The 2025 SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs is launching at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing's Justin Cooper enters the fray of the world’s best riders as the #1 seed. Amazingly strong and consistent in both the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and AMA Pro Motocross Championship in 2025, Cooper, in his second year as a premier class rider, will begin the three Playoff rounds set for zMAX Dragway, The Dome at America’s Center, and The Strip at The Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with the red number plate and the 450SMX points lead with 25 marks.
“Obviously, it is a big goal of mine to achieve the red plate in this class,” explained Cooper, the lone 450cc competitor to compete in every race throughout the 2025 SMX racing season. “Especially with how stacked it has been. Yeah, three more rounds left in the year, and they’re Playoff rounds. A little bit of a hybrid. I feel like it is anyone’s game right now. I’m just going to bring my best into it and see how it goes.”
Having earned the top seed of the SMX World Championship through consistency and points accrued, Cooper is pleased with the reality of his surroundings heading into Charlotte.
“That has always been one of my goals,” said Cooper. “The goal is to stay healthy and make it through all the rounds. That’s no easy task in this sport. It’s a pretty dangerous sport, but yeah, it has gone really well. I have no complaints. It has been a really consistent season. I’ve gotten a lot of podiums. I’m still looking for that win, and maybe that will come now.”
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Mitch Kendra ![]()
Mitch Kendra
Having nailed down three third-place finishes in supercross, as well as three top-three scores outdoors, it’s that 450 win that the New Yorker Cooper yearns for.
“Yeah, it’s tough. It’s a really, really deep class with a lot of talent,” said the 2021 AMA 250SX West Supercross Champion. “Even the podium finishes, they don’t ever come easy. I think being on the podium is good for me right now in my second year in the class. Yeah, I’m just really looking to put everything I’ve got into that win. I think we’re close. Yeah, no better place to do it right here and right now in the Playoffs.
“I’m just super excited to run the red plate,” furthered Cooper. “I haven’t ridden with it in a couple of years and since the 250. I’m definitely really excited to run that. And I think everyone is excited to switch it all up after the outdoors. It was a long and hot summer, so yeah, it all comes down to now and the Playoffs. Three more rounds, and then we’ve got some time off. I made sure to bring everything into this.
“It’s really hard to get ahead of yourself in this series. You know we have 31 races, so you can’t get too far ahead of yourself. If you start looking too far ahead, you almost lose some motivation because of how long it all is and how grueling it is. For me, I just show up for each race, focus on the week ahead, and when that is done, shift my sights to the very next weekend, and that’s been working well for me. Sometimes that’s what you need to do for these long seasons.”
Eighth overall in the 2024 SMX point standings, does Justin Cooper believe he can be better in the 2025 iteration of the hybrid championship?
“Yeah, actually last year turned out to be really good,” he answered. “At the first round, I did pretty good. At the second round, I had a crash at the end of the first moto, so I DNF’d. I didn’t start the second moto. I then rode the Vegas round with a slightly broken collarbone. All in all, it wasn’t the greatest showing, but eighth was pretty good after not racing the second round.”
Combining the precision and timing of supercross with the high-speed brutality of outdoor motocross, the SMX race circuits are an absolute challenge for the world’s best supercross and motocross pilots. And Justin Cooper is stoked to race upon them.
“They’re definitely different, and that’s what is so exciting about it,” said Cooper. “They’re a hybrid, and we are able to kind of get a fresh start. Between all of us racing, there is not much experience when it comes to these races. It’s a lot of people searching for what works for them, and that’s what kind of makes it exciting and different. It’s almost the unknown. Every year we are faced with new challenges, and I think that’s what is so exciting about it. I think this style of track suits me because it doesn’t get too rough like the outdoors does, and then they can also be kind of supercross-like. All in all, I think it’s a good style of track for me. I’m just looking forward to it. It is definitely no easy task. And the separation at these races isn’t too much, so a good start is definitely crucial.”
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Align Media ![]()
Align Media
Cooper, speaking from the zMAX Dragway race paddock on Friday afternoon, discussed his goals for today when the starting gate clanks into Carolina dirt.
“Yeah, I think goals for me are to take it just one race at a time at first,” explained the Yamaha rider. “We also have the points lead going into this, so that gives me that extra motivation to go for it. Yeah, I don’t want to set the goal too high. I definitely want to be a podium guy in these three races and put myself in the position to be going for the championship at the final round in Las Vegas. But yeah, a lot of work needs to be done to get that, and these guys are definitely no joke. Yeah, I’m just going to execute what I can and just take it one race at a time. I’ve got my teammates Eli [Tomac] and Cooper [Webb] to race against, and they’ll be right there. You’ve got the Lawrences. You’ve got Kenny [Roczen]. You’ve got Chase [Sexton]. Yeah, there are a lot of guys. I’ve been battling them all summer long, so it’s just a different style track now. So we’re going to put our best foot forward and just attack everything. We’ll attack every practice and every race and see where we end up. That’s the exciting part. I feel like our relationship with Yamaha is just getting better. I made the move up last year, and I’m getting more used to the 450, and from here we’re just going to keep going. I’m back on the team next year, and it’s just building that relationship. The bike has been unreal, and the team has been unreal. I can leave it to them for things that need help with, and that’s special.”
