Eight of 11 Pro Motocross rounds are complete for 2025, with a range of intriguing storylines having developed throughout the summer. MotoOnline answers the questions that matter most in this Q&A feature, as the series pauses for a two-week break before the final three weeks of competition.

Image: Octopi Media.

Q: How has Jorge Prado’s debut 450MX season unfolded?

A: Not fantastic, that’s for sure. It’s no secret that the two-time MXGP world champion had, for better or for worse, much higher expectations for this year’s Pro Motocross season in what is his first full year on American soil. We say for better or for worse because you’d have to think that if expectations were dialed down slightly, then all of a sudden, a handful of top 10 results and P7 in the overall standings so far wouldn’t be all that bad. Instead, the ‘win’ word has been mentioned on multiple occasions, with accusations flying in all directions that the motorcycle is not quite to his liking. Season one for Prado hasn’t been great, however an adjustment in expectations and a true recognition of a ‘learning year’ in 2025 probably wouldn’t have gone astray, rather than chasing victory in year one.

Q: What more can be said about the Pro Motocross championship leaders?

A: They are both seriously good at riding dirt bikes. Both Jett Lawrence and Haiden Deegan have disposed of their rivals in each respective category, with Lawrence ahead by 61 points in 450MX, while Deegan boasts a 45-point margin in the 250MX class. It doesn’t take Einstein to figure that this has been a dominant season for each, with three rounds yet to run in Pro Motocross. Searching for some obscure observations, Jett and Washougal still don’t really get along, and we’re at the point now where a 3-1 performance for second overall is considered a ‘bad’ day for the number 18. Deegan has been battling a sore leg after going down at RedBud, but at the same time has finished first and second at the last two nationals, so all in all – as we said above – these guys are just good at riding dirt bikes. Really good.

Q: Why has Jo Shimoda suddenly caught fire?

A: Ahh, the Rubik’s cube that is Jo Shimoda! Every time you slip him into the ‘fast but inconsistent’ category, he fires back and makes us look like fools for suggesting such. As we’ve seen in the past, some riders really flourish when it’s getting close to crunch time for their contracts, with a little extra added somewhere in the supply chain that propels them to the front of the field. Jo seems like one of these guys, and you’d think if that level of urgency could be mimicked all season long, at every single race, then who knows, maybe that’d be enough for a serious championship run out of necessity. Either way, how he is riding is how we’ve expected him to ride for a while now. It may not seem so, but Jo made his professional debut in early 2020, meaning this is his sixth season in the 250 division, so read into that what you will.

Image: Octopi Media.

Q: How are the riders behind Jett Lawrence ranked in 450MX?

A: The early-season rounds were pretty fun to watch in this regard, as Hunter Lawrence, Eli Tomac, Aaron Plessinger, and Justin Cooper were trying to lay claim to this title. Admittedly, they probably wanted to capture the top spot, although Jett has a firm grasp on that one. So, Hunter has been the second rider to emerge with a string of P2 finishes spanning from High Point to Spring Creek, but the return of defending 450MX champion Chase Sexton added a layer of complexity to this equation, who won Washougal and showed that he’s likely a cut above that next pack. It’s been a fun battle to watch within itself, this one. Three rounds remain for a possible Tomac rebound, with the legendary Colorado-racer likely wanting to be in that conversation with Sexton. Can the elder Lawrence brother maintain that second-place claim, or are the others yet to overhaul him? We’ll see how it unfolds with three to go – and remember, Hunter is also still chasing his first overall. In addition, defending champion Chase Sexton isn’t in the title hunt after missing multiple rounds, but victory at Washougal was all class.

Q: What have been the most surprising moments after eight rounds?

A: Hands down, moment number one has to be Jeremy Martin’s Millville moto victory and P2 overall in what was a fairytale way to sign off on his decorated career. It’s one of those moments where you just kind of hold your breath, truly wondering whether a holeshot will convert to a good moto and a solid result. Not only that, but it needed to be done twice, with Martin doing exactly that by winning the final 250MX race at Spring Creek. Storybook stuff, that was. Next up, let’s just say RJ Hampshire’s whole 450MX campaign. RJ gave us over a decade’s worth of reasons why additional power could be of concern when paired with his all-in approach, but to be fair, he actually looks pretty measured! Plus the speed, how is his speed?! Unreal, RJ, and kudos are well deserved here – maybe a move to bigger machinery was due here, say, six seasons ago? Hampshire’s final boss will be the tighter confines of Supercross, but if he can deliver a consistent 17-round season next year, then who knows, maybe Sasquatch does exist.

Q: How have the 450MX veterans fared throughout the 2025 season?

A: Although the current crop of 450MX veterans – think Justin Barcia, Jason Anderson, and Tomac – have changed the narrative when it comes to how long a rider can be atop their game, we’re starting to see that a changing of the guard is in effect. These riders in their early 30s are now experiencing the wrath of the new generation, with the Lawrence brothers, Sexton, and Cooper giving them fits regularly. The latter group has much more top-end life left in them, so it’ll be interesting to see what the former group is prepared to settle for in coming seasons. It’s not like they’ve been really bad or anything, but you just get that sense that time is beginning to sway towards the future generation of talent. Don’t tell Cooper Webb this, though, as he’ll take it as a challenge, use it for fuel, and go and win another 450SX title, regardless of age.

Image: Octopi Media.

Q: Who is hot and who is not after eight rounds?

A: Who has been relatively hot – let’s say warm – is Ryder DiFranceso. Forget the results for a moment, Ryder D qualified P1 convincingly at RedBud, and then went on to finish sixth overall. He’s been solid in qually since, and has featured up towards the front on many more occasions than he did to commence this outdoor season. Signs of life are beginning to stir from the DiFrancesco camp, and it’s good to see. Another rider who has been super impressive is Mikkel Harrup, who sits fifth in the 250MX standings in what is his first crack at the Pro Motocross series with Triumph. Who is not hot is Levi Kitchen, compared to where he is expected to be, with over 100 points separating he and rival Deegan, who many thought he’d challenge for this year’s title. Starts seemed to have held the number 47 back, as he rarely features toward the front in the motos, and in the grand analysis, one would think this Pro Motocross campaign hasn’t gone to plan for him or the team. In 450MX, Jason Anderson’s series has been dismal, to say the least. Battling ongoing health issues, last year’s P5 finisher is 15th overall, and has bowed out of the championship altogether in a bid to recover, and hopefully, everything goes smoothly for the number 21 for the remainder of the year.

Q: Why have an array of riders exited the series in recent weeks?

A: It’s a grueling season when Monster Energy Supercross, Pro Motocross, and the post-season playoff rounds are combined. Attrition is increasingly becoming a key factor, and a tip of the hat needs to go to Justin Cooper, who has raced every round this year and subsequently holds the top SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) seeded position as a result. Plessinger also gave it a good nudge, but it appears like, after Southwick, things caught up with the number 7, and he has since exited the series due to an illness. We’ve also lost Tom Vialle, Julien Beaumer, and the previously-mentioned Anderson, among others, who are scheduled to take some time off to recover. For future seasons, riders may need to reconsider their training programs and balance them out more than ever, to avoid burnout or lapses in concentration that draw a premature end to their championships.