX Championship is pretty good, so I’m excited for the future and moving up to the 450.” – Tom Vialle
Haiden Deegan (#1) – Ninth Place (under review for possible penalty) – 250SMX
“All I can say is I’m [gonna] fight. That’s all I can say is I’m ‘a fight. We’ve got one more moto to go and that’s all I got. I’m gonna fight for this one, let’s go.” – Haiden Deegan after this first moto ride that earned him a second-place moto result.
Among the VIPs in attendance, country music star Bailey Zimmerman joined the broadcast booth during qualifying and pre-race coverage where he said, “[Las Vegas] has always been that race, that is like, ‘the one.’ I’ve been saying it all day: a lot of people get to go to races, [but] you don’t get to go to the SuperMotocross World Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada, all the time. How cool is it to be out here and get to see this… I literally can’t believe I’m here right now. This is insane!”
The 2025 SMX World Championship wraps its third season since its inception in 2023. With a total postseason purse of $5.5 million, Playoff 1, Playoff 2, and the Final have raised the bar on the racing stakes and intensity. Additionally, the points reset in August has created a fresh dynamic throughout the 28 regular-season rounds. For video highlights, results, racing news, and ticket sales (once on-sale) please go to supermotocross.com
Every round of the 2025 SMX World Championship was streamed live and remains available on-demand on Peacock; other platforms that covered the 2025 racing include NBC, USA Network, Telemundo Deportes (English and Spanish) on the NBC app, YouTube, X, and Facebook. Audio coverage of the season was heard on NBC Sports Audio on SiriusXM Channel 85. International fans can find on-demand coverage in English, Spanish, and French through the SuperMotocross Video Pass (supermotocross.tv).
Looking ahead to next year, the 2026 Supercross and Pro Motocross regular-season race schedules will be announced, and presale tickets go on sale, on September 30th. One week later, general public tickets will also be available for sale. To experience the action in person in 2026, with unmatched access to athletes and teams, please go to supermotocross.com.
For information about the SMX World Championship, please visit www.SuperMotocross.com and be sure to follow all of the new SMX social media channels for exclusive content and additional information on the latest news:
- Instagram: @supermotocross
- Facebook: @supermotocross
- Twitter: @supermotocross
- YouTube: @supermotocross
Historic Sweep for Honda HRC Progressive at SuperMotocross Final
Honda HRC Progressive capped an incredible 2025 campaign this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway by sweeping the third edition of the SuperMotocross Playoffs, with Jett Lawrence earning the 450 Championship, while Jo Shimoda took the 250 crown. This marked the third year that the unique three-race series has been held, and Lawrence has earned all three premier-class titles; it is also the 10th career professional AMA crown for Lawrence, who just turned 22 last month.
As had been the case at the same race last year, Jett came into the event in a tight championship battle with brother and teammate Hunter Lawrence. With just six points separating the duo, and triple points being paid at this round, it was a winner-take-all scenario. The first moto saw Jett recover from fourth early on to score the win aboard his CRF450RWE, while Hunter finished a solid third after leading the first several laps. The second moto started in a similar way, with Jett running fourth early on while Hunter ran at the front. This time Hunter led all the way to the finish, but when Jett passed Eli Tomac for second near moto’s end, it was enough to secure the overall win and wrap up the title, with Hunter second overall and in the final standings. It was a rewarding night for the Lawrence family, as Jett won $1 million for the championship, while Hunter earned $500,000 for second place.
A native of Landsborough, Australia, Jett has raced for Honda his entire professional career, starting with the Factory Connection satellite squad. After transitioning to the factory team in 2021, he immediately collected the AMA Pro Motocross 250 Championship. The following year saw him repeat that accomplishment and win the AMA Supercross 250 East crown. He added the AMA Supercross 250 West title in 2023, then switched to the 450 class for AMA Pro Motocross, achieving a historic perfect season in his rookie attempt. That same year also saw him win the inaugural SuperMotocross 450 title. In 2024, Lawrence added the prestigious AMA Supercross
450 Championship to his resume, as well as the second SuperMotocross crown. This year, Jett was injured during the Supercross series, but he recovered in time to collect his second AMA Pro Motocross 450 title. He backed it up this weekend with his third SuperMotocross premier-class championship, and he remains the only rider to have won that crown. Jett moves into a tie with Jeremy McGrath and Ryan Villopoto for second place on the all-time AMA Champions list (only Ricky Carmichael has more, with 16).
“It was a good race weekend,” Jett said. “Hunter rode well and executed two starts, which made it hard on me. The first moto I was able to dig deep and get that moto win, thankfully—it saved me for sure. In the second moto I got another bad start, and the boys were riding well. Honestly, I didn’t think I was going to be able to catch Eli to make the pass, but in the last few laps I was able to close up. I saw an opportunity to pass and jumped on it real quick. I was able to make it stick and get the win. It’s awesome to go 1-2 with Hunter and me.”
In the 250 class, Shimoda entered the finale with a 10-point lead, meaning that he could finish second overall to rival Haiden Deegan and still earn the championship. He delivered under pressure in moto 1, taking the holeshot aboard his CRF250RWE and leading from start to finish. The second moto was more challenging. Shimoda was back in eighth at the end of lap 1, but he began steadily climbing through the pack. Despite several attempts by Deegan to impede his progress (including one that put both riders on the ground), Shimoda stayed composed and crossed the line in second place, taking the overall win and the championship.
Shimoda rode for Factory Connection’s satellite squad as an amateur and after turning pro in 2019. He moved to another manufacturer in 2021 but returned to Honda last year. This was his first professional AMA title, and he took home a $500,000 prize. The title cements Shimoda’s status as the most successful Japanese native in AMA history.
“We finished it off!” Shimoda said. “I know it’s just three rounds in SMX, but for me, just accomplishing something was the most important part. This is a massive confidence booster for me, to know I can do it. Honestly, the pressure wasn’t really a problem; I knew there was a lot of pressure on the line, and I was expecting Deegan to be really aggressive. I had to be smart. The most important thing is I just didn’t want to get smashed—I think I did pretty good!”
While Honda has earned all three SuperMotocross 450 crowns (and has taken the premier-class overall win at all nine events held to date), this was the first time that a manufacturer has won the SuperMotocross championships in both classes. With the dominant performance, Honda also won the SuperMotocross Manufacturer Championship.
“What a season, and what a team!” said Brandon Wilson, Manager of Racing & Advertising at American Honda. “For the past few years, it has been so gratifying to have Honda where it belongs—fighting at the front and winning championships in both classes. It’s all down to our incredibly talented riders, an extremely capable team, our invaluable sponsors, a competitive technical package and strong support from HRC. On behalf of everyone in the Honda family, to Jett, Jo and Hunter, along with the crew at Honda HRC Progressive: thank you, and congratulations.”
The long regular season is now over for Honda HRC Progressive, although the team will support a number of Honda riders at the Motocross of Nations in Crawfordsville, Indiana, October 5, including all of Team Australia (comprising the Lawrence brothers and Kyle Webster), as well as Team Japan’s Shimoda.
LAS VEGAS A SOLID END TO HARD-FOUGHT 450SMX SEASON FOR JUSTIN BARCIA
The final race of the 2025 SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) in Las Vegas on Saturday completed what was a hard-fought season for Rockstar Energy GASGAS Factory Racing, where Justin Barcia took ninth overall in the SMX Final and finished inside the top 10 at the conclusion of the post-season.
• An 11-9 scorecard for Justin Barcia in 450SMX
• Ryder DiFrancesco exits Las Vegas finale following Moto 1 scare
• BAMBAM concludes post-season inside the top 10
Barcia powered his GASGAS MC 450F Factory Edition to an 11th-place finish in the opening 450SMX race on what was a challenging circuit layout, with the hybrid nature of both Supercross and Pro Motocross adding a layer of complexity to the on-track action.
Upon improving to ninth by the end of Moto 2 for the final checkered flag of the year, BAMBAM picked up P9 overall for the finale, and finished 10th in the 450SMX Championship standings.
Justin Barcia: “Las Vegas was full on! The track had a bit of everything, which made it a tricky day for me. All-in-all, we did our best as usual, but our best wasn’t quite good enough. A big thank you to everyone who has been part of this season – we tried our best all year, and we can hold our heads high knowing that we never gave up!”
For Ryder D, he rocketed to fourth in 250SMX qualifying equipped with the GASGAS MC 250F Factory Edition, before comfortably featuring inside the top-five during the early stages of Moto 1. A scary impact unfortunately resulted in an early end to his night, as the Californian withdrew from Moto 2 and is set to undergo further evaluation this week.
Consistent results from Korie Steede and Craig DeLong at The Mountaineer GNCC
Round 11 of the 2025 Grand National Cross Country Series marked a consistent weekend for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing at The Mountaineer GNCC in West Virginia, where WXC Class title challenger Korie Steede finished in fourth position and Craig DeLong raced to sixth in the XC1 Open Pro category.
Grand National Cross Country Series – Round 11
After earning the previous round victory, Steede entered The Mountaineer with the intention of closing the points gap in the WXC Class title-race onboard her Husqvarna FC 250.
In what were dusty, tough conditions this weekend, Steede managed a P4 position to add valuable points toward her championship tally, and now sits 16 markers behind first place with two rounds remaining.
“This weekend was a challenging one in the conditions,” reflected Steede. “Finishing fourth today keeps us in the fight for the WXC championship and we will keep pushing hard across these final two rounds coming up.”
An average start on a track that was heavily start-dependent made for a difficult day of racing for teammate DeLong, with the former GNCC Champion posting an inspired climb on his Husqvarna FX 350 from outside of the top 20 on lap one to finish sixth in the XC1 Open Pro category – and ninth Overall – for the weekend. He’s now positioned fifth in the XC1 standings.
“I knew I needed a good start, but it just didn’t happen for me that way today,” commented DeLong. “The dust made things interesting and, honestly, pretty dangerous – especially in the chasing pack. I did what I could to climb my way up to ninth from as far back as 24th place on the first lap, so we’ll look toward finishing strong across the last two rounds.”
XC1 Open Pro Class Results
1. Jordan Ashburn, GASGAS
2. Ben Kelley, KTM
3. Josh Strang, Beta
6. Craig DeLong, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
WXC Class Results
1. Brandy Richards, KTM
2. Rachael Archer, Kawasaki
3. Danielle McDonald, Yamaha
4. Korie Steede, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
RJ Hampshire completes first 450SMX post-season with P6 in Las Vegas
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire charged to a hard-fought sixth-place result at the 2025 SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) Final in Las Vegas tonight, which saw the premier class newcomer claim a solid P7 in the standings to complete his first 450SMX post-season.
Onboard the Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition, Hampshire set the fifth-fastest qualifying time on what was a mixture of tight, technical sections, combined with high-paced outdoor obstacles and sand elements. An average start in Moto 1 had his work cut out for him, although an inspired charge saw RJ finish in sixth position.
An improved start to Moto 2 had Hampshire in the battle throughout the early stages, although a deteriorating race track kept the Florida native measured in his approach, posting a convincing fifth-place result to complete what was a successful series.
Hampshire entered the premier 450 division full-time at the beginning of this year’s Pro Motocross Championship after taking the 250SX East Class title down to the final round and ultimately placing third. The impressive 29-year-old then went on to establish himself as a regular top-five contender in both the outdoors – where he finished P5 in the 450MX standings – and the 450SMX post-season.
“All in all, it was another solid weekend!” reflected Hampshire. “I felt good on the bike in timed qualifying, then didn’t get the best start in Moto 1, but I felt like I rode well. The second moto, I got a good start, but I felt a little tight in the beginning and I figured it wasn’t worth risking it too much out there. I didn’t feel overly comfortable on the high-speed sections, but I think overall I was sixth for tonight. It was a solid few races of SMX, and I’m excited to be leading into next year with a solid base.”
450SMX teammate Malcolm Stewart remained on the sidelines for the Las Vegas SMX Final, still recovering from an incident at Playoff 1. The 32-year-old enjoyed a solid regular season campaign in 2025, earning fourth in 450SX – which featured a career-first win in Tampa – as well as seventh overall in Pro Motocross.
TOM VIALLE AND RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING CLINCH THIRD IN 250SMX FINALS
Tonight’s 2025 SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) Final saw Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle clinch third overall for the weekend and 250SMX standings following a dramatic season-ending round at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Two-time MX2 World Champion and reigning 250SX East title-holder Vialle qualified fifth fastest onboard his KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, before racing to a strong fourth-place finish in the opening moto.
In Moto 2, Vialle progressed at a rapid rate throughout the race after a troubled start, finding himself running as high as P2 with the clock counting down. Ultimately, third in the final SMX race of the year contributed to the Frenchman earning third on the podium in Las Vegas, and delivering P3 in the series classification.
The 2025 SMX season marked another convincing year for the 24-year-old, who claimed his second-consecutive 250SX East Championship in Supercross, as well as fifth in the Pro Motocross 250MX point standings.
Tom Vialle: “The track was really fast today and I had a tough start in Moto 2, but I pushed hard until the very end! I’m pretty satisfied with third in the SMX Championship – I feel like I maximized what was possible for today. Overall, I’m happy with the way that I have ended my 250 career, I pushed as hard as I could in that second race, and I was satisfied in the end with how it worked out tonight.”
Equipped with the KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION in the 450SMX division, Chase Sexton qualified sixth as he adapted to the unique four-lane, dragway-based layout, which featured a range of hybrid-style conditions and obstacles to complete the SMX post-season.
In Moto 1, Sexton completed the first lap in sixth before eventually crossing the finish-line in P7. While running inside the top-five in Moto 2, the 25-year-old would unfortunately crash heavily during the latter stages of the moto, later confirming a mild concussion and a weak shoulder that he will have further evaluated this upcoming week.
Sexton’s 2025 SMX season was highlighted by finishing second in the 450SX standings at the conclusion of Supercross, however, he would go on to miss a large portion of 450MX outdoors. Despite his incident in the Las Vegas SMX Final tonight, he was ranked eighth in the series.
BEN KELLEY CROWNED GNCC XC1 OPEN PRO CHAMPION AS GRANT DAVIS EXTENDS OVERALL
KTM Offroad Weekend Update
GRAND NATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY SERIES – ROUND 11
The 11th round of GNCC marked an ultra-successful outing for KTM, with Kelley sealing the XC1 Open Pro Class title after picking up a second-place finish in class this weekend at the renowned Summit Bechtel Reserve, West Virginia.
Equipped with his KTM 350 XC-F, Kelley faced a challenging outing at The Mountaineer in coming from behind, with dusty conditions making it difficult to move forward.
A late charge would see him secure the XC1 Open Pro Class title courtesy of a P2 result, while maintaining his Overall title challenge with a fourth-place score – now 20 points outside the lead with two rounds to run.
Ben Kelley:“We knew that the start would be super-important at this round, and I got a decent one, although I had a pretty big crash there about halfway through. I tried to charge back toward the front as best I could, but it was a really hard track to pass on because of the conditions. I’m proud to win the XC1 Open Pro Class Championship though, especially with how far I have come from being injured the last couple of years! With two rounds to go, we’ll now keep fighting for the Overall title, and a big thank you to the team for all the support.”
Onboard the FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers 250 XC-F, Davis continued his exceptional 2025 form, launching to a strong start before laying down a couple of fast laps to open up a margin that he would manage for the remainder of the race.
With his victory at The Mountaineer, Davis earned his eighth XC2 250 Pro Class victory of this series – in addition to his fourth Overall win – which extends his points lead to 20 over Kelley. The advantage in XC2 has stretched out to 50 points.
Grant Davis:“I’m pumped! I got a good start and managed not to go down in turn three this time, like I did at the last race! Then Jordan [Ashburn] was trying to make a quick move on me, and I thought, ‘I can’t let this happen today.’ I put down some fast laps and created a gap, then maintained that margin for the rest of the day.”
XC2 250 Pro Class teammate Gus Riordan raced to fifth position in class, with the Australian and his KTM 250 XC-F caught up in the heat of the battle throughout the three-hour long duration, which sees him maintain P2 in the division with two rounds remaining.
Gus Riordan:“A bit of a frustrating weekend for me. It was super-dusty and I wasn’t comfortable sending it where I couldn’t see. We have two more rounds to go to turn things around.”
FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers’ Brandy Richards returned to the top step of the WXC Class on Sunday, climbing her way from a top-five start and an incident to first position with her KTM 250 XC-F, which marks her first victory since recovering from an early-season injury.
Brandy Richards:“I didn’t have the greatest start, so I was about fourth or fifth while the other girls were ready to go from the beginning. I started off slow, then made my way to third, and then had what was a pretty gnarly get-off. After I got up from that, I had to regroup. Halfway through the second lap, I started to get a good flow going and began to see that the times were coming down to the front-runners, so I did my best in the dust and slowly gained on them. I made a pass, and then knew it was hard to pass in the dust, so I just stayed up and managed to win. I can’t thank my team and supporters enough for working so hard and staying behind me.”
XC1 Open Pro Class Results
- Jordan Ashburn, GASGAS
- Ben Kelley, FMF KTM Factory Racing
- Josh Strang, Beta
- Craig DeLong, Husqvarna
XC2 250 Pro Class Results
- Grant Davis, FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers
- Nicholas Defeo, Kawasaki
- Brody Johnson, Honda
- Gus Riordan, FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers
WXC Class Results
- Brandy Richards, FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers
- Rachael Archer, Kawasaki
- Danielle McDonald, Yamaha
- Korie Steede, Husqvarna
AMA NATIONAL HARE & HOUND SERIES – ROUND 7
Dante Oliveira recorded a consistent second-place finish in AMA National Hare & Hound competition at the seventh round of 2025, sharing the lead across the two laps as he maintains his lead in the standings with two rounds remaining.
Equipped with the KTM 450 XC-F, Oliveira led the opening stages of the race in Caliente, Nevada, before a slight misstep relegated the Pro Class points leader to second position.
After battling the dusty conditions, he would ultimately finish the race in P2 and, as a result, the FMF KTM Factory Racing rider was able to extend his championship advantage to seven points.
Dante Oliveira:“I got off to a great start, leading the first mile, and then got passed after missing a line as I went to turn. It was a long day from there, giving chase in the dust! The whole day was cat-and-mouse racing – I’d get close and then get filled in with roost and dust. I tried until the end to get close where I could, but wasn’t able to make it happen. Onto next weekend now!”
Pro Class Results
- Daemon Woolslayer, Husqvarna
- Dante Oliveira, FMF KTM Factory Racing
- Zane Roberts, Beta
UPCOMING OFFROAD RACES – SEPTEMBER 2025
9/27: National Hare & Hound – Round 8
SUZUKI’S KEN ROCZEN BATTLES TO FOURTH PLACE OVERALL IN 2025 SMX WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
The series Final of the 2025 SMX World Championship took over The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday night. The hybrid SX/MX track delivered tight Supercross-style sections that snaked over and around the dragstrip, as well as wide-open, high-speed sections of huge jumps and sweeping corners. The event, raced with the two-moto format of post-season racing, wrapped up the 31-round series with exciting action in Las Vegas.
Race Highlights:
- Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki
- 450 Class
- Ken Roczen moved up three positions to earn fourth place in the final SMX World Championship standings.
- 450 Class
- Twisted Tea Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance
- 450 Class
- Kyle Chisholm showed great speed on the hardpack, hybrid track.
- 450 Class
Ken Roczen (94) entered the post-season seeded in 11th position after sitting out most of the summer motocross season. Roczen had climbed to seventh in the standings heading into the Final, yet had to alter his race strategy in both Vegas motos. Legendary for his early-lap passes, Ken Roczen found himself running just outside the top five for most of the first moto. Roczen made his move late, advancing his Suzuki RM-Z450 into the top five with less than two minutes left on the race clock. In the second moto, Roczen crossed the holeshot stripe outside of the top ten. His early-race aggression only gained him a few positions. From there, Roczen put in a masterful ride to stay within striking distance of a top-five result. Roczen again made his push late in the final laps, crossing the season’s last checkered flag in fourth place. Roczen was strong, steady, and strategic throughout the post-season rounds, and stood in fourth place in the championship standings when the dust cleared on 2025.
“We had a pretty awesome day,” said Roczen. “We [earned] five and four [moto finishes] for fourth overall [tonight] and fourth in the championship as well; that was pretty much the best-case scenario we could have come out of here with, and that’s what we did. So, I’m pretty pumped. You know, you’ve got to put in some consistent rides before thinking about the next step, and I’m really happy and I think the team is happy. We’ve been tinkering with the bike all weekend just trying to improve [the settings] in little areas, and I’m really happy to finish [the season] off in fourth.”
Kyle Chisholm (11) posted fast lap times in qualifying that had him looking strong as he lined up for the daytime Wildcard Race. Without motocross season points, Chisholm was ranked into the unseeded rider group and thus needed to qualify at each post-season round. When the gate dropped, Chisholm got closed off by the pack funneling into the first corner. Chisholm was moving up rapidly but came into contact with another rider and crashed on the opening lap. Chisholm was not able to finish the race.
“The bike felt awesome, I felt good about it, and just needed to get into the main event,” stated Chisholm. “Unfortunately, another rider, just a racing incident, nothing on purpose, moved over a little bit in a rhythm… We came together. I didn’t have a bad crash, but I landed right on top of his bike and hurt my shoulder and my arm pretty good. The good news is that nothing’s broken, just bruised and beat up a little bit. I’ll be okay, it’s just a bummer to end the season that way and not be out there in the mains where I want to be… We’ll move on and try to get ready for World Supercross.”
“We had a really good day, a good weekend,” said Larry Brooks, Twisted Tea/H.E.P. Motorsports/Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance Team Manager. “The only downfall was the Kyle Chisholm crash in the Wildcard race… But Ken Roczen was a stud today. He rode really good. He pushed all the way through both motos, finishing fourth overall for the night and fourth overall in the championship. The whole team has worked our butts off this season, and actually pretty hard this weekend, and from the top to the bottom everyone did their job. So, we’re really excited; we’re going to work on a few things in the off-season, we know the direction we need to go to improve, and we’re going to come out guns ‘a blazin’ next year in the Supercross Championship.”
The Suzuki riders and team members wrap up a successful season that saw many highlights throughout the 2025 US racing series. From a second-place result at the Anaheim 1 Supercross to kick-off the year, to Ken Roczen’s first Daytona Supercross win, everyone on the team can reflect on a job well done. The Suzuki teams now look optimistically ahead toward the World Supercross Championship where Ken Roczen is a two-time champion.
Tomac Finishes Third in SMX Finals
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing wrapped up the 2025 SuperMotocross World Championship Finals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with all three riders finishing inside the top 10 of both the overall and championship standings. Eli Tomac maintained his perfect podium record in the postseason with a 2-3 moto score for third overall on the night and third in the 450SMX Championship. Justin Cooper finished fifth overall (4-6) to secure fifth in the championship, and Cooper Webb ended the season seventh overall (8-7) for sixth in the SMX Final standings.
All eyes were on Las Vegas for the triple-points-paying finale. Tomac qualified third and got a great start to the first moto, quickly making his way to the runner-up spot and claiming the lead on the second lap. The eight-time AMA Supercross/Motocross Champion set the fastest lap of the race on Lap 4 and led for most of the moto. With around four laps to go, he was passed by his title rival, ultimately crossing the line second for his fourth-consecutive podium finish in the playoffs. In Moto 2, he got another top-five start and moved into the runner-up spot early, where he rode for most of the moto before getting passed in the final laps. Tomac returned to the podium with his third-place finish, securing third overall and third in the 450SMX Championship.
Cooper qualified fourth and got a good start to the first moto in third. The New Yorker ran a strong pace, but dropped back to fourth around the halfway mark, where he would finish. In Moto 2, he got another good start inside the top three before unfortunately having a crash on the second lap. Undeterred, Cooper rejoined in ninth and kept pushing. Despite damage to the bike from his crash, he made his way back to sixth in the latter half of the moto and continued to fight for a top-five result. Cooper ultimately crossed the line sixth, securing fifth overall and fifth in championship standings.
Their teammate Webb qualified seventh and was sixth off the start, but dropped back to eighth on the opening lap of the first moto. Dealing with some arm pump issues, he held on to the position to earn another top-10 finish. In the second moto, the 2025 450SX Champion rebounded with a flying start, grabbing the holeshot and leading the first lap. He held onto third in the opening laps, but ultimately was shuffled back to eighth as the race wore on. Webb kept pushing and made his way back to seventh, where he would finish to secure seventh overall and sixth in the 450SMX Championship.
Rich Simmons – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team Manager
“Overall, it was a good day. Eli and Justin rode really well. Our speed and starts were strong, but we just didn’t have that late-race pace to finish it off. Eli put up a good fight and gave it everything he had. Justin was pushing hard, but unfortunately went down in the second moto. Coop ended the playoffs on a high note with the holeshot, led the first lap, and showed some speed there. I’m proud of the guys for how they rode through this three-race series. It’s not where we would like to finish, but I’m proud of the team and their effort.”
Eli Tomac – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #3
“It was a solid weekend for us. I had a really strong first moto and was able to get a good start, and made the pass on Hunter (Lawrence) on Lap 2. I led most of the race but ended up getting caught by Jett (Lawrence) and getting passed in the last few laps, but I did what I could to put up a good fight. We went into Moto 2 with the same mindset, but I just didn’t ride quite as well as in Moto 1. Third overall on the weekend and third overall in SMX – it was solid. Of course, we wanted more, but it was a good weekend for the team.”
Justin Cooper – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #32
“Vegas is always a tough one with the hard-packed conditions, but I actually felt really comfortable all day and felt like I had good speed. The starts were really good, so we turned that around, which was great. I had a good race in the first one, but in the second one, I crashed on the second lap. I tried to get my way back up there and was fighting those guys, but my bike was really bent up, so it was tough to move forward. I did what I could and came up a little bit short on that battle for fourth, but we’ll take fifth in the championship.”
Cooper Webb – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #2
“The Vegas finale was pretty wild with triple points and all of us being so close. In the first moto, I really struggled. I had some arm pump and just didn’t apply myself. In the second one, I got a holeshot, which was awesome, and ran up front for a while. I just didn’t quite have the speed, so I got pushed back, but we’ll work with it. I had a better second moto, and we ended up sixth in points. I wish we could’ve made the top five – that was the goal – but we made it through safe and we’ll get ready for the upcoming 2026 season.”
Thrasher Finishes Fourth at SMX Finals in Las Vegas
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Nate Thrasher capped off the 2025 SuperMotocross World Championship with a strong showing, finishing fourth overall (5-4) at the SMX Finals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada. His grit and determination to come back through the field for another top-five result secured fourth in the 250SMX Championship standings. Haiden Deegan also put in a gritty ride to secure a hard-earned runner-up finish in Moto 1 before a crash ended his night in Moto 2 with a broken collarbone, leaving him ninth overall. Wildcard riders Daxton Bennick and Max Anstie each recovered from crashes to finish 12th (9-14) and 17th (17-12), respectively, while Cole Davies’ night ended early with a crash in Moto 1.
Although he struggled to find his comfort zone and was 15th in the combined times, Thrasher delivered two determined rides to finish inside the top five in both motos. In Moto 1, he made an impressive charge through the field from 20th to fifth. In Moto 2, he again worked his way forward from outside the top 10, climbing from 13th to fourth with six laps remaining. His consistency earned him fourth overall on the night and fourth in the 250SMX Championship. The Tennessee rider also finished fourth in the 250SX East Championship and added another supercross victory to his resume at the Birmingham Supercross.
Deegan entered the triple-points season finale 10 points behind the leader. After qualifying 12th in the combined times, he rebounded with a strong Moto 1 ride. He made his way to fourth in the opening laps before unfortunately finding himself on the ground after coming together with another rider in front of him, who started to crash in the sand. Deegan rejoined back in fourth and put his head down, setting a blistering pace to move into the runner-up spot, where he would finish. In Moto 2, he made his way into second by Lap 5 and battled for the lead with his title rival before a crash on Lap 10 that put both riders on the ground. The Californian withdrew from the moto with a collarbone injury, ending his night with a 2-20 score for ninth overall. He was later assessed a five-championship-point penalty for aggressive riding. Deegan finished the 2025 SMX World Championship season with two titles – the 250SX West Championship and a second-consecutive Pro Motocross 250MX Championship – and was fifth in the 250SMX standings.
Bennick was 13th in the combined times and then overcame adversity from crashes in the 250 Wildcard LCQ race to earn the final transfer spot to the night show. With the less-than-ideal gate pick, he fought his way back from 19th to finish ninth in Moto 1. In the second moto, he got a great start inside the top three and ran inside the top five early before dropping back to 14th, ending the day 12th overall. His efforts earned 10th in the 250SMX Championship standings, a strong finish to the year despite being sidelined with injury for much of the season.
Anstie qualified ninth in the combined times and finished third in the 250 Wildcard LCQ race. From there, he had a strong start despite his gate pick and was 11th after the start of Moto 1. Unfortunately, he came together with another rider on the opening lap and found himself at the back of the field. He did what he could, but lost too much time to advance further than 17th. In the second moto, he once again found himself at the back of the field, but continued to push, making his way to 12th to end the day 17th overall. It was a rollercoaster year for the British rider, who started the season with a win at the Tampa Supercross and was a title contender in the 250SX East Championship before an injury sidelined him until the SMX Playoffs.
Davies was 10th in qualifying despite a big crash, and was 16th after the start of Moto 1. He quickly made his way to eighth in the opening laps before unfortunately having a crash that ended his night early. The young New Zealander looks to return to full fitness to build on his standout debut supercross season, which saw him earn two wins, four podiums, Rookie of the Year honors, and third in the 250SX West Championship, even though he missed the final round in Salt Lake City with injury.
Wil Hahn – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 250 Team General Manager
“I’m really bummed for Haiden with the injury in the finale. Nate had a really strong night and finished off his year on a high note. Max and Dax were caught up in crashes and first-lap mishaps that cost a lot of positions, and Cole’s night unfortunately ended early. It was a tough finale, but we’ll focus on getting our guys healthy and making another championship run next season.”
Nate Thrasher – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #41
“I kind of struggled all day with setup. I think I made changes every time we went out on track, so to end up fourth tonight, we’ll take it. I got terrible starts, but I just dug deep. The first moto I was way back and ended up fifth, and then was fourth in Moto 2. In these last two rounds, my intensity has been there, and I was kind of back to my old self. I’ve got a lot of momentum going into next year, and I’m looking to carry that into it. I feel like I’m in the best spot that I’ve been in a long time. It’s time to fight for the supercross championship, whatever coast I’m racing.”
Haiden Deegan – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #1
“I gave it everything I had to win the championship. This new format of racing in SMX makes for an intense grand finale. I always give 110%. It’s high-stakes racing, and it’s hard to really explain what that’s like without being in that situation. Props to Jo (Shimoda) on the championship. He put up a helluva fight.
“I have made it to every single gate drop since I started racing pro. Last night finally bit me as I cracked my collarbone. I am getting it fixed and will be back to work to come back stronger than ever.”
Daxton Bennick – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #34
“Qualifying went pretty well, but I had some crashes in the LCQ race, which for sure put me behind the eight ball going into Moto 1. I had the last gate pick, but I made the best of it and rode really well to salvage a ninth-place finish. So I was happy with that. Then I put myself in a really good spot in the second moto. I think I came out second or third and rode in fifth for a while, but I just locked up unfortunately. There’s not much to say except that I’m disappointed. We’ll learn from this and come out next year swinging.”
Max Anstie – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #31
“Vegas was tough. In the first moto, I came together with someone on the first lap and ended up a half a lap behind and a lap down. In the second moto, I didn’t have a great gate pick. I did everything I could to get a great start, but pushed in and ended up going straight off the track, and was riding around at the back. It doesn’t help having to go through the LCQs for these races. It is what it is. At the end of the day, my goal was to just race and get back to feeling fit and strong, and to have a good off-season now and be solid for next year.”
Cole Davies – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #100
“Unfortunately, it just wasn’t our day in Vegas. It wasn’t due to a lack of effort; we just couldn’t catch a break. I came into the weekend carrying a niggling thumb injury from Charlotte, followed by a heavy hit during qualifying. We locked in for the mains, but another crash put me out of the race, and we parked it for the night. It’s definitely not the way we wanted to end our SMX Playoffs, but all we can do is learn from it and continue to grow. I’m looking forward to the off-season and getting back to where I know I belong. I can’t thank the entire Star Yamaha team enough for everything they’ve done and continue to do for me week in, week out.”
SETH HAMMAKER SCORES BIG FOR MONSTER ENERGY PRO CIRCUIT KAWASAKI AT THE SUPERMOTOCROSS FINALE
Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Seth Hammaker stole the show in Las Vegas, winning Moto 2 and securing second overall on the night and second in the SMX World Championship™ with a 3-1 finish. Ty Masterpool powered through adversity to secure fifth overall (11-6). Garrett Marchbanks fought through the pack to claim seventh overall (7-11). Levi Kitchen showed top-tier speed, but retired early from Moto 2 with a mechanical issue for 14th overall (6-21). Drew Adams battled through the tough track to claim 16th overall (20-9).
In qualifying, Masterpool topped both unseeded qualifying sessions to place himself seventh overall and would go on to win the Wildcard race to stamp his ticket into the night show. Hammaker followed his teammates’ impressive speed by topping both seeded qualifying sessions and taking fastest overall qualifier after the second session. Adams put in an impressive second session as well, moving himself into third overall, while Kitchen and Marchbanks took sixth and 14th overall, respectively.
In 250 Moto 1, Hammaker charged out of the start gate, rounding the first turn in second place with his teammate Kitchen on his rear fender in third place. Marchbanks was shuffled back to 18th place off the start. Adams and Masterpool found themselves in an early race pileup that placed them back in 19th and 21st after they remounted their bikes. While pressuring for a Top 3 position on the first lap, Kitchen tipped over in the rugged sand section and remounted in 13th. As the race unfolded, Hammaker kept the leader in his sights and continued pushing for the top spot, but the No. 56 would ultimately slip to third place to finish the moto. Marchbanks strategically worked his way into the Top 10, passing 11 riders to claim seventh in the moto. Masterpool would pass 10 riders to claim 11th place. Adams attempted to battle back to the front, but a bent shifter from his crash limited his ability to make passes. He climbed his way to 15th before being landed on by another rider late in the race, leaving him unable to finish the moto.
In 250 Moto 2, Hammaker executed another incredible start, grabbing the holeshot and quickly pulling away from the field. Kitchen mirrored his strong start from Moto 1, rounding the first turn in third place, then instantly moved into second behind his teammate. The duo put on a show running 1-2 aboard their Kawasaki KX250™ machines in the opening laps. Masterpool would come out of the gate close behind his teammates in seventh, while Marchbanks would be in 14th. Hindered by a poor outside gate pick, Adams would be pushed off the track on the start and come through the first lap in 20th. Hammaker maintained a strong lead until he dropped back to third mid-race. As the battle up front intensified, the top two riders collided, opening the door for Hammaker to breeze by and take the checkers for the Moto 2 victory and second overall. Masterpool maintained a consistent pace in the Top 10 throughout the entire race to finish sixth place and fifth overall, the best-ever finish by an unseeded rider at SuperMotocross. Despite being a bit banged up from his Moto 1 crash, Adams didn’t let it show as he passed 11 riders during the race to take ninth in the moto and 16th overall. After a better start in the second moto, Marchbanks found himself down early on the opening lap, forcing him to bring out his well-known charge from behind speed. He powered his way from 20th to finish 11th in the race and a respectable seventh overall. Kitchen looked unstoppable as he clicked off fast laps, but just before the mid-way point, he would be forced to pull out of the race early after a rock got lodged in his rear brake pedal.
“Today was a crazy end to a long season. I didn’t come out with the championship, but I’m super happy to end the night with the moto win. I did my best to avoid the chaos and focus on my own race. After Jo [Shimoda] and Haiden [Deegan] went down, I was able to capitalize on their mistakes and take the win. This year held a lot of adversity and ups and downs for me. Overall, it was nice to get through the whole season healthy. I only missed one race, and the goal was to make it to every race and build this foundation, from moving to Florida and changing my riding style and mindset. It feels good to see everything pay off, and having never given up. It feels like a new chapter in my career. I feel like it’s only going to get better. I have a lot to learn still, but it was positive to see this year and all the stuff that we worked on pay off and help me. I’m looking forward to 2026.”
Seth Hammaker
“Overall, it was a good day. The results don’t really show it, but I had to go through the unseeded qualifying and Wildcard race, but I made it into the motos. In Moto 1, I got cleaned out on the first lap and had to come from almost dead last. I worked my way through the pack, but unfortunately, by the second moto, I was still pretty banged up from that crash. I was able to get a better start and hold my pace up front. I’m happy with a fifth overall, which is a solid result for everything that went on today. I’m happy to close out the year healthy and with a great group of people around me, and I’m really looking forward to next year.”
Ty Masterpool
“Overall, I’m really happy with the season. I felt like I finally started putting all the pieces together and showing I can be that top guy. We stayed relatively healthy all year and had a lot of solid rides that built my confidence and proved what I’m capable of. The crash at the start of the playoffs wasn’t ideal, but even with that setback, I was able to dig deep and finish out the year strong. I’ve learned a ton, and now the focus is on getting some rest, resetting, and coming back even stronger next season, ready to fight for wins.”
Garrett Marchbanks
“It was a roller coaster of a weekend here in Vegas. I qualified P3, which felt good to finally get back up there in qualifying. In the first moto, I got tangled up in a pile-up on the opening lap and bent my shifter back into my footpeg, so I couldn’t shift at all. Several laps later, another rider landed on the back of me, which made it a rough moto. I ended up with some bone bruising in my arm and a pretty bad burn on the back of my calf. I went over to the Alpinestars rig, got checked out, and after sitting on the bike for a minute, I thought, ‘Alright, I can race the second moto.’ I fought through the pain and came from around 20th up to ninth. Considering I was probably only at about 70 to 75% for that race, I’m happy with how it turned out. Overall, it’s a solid way to finish out my rookie season, and now I’m looking forward to building on it for next year.”
Drew Adams
“It was an up-and-down season, but I felt like there were a lot of positives. I’m a bit frustrated with how the night turned out, especially with my position at the start of the first moto and then going down early on. I had a bike issue in that second moto that unfortunately ended my race early. I put together some good motos and showed speed, but I just didn’t put the whole night together. I learned a lot racing SMX and battling with these guys. I’ll take a little time off, reset, and then get back after it. Looking forward to coming in stronger next year.”
Levi Kitchen
