The 2025 SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) Playoffs rolled on in St. Louis, delivering a dramatic night of racing that shook up the championship picture. Reaction dives into the commentary from around the paddock post race.

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Image: Octopi Media.

Jett Lawrence (Honda HRC Progressive) – Second:
The first moto was a bit of a bummer – I spun off the gate, and once you give those guys half a wheel, they shut you down quick. I had to come from pretty far back, but my riding felt really good – I found some cool lines, and it was flowing nicely. In the second moto, I executed the start the way I wanted, grabbed the holeshot, and just focused on limiting mistakes. The track was tougher that time, but I was able to build a gap and get it done. To come away second overall and with a points lead of six heading into Las Vegas feels good. It’s shaping up to be a classic finale.

Hunter Lawrence (Honda HRC Progressive) – First:
My day was good – we got the win, and that always feels great. It was a strong night for Honda, with Jo [Shimoda] taking the 250 overall and myself and Jett going 1-2 in the 450s. I’m happy to be healthy, happy with how I’m riding, and really thankful to the team for all the work they put in. Now it’s on to Las Vegas to finish the season.

Justin Barcia (Rockstar Energy GasGas Factory Racing) – 11th:
Practice went well in St. Louis so I had a pretty good gate pick, but got a bit pinched in the first moto off the start and then charged hard until the end. Better start in moto two, but I just battled around where I was at – everyone was riding really well today and it was difficult to pass. All in all, I’m looking forward to practicing this week, and then going out with a bang in Vegas!

RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) – Sixth:
All-in-all, it was a solid weekend. Nothing too special, I just clicked off my laps and managed to post a good one in qualifying for P4. I had good speed in moto one, but just a couple of mistakes cost me a bit, but I felt really good for it being my first kind of Supercross-type race on the 450. I was stoked on how everything felt and I know that we’ll continue to make progress. Second moto, again not a great start, but on a track that was hard to pass, it’s decent that we’re leaving here with a sixth place. We’ll take it, and now we’ll come out firing for the last one in Las Vegas.

Eli Tomac (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) – Third:
It was a good day of racing for us. In the first moto, I just kind of hung out in third. I had a good start and was solid there, but nothing really happened other than Jett got close to my rear wheel at the end of that moto. I was able to fend him off and defend third, so that was important going into the second moto. I had another good start in moto two and made a move in the second turn to make a couple of passes. I was right there. I was really close that whole race. I just couldn’t find anything extra to get close enough to try for a pass, and maybe got a little lucky with some lappers at the end to get a little bit closer. Overall, it was good riding, but of course shy of the win.

Justin Cooper (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) – Eighth:
It was a tough day for me. My riding was good, but I didn’t execute when I needed to. In the first moto, I just didn’t make moves quickly enough. Then moto two, I started last after stalling it in the first turn. I got up and charged through, but then tipped over and had to charge again. I’m feeling good on the bike. I just need to put it together. That’s the goal for Vegas.

Cooper Webb (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) – Fifth:
Moto one was a very tough race, as I got a good start and immediately got bad arm pump and started going backwards. Moto two was a lot better. I felt good and was in a battle with Chase and Kenny [Roczen] the whole moto, and I was able to pass Chase late to get a solid fourth place and a top-five overall.

Ken Roczen (Progressive Insurance Ecstar Suzuki) – Fourth:
All right, St. Louis, we’re done and dusted and we actually had a really, really good weekend. We made a couple of little tweaks on the bike, basically just what I raced during all of Supercross, and it honestly made the world a difference to me. Going into the night show, I didn’t necessarily have the best [qualifying] time and the best [gate] position, but I felt a lot more confident just because I overall felt better on the bike. And it showed, because in the first moto I was battling in second the whole time, and brought it home, so that was really needed. I did some good riding, and it was a very big step in the right direction. Even in the second [moto], maybe the result was a fifth, but it was a lot better than last weekend. [There were] just a couple of little mishaps during the race that cost me some positions, but I ended up being really happy with all my riding and what we have done so far.

Kyle Chisholm (Twisted Tea Suzuki) – 20th:
I felt like my riding was pretty good this weekend. My starts weren’t great, and obviously, my gate pick wasn’t great having to go through the Wild Card race. The track was tough to make up time and actually pass on, and my track position just wasn’t ideal – it wasn’t where I needed it to be. I rode well, I was right there, but I just was not up far enough from the start. For the little bit of prep time that I had, I’m happy with my performance. We go to Vegas next week – I’m looking forward to it and will try to end the season with a with a good finish.

Derek Drake (Toyota Redlands BarX Yamaha) – DNQ:
It was definitely a bummer missing the motos, to come as close as I did. I felt pretty good during practice and qualifying and it just came down to the start in the Wildcard race, which I didn’t get. For me Las Vegas will be making the motos or bust!

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Image: Octopi Media.

Tom Vialle (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) – Fifth:
Second race of SMX is done and I finished with a 10-1 scorecard for fifth overall. It really was a case of opposites with how I felt in each race – I was struggling for comfort in the first moto, and then the team made a lot of great changes for the second race, making the setup softer, and it was so much better for me. I felt a lot more comfortable and I was able to ride a better second moto. I got a solid start and I just rode well out front for the whole race, so that was nice. We’re fourth in points now, so we’ll do all that we can to win in Vegas!

Jo Shimoda (Honda HRC Progressive) – First:
Tough day! I haven’t been feeling great; I had a fever going, and I was just trying to manage it. I just wanted to get a good start, ride 80 percent, do nothing crazy, and just finish it off, so I’m very happy with the result going into next weekend. I think it was a good day, for what it is.

Ryder DiFrancesco (Rockstar Energy GasGas Factory Racing) – 13th:
My qualifying went really solid! I connected the track together really well and P3 was a comfortable pace for me. In the races, I just couldn’t get off the gate this weekend – it was a tough place to come through the pack. Going into next weekend, we’ll put our best foot forward for triple points! We’re still in ninth overall, so we’ll give it our best shot and see how it unfolds in Vegas.

Haiden Deegan (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) – Sixth:
It was an alright day. I won the first moto and got into a little altercation in the second one. It is what it is. It’s racing. We’ve got one round to go. Let’s see what we can do.

Nate Thrasher (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) – Third:
I felt good all day. Last weekend, I felt pretty good too and felt like the pace was there, but I just wasn’t quite aggressive enough and didn’t ride to my full potential. So tonight, that was my goal – to come out and be aggressive and just control what I could. The first moto, I didn’t get off to a good start, but I made a lot of passes. In the second one, I was a little tired, but overall it was a good day and good to get on the podium. We’ll go work on some things this week and hopefully get a win and see where we end up in the points.

Cole Davies (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) – 11th:
St. Louis had some good moments, but the tip-over in the sand in moto two really cost me. We had a good qualifying in seventh, which showed the speed is there. Finishing 11th overall wasn’t what I wanted, but I know what I need to work on. We’ll regroup and come out swinging in Vegas at the final round.

Max Anstie (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) – Ninth:
It was a solid day. We’re making steps in the right direction and getting back in the swing of things. I’m looking forward to the last one in Vegas.

Daxton Bennick (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) – Eighth:
It was a lot better weekend for me. I’m excited for the last round!

Garrett Marchbanks (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) – 14th:
Overall, it was a decent day. Coming from Charlotte, where I had a DNF, and only being able to ride once this week for about 25 to 30 minutes, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was in a lot of pain with my leg, but I made it work. I put together two solid motos, nothing special, but enough to score some important points. I’m happy to leave St. Louis with more than I thought I’d get. Now the goal is to recover, regroup, and be as close to 100 percent as possible to put up a good fight in Vegas.

Levi Kitchen (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) – 10th:
Qualifying went well, and I felt like I was riding really strong. In the first moto, I didn’t get the best start but worked my way up to fifth. In the second moto, I got a great start but came together with Haiden [Deegan] and went down. I feel like I’m improving every weekend. My speed is good, so we’ll head into Vegas ready to send it and see what we can do.

Seth Hammaker (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) – Second:
I ended up second overall, another consistent day. I felt good physically, which was positive. Qualifying was a little off, and I was frustrated at first, but it was more about me getting comfortable and learning the track. It was a really challenging layout, slick in spots, tight, and tough to pass on, but we made it work. Going into the mains, I knew starts would be key for track position. They weren’t quite where I wanted them tonight, but we’ll work on that and be better for next weekend. Overall, I’m happy with second and in a good spot heading into the final in Vegas. I just need to go out there, try to win, and see what happens.

Drew Adams (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) – 12th:
It was a pretty mediocre day for me. Qualifying wasn’t too bad, and in the first moto, I pumped up a bit in the arms and finished 13th, which wasn’t the result I wanted. The starts were solid today though, so that was a step forward. In the second moto, I finished ninth for 12th overall. Not my best, but we’ll keep building, and I’m looking forward to Vegas.

Ty Masterpool (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) – Fourth:
Overall, it was a good day. I had to go through the wildcard race, which made for a tough start to the first moto, but I made it work and had a solid ride. In the second moto, I just couldn’t make the pass for the podium and ended up tying for third, but got scored fourth. I’m feeling better and stronger each weekend. I’m really looking forward to finishing strong in Vegas and carrying this momentum into next year, feeling healthy and confident.

Jordon Smith (Triumph Racing) – Seventh:
It was a better day. I felt good in practice and qualification, so the work this week paid off. I had a lot of arm pump in moto one, which is unusual for me, but I regrouped well for the second moto. The result in that one was positive, and we plan to come out swinging in Las Vegas.

Dilan Schwartz (Toyota Redlands BarX Yamaha) – 15th:
I really struggled to get comfortable in St. Louis, even though I really enjoyed the track. While I didn’t necessarily make improvements results-wise, I learned a lot about what I want and need from the bike to be comfortable on these hybrid tracks. Heading into Las Vegas I really just want to give it my all and get some good starts to put myself in the mix with the top guys.

Parker Ross (Toyota Redlands BarX Yamaha) – 18th:
St. Louis was a struggle. I haven’t really been a fan of the hybrid tracks so far as they’ve made for difficult racing in the motos. Nevertheless, the finish was a little bit better than last weekend, but it’s still not what I want or what I’m happy with. I’m having a hard time getting comfortable and setting up my bike. My goal for Las Vegas is to finish in the top 10 and end the season with a good result.