Seth Hammaker wins 250 ESX battle and extends series lead

Monster Energy’s Seth Hammaker (Pro Circuit/Kawasaki) was tied at 117 points with veteran 250 class racer RJ Hampshire (Husqvarna) heading into Saturday’s Round 14 of Monster Energy AMA Supercross at East Rutherford, New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium. Each racer would be running the blazing red No. 1 plate when the gate dropped on the 250 Eastern Region (ESX) class.

But only one would leave with that red plate – Hammaker.

“It feels great to get another win and have the red plate solo,” said Hammaker, who leads the overall 250 ESX class by three points, 142-139, ahead of Hampshire.

With the win Hammaker became the first eastern region racer to win multiple races in 2025 after both Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha’s Haiden Deegan and Cole Davies accomplished this in 250 WSX racing. He (Hammaker) trailed N.J. 250 ESX main event holeshot winner Nate Thrasher (Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha) early, coming out of the start in 2^nd position, then taking the lead early – and extending it – when Thrasher went down in the entrance to a bowl turn corner.

Joining Hammaker in the podium hunt after Thrasher’s error were Hampshire and 3^rd place overall 250 ESX racer, veteran Tom Vialle (KTM). But neither would have anything for Hammaker at the end as the 250 ESX points leader cruised to a four-second victory over Hammaker (six seconds ahead of Vialle).

In 450 class action Monster Energy’s Cooper Webb (Star Racing/Yamaha), who had a 12-point advantage over 2^ndplace overall Chase Sexton (KTM) heading into the East Rutherford round, pulled a good start in the main and settled into 2^nd position (behind holeshot winner Sexton). But, ultimately, it’d be Sexton’s day as Webb brought ‘er home in 2^ndposition, and left New Jersey with a nine-point lead on Sexton with three rounds remaining.

Said Webb, who admitted Sexton had him covered in the whoop sections: “He (Sexton) was killing me in those two sets of whoops. … I’m pretty mind blown on how he was able to do it.”

Racing solidly into 4^th position in the 450 main was Webb’s Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha teammate and practice partner, Justin Cooper. The local from nearby Cold Springs Harbor, N.Y., had a ton of fan support in scoring his fourth 4^th place finish of the season, coinciding with 4^th place in the overall 450 class standings with 221 points.

Rounding out the top ten, with his tenth top ten finish of the season, was Monster Energy-backed Justin Hill (KTM). Hill made it three 10^th place finishes in a row with a 10^th place run at MetLife Stadium.

East Rutherford, N.J., 450 class results                      250 ESX class results

2^nd – Webb (Monster/Star/Yamaha)                                           1^st – Hammaker (Monster/PC/Kawasaki)

4^th – Cooper (Monster/Star/Yamaha)                                         5^th – Thrasher (Monster/Star/Yamaha)

10^th – Hill (Monster/KTM)                                              

Overall Standings (14 of 17 rounds)

450 class                                                                      250 ESX class

1^st – Webb, 300 points                                                               1^st – Hammaker, 142 points

4^th – Cooper, 221 points                                                             5^th – Thrasher,  106

8^th – Hill, 161 points                                                                    8^th – Anstie, 78 points

Notes & Quotes

• The Monster Energy AMA Supercross’ 450 points chase is pretty straightforward through the final three rounds. If Sexton can win them, he’ll win the overall vs. Webb based on the most victories (even though they’ll be tied in points if Webb places 2^nd to Sexton in those races).
• “This guy. Unbelievable performance.” – NBC announcer Rick Carmichael on Hammaker. Added Carmichael’s announcing partner, Lee Diffey: “Seth Hammaker – rock solid. Nothing too flashy today. Just a rock solid ride.”
• With Hammaker winning and Thrasher 5^th, which would be it for the Monster Energy racers scoring in the N.J. 250 ESX main event as Star Racing/Yamaha’s Max Anstie and Daxton Bennick, currently 8^th and 9^th in the overall series points, were both on the sidelines with injuries.
• Thrasher actually took 4^th at East Rutherford, but was docked a position when AMA race officials deemed Thrasher cut the track, to his advantage, during the race.
• Also out with injuries in the 250 ESX region were Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen and Cameron McAdoo – both of whom are expected back to race the MX Nationals beginning in Pala, Calif., May 24^th.
• “I’ve raced Eli (Tomac, Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha), obviously very closely. And now Cooper (Webb) in supercross,” said Sexton at the East Rutherford post-race press conference on comparing Tomac and Webb. “They’re two complete opposites, but they have their strengths. He’s (Webb) very tough, and very strong-minded.”
• “Knew I had to make a quick pass. Got him (Thrasher) right before the supercross triple (jump) at the end of that long rhythm lane, which was good to get him early. Then he was putting pressure on me those first couple laps. He was riding well tonight.” – Hammaker
• Hammaker, an eastern U.S. based racer who considered the Philly SX as his hometown race, has enjoyed a home crowd advantage the last several weeks, which will continue in Pittsburgh, Pa., this coming weekend.

Up next: Monster Energy AMA Supercross returns to Pittsburgh for the first time in 42 years (1983), with Acrisure Stadium hosting the April 26^th Round 15 of the world’s premier stadium motorsport event.