Can’t believe it’s already over! It seems like Supercross just started but here we are banging on the door of outdoors. SLC proved to have some fireworks so let’s break it down a little right here.
Cooper Webb: Your 2025 AMA SX Champ! There is no one as strong minded as Webb and from the outside looking in it looked easy but from what I heard, it was nothing but smooth on Friday. I guess there was some small fires on Friday that Webb and the team needed to put out with the bike and maybe a little bit with Cooper. Imagine being on the verge of your third championship and having to wait around. to go racing. I can’t imagine. Some people are built for championships some are not. I can safely say that most people could NOT deal with the pressure an AMA SX Championship comes with. There are so many steps to complete a title and then on the very last day of that title you have to execute all of those steps (and maybe more) to get the job done. Congrats to the Star Racing Yamaha team and my buddy Gilly for getting the 450 title.
Chase Sexton: I am going to drop the Giselle name because this dude has earned it the last five races. I want to give acknowledgment of the human that Chase is. After the race he went and congratulated the whole Yamaha team as well as Webb’s parents. I have always said this is one of the most down to earth factory rider we have. Chase is going to be a weapon outdoors and I really think he will give Jett and Eli fits all summer. Stay tuned!
Shane Mcelrath: Another rider who has impressed with starts and speed is this dude. Shane has been hanging in there longer in these main events and you can see him starting to get the hang of the top guys speed. I really think Shane is an underrated rider and I really think he could be a top 5 guy if he was on a factory squad. Also, he is no slouch outdoors too!
Justin Cooper: Riding with Webb has really helped Justin. Riding with Webb and having Gilly work on his suspension has really helped Justin. Those are the two things I am going to say when he wins a race in 26’. Yamaha will have a slightly different frame next year with more comfort and I think this will benefit Justin’s whoop “speed”. Yes, he is a jumper, but I think that will change next year with the new Yamaha chassis. Stay tuned!
Kyle Chisholm: Holy shit! That is what I say when they tell me how many main events this guy has been in. Forget championships. Do you know how gnarly it is to have longevity in this sport. Injuries, getting a ride, traveling, recovering, balancing home life and did I mention injuries? It is crazy that Kyle has been this good this long. It’s not like he sucked this year. He has beat a lot of really good riders with better rides than what he has. A tip of the cap to you, Kyle. It really is amazing what you have accomplished. If I was a privateer, I would be asking Kyle to train me.
Malcolm Stewart: If we had more than nine whoops in this series, Mookie would have more wins to his name. He doesn’t look like he’s a hard pack rider, but I feel he rides better when the track is slippery. Mookie wasn’t going to be denied second place and his bike set up (all the steel framed bikes) looked amazing all night. I also would like to acknowledge the sportsmanship of Mookie after the finish with Coop. I don’t know what was said but you can tell that he wanted to get across to Coop that he respected the hell of what he has done. That is what it’s all about.
Tom Vialle: I don’t want to say a championship was lucky because you actually have to be in it to win it, but let’s be real… RJ should get a cut of Tom’s bonus. I have sat here and typed how I haven’t been impressed with Vialle all year and then he wins the championship. Again, you have to be consistent to win and this dude did just that. Wasn’t the fastest. Wasn’t great in whoops. Wasn’t great off the starts. But guess who has the number one plate. Goes to show you that you don’t always have to dick measure every weekend to be THE MAN. Vialle is the man without being the fastest 250 rider in the series. Felicitations.
RJ Hampshire: If you are one of these people that can’t understand RJ’s move, then I can’t help you. RJ needed to get some help to win this title. He needed to drop Seth and pass Ju Ju or put Seth on the ground. He chose to try and take Seth out to get some riders in between him. I mean, I get it. Was it the best choice? Probably not, but if you can’t understand why he chose to do what he did, then you’re not a racer. Sucks for RJ but also sucks for Seth. Both good dudes.
Seth Hammaker: Man, this one stings a bit for the PC team. Seth was the fastest guy in the series but sometimes you just get efffffed and Seth got just that. I do think Seth could of felt RJ behind him and maybe checked up a bit but I really don’t think he thought RJ was going to dive bomb him. I do know that this will sting a little while but Seth will bounce back and be the guy to beat come 2026 SX season. Looks like a little Florida training has done wonders for the kid. Well done, Byrner and crew!
