The List: Best and Worst of 2025

Worst: Prado’s Puzzler: Okay, the injury early in supercross put his Jorge’s learning season on pause, but everyone—including himself—expected him to be a contender when Pro Motocross ramped up in May. He wasn’t. Then he started saying he wasn’t comfortable on the Monster Energy Kawasaki, and the whole thing went sideways. Check this space next year.

Best: Cole and Juju Breakthrough: New blood in the 250 Class, first with Julien Beaumer showing massive improvements in his second pro season, winning early and taking over the 250 West Division red plate. But Cole Davies might have been an even bigger sensation, as the New Zealander was a late call up to the pros and wowed with his technique and whoop speed. Eventually he went on a win streak. Injuries and on (and off) track battles with Haiden Deegan slowed the momentum for both, but these two young riders proved they have what it takes.

Best: Malcolm’s Big Win: The very friendly Malcolm Stewart has always been loved, but it looked like his competitive window was closing. After a knee injury in 2023, he wasn’t the same when he returned in 2024. Then came Tampa earlier this year. It was the night of nights. Mookie Fever reached pandemic level, infecting the entire stadium. With each lap, Malcolm got faster and then closer to the lead, and the home-state fans in Florida sensed it. With his trademark whoop speed mixed in, it was a perfect Petrie dish to create an unforgettable victory. Added bonus that big brother James happened to be in the broadcast booth that night. And Big James (dad) got another close up in a TV interview. This had it all, but most importantly, it had Malcolm, who is now forever on the 450 win list.

Worst: Lawrences Go Down: Prado’s supercross injury set the tone early, because it seems like injuries breed injuries in this sport. Stars started dropping, with Jett Lawrence’s title defense ending with a torn ACL in Glendale, and then Hunter busting his shoulder in Tampa. It was one of those years.

Worst: Tomac’s Big Break: Ugh, and this is part of the above. Tomac, still in title contention, broke his leg in qualifying in Tampa. The tough SOB still got on the bike and rode the main event essentially on one leg to salvage points, but that was the end of his supercross campaign. As we said, ugh.

Best: Roczen’s Roll: Everyone knows Kenny still has the speed and skill to beat anyone, but you’re never quite sure if you’re going to get it every weekend. Well, in the first half of supercross, he had it each time, even grabbing the red plate and building a legitimate championship case. Tampa sent him back, points wise, but his run culminated in Daytona, where he held off long-time nemesis Cooper Webb for a huge win. An ankle injury ended his season completely, but before that Kenny made for an awesome, dynamic entry into the title chase.

Worst: Pierce Brown Up and Down: This one doesn’t get talked about enough because it all happened in one race. For years, Pierce Brown showed speed and endurance as a prospect but couldn’t figure out starts. He moved to Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing in 2025, and everyone wondered two things: could that YZ250F could get him off the gate? If so, could he win? Well, Brown answered one of those questions with great starts in Tampa. Then, while leading the main over teammate Max Anstie, he went down hard in the whoops. It was a scary one, for sure, and pretty much ended his season. Oh, what might have been.

Worst: Anstie Addled: Brown went down, but Anstie started the 250SX East Division with that Tampa win. He should have won again the next weekend in Detroit, but a late red flag led to a restart, and Levi Kitchen pounced. Later a broken leg in Birmingham ended his title run. As we said, 2025 Supercross was one of those years.

Best: Two Men Standing: Injuries piled up, but former SX champs Cooper Webb and Chase Sexton remained to put on a hell of a show. Really, the 2025 title chase should be looked at more fondly than it is, because you had high-pressure weekly battles where every point mattered between the two. That’s what you want, right? Webb used every one of his old tricks to hold off the ultra-fast Sexton. Final margin? Just three points. Yes, it was a bummer to lose Tomac, the Lawrences, etc. but Cooper Webb showed what championship grit is all about.

Best: Super Cooper: In fact, let’s give a second nod to Webb, who not only engineered a clutch title drive, but took fans along for the ride. At age 29 during this title run, he’s fully formed as an adult and an athlete, and his post-race press interviews provided fascinating insight into the pressure, the opportunity and the strategy needed to lock down a crown four years after his last one. When he received the trophy at the end, tears flooded down. It should always look like that, but it rarely does. That’s because Webb has all the perspective. As they say, youth is wasted on the young.  Webb knows the stakes, his place, and the work it takes to keep this going. Also, it’s awesome to add a million-plus worth of bonuses into the bank account. All the champions know it, but sometimes it happens so quicky that they don’t actually realize it. Webb, having last won the title in 2021, realizes everything. Every title run should look like this.

Worst: Oh, Jerry: Popular and hard-working privateer Jerry Robin went down at the East Rutherford Supercross, and that crash was a career-ender. Jerry now has a job in the industry with FXR and appears to be in great spirits, but crashes like that are a reminder of the worst part of the sport. Stay strong, Jerry!

Best and Worst: 250SX East Thriller: When a title comes down to the wire, we bench-race all the possible scenarios, but we still probably missed some of the potential in Salt Lake City. Seth Hammaker, Tom Vialle, and RJ Hampshire all had a shot at it, and all hell broke loose. You had Beaumer running defense on Hammaker to help teammate Vialle, you had Hampshire crashing into the LCQ then roaring back and trying a sneak attack on Hammaker that ended badly for both. Vialle won, Hammaker, who had become a fan favorite, was heartbroken. Plus, another agonizing title loss for Pro Circuit. Oh, and a second 250SX title bumped Vialle into the 450 Class for 2026, which led to him instead heading back to Europe to race MXGP. See? Too many scenarios to keep track of here!

Best: Jett and Deegs: Sometimes a season is more than just a season, and Jett Lawrence (450) and Haiden Deegan (250) running away in Pro Motocross says something about now… and later. Lawrence v. Deegan is on a collision course, and now with Jett likely out of Monster Energy Supercross (again) they might finally meet just as Jett returns again at Fox Raceway. Some rivalries just mean more than others, and it looks like we’re set for one of those in 2026.

Best And Worst: SMX Finale: Same as 250SX East Division, above. Deegan was absolutely slaying the 250 Class and could probably have gone six- for-six in the SMX Playoffs. Then Kitchen took him out in St. Louis and all hell broke loose. All the scenarios? We saw them, as Deegs did everything he could to slow and stop Jo Shimoda and save the title. In the end he hurt himself and his reputation. Just like Hampshire and company in Salt Lake City, it’s one thing to imagine what a crazy finale could look like, and another to actually see it unfold in reality. But, also, for better or worse it’s definitely not boring, right?

The 450 Class was weird in its own way. Simply, Jett Lawrence had mixed feelings about beating brother Hunter, and he waited until late before he went for it. Also, Tomac mysteriously slowed over the final few laps, which made Jett’s life easier. And his decision harder. There’s Webb’s tears of joy in supercross, and there’s Jett not even sure if he was happy at the SMX Finale. Yup, all the scenarios.

Worst: Sexton and KTM’s Unhappy Marriage: The record shows Chase’s two-year Red Bull KTM tenure included a Pro Motocross Championship and very nearly a Monster Energy Supercross title (as mentioned, he almost bested Webb). He also had that all-time last to first run at Hangtown last year. Yet it seemed unhappier than the results showed, and it started to really unravel during Pro Motocross this year. Chase was still fast when he raced, though! Ironman and an apparent brake problem ended that, then Chase returned for the SMX Playoffs, where he crashed out of the final race for the third-straight year. This cost him MXoN again. Sheesh. Check this space next year.

Best: Shimoda’s Star Turn: Jo erased all the criticism in 2025. Winning early in a series? He took Anaheim 1. Proving he could survive championship pressure? Check, check, check, check, and check in Las Vegas after relentless attacks from Deegan. Even Jo’s unintentional intentional comedy went to another level with his quote of the year, telling Deegan “I don’t speak English” when the trash talk came his way. Lots of breakthrough 250 riders this year, but Shimoda stood above all when it was done.

Best: JMart Goes Out a Winner: You couldn’t script it better, as Jeremy Martin was essentially retired and running Star Racing’s VIP program for fans at the races. Then came the old ball coach, team owner Bobby Regan, asking his old rider (and first champion) if he had any plans for summer. Jeremy was super fit and planning to ride a Kawasaki 450 for a career finale at his home race in Millville. Instead, Bobby offered a tryout, as he does, and JMart went blazing fast, as he does. That led to…. a few bad motos and a big crash at the first two rounds and seemingly the end of the story.

Nope! Jeremy was back for Millville on the Star Yamaha (with a shock spring off his championship bike from his house!) and pulled two holeshots! Shimoda and Deegan had just enough issues to open the door, and JMart won the final moto of his career, at his home track, to boot. It’s Mookie versus JMart on the feel-good battle for the season. It’s wins like that that wipe the slate clean after all the bad moments. That’s the good and bad, best, and worst, of sports.