It’s almost here! Anaheim 1 kicks off Monster Energy AMA Supercross and the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) season on January 11. Every season starts with promise. Here are just some of the 450SX storylines to watch.
Webb the executor: The world finally understands how Cooper Webb wins supercross titles. He doesn’t blow you away with next-level speed or technique at any one time, but he executes to perfection and puts pressure on everyone else to match his consistency over five months. Run any one race in a computer simulation, and Webb probably isn’t the favorite. Run 17 races in 18 weekends, though, and he’s tough to beat. Everyone has a plan, but Webb always plans to disrupt that plan. It was working again in 2024, with Webb tied with Lawrence in points late. A thumb injury eventually took a toll. He didn’t win the title, but he reminded everyone to never, ever, ever count Webb out of a championship chase. Why would this year be different?
The Prado Project: How will the two-time MXGP FIM Motocross World Champion do in supercross? Jorge has obvious talent and isn’t just some old-school motocross hammerhead. He rides with precision and technique, and he’s a dynamite starter. This is good for supercross. But he will be 24 years old at Anaheim 1, and didn’t get to use the 250 class to develop like Ken Roczen or Marvin Musquin did. He’s facing a steep learning curve. Word from the test track so far is that this is a work in progress, as you’d expect it to be. This will take time. But will he get there, eventually? It’s hard to imagine Monster Energy Kawasaki signed him only for his outdoor skills.
Which Anderson? On the other side of the Monster Kawi slate is Jason Anderson, who is tough to classify. In some years he’s right there with Eli Tomac, in other years he’s lost. Last year was a bit in between—he could have won Anaheim 2 and had podium-speed at several other races—but was slightly off at others. Anderson might have slipped into that “opportunist” stage of his career, where he knows what nights and what tracks work for him, and that’s when he goes for the gusto. However, his contract is up at the end of ’25, he wants to keep racing, and he always does his best work indoors. He needs to be good this season, and that makes him exciting to watch. If that’s not exciting enough, of course there’s that never-ending rivalry with the Lawrences, too.
How good is Hunter Lawrence now? It’s easy to create a narrative around Hunter Lawrence getting into a first-turn crash at Anaheim 1 and not making the main in the first race of the year, and then battling his brother Jett inch-by-inch for the SMX World Championship at the finale. That’s a heck of an improvement! As with most things in life, it’s more subtle than that, Hunter wasn’t DNQ-level slow at the start of the year, he just got banged up in that crash. In most of Monster Energy AMA Supercross, he was a 5-7 guy, which is exactly the way Hunter likes to build, culminating with a runner-up finish at the penultimate SX round. By the AMA Pro Motocross Championship and SMX, he was great. It’s all gone perfectly to plan. So, now where do you classify Hunter? Is he actually the closest guy to Jett, like he was in SMX? Is he right in that Tomac/Webb/Sexton mix? Does he still need time to get there? We shall see.
Is Aaron Plessinger a Player? They were “Chasing the Cowboy around” for a bit early in 2025, when double mud races threw everyone off and the popular AP scored a breakthrough win and led the points. After that he was still good, but just off the podium at most races before an injury (three podiums last year total). Plessinger still wants to take that last step to where podiums are normal, and wins come on the right nights. He keeps working and building. Can he find that early 2024 magic again?
Aaron Plessinger leading in the San Diego Supercross, which he ended up winning.Align Media
Still A Winner? When Ken Roczen won on a Progressive Ecstar Suzuki at Indianapolis in 2023, it was an emotional one. When he won at Glendale in 2024, it was just another race. By then everyone knew Ken and Suzuki could and would win again. Ken had a big injury last year in supercross, but he looked decent by the end of the year in the FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX). Every year we talk about the field getting tougher and faster. Will Roczen remain one of the guys who can win on any given night?
Eli Tomac’s Resurgence: We saw Eli Tomac on the track in 2024 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, but we didn’t really see him. You know? He wasn’t back to his old form following that big Achillies tear in 2023. What are we seeing now? Fast in his comeback during Pro Motocross, fast at the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations, fast in WSX.
“I’m excited for 2025,” he said recently. “For me the most important thing was to do my best to come in healthy, and as of now, I am a lot stronger than I was the year before. In 2024, I felt like I had a rushed preparation time, so I’ve done a lot of racing leading up to this point, and it should keep me sharp. To be sharp, coming into Anaheim is going to be very important. As usual, it’s going to be a very packed gate with a lot of guys that can win. I believe I am in a better position than the year before. I’ve had good results with the off-season racing and will try and continue that in the New Year.” Eli will be better this year. Is that enough to be champion again?
It’s not about the bikes: Chase Sexton’s Monster Energy AMA Supercross title defense didn’t go very well. He finished third in points but only won two races. Sexton said last year his switch to Red Bull KTM would be a work in progress in supercross, and he was right. He’s spent this off-season saying he’s in a much better spot. So, are the problems solved? Can he beat Jett Lawrence? Sexton could be the most dynamic storyline of all this season. His high-end potential is up there with anyone, but he wasn't ready in 2024. Will he be this time?
Sophomore Jett: See the above list. Sexton should be better. Tomac should be better. Hunter Lawrence should better than last year. Webb will be as good as always. Roczen will be as good as always. Keep going. The pack is primed to attack the champion, Jett Lawrence. Jett, however, has an ace up his sleeve. He’s already AMA 450 Supercross Champ, but he did that in his first attempt! Riders generally get better in year two in 450SX, and even better in year three. Hard to believe that Jett, age 21, hasn’t hit his prime yet. That’s scary for everyone else!
Sunday, December 29, 2024 at 3:24PM 
