Monster Energy Motocross Riders Podium at Budds Creek
Monster Energy’s Haiden Deegan Clinches 250 Title at Budds Creek; Marchbanks and Tomac Join Podium Charge
Pro motocross’ hottest rising star, Monster Energy’s Haiden Deegan (Star Racing/Yamaha), completed his AMA Pro Motocross Championship 250 class title defense this past weekend – winning the Budds Creek MX National – and wrapping up the season championship ahead of Honda’s Jo Shimoda (2nd) and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Garrett Marchbanks (3rd).
Deegan’s run to his second-straight 250 class overall championship was never in doubt as he led the season points total from start to finish – and secured the overall championship with an opening moto victory at Budds Creek (which would later be dropped one position, to 2nd place, when Deegan jumped during a red caution flag). No matter though as his closest rival, Shimoda, was docked a position also (for the same penalty).
For good measure, Deegan would rally back and dominate Moto 2, winning a ‘statement moto’ over Shimoda by 13.537 seconds to put an exclamation point on his 2025 AMA Pro Motocross Championship 250 class crown.
“I told my mechanic ‘Watch this,’” said Deegan of his Moto 2 performance. “I’m going to sprints; I’m going to kick their ass. And that’s what I did.”
Heading into Budds Creek, Deegan had put up the numbers of a champion with six overall MX National wins and three runner-up finishes through ten rounds. His 2025 AMA Pro Motocross Championship 250 crown was in addition to his Monster Energy AMA Supercross Western Region (WSX) 250 class championship, making him the most successful 250 class racer on the planet.
“I’ve done the pretty gnarly work earlier this season to put me in a position where I can enjoy these last couple (motos),” he said. “It’s my last 250 outdoor race of my career, except for the Motocross of Nations (Oct. 3-5 in Crawfordsville, Ind.), so I’m going out there to enjoy it.”
Rounding out the 250 class podium at Budds Creek was Monster Energy’s Levi Kitchen (Pro Circuit/Kawasaki) in 3rdplace, teammate Marchbanks in 4th, Nate Thrasher (Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha) in 5th, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Ty Masterpool in 6th, Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha’s Cole Davies, who won Moto 1 (with the Deegan penalty), in 7th and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rookie Drew Adams in 8th – giving Monster Energy seven of the top eight places at Budds Creek.
On the 450s Monster Energy was led by Justin Cooper (Star Racing/Yamaha), who parlayed a 2-4 two moto finish in the 3rd place. Cooper would finish just six points (395-389) back of teammate Eli Tomac for the final 450 class season podium position. Tomac finished 8th at Budds Creek, going 5-8 on the day.
In WMX action at Unadilla Monster Energy received podium finishes from Australian Charli Cannon (2nd) and USA’s Mikayla Nielsen (3rd), with American Kyleigh Stallings also making the top five (5th). Overall on the season Cannon placed 2nd with 258 points, Nielsen 3rd with 240 and Stallings 5th with 205.
| Budds Creek MX 250 Class Results | 450 MX Class Results |
|---|---|
| 1st - Deegan (Monster/Star/Yamaha) | 3rd - Cooper (Monster/Star/Yamaha) |
| 3rd - Kitchen (Monster/PC/Kawasaki) | 8th - Tomac (Monster/Star/Yamaha) |
| 4th - Marchbanks (Monster/PC/Kawasaki) | 10th - Prado (Monster/Kawasaki) |
| 5th - Thrasher (Monster/Star/Yamaha) | |
| 7th - Davies (Monster/Star/Yamaha) | |
| 8th - Adams (Monster/PC/Kawasaki) | |
| WMX Class Results | |
| 2nd - Cannon (Honda) | |
| 3rd - Nielsen (Honda) | |
| 5th - Stallings (Kawasaki) |
Overall Standings (11 of 11 rounds)
| 250 Class | 450 Class |
|---|---|
| 1st - Deegan, 502 points | 3rd - Tomac, 395 points |
| 3rd - Marchbanks, 352 points | 4th - Cooper, 389 points |
| 4th - Kitchen, 327 points | 6th - Prado, 262 points |
| 7th - Hammaker, 231 points | |
| WMX Class | |
| 2nd - Cannon, 258 points | |
| 3rd - Nielsen, 240 points | |
| 5th - Stallings, 205 points |
Notes & Quotes
- All totaled on his career, Deegan now has five 250 class championships. In addition to his two outdoor titles (2024-’25) and ’25 250 WSX championship, Deegan has won two SMX World Championships (2023-’24).
- In addition, for this season (2025), Deegan can become the first racer in history to win both the SX and MX crowns, as well as the SMX 250 title as no one has ever won all three in the same season.
- “The goal is to do a threepeat,” said Deegan of the upcoming SMX series which begins in Charlotte (N.C.) on Sept. 6th.
- Said Kitchen of his 3rd place overall finish at Budds Creek: “I’ve been trying every weekend. I’ve hit the ground a lot and started in the back. We found a little with the bike and it helped with the starts today.”
- Davies’ moto win (with the Deegan and Shimoda penalties) was his first career 250 class moto victory in just three starts. To celebrate, Davies dropped his YZ250F and, symbolically, planted the New Zealand flag in the Budds Creek dirt.
- Marchbanks also received some good news on Saturday when, after clinching a podium 3rd place overall 250 series finish, was awarded the third seed in the upcoming SMX Playoffs when KTM veteran Tom Vialle was unable to make the gate for Moto 2.
- Though Tomac would be the only Monster Energy racer to make the overall season 450 class podium, Cooper came away as the leader, by a mile, in the overall combined SMX Championship points (SX & MX). Cooper is the No. 1 450 class seed heading into Charlotte, ahead of Honda’s Jett Lawrence by 90 points (670-580).
- All totaled on the 2025 AMA Pro Motocross Championship season, Monster Energy had one champion (Deegan), five overall podium placers (Deegan, Marchbanks, Tomac, Cannon and Nielsen), eight racers ranked in the top five and ten racers ranked in the top ten over three classes (250, 450 & WMX).
Up next: The 2025 Monster Energy AMA Supercross and AMA Pro Motocross Championship begin their three round playoffs, the SMX World Championship Playoffs, at Charlotte, N.C.’s zMAX Dragway, Sept. 6. For more information on the SMX World Championship Playoffs, www.supermotocross.com/playoffs/.
