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Orgo-Life the new way to the future Advertising by AdpathwayThe 2025 Pro Motocross hit the halfway mark at a brilliantly chaotic RedBud that featured a new 250MX winner and two new podium finishers. Jett Lawrence's path to victory – another double moto sweep – was a little more complicated too, making this SMX's most memorable outdoor fixture.
JETT BACKS UP "TRY HARDER" CHAT
Jett Lawrence made a shock admission on press day at RedBud, stating that 'trying for the entire moto' is an area for improvement. The claim dominated pre-race headlines and understandably – those were bold words from a man who had won all but two motos in motocross' trickiest class.
What he did in moto two would have further exasperated his competitors. To advance from 18th on the first lap to the front was impressive in itself. To then build a nine-second buffer to boot left little to the imagination. Now, admittedly, this superb ride was caused by unusual mistakes – mediocre starts and a tip over rarely appear within his repertoire. Perhaps those missteps will encourage the competition to believe opportunities still exist? Athletes must convince themselves that the impossible is possible.
Lawrence was full of glee in post-race appearances – understandably so, which points to his mental fortitude. Others would have lamented the fact that those errors made life trickier than it needed to be – the fact that he did not even note those mistakes points to his care-free approach and how 'easy' the process is. The only way to rock his confidence, persona and prompt doubt is to beat him with conviction. There is still rather little evidence that is possible.
Verdict: More superlatives needed for Jett discussions.
CHASE'S CHASE MEANT SOMETHING
A comeback race is near irrelevant, as a rider must reacclimatize to competition at the pinnacle of off-road. This is therefore a positive testimonial for Chase Sexton, who ran with Jett for a majority of the second moto in what should've been a soft launch.
There were valuable lessons extracted from his RedBud return. Starts are in dire need of work – he even claimed that his start prowess should have put him 'in amateur day instead of 450MX' in post-race discussions. That's no revelation; he has started inside of the top three in 45 of the 103 450MX motos that he has done and has finished lap one in sixth on average. It is known that he can follow and match Jett, of course, but he must start in front of his foe in order to reel off multiple victories.
Verdict: A reminder of Chase Sexton's utter brilliance.
SIMPLE START SOLUTIONS DO EXIST
RJ Hampshire's proof that there are 'quick fixes' to solve start problems in an era where track position is a priority for all – see the scoop tires for proof of that. Hampshire started in the top four for the first time in 450MX. The reason behind the improvement was almost absurd.
"We checked the data this week [before RedBud] and I'm doing something without realizing," Hampshire stated with candor. "We run a start map that stops the rev limiter. I presumed that if I did more throttle then I would be faster. I'm always regripping and giving it more, which shoots more gas into it or whatever. I didn't even know I was doing it. We will try to not do that this weekend – we will see. I have a set-up that I'll stick with now as well, which should help. Going from spring to air and a-kit to factory changes a lot of the drive."
It worked, as referenced above, and Hampshire handled his first experience at the front of the 450MX field well. The difference in his results from one week to the next has not been dramatic – he has been remarkably consistent – but his staying power in RedBud's first moto hints that there is so much more to come. The reality is that most were aware of that and, in hindsight, a swifter move to 450SMX could have served him well.
Verdict: RJ should inspire others to take leap of faith.
REDBUD RATTLES WEBB'S WANGLE
When Sexton fell out of Pro Motocross contention, Cooper Webb's bid for 450MX's top seed appeared assured. Now, however, with Justin Cooper a picture of consistency and a handful of bike problems, Webb's position as ruler is in doubt.
It is not catastrophic. Sitting ahead of the Lawrences and Sexton is most important – Cooper should not be much of a threat for the million-dollar prize – but a potential knee injury means this could all be in vain. Webb sustained this in a fall at RedBud and had scans on Monday to establish the extent of the harm. There has been no additional update from either rider or manufacturer at the time of publication, but it does not sound like there is much panic in his camp.
Verdict: The dynamic of 450SMX's seed is attractive.
CONTRACT CONCERN HARMS TOM
Further to last week's admission, Tom Vialle provided some clarity on his contract status for next year. There is an option to continue with KTM into 450SMX – rumors hint that it is a one-year deal – and an offer to move to Honda HRC in MXGP.
In an ideal world, it is safe to assume that Vialle would remain in the United States and climb the 450SMX ladder with KTM. To bet on 'red' means a lot more security – both in competition and financially – and it appears that frustration stems from that, as he believes that he deserves that from the manufacturer that he has delivered four titles too. "It is a little bit tough with KTM right now," he said. "I have won four titles and I feel like it should be easier, but it is not."
Verdict: Frustration should push Tom into Honda colors.
JO SHOULD BET ON FAMILIARITY
To the shock of most, Jo Shimoda just won his first 250MX event with Honda HRC Progressive and has matched his podium total from the previous Pro Motocross season. Finally, he has found stability with the CRF250R and he should lean on that as he contemplates his position in the sport.
"I have not really signed on any paper yet, but I guess that I am looking good on the Honda right now," Shimoda commented in the post-race press conference. "Nothing is confirmed as of now." There are multiple factors that indicate that Shimoda will maintain his seat – the Honda comment is telling – and it would be ludicrous for him to think that the grass is greener elsewhere. Remember that he dismissed comfort already, when he left Kawasaki, and paid the price. It has taken him a year and a half to find similar contentment.
Verdict: Chasing perfection can be rather detrimental.
REDBUD CAN BE A UNIQUE BEAST
Curiously, multiple European athletes commented that RedBud is so unique that it is impossible to compare it to another circuit in the world. "Curious" because the circuit does not have a hallmark feature like Lommel (deepest sand on a racetrack).
Valentin Guillod commented that he used different muscles at RedBud – muscles that he has never used in his professional career – and the deep ruts in and out of turns were a shock. "I was shocked when I entered the track today," Guillod said. "Kegums is like Southwick, but we do not have a track like this. It is quite sandy here, but it is not sand. There is not even a practice track like this!" So many criticize the Pro Motocross venues for a lack of variety, but perhaps more credit is due.
Verdict: 52 years on, new perspective comes to light.
MIKKEL MARKS SMX INTENTIONS
The SMX World Championship playoffs have become more relevant in recent weeks and therefore some imports from Europe have made their intentions clear. Brilliantly, it seems that those events will benefit from the addition of Mikkel Haarup.
"I have one leg in and one leg out at the moment," Haarup said. "We spoke about it before, yeah? I said no last time, but I keep moving up in the 250SMX points. The team will build the track, then I will see how I feel. There are no whoops, of course, but we will see how it is. It is not my focus at the moment – this is – but we will finish this strong and then see where we go," he concluded. With his future less certain than it was, the SMX experience could prove to be beneficial.
Similarly, Guillod – a rider with a significant amount of supercross experience – has confirmed that he will only travel to the three SMX playoffs if he is seeded into the 450SMX program. The risk of not qualifying for the two motos is a concern, as he is on the hook for travel expenses for the races, and so he has to be assured of his entry in order to take the jump into the competitive landscape. On the outside looking in now, all he needs to do is post more point-scoring rides to move into a seeded position.
Verdict: Mikkel and Valentin should take this plunge.
YAMAHA'S MYSTERY PROBLEMS
Pro Motocross takes a toll on both man and machine – the sport's proud of the wear and tear that one must endure to reach the pinnacle. Yamaha's endured a handful of unexpected mechanical issue in the last six weeks; Michael Mosiman, Cooper Webb, Haiden Deegan and Eli Tomac have lost points due to failures.
It is user error in some instances – it is no secret that Tomac and Deegan are particularly hard on machinery with their personal tendencies – but others have been trickier to explain. Yamaha's post-race communication leaves a little to be desired: "It was not an ideal day for us with Eli’s bike issue," team manager Rich Simmonds said after RedBud. Little to lean on as far as technical intel or an explanation but, as the list of evidence continues to mount, there is an obvious need for them to control the narrative, no matter how uncomfortable that could be.
Verdict: Improved transparency in the sport is a must.