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Morning Report

Good morning, race fans! We are out here at Budds Creek Motocross Park for the season finale of the 2025 AMA Pro Motocross Championship. After a fun, wild, exciting, and unpredictable summer of racing, we have just two motos remaining in both the 250 and 450 Classes (as well as one final WMX moto this afternoon as well!). By the end of the day, another season will be in the books!

Weather wise, we are expecting a high of about 81° F with 65 percent humidity. This circuit is knowing for some hot days, and the lack of wind does not help. As far as the track itself, expect Ezra Beasley and the crew to have the "chocolate cake" prepped and ready for today's action. 

Again, you know most of the storylines by this point: Jett Lawrence already clinched his second premier class AMA Motocross title last weekend, so he is just here to try and add another win to his résumé. The remainder of the field—his older brother Hunter Lawrence, Eli Tomac, Justin Cooper, and more—all look to be able to steal a win from the #18 here today. Only Chase Sexton, who is out injured, and Hunter Lawrence have taken overall wins aside from Jett Lawrence. Could we leave with a different winner? Can Tomac grab that elusive overall win he has not gotten this summer? Could Cooper earn his first 450 Pro Motocross win? Or will the #18 add another event win to his already impressive stats line?

Note: the 450 Class will be racing first today.

As far as the 250 Class Championship, Jo Shimoda not only held off Haiden Deegan in both motos last weekend, but he held off the championship celebration, forcing the title to come down to this finale. Deegan has a 43-point lead, so he needs just seven points (15th place) in the first moto to clinch his second consecutive title. Will Deegan grab the overall win and end his 250 Pro Motocross career with a bang as he sprays champaign from the center of the podium? Or will Shimoda keep his win streak rolling and win another season finale just as he did two seasons ago in 2023? Or is there another rider who will take the win?

And for the final WMX moto of the day, we will see the female competitors out on the track battling for the final time before we crown a #1 WMX Champion as well during the halftime between the end of the first motos and the start of the second motos. Lachlan Turner will likely make it two Yamaha-mounted champions crowned here today at the Yamaha Budds Creek National.

Check out the injury report for today.

There are really no changes from last year’s version of the track to this year’s race. Still, this track will be far from easy as breaking bumps, long ruts, and kickers will form on faces of jumps. But before you grab your chair and camp out by Big Gulp, Henry Hill, or even your couch at home, check out a lap around Budds Creek Motocross Park, courtesy of Maryland’s own Justin Rodbell. You know this guy will be throwing down some big whips today, so keep your eyes on the #148 machine all day.

As always, riders' meeting at 7:15 a.m. with Pastor Jake, then bikes on track at 8 a.m. (again, 450 Class first). Here we go!

First Qualifying

450 Class

The first bikes took to the track, and it was Maryland native Justin Rodbell with the fastest time in the first timed session—450 Class group B. Rodbell's 2:01.254 bested Canada's Dylan Wright's 2:01.846.

In the first 450 Class group A session, it was Jett Lawrence’s 1:53.733 with the top time, followed by Eli Tomac’s 1:54.910 in second, over a second back. Hunter Lawrence’s 1:55.710 was third fastest, nearly two seconds off his brother. Justin Cooper (1:57.563) and RJ Hampshire (1:57.660) rounded out the top five. Jorge Prado’s fastest lap was a…2:07.544. The #70’s time was 37th in that first group A session.

250 Class

Championship leader Haiden Deegan’s 1:55.994 topped the first 250 Class group A session. Seth Hammaker’s 1:57.102 was closet—over 1.1 seconds back—then Ryder DiFrancesco’s 1:57.810 was third as KTM teammates Julien Beaumer and Tom Vialle rounded out the top five.

Rookie Landon Gibson’s 2:02.322 was the top time in the 250 Class group B first session.

Second Qualifying Sessions

450 Class

The track continued to get worked in and the times continued to get faster. Dylan Wright and Justin Rodbell again topped the 450 Class group B session, this time with Wright’s 1:58.678 topping Rodbell’s 1:59.149.

In the 450 Class group A session, it was Jett Lawrence’s 1:51.867 as the top time, over Justin Cooper’s 1:52.500. There were five more riders under the 1:56 mark as this track became a highway pretty quickly. Usually, Pro Motocross circuits have lap times around the 2:05 to 2:10 mark, and while these blazing fast lap times might not be the average lap times come the motos, this track is damn fast at the moment!

While there were some fast laps coming across the live timing page left and right, Jorge Prado’s name was not one of them. The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider’s top time this session was a 2:03.709 on the seventh lap. His top time is… 11.842 seconds slower than Jett Lawrence. Also, he had seven different privateer Kawasaki riders ahead of him. Prado’s time was 43th fastest. While he did not make the top 36 overall in qualifying for an automatic spot into the motos, he does get a guaranteed spot on the gate since he is inside the top ten in championship pints (sixth at the moment). The ongoing struggles for the #70 machine have been well documented this summer and right when there seemed to be steps in the right direction, this morning was just ugly.

250 Class

The second 250 Class group A qualifying session got underway, and it was Levi Kitchen (2:02.079) and Haiden Deegan (2:04.513) as the early top times before a red flag came out. AEO Powersports KTM Racing’s CJ Benard came up way short on the massive Big Gulp triple and was slammed hard over the bars, causing the red flag. Tall KTM rider was placed onto a backboard and taken off the track on the back of the Alpinestars medical cart. The session got back underway, and it was Julien Beaumer and a few of the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki riders out front on the results page. Beaumer’s 1:55.415 was the top spot until Drew Adams put down a heater to take over P1 after the #98 put down a 1:55.264. Then, Garrett Marchbanks put in a 1:55.384 to move into second. The checkered flag waved, and Adams rolled up to the podium with a big smile as he was ready for his podium interview. Then his teammate Seth Hammaker came in hot…and took the top spot on the final lap! Hammaker’s 1:54.901 moved Adams back to second by 0.363 seconds. The two shared a fist bump and a laugh before Adams rode off and made way for Hammaker to do the top qualifier interview. I also caught Hammaker and Beaumer sharing an exchange after the #56 looked unhappy with the #23 at the end of a fast lap. Beaumer and Jo Shimoda rounded out the top five in the session. Haiden Deegan was seventh in the session. Rookies Caden Dudney (15th overall) and Landon Gibson (26th) both landed inside the cut off for the motos.

First Motos

450 Class

The gates dropped on the points paying motos here at the Pro Motocross finale and it was none other than Jett Lawrence with the holeshot and early lead as the field came past the mechanics' area for the first time. They #18 threw up his left hand as he hit the double and it was go time! Justin Cooper got side-by-side with the #18 as they simultaneously scrubbed the finish line jump and got to battling. Lawrence got into the lead, but Cooper kept him honest. Jorge Prado swung around wide from his very outside gate (literally the gate up against the grass) and got a decent start. RJ Hampshire, Eli Tomac, and Prado were up in the mix, as Hunter Lawrence made his way forward as well. Jett Lawrence took the moto win as Cooper held on for second. Hunter Lawrence charged to third, then Hampshire then Tomac rounded out the top five. Prado was battling Mitchell Harrison, who eventually bested the Spanish rider for tenth as Prado came through 11th. Another good start turned south for the #70 machine...

250 Class

The gates dropped and it was Tom Vialle out front! Unfortunately, the race was red flagged midway through the first lap due to a downed rider after the finish line jump. Cole Pranger went down and looked to have a leg injury. Due to the location of the crash, and the severity, the race was red flagged. Riders went back to their gates for a full restart. Pranger was placed onto a backboard and taken off the track via the Alpinestars medical cart. Pranger gave a thumbs up to the crowd as the cart drove to the medical rig.

Off the restart, it was Vialle again with the holeshot! However, he fell over on the first lap, handing the lead to rookie Cole Davies! Haiden Deegan into second. Davies would give Deegan a battle before the #1 took over the lead. Jo Shimoda charged up to second after a pass on Davies. Seth Hammaker and Levi Kitchen both got Drew Adams late, as the #98 was running a great moto. Then Hammaker had an issue and dropped back outside of the top 20. Ty Masterpool and Garrett Marchbanks were moving forward until the top ten. Vialle was tenth behind Smith. Deegan took the win over Shimoda and Davies, who earned his first moto podium finish in just his third career moto.

Breaking News: Deegan and Shimoda Penalties

Haiden Deegan and Jo Shimoda were both penalized for jumping on a red cross flag, which dropped them both one position AND cost them each five championship points. According to the SuperMotocross League social media account, the penalties will give Cole Davies the moto win. 

Here is the official results from the moto, with the penalties noted at the bottom.

WMX Finale Moto

The final WMX race got out of the gates. Mikayla Nielsen led early as Charli Cannon went down in a first turn crash. Lachlan Turner charged up to the race lead and took the moto win, clinching the title. Nielsen held on for second as Kyleigh Stallings came through third. Cannon charged all the way up to fourth place in an impressive ride from dead last. Jordan Jarvis rounded out the top five. 

Turner claimed the overall win over Cannon and Nielsen. Turner goes back-to-back in terms of the title, becoming a two-time WMX Champion.

Second Motos

450 Class

The second—and final—450 Class moto of the summer got underway, and it was the Lawrence brothers out front. Hunter Lawrence was leading Jett Lawrence as Justin Cooper ran third. RJ Hampshire and Justin Barcia were battling, with the #24 eventually making a pass stick. Hampshire got by both the #51 and the #32, taking over third place. Eli Tomac was outside the top ten after getting buried in the start. Late in the race, he was running ninth before he passed Kyle Webster to take over the eighth place. Hunter Lawrence took the moto win by 12.969 seconds but Jett Lawrene’s 1-2 finishes will best his older brother’s 1-3 finishes. Cooper’s 3-4 finishes will land third overall on the day. Jorge Prado landed 11-12 finishes for tenth overall.

250 Class

Nate Thrasher got the holeshot in the final moto of the summer, but Haiden Deegan was leading Jo Shimoda off the start of the second moto. But two laps in, Julien Beaumer clipped the rear wheel of Parker Ross as they came flying past the mechanics' area at high speed, which caused a big crash for the #23 machine. The race was red flagged in order to allow the medical crew to attend to the Arizona native. He was placed in a soft neck brace and helped to his feet, then onto the back of the Alpinestars medical cart.

The field got back on the gates for the restart, but we once again saw the new restart procedure where the gates are down, the riders are lined up in the order they were running in prior to the red flag, and the riders are released one-by-one by the AMA official. Deegan would go on to take the win with a big Nac-Nac as he hit the finish line jump. Jo Shimoda came through second, followed by Levi Kitchen, Garrett Marchbanks, and Thrasher.

Cole Davies, the new winner of the first moto after the penalty, scored 17. His 1-17 finishes landed seventh overall. Tom Vialle, 11th in the first moto, did not start this moto.

Deegan’s 2-1 landed the overall win over Shimoda’s 3-2 and Kitchen’s 4-3 finishes. That is officially a wrap on the 2025 AMA Pro Motocross Championship. One weekend off, then the paddock will be in North Carolina for the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) Playoffs.