In this instalment of Rated, we review how the top three 250SX West and 250SX East contenders stack up as Monster Energy Supercross reaches the halfway mark.

Image: Octopi Media.

Rider: Dylan Ferrandis
Rating: 85 percent
Rundown: Despite a challenging start to the championship, defending champion Dylan Ferrandis really came on strong from Anaheim 2 where he picked up his first win of the season. He went onto claim two more victories and a podium, allowing himself to not only earn the points lead, but also bridge a seven-point advantage over his Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing teammate.

Rider: Justin Cooper
Rating: 75 percent
Rundown: It was an amazing start to 2020 for Justin Cooper, the Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing rider winning round one and scoring four podiums. Despite experiencing some misfortune, he’s been quite consistent – although, we’re yet to see the race-winning pace he held at the Anaheim’s opener since that evening.

Rider: Austin Forkner
Rating: 70 percent
Rundown: It’s safe to say Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Austin Forkner has shown blistering pace this year, but a number of errors have cost him dearly. He’s collected two main event wins and a pair of runner-ups, positioning third in the standings, 13 points down on leader Ferrandis.

Image: Octopi Media.

Rider: Chase Sexton
Rating: 80 percent
Rundown: With just two rounds run so far on the East coast, the scores are tied at the top of the points table, and reigning champion Chase Sexton secured his share of the lead by earning victory last weekend. He’s been really strong, and looks in greater form than what he was in last year.

Rider: Shane McElrath
Rating: 80 percent
Rundown: It appears the move to Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing has been a fruitful one for Shane McElrath, the title contender putting in two exceptional performances already. He shares the lead with Sexton after going 1-2 over the first two rounds, but we’re anticipating he’ll be up for more victories as the season progresses.

Rider: Jeremy Martin
Rating: 75 percent
Rundown: It’s been quite a comeback for Jeremy Martin after taking a year off, and despite an illness hindering him in Arlington, he sits third in the 250SX East standings. The Geico Honda rider was highly-impressive at Tampa, and once he puts this illness behind, he’ll be a serious factor in this title hunt.