Ken Roczen Conquers Daytona Supercross

RJ Hampshire Earns Win in 250SX Class

Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen became the sixth different Monster Energy AMA Supercross winner of the season in just the first eight rounds of racing. Roczen put in a strong charge just before the race’s midpoint to push from fourth place into the lead and earn his career-first Daytona Supercross victory in his 11th attempt. The win also marked Suzuki’s first since 2009 at the iconic speedway.

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb challenged for the lead in the later laps but after a small mistake, settled for second place. His fifth runner-up finish inside the Daytona international Speedway Trioval helped him retain the title points lead. After leading laps early, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger grabbed his first podium of the season when he crossed the checkered flag in third place. In the Eastern Divisional 250SX Class, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire took the win at Round 3 of that Championship to also claim his first victory at the storied venue.

450SX Winner Ken Roczen: “I honestly still can’t believe it… I had some really good lines. When you make those passes you have to put your head down or else they’ll retaliate and come back. I was just charging the whole time, trying to get a gap. Coming out of these turns it was really rutty, and very easy to make a mistake, but I just kept my head down and charged the whole way. I seriously cannot believe that this finally happened… This is a dream come true.”

450SX Second Place Cooper Webb’s championship lead grew from 5 points to 10 points with his Daytona finish: “You can’t make mistakes, as many as I did, and expect to win. I’m a little bit bummed. Kenny rode great. He was charging through, he got around me, he made the pass stick on AP, and he pulled away. That put the urgency on me and I just made too many mistakes after that. So I’m a bit bummed, but overall from a points perspective it was a great night. Yeah, another second place here… We’ll regroup, try to get it going again in Indy, and not be so complacent this next weekend..”

450SX Third Place Aaron Plessinger: “I’m pretty satisfied [with this podium], after the start of the season. First off, I want to dedicate this to my buddy who just got diagnosed with cancer. Jessie Waters, he’s back at home watching, this one’s for you… After two 22nd place finishes, a 7th, 8th, 9th, it’s been a ride. But we pulled it off. I love this track, I love this place, and you know we’re always doing it for Dale [points to his Dale Earnhardt #3 shirt he threw over his jersey]. It’s a good night..”

250SX

In 250SX Class racing, RJ Hampshire fought hard to capture an emotional first win at Daytona. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle captured the Holeshot and set the pace for the early laps. He relinquished the lead to Hampshire shortly before a red flag re-start tightened up the pack with under eight minutes left on the race clock. Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker rounded out the 250SX Class podium after a pass late in the race with less than two laps remaining.

250SX Winner Class RJ Hampshire was alternatingly poignant and joyous on the podium: “It’s special. I lost my dad a few months ago and this was his race. Growing up as a kid, this is where I came with him. It was the only Supercross I came to. And he was with us today. Some guy came up to me in the pits and had his old jersey that he raced with back in the day, that was something I never had. He gifted me that and – it just felt different today, man, like my dad was definitely here… Finally got to burn one [a victory burnout on the banked track] down here in Daytona, that was for my dad, for sure.”

250SX Second Place Tom Vialle: “I was leading for a couple laps and [Hampshire] passed me in the race [before the re-start]. It was hard. The track is really tough and tricky here. We were pretty much the same speed, for the entire moto I was not far [behind], but I couldn’t make a move, to be honest… I made a few mistakes on the rhythm… and maybe that cost me the win tonight. But I’m happy to be on the podium. It’s still a long championship and we are right there.” – Tom Vialle (#1 in photo)

250SX Third Place Seth Hammaker: “I’m really pumped to get back up here on the podium. It’s two years in a row I’m here on the podium in Daytona. This track never lets you down; it’s a fight out there, and I fought hard all the way until the end. I feel really good about that one. We’ll keep the momentum rolling into the East/West Showdown next weekend.” – Seth Hammaker

The SMX Next series raced its second round of 2025 and Kawasaki Team Green’s Landen Gordon took the win in an action-filled race, repeating his win from the first SMX Next event earlier this season at the Glendale round. Nabbing second was Kawasaki Team Green’s Enzo Temmerman, who locked handlebars with another rider at the start and fought his way all the way to second place; Like Gordon, the result duplicated Temmerman’s Glendale finish. Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha’s Jesson Turner rounded out the podium after clawing his way to third in the closing laps.

SMX Next Class Winner Landen Gordon: “The fans are – it’s insane and I truly have no words. I’m just trying to soak it all in. I was a little fortunate there that Fedortsov’s bike malfunctioned [with what appeared to be a flat rear tire while Fedortsov was leading], but I’ll take it how I can get it. I’m super pumped on my bike and my team. All the hard work we’ve put in, my dad, my mom, my family watching back home. Yeah, I’m just going to soak it in, that was awesome.”

The Daytona Supercross pays points toward both the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross season as well as toward the SMX World Championship post-season, which seeds racers from Supercross and the AMA Pro Motocross championships into two Playoffs and the SMX World Championship.

For fans awaiting the Supercross season to come to their city, live and on-demand viewing is available on Peacock. Select events are also broadcast or streamed on NBC, CNBC, USA Network, and NBC Sports digital platforms. Telemundo Deportes’ Facebook and YouTube channels provide Spanish-language coverage in the US, while live international coverage can be accessed through the SuperMotocross Video Pass (supermotocross.tv) with English, Spanish and French language broadcasts. Each round can also be heard live on NBC Sports Audio on SiriusXM Channel 85.

The series returns to a domed stadium on Saturday, March 8th, inside Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. Round 9 will also serve as the series’ annual Love Moto Stop Cancer race, honoring patients of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The first gate drops at 7:00 p.m. ET next Saturday. The Indy Supercross will host the season’s first of three 250SX Class East/West Showdowns in which racers from each division compete for single-event points. For more information, race results, live timing, video highlights, and ticket sales to attend an event please visit SupercrossLIVE.com.

450 results
https://results.supercrosslive.com/results/?p=view_race_result&id=5724284

250 results
https://results.supercrosslive.com/results/?p=view_race_result&id=5724219