Deegan Wins AMA Pro MX Championship 250 Class Opener

With a ‘statement race’ to open the 2025 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, aka the MX Nationals at Pala (Calif.’s) Fox Raceway, Monster Energy’s Haiden Deegan (Star Racing/Yamaha) parlayed a dominant 1-1 two moto finish to 50 series championship points and the early lead towards defending his 2024 250 class crown.

“This track’s so gnarly, it’s outdoors. You just gotta dog it out,” said Deegan from the podium. “Perfect. 1-1. Same as last year. I’m stoked. We’re gonna send it this year.”

And on the big bikes, the 450 class, fan favorite Eli Tomac (Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha) would race brilliantly after being on the sidelines for much of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross series with a leg injury, splitting Honda’s Lawrence brothers (Jett, 1^st & Hunter, 3^rd) on the podium with a 4-2 finish for 2^nd place on the day.

“I’ll tell you what, I was trying my heart out,” said Tomac. “It was close. We both (he and Jett) had our spots on the track… definitely a joy to race Jett.”

In the opening 250 moto at Pala, it’d be Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Ty Masterpool pulling a spectacular slingshot maneuver to get past holeshot winner Chance Hymas (Honda) and into the race’s early lead. Hymas would get back past Masterpool, but ended up tipping over in a heavily rutted section. This opened the door for Deegan, who’d been turning fast laps up to that point. He’d get by KTM’s Julien Beaumer and that’d be it – first moto win of the season for Deegan was in the books.

In 250 Moto 2 Deegan got out to 3^rd place in the start, chasing the KTM boys – Beaumer and Tom Vialle. Then, as called by NBC Sports announcer James Stewart, “Just like that first moto, here comes that No. 1 (Deegan).” Deegan passed then leader Beaumer on the massive Fox Raceway uphill section, and brought ‘er home for the Moto 2 win. Joining Deegan in the 250 classes top ten overall were Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki teammates Garrett Marchbanksand Seth Hammaker in 6^th and 7^th positions, respectively, with Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha’s Michael Mosiman in 8^th and Masterpool in 10^th.

The 450 class Moto 1 highlights started with a low light as defending Monster Energy AMA Supercross champion Cooper Webb (Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha) ran into a mechanical issue, leaving the track with a cloud of white smoke trailing him. Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha teammate Justin Cooper was able to pick it up from there, blazing to a 2^nd place opening moto finish with Tomac bringing ‘er home in 4^th position.

Moto 2 opened with high anticipation for both Cooper and Tomac as the multi-time champ Tomac ran up front with the leaders early on in 4^th position. Tomac would make quick work of KTM’s Aaron Plessinger, then Hunter Lawrence, to set up the battle to the tape with Jett Lawence. For Cooper, an 8^th place finish in 450 Moto 2 would keep him off the box, placing a respectable 5^th (2-8). Rounding out the 450 class top ten for Monster Energy were multi-time MXGP world champion Jorge Prado (Kawasaki), racing his first ever MX National, in 6^th position (7-6), with teammate Jason Anderson in 7^th (9-5).

Overall Standings (1of 11 rounds)

Notes & Quotes

• Tomac on his SX leg injury: “I felt strong. The last three weeks, I haven’t noticed this injury at all.”
• Good to see Monster Energy/Kawasaki’s “El Hombre” Anderson back on the track. Anderson missed a portion of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross season with an undisclosed illness. But a top five (5^th) place Moto 2 finish had his sizable fan base pumped to see him back.
• “The way Haiden (Deegan) was riding today it looked like everything was planned out, wasn’t in a rush.” - NBC Sports commentator James Stewart
• “Shout out to Justin Cooper… he showed he can be a podium runner as well.” – NBC Sports announcer Jason Weigandt on Cooper’s 2^nd place finish in 450 Moto 1
• Monster Energy/Kawasaki’s Prado on his first ever American MX National race: “Obviously, everything’s new. The series. The bike. So we still have some work to do, but we’re ready to kick off the season and let’s see how we go in the next rounds.”
• In 450 qualifying at Pala, Monster Energy’s Tomac (2:15.986) and Cooper (2:16.616) were the No. 3 & 4 qualifiers, while in the 250 class Deegan finished 2^nd (2:18.592) to Honda’s Chance Hymas, with Marchbanks (2:18.635) and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen (2:18.830) in 4^th and 5^th positions, respectively.
• Speaking of Kitchen, one of Monster Energy’s top 250 podium threats had a rough go of it in Moto 2 at Pala, registering a 38^th place DNF finish after several news sources were reporting a broken chain. Kitchen had placed 10^th in the opening 250 moto.
• Looks like Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha’s Max Anstie is going to need a bit more time for an injured bone in his leg (Birmingham, Ala., SX) to heal. The fast Brit was expecting to return for the Pala National, but noted – prior to the race – that he’ll most likely have to return for the final MX Nationals rounds and SMX Playoffs.

Up next: Round 2 of the 2025 Pro Motocross Championship stays on the west coast, heading up the I-5 to Sacramento (Rancho Cordova) for the annual running of the Michael’s Reno Powersports Hangtown Motocross Classic, May 31^st. For more information on the AMA Pro Motocross Championships, link to www.promotocross.com