For the first time in a very long time, the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship is headed to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Set alongside the Ohio River, Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium is hard to confuse as the gold seats pop visually. Further, this area has a long heritage of motocross with District 5 being one of the more notable racing districts of the AMA. Steel City was one of the riders’ favorite events on the AMA Pro Motocross calendar before being demo’d and High Point is only an hour south. There hasn't been a race in this city since 1983. With industry titans MX Sports and Racer X just down the I-79 freeway, too, it’s easy to see why Pittsburgh will be one of the hottest tickets in 2025.
The track this weekend will be very weather dependent (seems like this is becoming the norm). As drawn, this layout is fairly technical and could give riders options on how to put it together. If it rains on Saturday afternoon, forget all of that and it becomes an endless array of double jumps. Let’s assume weather will cooperate, shall we?
The start is the longest variety we get on the calendar. Spanning from one of end of Acrisure to the other, it finally bends into a long, flat 180 left. This long start has pros and cons. The upside is that it gives riders more time to establish space for maneuverability. They separate and the likelihood of bars locking in the corner is reduced. The downside is when something does go wrong, the speeds are much higher. Crashes can turn from benign to spectacular when the speeds go up. The last notable aspect of the faster start is that in a shallow, flat first corner, if riders can’t slow down enough, they are immediately off the course and into a concrete wall (also see: bad).
The first rhythm section has two approaches, and the choice will be determined by the very first jump. If it’s smaller than average, riders will be forced to double from it and then attempt a 3-3-2 which is actually a very nice combo with riders landing on the taller jumps (always ideal). If riders can somehow triple from this first jump, they would execute a 3-3-3-1 which also utilizes the small 3-foot jumps as take-offs (also ideal). With riders wanting to stick to the inside in this first corner each lap to protect their line, I foresee the 2-3-3-2 being the likely race line.
After a 180 left, riders will parallel the first rhythm section with another technical straight. The absolute fastest way to execute this section will be to step on-step on-step off the first tabletops. They will then be able to go 3-2 to exit the rhythm. If riders can’t get the steps across (build angles, weather, etc), watch for them to step over both tabletops and then decide between a 3-2 or 2-3 to exit. This first option will be markedly quicker than the step-over option because of A) the speed carried across them is impossible to beat and B) the lack of slow, floating height forced by popping over the tabletops.
A 180 right sets riders up for yet another triple out of the corner, a single and then a standard supercross triple. This three from the corner will be tough for the 250’s, but make no mistake, it will be a lot faster under all scenarios because of the avoidance of the taller third jump face.
A left 180 chutes riders across the start straight diagonally and into a right hand 180. Watch for attempted block passing in this final corner as the entry angle is a little open for a harsh move. To block, lead riders would cut across the very inside and then float outside to carry the momentum. If the lead rider goes to the berm in the final lap, watch for bent metal.
The finish line jump brings riders into a netted 180 left and five jumps before the whoops. Similar to Tampa’s setup, carrying speed through these jumps and into the whoops will be of paramount importance. If Sexton can exploit this the way he did in New Jersey, it could be a big-time saver. Webb will want to negate this by jumping 4-5 whoops in an attempt to jump out in one swoop. Most of this dynamic will be determined by the build and deterioration come main event time.
An interesting inside/outside option lane snakes through a left/right before ending up on the start straight for lap two. A thought on the option: if jumping the whoops and able to enter the corner at slow speed, the first inside might be a more suitable choice. If riders are blitzing at high speed, carrying that momentum through the outside lane makes more sense. Watch for riders to experiment with each lane and also depend on their taped footage technology to help sort out the best path.
Who’s Hot
Seth Hammaker took sole possession of the red plate in Jersey with a win to boot. He’s been the best version of himself in 2025.
Cullin Park has been very impressive this year and his fourth at East Rutherford was more evidence of it. The mud podium sticks out, no doubt, but his riding in all conditions is notable.
Austin Forkner had a turnaround day and while he made a late mistake, the entire look and feel of this round was different. It was good to see glimpses of the AF we know is hiding in there.
Chase Sexton was lights out in Jerz. He was relatively unchallenged as he pushed his lead to 20 seconds for a brief time. That may have been the best I have ever seen him ride.
Cooper Webb didn’t have anything for Sexton, but he was solid and still holds a nine point lead with three rounds to go. The key for Webb is to maximize every point, every opportunity and force Sexton to be perfect.
Aaron Plessinger landed on the podium again and continues his excellent season post Daytona. Remember when he couldn’t do anything right in January and February? Feels like ancient history now.
Dylan Ferrandis snagged a fifth and has looked great as of late. Whether it’s the HRC parts or the added motivation of being passed over for the fill-in spot, in any case he has turned up the pace.
Dean Wilson did get that aforementioned Honda fill-in spot and made big strides after his Philly debut. The key here is that Deano’s personality and persona made a huge difference in the decision. That’s a lesson for up-and-comers. It’s not always just about results. Today’s era has a lot of marketing aspects to consider.
| Position | Rider | Hometown | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Cooper Webb | Newport, NC  | 365 |
| 2 |  Chase Sexton | La Moille, IL | 363 |
| 3 |  Justin Cooper | Cold Spring Harbor, NY | 281 |
| 4 |  Malcolm Stewart | Haines City, FL | 277 |
| 5 |  Ken Roczen | Mattstedt, Germany  | 271 |
Who’s Not
Tom Vialle hasn’t been able to match pace with RJ and Seth and he has seen a 10-point lead turn into a seven point deficit over the course of three rounds. He absolutely has to beat them in Pittsburgh if he wants to be the champ again.
Chance Hymas was looking good after grabbing a heat win. His worse-than-average start got a lot worse when he went over the bars on lap 2. He has the speed and ability but is having a tough time finding continuity that leads to momentum and results.
Bold Predictions
The average BAC level of any card-carrying old-school AMA District 5 member hovers around .30 for 72 straight hours.
Chase Sexton is seen slipping the whoop builder a C note on Thursday afternoon.
With silly season underway, Suzuki makes an offer to Eli Tomac but with budgets tight amongst geopolitical uncertainty, their offer sheet is comprised of 73 Suzuki Sidekicks and 141 marine outboard engines.
