Pala, CA Fox Raceway (Pala)AMA Pro Motocross Championship

The World Champ

Sure, the idea of watching Jorge Prado compete in supercross was fun, but whoops and rhythm lanes aren’t his specialty—motocross is! After winning the last two FIM Motocross World Championship MXGP titles, Prado vacated his MXGP throne to see how he might fare in the AMA Pro Motocross Championship, and we’re about to get our first glimpse of how that might look. He’s been hurt—he dislocated his shoulder at A2 and had surgery—so he probably hasn’t had nearly as much time to prepare as he’d like, but still, getting to see one of the best GP riders in the world compete in Pro Motocross is going to be awesome! -Aaron Hansel

The Reigning Champ

Chase Sexton may have narrowly missed out on earning the #1 plate in supercross, but at least he gets to strap one onto his Red Bull KTM this weekend for AMA Pro Motocross. Sexton is no doubt eager to erase the sting of his recent championship loss by cranking out wins at the Nationals. It’ll also mark the first time we’ve ever gotten to see the MXGP champ [Prado] come compete in America, for an entire season, against the reigning AMA Pro Motocross Champ! Will Sexton come out of the gate swinging? -Hansel

The Perfect Champ

It wouldn’t be fair to call the 2025 AMA Pro Motocross Championship a critical season for Jett Lawrence. He’s young, supremely talented, and is going to be highly desirable by any employer for many years to come. That said, he has missed two seasons of racing in a row now. He bowed out of motocross early last year with a thumb injury and was forced to call it a season in supercross after tearing his ACL on February 1 in Glendale. Lawrence likely wants to make it all the way through this one, and you know the man who recorded a perfect season in 2023 is gunning for nothing short of a championship. Where will he find the balance? -Hansel

The Four-Time Champ

Eli Tomac missed most of supercross with a broken fibula, a major bone located in the lower leg. He’s been back on the bike for over a month now though as he prepares to return to racing at Fox Raceway. It’s Tomac, so we know he’s going to be good. We’ve seen him return from injury before and be great almost right away. On the flipside, he won’t be the only shark in the water on Saturday. Where will Tomac slot in when gates start dropping on Pro Motocross? -Hansel

Jorge Prado Simon Cudby
Chase Sexton Align Media
Jett Lawrence Align Media
Eli Tomac Align Media

The Supercross Champ

Although he doesn’t have the numbers in the 450 Class to back it up, Cooper Webb is indeed capable of hauling ass outdoors. After all, you don’t win a 250 National title if you can’t hack the nationals! Then again, Webb is fresh off an extremely taxing supercross season in which he was put through the meatgrinder of going toe-to-toe with Sexton. We’ve also seen supercross champs struggle at opening rounds of motocross before, a scientific condition referred to as a supercross hangover. What will we see from Webb this Saturday in Southern California? -Hansel

The 250 Champ

You don’t have to cheer for him, but if you don’t think there’s an extremely strong chance Haiden Deegan backs up his 2024 250 National Championship with another one in 2025, you’re a kook. He’s fresh off a 250SX West title, and now he’s coming into motocross, his wheelhouse. Will he bury the competition at Fox Raceway, the same track he grew up riding on? -Hansel

The Opposition

The list of competitors who would love to be the one to dethrone Deegan isn’t short. Jo Shimoda, Tom Vialle, Julian Beaumer, Levi Kitchen, Chance Hymas, Seth Hammaker, Cameron McAdoo, and many more would love to get in the way of Deegan taking home another championship. But to do it, they’re going to have figure out how to beat him consistently, something they’ve all been unable to do so far. Will someone figure out a way, starting at Fox Raceway? -Hansel

Back in the Saddle

After jumping off his 450 and signing with Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki RIGHT before the first race of the season in 2024, Ty Masterpool rewarded his new bosses by winning the overall at High Point and taking second overall at RedBud. And that was after switching from a 450 and having very little time aboard the Pro Circuit KX250! He broke some fingers in January racing supercross, but even with that injury, he’s coming into the season far more acquainted with his machine than he was in 2025. Will that translate into a high-placing performance at Fox Raceway? -Hansel

Sport Psychology Says

Of the list of riders above, only Chase Sexton and Cooper Webb have been racing all season. Eli Tomac, Jett Lawrence, Hunter Lawrence, Jorge Prado, and Jason Anderson are all coming back from injury. However, don’t assume just because they haven’t been racing that they will need some time to get back into the swing of things. Studies show that taking time off for injuries helps relieve burnout, which can leave riders feeling stale. Often times riders come back from injury feeling fresh and ready to win, so it is really anybody’s race this weekend. -Sarah Whitmore

WMX Is Back!

After a five-year hiatus, the Women’s Motocross (WMX) Championship returned for 2024 with an eight-round series, with six of those rounds running in conjunction with amateur nationals. New for 2025, the six round series will be running on the Friday before the Pro Motocross rounds, starting at Fox Raceway. Lachlan Turner, the 2024 WMX Champion, will be facing off against the best female motocross racers in the country, as well as Australian WMX champ Charli Cannon. If you are at the track today, make sure to catch the WMX action live! -Whitmore

Read our full WMX season preview if you missed it.