Thunder Valley Motocross 2025 preview: Top finishes, previous winners, historic results, who to watch

NBC Sports

2 days ago

The first rounds of the 2025 Pro Motocross season have been dominated by a battle between the past and future, with the Young Gun Jett Lawrence and veteran Eli Tomac challenging for supremacy. With two 450 class wins each at Thunder Valley Motocross Park in Lakewood, Colorado, there is no reason to believe this week will be any different.
Jett's victories came in the past two seasons, and one might suppose that would give him an advantage, but Tomac was not in the field to challenge for those victories. The history of head-to-head competition between Jett and Tomac is limited to this season.
Tomac won at Thunder Valley in 2018 and 2020.
Dan Beaver,
It is too early to determine whether Tomac can consistently challenge Jett across the two-moto format Pro Motocross employs. In the first two rounds, Tomac has been unable to secure two consecutive strong runs in a weekend, which has cost him a shot at overall victory. Last week's race in Rancho Cordova, California, was determined by a mistake by Tomac. He got a poor start and tucked a wheel as he surged through the field in Moto 2.
Jett did not have as great a disadvantage in Moto 1, but it is worth noting that he chose to accept his third-place position and did not push beyond his ability. Fans and pundits will learn a little more this week as the rivals go head-to-head once more.
Tomac's Moto 1 victory placed him second on the list, breaking out of a tie with Ryan Dungey. The GOAT, Ricky Carmichael, will not be caught anytime soon, if ever. He has 141 moto wins.
Unfortunately, Ken Roczen will not be competing this weekend. He would bring an added element to the race. With five wins, Roczen stands head and shoulders above recent competitors, but his injured ankle has yet to allow him to return.
But that does not mean there might not be a surprise winner. Justin Cooper loves this track with 250 class wins in 2020 and 2021. He finished with a career-best second-place finish in the season opener at Fox Raceway and replicated it with another runner-up result last week. If he can put two good motos together, he could earn sports bettors a huge payday as he opened this week with a line of about 44/1.
Aaron Plessinger is another rider to watch in Lakewood. He is off to the best start of his Pro Motocross career with back-to-back top-five overall finishes. Plessinger has not finished outside the top five in a moto in his last 17 races, stretching back to the first race at Southwick last year.
According to WeWentFast.com, Haiden Deegan became the first rider in 11 years to sweep the first two 250 class rounds of a season. In 2014, Jeremy Martin won the first five motos. As Deegan contemplates the right time to graduate to the 450 class, he would like to replicate Jett's 2023 450 class feat of completing a perfect season.
During the first two rounds, Deegan has not been seriously challenged, so that is not an unimaginable goal. Nine rounds and 18 motos remain, however, and Jo Shimoda may have something to add to the conversation after starting the year with four consecutive second-place results.
Motocross 2025 Top-10 finishers
450s
Jett Lawrence (2 wins, 2 podiums, 2 top-fives, 2 top-10s) [3 moto wins]
Eli Tomac (1 podium, 2 top-fives, 2 top-10s) [1 moto win]
Hunter Lawrence (1 podium, 2 top-fives, 2 top-10s)
Aaron Plessinger (1 podium, 2 top-fives, 2 top-10s)
Justin Cooper (1 podium, 2 top-fives, 2 top-10s)
Jorge Prado (2 top-10s)
Jason Anderson (2 top-10s)
RJ Hampshire (2 top-10s)
Joey Savatgy (1 top-10)
Benoit Paturel (1 top-10)
Cooper Webb (1 top-10)
Malcolm Stewart (1 top-10)
250s
Haiden Deegan (2 wins, 2 podiums, 2 top-fives, 2 top-10s) [4 moto wins]
Jo Shimoda (2 podiums, 2 top-fives, 2 top-10s)
Tom Vialle (1 podium, 1 top-five, 1 top-10)
Levi Kitchen (1 podium, 1 top-five, 1 top-10)
Julien Beaumer (2 top-fives, 2 top-10s)
Garrett Marchbanks (1 top-five, 2 top-10s)
Chance Hymas (1 top-five, 1 top-10)
Michael Mosiman (2 top-10s)
Ty Masterpool (2 top-10s)
Seth Hammaker (1 top-10)
Max Vohland (1 top-10)
Jordon Smith (1 top-10)
Mikkel Haarup (1 top-10)
Dylan Schwartz (1 top-10)
450s
2024: Jett Lawrence [2-1] (Followed by Hunter Lawrence [1-2], Justin Cooper [3-3])
2023: Jett Lawrence [1-1] (Aaron Plessinger [4-2], Cooper Webb [2-5])
2022: Ken Roczen [2-1] (Eli Tomac [1-3], Chase Sexton [4-2])
2021: Ken Roczen [1-1] (Dylan Ferrandis [2-2], Adam Cianciarulo [3-6])
2020: Eli Tomac [3-1] (Adam Cianciarulo [1-3], Zach Osborne [4-2])
250s
2024: Haiden Deegan [1-2] (Chance Hymas [4-1], Tom Vialle [4-4])
2023: Hunter Lawrence [2-1] (Justin Cooper [1-4], Levi Kitchen [5-2])
2022: Jett Lawrence [2-2] (Hunter Lawrence [4-1], Levi Kitchen [1-5])
2021: Justin Cooper [2-2] (Jett Lawrence [4-1], Hunter Lawrence [5-3])
2020: Justin Cooper [2-1] (Dylan Ferrandis [1-3], Jeremy Martin [4-2])
Motocross Previews
Hangtown | Fox Raceway
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More SuperMotocross News
Thunder Valley Betting Odds
Hangtown 450 Results | 250 Results
Jett Lawrence wins Hangtown Moto 2, overall
Haiden Deegan's sweep secures Hangtown win
Eli Tomac wins Hangtown Motocross 450 Moto 1
Haiden Deegan wins Hangtown Motocross 250 Moto 1
Hangtown Quals: Haiden Deegan wins 250s | Jett Lawrence wins 450s
Lachlan Turner wins both WMX Hangtown motos
Chase Sexton out of Hangtown