Last year, the 250 class was in a rebuild. Years of heavy graduation to the 450 class, starting with four riders all moving up for 2019 (Zach Osborne, Aaron Plessinger, Joey Savatgy, Martin Davalos) and then more talent after that in Adam Cianciarulo, Chase Sexton, and Dylan Ferrandis meant someone new was going to have to win by 2021. That’s exactly what happened, when seven new riders recorded supercross wins, and all three champions (250SX East, West and 250MX) were first-time champions.
None of those race winners moved up for 2022, though, which means the 250 landscape is on much firmer ground. We know what we’re dealing with, and heading into motocross, everyone is dealing with Jett Lawrence, who already has championship experience under his belt now. Jett crashed away his supercross chances last year and nearly choked away his motocross title on the final day of the year, but he got through it, and now he’s won the last two number-one plates he’s fought for. While the 250 class is usually branded as the wide open and wild class, the unpredictable division, the truth is we have a much better sense of what we’re dealing with in the 250s this year than the 450s. How are you going to predict Ryan Dungey and Tony Cairoli in the 450 class? You can’t. The 250s? We know these guys.
But it would be unfair to say this is just the Jett Show. We just need time to see if someone else can challenge him. Last year Justin Cooper did that exact thing, the 1B to Jett’s 1A. Run 2021’s 250 motocross title chase in a simulator a few times and Cooper wins the title on a few occasions. They were both capable, in the end, the breaks bounced Jett’s way. The trouble is, now Cooper is coming off a serious foot injury and a lot of time off the bike. If you can guarantee Justin Cooper is back to 100 percent and back to 2021 status, then he’s absolutely ready to challenge anyone. There’s just no way to know that until he races.
Some might already be tiring of the Lawrence brothers, but I wrote recently that they’ve earned their accolades. Depending on Cooper’s situation, Hunter and Jett become the top two preseason favorites for this title. They’re brothers and teammates. That’s crazy. Maybe we had a brief time when races boiled down to Alex versus Jeremy Martin for the win? Maybe. This is very, very unique stuff. There’s no doubt Hunter is good, he won as many races in supercross as anyone, and he says his body keeps getting stronger as he logs more time after years of injuries. However, you have to concede that while Hunter did finish a solid third in last season’s 250MX ranks, he was over 100 points behind Jett. How much can he step up?
What this class needs is a wild card, and it might get it with Austin Forkner. Forkner is the man in the shadows with the speed and talent to challenge at the front, but we need to see it. The latter moments of supercross provided a brief ray of hope. Maybe the 2019-2020 Forkner is back and the “just riding to not get hurt but still getting hurt” Forkner of more recent times is gone. He was very good in Atlanta, and he won Foxborough. Is that enough to assume he wins motos outdoors? The class would be better for it.
Jeremy Martin has provided the most consistent 250 moto-winning form of anyone over nearly a decade (yup!) but he will not be racing this summer due to injury. His absence kind of focuses the narrative on this class. Who will be the next group of kids to take The Leap to the front? As always in the 250s, the list of potential candidates is long. There are teams full of them. Seth Hammaker, Cameron McAdoo, and Jo Shimoda over at Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki. Michael Mosiman and Pierce Brown at Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GasGas. Monster Energy Yamaha/Star Racing always packs the house, but with Cooper on his way to the 450s next year, Christian Craig already into the 450s for outdoors and Colt Nichols still injured, there’s pressure on the young kids to start winning. That’s Levi Kitchen and Nate Thrasher now, and Nick Romano and Matt LeBlanc soon after. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna has Jalek Swoll and Stilez Robertson, and the goal is to get some momentum. Remember, Swoll did that last year when he won High Point. Any of the kids in this group can become that guy.
Somewhere in between lies a veteran who still has a wild streak of his own. RJ Hampshire will ride his heart out, and sometimes that’s great and sometimes it’s not. But he’s proven fast and capable the last few years, especially outdoors. He would have to put a lot of puzzle pieces together to make it happen consistently in 24 motos, but at least RJ is operating from a position of strength: he’s already won, and he knows he can win.
So while we have Jett in the class, presumably only a year stronger, smoother and smarter than he was in a season where he was already good enough to win a title, the 250s still offer that same old promise. What if some kid gets a bunch of good starts, gets hot, gets confident and surprises? What if the guys we already know find another level, or, at least, their old level? In all racing, anything can happen. The 250 class looks a little less unpredictable this year, but it doesn’t take much for narratives to change, and surprises to become expected.
