Tampa delivered plenty of drama, with an action-packed night of racing shaking up the 450SX standings and setting the tone for the 250SX East category as they opened their new season. We’ve gathered the direct takes from riders for this Reaction feature from round five of the 2025 Monster Energy Supercross Championship.

450SX

Image: Octopi Media.

Chase Sexton (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) – Fifth:
Not the way I wanted to end my night after a good day in Tampa. I was solid all day and qualified fastest, but on a bad lap in the main event I went down in the whoops while leading and damaged my front brake and throttle, so basically just had to salvage what I could, limping it home to finish out the race – not an ideal way to finish out the weekend. We’ll get to work again this week and come out swinging at Detroit.

Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) – Eighth:
The afternoon was tough, but we found a setting heading into the heat race and felt like I ripped in that one! I made a few good passes in the first couple of laps, then ended up second. Come the main, my start was decent before I got shuffled back early, and just rode around in eighth from there. That was the best I had today, so we’ll go back and do some homework before Detroit.

Eli Tomac (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) – 17th:
It was a tough day in Tampa. I caught my leg underneath the foot peg on a jump during qualifying, and sprained the top of my ankle and bruised my lower leg. I’m going to do everything possible to get back on the line in Detroit.

Cooper Webb (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) – Second:
Overall, it was a good day. I was able to qualify second, won the heat race, and finished second in the main. I just made a mistake on the start, got some wheel spin, and was buried. I made a good charge through the pack and was picking guys off. I’m just a little bit bummed because I felt like I was coming through with Malcolm [Stewart], and then I was making some mistakes, lost the tow, and the lappers kind of interfered. Overall, it was a good points night and a good second-place finish. We’ll take the points, get better, and move on to Detroit.

Justin Cooper (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) – Fourth:
I had three really bad starts last weekend in Glendale, so to have two really good starts is the biggest positive for me. I know I’m a good starter, so to get that back and do it twice tonight was important to me. It put me in a good position all night. I was third in the heat race, and I was able to get Chase on the last straight away to finish fourth in the main. So it was a good night for me because I charged to the end and stayed strong. We’ll keep working and keep building for Detroit.

Hunter Lawrence (Honda HRC Progressive) – DNQ:
What started out as a great night in Tampa turned into a very short night! At the end of lap one in my heat race, I landed on some tough blocks and banged myself up really nicely – now I’m just focusing on getting back to 100 percent.

Justin Barcia (Rockstar Energy GasGas Factory Racing) – Sixth:
Tampa was a step in the right direction and the day went much better. In the heat race we got off to a good start, before I got a bit tangled up in the first turn, so I made a push to make up positions. Later on, I got off to a pretty good start in the main, the track was super-technical, and we had some good battles. I’m really hungry to get that podium and I know with how we’re working we’ll get there soon.

Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) – First:
This has been an emotional rollercoaster to get here. I did my knee in 2023 and from that point I wasn’t sure… especially after last year, just not being able to figure it out and I was so down on myself. I felt like I was fighting everything, until my dad sat me down and said ‘Look, either quit racing or go out there and make sure you have fun, because that’s why we do this in the first place.’ Fast forward from there to now in 2025, I had a great off-season, and I felt like I was in a position to do this. At my home race, I couldn’t hear my motorcycle at times the crowd was so loud! Between my Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team and my also family, it’s been a real effort together – this one is special!

Jason Anderson (Monster Energy Kawasaki) – Third:
Tonight I was more likely to be a fifth-place guy. I was figuring out my rhythm through the whoops, but was dealing with some arm pump that dropped me back a little. I hung in there and I was able to pass Chase at the end for third so that was good. This class was tough and you never know what can happen. Being able to get three podiums so far in the season and being third in points is nice. I definitely want to keep moving further up and it would be nice to have more of these nights where I feel super comfortable and can make a charge for the win.

Joey Savatgy (Quad Lock Honda) – Seventh:
My start killed what could have been a much better result. That’s my focus this week, I need to get out of the gate better. The bike is in a much better place, and I know we can fine-tune it even more. A seventh is good, but I know we can be fighting further up front.

Shane McElrath (Quad Lock Honda) – Ninth:
I’m glad I lined up, and I’m happy we came away with a top 10, but I was drained. I’ve been sick all week, and my energy was low. I know where we should be, and we need to be inside the top 10 every weekend. I’ll take a few more days to recover and be ready to fight again.

Ken Roczen (Progressive Ecstar Suzuki) – DNF:
It was an unfortunate situation that happened in the main event in Tampa. It’s a long season though, so we are going to put this behind us and focus on the next race in Detroit.

Colt Nichols (Twisted Tea Suzuki) – 12th:
Tampa was good for me. I was under the weather all week, which made for a tough day, honestly. But I salvaged a P12 in the main, and I felt like I rode well when I needed to. We’re excited for Detroit.

Kyle Chisholm (Twisted Tea Suzuki) – 15th:
I live about 25 minutes from the stadium, and it’s awesome to race in front of so many people that I know and share what we do on a weekly basis. I got to go out in opening ceremonies with my kids, and with my family there it was awesome. But to the racing, I rode pretty good all day and felt comfortable. We’ve got the bike working really well and haven’t changed anything on it much the last few weeks. I got bumped on the start of the heat race and ripped a little hole in my rear brake line. So, I had no rear brake and then had a little tip over. In the LCQ I ripped a pretty good start and got up to second to put her in the main. In the main, didn’t execute the first few laps the best that I should have, so I had to fight my way up from the back. I got up to 15th.

250SX

Image: Octopi Media.

Tom Vialle (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) – Fifth:
I had a big crash through the whoops in qualifying, so I was lucky to get away with that one. I didn’t feel great in practice or qualifying, although felt a bit better for the night show and P5 for our first main event of the year. It’s not bad, and although it’s not where we want to be, we’ll build from here and get better for next weekend.

Max Anstie (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) – First:
We came into the season very prepared. I felt like I was in a good spot, and in each session, we continued to build. It was a wild race. Pierce [Brown] and I were pushing a really good pace. I had a front-row seat to watch him crash in the whoops, and I hate to see that. He was riding so well. After the red flag, it was me and Dax [Bennick] at the front and it was like another day at the Goat Farm, and I just tried to not do anything too silly. It’s awesome to get the win at round one, and to get a 1-2 finish for the team. We’re in a good spot and looking forward to round two.

Pierce Brown (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) – DNF:
I felt great all night, leading my heat and main. Halfway through the main, I crashed in the whoops and unfortunately broke my T5 vertebrae. I had surgery to get it fixed so that I could get back to racing. I want to thank all my family, friends, fans, and the team for all of their support.

Daxton Bennick (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) – Second:
It was a good day. In my heat race, I went a little long on the start. The jump was good, but some guys snuck up the inside, so I made the adjustment for the main event and came out third. It was just a ride with the boys. Max and Pierce were up front, and then Pierce went down pretty hard, so I hope he’s okay. After the restart, I just rode my laps, tried to stay calm and know that I was in a good spot, and held it together to finish second. It feels so good to get back on the podium. We’ve been working hard for this, so I’m pumped about it.

Nate Thrasher (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) – Eighth:
It felt so good to be back racing this weekend in Tampa. Overall, it was a positive day for me even though the main wasn’t perfect. I’m happy to salvage points, and I’m ready for more racing in Detroit.

Chance Hymas (Honda HRC Progressive) – Sixth:
The first round in Tampa was a pretty good day for me overall. I struggled in qualifying, just knocking the rust off a bit. I have about a week on the bike, overall, and the team and I worked really hard all day and busted our butts. Each qualifying session got better and better. In the heat race, I was lacking a little bit of sprint speed – I haven’t done a sprint in around six months. The heat race was good, and honestly, the main event was a lot better than I expected. I had a good start and ran up front with those guys and felt good the whole race, but I was definitely out of breath a little bit. I just need some more laps under me, but overall, a solid start to the year.

RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) – 18th:
I was really excited to go racing again in Tampa. I qualified second and felt really good fighting for that top spot, and then took that into the heat race, which I won. Main event, I didn’t get a good start and got pushed around a bit during the opening laps, and then around lap three I caught a tuff block on my footpeg, and from there the rest is history. I couldn’t get it out for some time and it’s disappointing because I felt really good tonight. It is what it is, I have dug myself a bit of a hole, although we’ve done it before and I know I can get out of it, so we’ll just get after it in these next rounds.

Cameron McAdoo (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) – Third:
I am so grateful to have the strength to be here racing tonight. It was a difficult day and it has been difficult since the injury. I didn’t come in with any expectations, I wanted to go out and do my best. I am very happy with how tonight ended and how the team was able to manage everything. I got a lot of questions this weekend from people asking if I will be able to race, but I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think I would be able to race.

Seth Hammaker (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) – Fourth:
Today was pretty good, I came out swinging in the first qualifier with P1, so I felt confident with that. In the second qualifier I was rushing in the beginning, I was not gelling with the track but still got a decent lap in and felt pretty good going into the night show. In the Heat Race I got a pretty bad start and worked my way up to fourth so I did put myself in a great position for a good gate pick in the main. I got a decent start in fourth place then made a pass and was in third for a while until the red flag forced a staggered restart. Soon after I got passed by McAdoo and rode fourth for the rest of the race. I wanted to stay smart and have a solid finish for the first race of the season, and I will look to improve this week and get a better result in Detroit.

Levi Kitchen (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) – Ninth:
After having to switch from West to East Coast I took about two weeks off to recover from the flu and pneumonia. I’m very thankful the team was able to make that change happen for me. I’ve got two weeks on the bike now and it’s been great, including testing. The time off helped give me a break and I feel much better now, although today could have gone a little bit differently for me. Qualifying wasn’t great, but it wasn’t bad. In the Heat Race, I had to make a quick stop in the mechanics’ area with a bike issue, and that set me up for a poor gate pick. I did not execute my start in the main, and then I crashed in the sand section, so I was quite a ways back. I just tried to make do with what I had. I’m not really happy with my performance. I do feel like I’m riding pretty well right now, so I just have to put this one behind us and go to the next.

Austin Forkner (Triumph Factory Racing) – 17th:
I woke up this morning with some sort of sickness. Every single time I got on the track I was better, which is positive. I was in seventh in the main and satisfied. I made one little mistake in the sand, then someone ran it up the inside of me and took me out. It took me a minute to get up and I was pretty far behind, so I just focused on finishing. I would have been happy with a seventh or better, considering how the day went, but that is just the way that it goes.

Carson Mumford (Quad Lock Honda) – 10th:
I just blew out, I wasn’t breathing properly and made mistakes. It’s a solid start considering my injury, but it’s not where I want to be. I’ll use this weekend as a lesson on what I need to work on.