Forget looking to the past for the golden age of supercross, we're in it right now! This season just continues to get wilder and wilder, and Detroit delivered yet another crazy night. To help us better understand the madness of the Motor City, we sent our burning questions to former pro and NBC on-track analyst, Jason Thomas.
The whoops in Detroit were tricky, but some riders seemed to be able to sail through them. What was tough about these whoops, and what set the elites apart?
They were difficult for all, some were just able to mask that difficulty. Even those who were getting through them well had their moments. I saw Cole Davies get out of sorts more than once and he was the best of the 250s. I think everyone was thankful to not have to make another run through them once their main event ended.
Speaking of the whoops, we know Cole Davies is very good in them. But that’s not his only strong point. What strength does he have that we’re all missing because of his blinding whoop speed?
I actually think the whoops are his biggest strength and by a long shot. He is very good in all areas, but he doesn’t stand out compared to the likes of Seth Hammaker or Jo Shimoda on the rest of the track. I think they are all very comparable on the rest of the racetrack but the whoops are not even close. If the whoops are difficult at any round the rest of the way, everyone else is going to have a real challenge on their hands to offset Davies’ edge there.
Talk about the transition we’re seeing in Davies. He was a rookie last year, now we’re seeing the emergence of an assassin. How does one go from being a rookie to where Davies is now?
He has a special gift and it really emerged last year. His wins in Futures/SMX Next were solid but not earth shattering. He was very similar to Drew Adams on many nights. His rookie season saw him elevate in a big way. From A1 2025, it was apparent he had taken a big step. It’s hard to know if that was a product of switching teams and bikes or a maturing of his skills or what. The fact is that Davies went from iffy to certainty in a very short amount of time.
Nate Thrasher was so good in Detroit before crashing out. Was there something about the Detroit track that favored Thrasher, or was it just one of those nights when Thrasher was on point?
He mentioned that he had been dealing with a serious nerve issue in his shoulder and they had made progress there. He went so far as to say he was riding at 50 percent at times which would be in line with the tenth-place range he had been hovering around. This heat race and early main event pace was something far different than what we had seen. Hopefully this is the new norm, which was the old norm.
Henry Miller was fifth! He’s talented, but this is a highly contested spot. Was there anything you noticed about him that could explain this finish?
The unpopular and unfair answer is that the field imploded in that main event. There were crashes everywhere that left a lot of opportunity for those who were able to capitalize. Henry Miller and others don’t control who crashes or has bad luck, all they can do is step up when the time comes. When you sense an opportunity, you have to summon your A game and make the most of it.
Cooper Webb went down early in the 450SX main when he got into Jorge Prado, a move that took them both down. Were you surprised he pushed the issue like that with over 18 minutes left in the race?
I wasn’t surprised with the aggression, honestly. He made mention earlier in the season that he couldn’t be patient with Prado, as it cost him chances at wins. Prado is known for being a very defensive rider. He knows how to keep riders behind him and has been doing it for years. Webb knows this and knows he cannot fall trap to getting locked into Prado’s pace. The move didn’t work and they both paid the price, but the aggression was not a surprise at all. Webb will be pushing for wins from here on out and doesn’t have much to lose. He might use more tact next time but I would not expect a taming down of aggression.
Take us through Hunter Lawrence’s night after he crashed and damaged his front brake. How hard is it to go back out there and trust your equipment after that?
It was full panic mode for a lap or two there but once they straightened out the issue, I think he was relatively sure it was okay. It looked like maybe the brake cable got put into a bad position which can wreak havoc on the braking system. I thought initially that the rotor was bent but that proved to be wrong. Still a devastating development in the championship.
Is Ken Roczen back in this championship? Lawrence and Tomac, the two guys ahead of him, didn’t even finish on the podium which handed Roczen a ton of points. Now he's only 14 points out of the lead.
It certainly feels like it. He is still on the outside looking in but this was huge. He will need to win several times down the stretch but there’s a chance now. His riding is on point right now so it’s not hard to see him winning any given week.
What was going on with Tomac in this race? He seemed off all day.
I wish I knew. That’s two weeks in a row where he has looked off in the main events. It could be a small injury, it could be discomfort with the motorcycle, who knows. What I do know is that he caught a big break in Detroit, but if he can’t get back to prime Eli, it won’t matter. Until Birmingham, he was good enough to win any race at any time. The last two rounds have been far from that and he has to sort out why and fix it fast.
Chase Sexton was back. What impressed you the most, and least, about his performance?
He was back to the Chase I have seen many times, not the Seattle version where he was unable to do much of anything. He won his heat and was solid in the main event, even if a bit tired as he mentioned. The key is to show his incredible talent and skill set and he did that. All that Chase has to do is be his best self and that is good enough to win. That might sound easier than it is to do but it’s still the ask and why he’s paid millions. I’m a big believer of Chase when he’s firing on all cylinders. Let’s hope he’s on his way back to that.
