Image: Octopi Media.

Defending 450MX champion Chase Sexton admitted he ‘didn’t really expect a whole lot coming in’ upon return at the RedBud National, entering with measured expectations and finishing P5 overall having been sidelined since the Pro Motocross opener in May.

It wasn’t entirely clear where the ‘banged up’ number one had been over the past six weeks, with Sexton maintaining a low profile after crashing out of the first moto of the 2025 season at Fox Raceway.

An uncharacteristic eighth position in qualifying at RedBud furthered the speculation of whether he’d spent much time on the bike during his absence, before he charged from outside the top 10 to fifth in moto one on Saturday.

That was followed up with another charge through the field in race two, with Sexton as far back as P13 early on. He would latch on to the back of Jett Lawrence (Honda HRC Progressive) when the number 18 went by, marching through the field together and into P2.

An untimely fall brought an end to Sexton’s charge, however, eventually taking the checkered flag in fourth position. Post-race, the 25-year-old was left with a sense of positivity after the speed shown, especially following the final outing.

“First race back at RedBud wasn’t great results-wise, but I didn’t really expect a whole lot coming into the round,” reflected Sexton. “[In the] second moto, I was pleasantly surprised that even if I wasn’t riding great, my speed was still pretty good. I’m happy with the day – onward and upward from here to build into SMX and try to win some races.”

Five rounds remain in Pro Motocross for this year, before the three-race SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) playoff and finals series begin at North Carolina’s zMAX Dragway on September 7.