DAYTONA BEACH, Florida: Ken Roczen withstood a battle from Cooper Webb to win his first Daytona Supercross victory in Round 8 of the 2025 Monster Energy Supercross series. It was his 23rd career win.
Roczen came close to winning on multiple occasions earlier this season with second-place finishes in three rounds and another third. Last week he told reporters he simply wasn’t fast enough to win, but before the race, he told NBC Sports that he did not alter his routine this week. He trusted his speed.
That trust was rewarded.
“I honestly can’t believe it,” Roczen told Peacock’s Katie Osborne. “I really put my head down. I had some really good lines. When you make those passes, you have to put your head down or they will retaliate and come back.”
Webb stalled his bike twice during the race but challenged until the final laps when one final mistake dropped him to a five-second deficit.
“You can’t make mistakes, as many as I made, and still expect to win,” Webb told Jason Thomas. “Kenny rode great. He was charging through and he got around me, made the pass on (Aaron Plessinger) and he pulled away. It put the urgency on me and I made too many mistakes after that. Overall from a points’ position it was a great night.”
Webb doubled his points lead over Sexton. He has left Daytona with the advantage twice previously in his career and won the championship both times.
Plessinger rounded out the podium. He scored his first Supercross podium in 2021 and dedicated it to Dale Earnhardt, Sr.
Dale was still on his mind.
“After two 22nd-place finishes, a seventh, eighth, and ninth, it’s been a ride but we pulled it off.” Plessinger said. “I love this place and you know we’re always doing it for Dale.”
Fourth-place Justin Cooper and Chase Sexton rounded out the podium but it was an epic journey for Sexton who crashed hard in his heat and was forced to advance through the Last Chance Qualifier.
Click here for complete 450 results
RJ Hampshire survived the third red flag in three Monster Energy Supercross 250 East division to become the third class winner.
“It’s special,” Hampshire told Peacock’s Jason Thomas. “Man, I lost my dad a few months ago and this was his race. Growing up as a kid, this is where we came. It was the only Supercross I came to. He was with us today. Some guy came up to me in the pits and he had his old jersey that he raced with back in the day and it was something I didn’t have.”
Hampshire was fastest in qualification, won his heat and the Feature — the same path to victory as Max Anstie and Levi Kitchen in the first two 250 East rounds.
Hampshire earned the lead early and was riding away from the field when Kitchen crashed hard midway through the race. The Alpinestars Medical team needed a quiet track to help the dazed rider off the course and when the race returned to green, Hampshire had to hold off a determined Tom Vialle.
Kitchen was awake and alert after the crash before being evaluated at the track and transported to a local hospital.
East Coast 2024 champion, Vialle applied pressure for a lap, but once Hampshire found his rhythm, he built a 2.356-second lead.
“He passed me early in the race, I was leading for a couple of laps and he passed me,” Vialle said. “It was hard. The track was really tough and tricky. We had pretty much the same speed all moto. I wasn’t far (off), but I could not make a move, to be honest.”
The fiercest contest in the final laps belonged to Seth Hammaker and Chance Hymas.
Heading into the sand section, Hammaker sent it and passed Hymas in the air to take the final spot on the podium.
Hymas held on for fourth. This was his best career finish.
Max Anstie overcame an early crash to finish fifth and retain the red plate.
Click here for complete 250 East results
Pre Race Notes
A new track winner will be crowned at Daytona International Speedway in Round 8 of the Monster Energy Supercross series as the GOAT Eli Tomac and defending champion Jett Lawrence are on the injured list.
Rain has plagued the last two runnings of this race, but that should not be an issue this year with bright skies and warm Southeastern temperatures to start the program.
Adding to the challenge of Daytona, riders have to navigate five surface conditions: black dirt, red clay, white sand, brown sand, and a couple of grassy areas — for as long as the grass holds up, that is.
Jason Anderson grabbed the early lead with Cooper Webb chasing.
Plessinger took two points away from Webb and pushed him back to third.
Sexton got a modest start with a poor gate pick. He ran ninth during Lap 1. He moved up to sixth at the end of Lap 1. Sexton was third fastest on that lap.
On Lap 3, Sexton passed Malcolm Stewart for fifth.
Plessinger took the lead from Anderson on Lap four but Anderson was not going to concede.
Webb was right behind this battle in third.
Roczen took advantage of Webb’s battle and moved to third. Webb and Sexton were separated by one position.
Roczen passed Anderson on Lap 5.
One lap later Webb moved into third around Anderson.
Roczen and Plessinger were side-by-side for a complete lap. Plessinger prevailed.
Sexton passed Anderson on Lap 7 by pushing El Hombre wide.
Roczen took the lead on that same lap. Eight minutes remained.
Roczen got some breathing room while Plessinger and Webb battled. Webb grabbed second on Lap 9.
Webb stalled and didn’t lose a spot, but Sexton closed the gap and passed his teammate Plessinger.
Roczen took advantage and built a four-second lead while Webb, Sexton, and Plessinger battled for second.
On Lap 11, Webb cut the lead in half. It was two seconds. Webb has a way of pressuring Roczen.
On Lap 12, Webb was one second behind but he stalled the bike again. That stretched the lead to 2.6 seconds.
Plessinger took third from Sexton on Lap 14.
Justin Cooper passed Sexton as the white flag waved.
Levi Kitchen crashed hard on Lap 3 to bring out the red flag.
Kitchen was challenging Tom Vialle at the time of the crash and held the points’ lead as they ran at the time.
Kitchen landed on his front wheel after clearing the finish line jump and was able to rise and stumble off course as his mangled bike was left behind.
Kitchen’s crash occasioned the red flag for the third time in three 250 East Features.
Kitchen down hard! 😳
— Supercross LIVE! (@SupercrossLIVE) March 2, 2025
The red flag has come out, and a staggered restart will take place. #SupercrossLIVE #SMX pic.twitter.com/kVrs16IpuK
Tom Vialle got a strong start. Points leader Max Anstie tangled with Vialle and crashes in Turn 1.
Cameron McAdoo was not able to line up. He said he will explain later.
Chance Hymas in second and RJ Hampshire in third stabilized.
Hampshire took second later on Lap 1.
Hampshire passed Vialle on Lap 2 to lead in front of the home state crowd.
Anstie moved into 13th on Lap 2 and salvaged points. He was two behind third-place Levi Kitchen as they ran.
Kitchen challenged Vialle for second on Lap 3 but crashed hard. His night was done as he’s slow to rise. He stumbled off track and left his bike behind.
The red flag waved over the 250 East race for the third time in three rounds.
A staggered restart resumed with seven-minutes, 24-seconds on the clock.
Hampshire kept the lead, but looked sketchy on the first lap of the restart. Vialle pressured him but Hampshire earned a little breathing room with a 1.1 second lead a lap later. Hampshire posted the fastest lap while under pressure.
Anstie moved up to seventh on Lap 6 and reacquired the red plate.
Hampshire extended his lead to more than two seconds over Vialle with two minutes remaining.
Hymas rounded out the top three with Anstie up to sixth.
With two laps remaining, Seth Hammaker took third from Hymas, who finished a career-best fourth.
Anstie overcame his Lap 1 crash to finish fifth and retain the red plate.
Chase Sexton earned the holeshot and looked to protect his weekend after the heat crash.
Jeremy Hand had a huge crash off one of the tallest jumps. He was shaken up.
Sexton rode off course briefly but did not lose the lead.
Sexton held onto the lead and brought Justin Starling, Fredrik Noren, and Jerry Robin with him into the Main.
“It’s time to buck up tonight and be tough,” Sexton said after the win. “Luckily I’m relatively okay from that crash. I just came up short and it kicked me over the bars.”
Chase Sexton took the lead early in Heat 2, but crashed with Justin Barcia on Lap 1.
He damaged his bike badly enough and sustained an injury to force a retirement. He was sent into the Last Chance Qualifier.
Here’s what ended Chase’s heat race 😳 #SupercrossLIVE #SMX pic.twitter.com/QkxbO4oYha
— Supercross LIVE! (@SupercrossLIVE) March 2, 2025
Sexton earned the holeshot in the LCQ and survived a couple of sketchy moments. He rode off course midway through the race before winning his way into the Main.
Jack Chambers took the early lead over Trevor Colip.
Chambers held off the field to win the LCQ.
He moved into the Main along with Chandler Baker, Colip, and Izaih Clark.
Cooper Webb got a terrible start and Chase Sexton crashed on Lap 1 with Justin Barcia.
That handed the lead to Jason Anderson but Malcolm Stewart got around him early.
Webb moved up to 10th at the end of Lap 1; Sexton was dead last.
Aaron Plessinger rounded out the top three as 250 West rider Coty Schock was fourth in a one-off ride in the 450 class.
Sexton retired and resigned himself to the Last Chance Qualifier.
Webb moved into the transfer range on Lap 2 after getting around sixth-place Kevin Moranz.
Stewart held on for the win over Plessinger and Anderson.
Webb moved up to fourth with Schock rounding out the top five.
Mitchell Oldenburg (sixth), Moranz (seventh), Barcia (eight) and Benny Bloss (ninth) also advanced directly into the Main.
Moranz has now made five Mains in six standard-format races.
Shane McElrath took the early lead but Ken Roczen would have nothing of it and passed him before they got the the finish line.
At the end of Lap 1, Roczen stretched the lead to more than two seconds.
Justin Hill rounded out the top three.
Roczen set the early pace with the Heat 1 win over McElrath.
The fiercest contest in the closing laps was for third with Joey Savatgy taking the position over fourth-place Justin Hill and Justin Cooper.
Dylan Ferrandis (sixth), Colt Nichols (seventh), Kyle Chisholm (eighth), and Mitchell Harrison (ninth) also advanced into the Main.
Click here for complete 450 Heat 1 results
Hear from your 450 heat 1 winner 🎤 #SupercrossLIVE #SMX pic.twitter.com/kYHi2TTQax
— Supercross LIVE! (@SupercrossLIVE) March 2, 2025
RJ Hampshire grabbed the holeshot and the early lead over Seth Hammaker.
Hammaker and Chance Hymas were embroiled in a battle for second on Lap 2 but Austin Forkner was not far behind.
The white flag waved over those four until Forkner lost contact.
Hampshire won Heat 2, giving the two defending champions the early victories.
Hammaker held on for second with Hymas third.
Fourth-place Forkner and Carson Mumford rounded out the top five.
McAdoo fell on the last lap to give up fifth, but he advanced with a seventh-place finish.
Cullin Park, Gage Linville, and Henry Miller also advanced directly into the Main.
Izaih Clark in 10th and the remainder of the field headed to the Last Chance Qualifier.
Levi Kitchen had the best gate pick to start the 250 East Heat 1.
Nate Thrasher got the holeshot, but crashed on Lap 1 and handed the lead to Tom Vialle.
Kitchen got a terrible start and was as far back as 17th on the first lap. He recovered and climbed to eighth at the end of that circuit. This is a long track.
The battle for second could be covered with a blanket on Lap 3 between Max Anstie, Maximus Vohland, and Hardy Munoz.
The white flag waved with Thrasher one position outside the transfer position in 10th. He took the position for Lorenzo Locurcio on the last lap and closed on Chase Marquier.
Vialle held on for the win over Anstie by 4.487 seconds.
Kitchen took the final spot on the podium.
Fourth-place Vohland and Daxton Bennick rounded out the top five.
Munoz, Michael Hicks, Marquier, and Thrasher also advance.
Justin Cooper led Free Practice and then gave up the top spot to Chase Sexton in Qualification 1. In the closing laps, he jumped to the top of the chart again and lost the overall fastest lap to Sexton (1:17.938) again on the final trip around the course.
Cooper (1:18.069) held on for second with Jason Anderson (1:18.978) landing third.
Fourth-place Ken Roczen (1:19.042) and Cooper Webb (1:19.288) rounded out the top five.
Webb and Sexton had the best recent stats entering the weekend on this track and they were expected to battle at the front.
Kevin Moranz landed 21st in this session.
Click here for complete 450 Group A Qualification 2 results
Click here for combined 450 qualification results
Hudson, Florida’s RJ Hampshire set the fastest time overall in qualification with a lap of 1:19.454. He’s turning his season around after getting a poor start in the opening race.
Levi Kitchen (1:19.809) hoped to become the first East rider to win two races and he slotted into second overall.
Teammate Seth Hammaker (1:20.016) rounded out the top three.
Max Anstie (1:20.199) looked for redemption from last week’s 11th-hour, 59th-minute loss and showed speed in this session.
Chance Hymas (1:20.940) rounded out the top five.
Click here for complete 250 East Group A Qualification 2 results
Click here for combined 250 qualification times
Chase Sexton entered the weekend with three consecutive Daytona podiums but he wanted nothing less than the win. He was fastest at 1:18.352.
Justin Cooper (1:20.650) led Free Practice and landed second on the chart.
Arlington’s fastest qualifier, Justin Hill (1:20.758) was third in the first session.
Fourth-place Cooper Webb (1:20.792) and Ken Roczen (1:21.169) rounded out the top five.
RJ Hampshire posted the fastest first lap as the remainder of the field settled into a rhythm.
He was overtaken by Chance Hymas on Lap 2.
Max Anstie (1:21.735) waited until the final laps to set the fastest time of this session.
Levi Kitchen (1:22.098) followed closely behind with Hampshire (1:22.104) settling into third.
Chance Hymas (1:22.303) was pushed back to fourth with ClubMX’s Maximus Vohland (1:22.432) rounding out the top five.
It was a pair of Coopers at the top of the chart with Justin Cooper (1:20.661) posting the fastest time over Cooper Webb (1:21.296).
Chase Sexton (1:21.521) hopes to retake the red plate and he landed third on the list.
Fourth-place Justin Hill (1:21.889) and Malcolm Stewart (1:21.913) rounded out the top five.
We are following Kevin Moranz (1:28.957) around this weekend and he landed 18th on the chart.
Click here for complete 450 Group A Free Practice results
In 250s, Max Anstie (1:22.149) did not lose any speed during the brief Eastern division hiatus.
He topped the board by .030 seconds over Seth Hammaker.
The 2024 West champion RJ Hampshire (1:22.179) landed third on the chart.
Fourth-place Levi Kitchen (1:22.702) and East champion Tom Vialle (1:23.769) round out the top five.
As we wait for the evening program, catch up on any of the news you may have missed.
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