The 2025 AMA Pro Motocross Championship Finale went down over the weekend at Budds Creek, and just like the previous ten rounds, the action left us with plenty of questions. To gain a better understanding of how it all played out, we tapped former pro and NBC on-track analyst, Jason Thomas.
It was the final round of AMA Pro Motocross. Some riders had spots to make up, others didn’t. Did you notice that dynamic play out at all at Budds Creek?
The SMX playoff bubble scenario was definitely noticeable. The math between Mitchell Harrison and Coty Schock reached a fever pitch in the second moto. There will always be riders that give an F for effort at the last round and Budds was no exception. With Tom Vialle deciding to sit out the last moto, he is this year’s winner of that award.
I would say Coty Schock was giving it his all as he was crashing, encasing himself in Yamaha repeater banners, and genuinely overriding every aspect of the day. Effort isn’t that hard to spot if you know what to look for. It may have not worked but no one will accuse him of not trying.
The start gate at Budds Creek favors gates to the inside of the box. Why is this, and did you see anyone on the outside who was able to work magic on Saturday?
This dates all the way back to the initial change in 2007 for the Motocross of Nations. The protocol for MXGP and MXoN races is to have a inside-favored start. That is followed by a hairpin 180, furthering the difficulty for those on the outside. I’m not entirely sure of the complete thought process, but an educated guess would be that those who qualify well are rewarded.
As for the outside, well, Jorge Prado got to test this out and I would say it was the highlight of his day. He got up onto the grass (wily veteran move at many tracks) where the tiller doesn’t dig deep and was able to accelerate much more efficiently than those in the deep soil in the middle. This takes full commitment and a willingness to drive deep into the corner as those on the inside are braking, but it did get him into the top five with a 41st gate pick.
Heat and humidity usually play a huge roll on race day at Budds Creek, but Hurricane Erin had a say in conditions this year. How did conditions vary this year, and how did it affect the racing?
Hurricanes are usually a net negative for any scenario. This time, though, that storm sucked all of the humidity out to sea and made for one of the most enjoyable Budds Creek rounds I can remember. I have been attending this race since 1996 and again, this was as good as it gets. Not so much the track, just the weather.
Budds Creek is known for being one-lined, depending on how the track shapes up. Did you find that to be the case this time around?
It always is. It’s just the way the lines form and the overall design. Most of the corners come back to one angle for entry and if you don’t make the pass on the straightaway before or after, it’s unlikely you will in the turn itself. The lines crossing paths disallows riders to choose a different line and see it through. The downhills all funnel to the inside and those who swing wide are often subject to the lead rider drifting into their path. Tough starts are penalized harshly at Budds. It’s always been this way and likely always will be.
Haiden Deegan only had to finish 15th or better in the first moto to clinch the title, but he still went out and won it (Deegan, and Jo Shimoda, were later penalized one position and five points for jumping and passing a rider on a red cross flag.) Were you surprised he didn’t lay up for the championship win?
I felt he would take a situational approach to the first moto. If he got a good start and a win was possible, I felt like he wouldn’t shy away. However, if he had blown the start and been 12th, I think he would have methodically moved into third or so and locked it up. He’s a crafty racer aside from all of the bluster. He knows when to push and when to accept a lesser result. Winning championships requires solid risk assessment skills and Deegan has them in spades.
Cole Davies!! Please help us understand how the rookie makes his motocross debut one week prior and goes 23-23, then comes back at the finale and kills it in the first moto.
I would if I could! Seriously, though, the real answer here lies in the start. Above we talked about how important the start is at Budds Creek and this was a shining example. His second moto start was abysmal and the result reflected it. The important thing here is that Davies showed that he can run with the leaders in motocross. That was a lingering question that needed an answer.
Justin Cooper is almost always good, but he seemed like he had a little something extra at Budds Creek, going 2-4 for third overall. Is this a fair assessment, and if so, what were his strong points on Saturday?
He looked good in the second moto at ‘Dilla, also. I asked him as much on the podium, wondering if he was finally recovered from his Millville crash. He mentioned it was some of that but also opined that the long season had taken a toll and he was getting a bit of a second wind now. Having done several full seasons myself, he’s not wrong. It’s damn near impossible to maintain peak intensity for nine or more months straight.
Jett Lawrence won the first moto, but couldn’t get by his brother, Hunter, in the second moto. Were you surprised Jett didn’t push the issue any harder?
I was surprised but Hunter deserves full credit here. Jett had plenty of opportunities to make up the gap and make a pass. He couldn’t or wouldn’t, choose whichever you’d like. He had the overall locked up, which had to be a bit of the puzzle, but he’s not one to lay up often. I think Hunter was riding incredibly well and Jett would have had to go to an area of higher risk to win. Sometimes caution is the better part of valor and this was likely that. Jett has an ability to push the pace to a place I haven’t seen since Ricky Carmichael and James Stewart so it’s hard for me to believe he “couldn’t” do anything about it. I would surmise he “could” but he wasn’t willing to take the risk needed.
The WMX concluded at Budds Creek, with LaLa Turner taking the title. What’s your take on how the action played out in this division in its return to the big leagues?
WMX has been a home run success this summer. I was skeptical as to how it would go on the rough tracks that a national race day brings. I’m happy to have been proven wrong, though. The battles we saw between these talented ladies were a joy to watch. Kudos all around to everyone involved.
