The following text is by Lucky Foster
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA – If you told us someone was crazy enough to dump truckloads of dirt onto the sand at Huntington Beach and build a full-blown Arenacross track, we’d probably laugh. But the mad scientists behind the Moto Beach Classic actually did it — and somehow pulled off one of the gnarliest, most entertaining race weekends we’ve ever seen.
This year, AMA Arenacross teamed up with the Moto Beach Classic for a full-blown takeover of Surf City USA. The result? A one-day moto carnival with race gas, salt air, and thousands of spectators in bikinis and board shorts watching bikes go bar-to-bar just feet from the Pacific Ocean.
Perfect weather. Killer vibes. And racing that had the crowd losing their minds.
THE EVENT
The Moto Beach Classic has always been a mash-up of two-wheel culture — Hooligan flat track, custom bike builders, demo rides, live bands, and enough vendors to keep your wallet crying. But this time, it went next-level. AMA Arenacross came in hot and turned the beach into a war zone of whoops, rhythm sections, and chaos.
The best part? It was free. That meant the boardwalk was shoulder-to-shoulder with fans who might’ve shown up for the surf but left as moto converts. Sun, sand, and full-send — not a bad combo.
THE RACING
The track fired up at 10 a.m. with a mix of bikes and classes — from Hooligan Harleys sliding through the corners to the new wave of electric moto riders making a serious statement. But the main show was Arenacross outdoors, and it didn’t disappoint. Tight, technical, and sketchy enough to keep riders honest, yet still with room to make moves. Every lap felt like a fistfight.
THE STORYLINES
Smartop MotoConcepts Racing came out swinging. Ryan Breece is back and looks meaner than ever, eyeing that elusive championship. But his teammate Austin Politelli isn’t making it easy — the guy looks razor sharp already.
Then there’s Justin Starling, who’s stepping into Arenacross after years in Monster Energy AMA Supercross.
“I’ve accomplished so much, and it’s time for a new adventure,” he said. And you can tell he’s serious.
Don’t sleep on Team Solitaire/Heartbeat Hot Sauce Yamaha, either. Robbie Wageman and Cole Thompson are both legit threats and the kind of riders who can ruin your night if you give them an inch.
This season is shaping up to be wild, and if round one was any indication, we’re in for fireworks.
RACE RECAP
QUALIFYING
Robbie Wageman wasted no time. The Yamaha rider looked silky smooth, figured the track out fast, and topped qualifying. Not bad for a guy fresh off injury.
MAIN 1
The MotoConcepts duo came out hot. Politelli got the early lead with Breece glued to his fender. But one mistake in the rhythm section and Politelli was on the ground. Breece capitalized and never looked back, taking the win. Wageman charged to second with solid pace.
MAIN 2
If main one was clean, main two was chaos. Breece was in full control — until Cole Thompson decided to make things interesting. Thompson absolutely pinned it, caught Breece in the final corner, and stole the win by inches. The crowd lost it. Thompson’s fist pump at the line said it all.
PRIVATEER POWER
Brandon Ray of The Privateer Paddock turned heads on his new Whiskey Throttle Media Triumph. The privateer made the move to SoCal to grind, and it’s showing. After making his first supercross main event in Seattle last year, Ray’s got momentum. And the fans are taking notice.
OVERALL TOP FIVE
| Rider | Moto 1 | Moto 2 | Overall |
| Ryan Breece | 1st | 2nd | 1st |
| Cole Thompson | 3rd | 1st | 2nd |
| Robbie Wageman | 2nd | 4th | 3rd |
| Brandon Ray | 6th | 3rd | 4th |
| Jeremy Fappani | 5th | 5th | 5th |
FINAL THOUGHTS
Beach racing, Arenacross-style — it sounds insane because it is. But the AMA Arenacross x Moto Beach Classic mashup proved that sometimes the wildest ideas make the best shows. Salty dirt, ocean air, and racing that kept fans on their feet all day.
If round one looked like this, buckle up — the 2025 AMA Arenacross season is going to be one for the highlight reels.
