Round 14 of the 2025 Monster Energy Supercross Championship at MetLife Stadium served up clear skies but demanding track conditions, with riders navigating back-to-back whoop sections, steep peaky jumps, and hot temperatures. We’ve gathered the direct takes from riders for this Reaction feature from East Rutherford.

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Image: Octopi Media.

Chase Sexton (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) – First:
I knew it was going to be a gnarly main event, but I felt really comfortable all day on my motorcycle. I didn’t change anything, and that’s when you know you’re in a good spot, but I think every week we’ve been building toward this. I feel connected with the bike at the moment, and that main event for me was just about clicking off fast lap, after fast lap. We have three races left, we know what we have to do, and we just need to go out there and execute.

Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) – Third:
It was a barn-burner back there for the final spot on the podium! I was behind Justin [Barcia] for a long time, and just caught him on the track at the worst parts to try to make a pass. But anyway, this one was a tough one for me, it was probably the hardest track that I’ve raced all year, so I’m stoked to come out of here with a podium and happy with where my confidence levels are at this stage of the season.

Dean Wilson (Honda HRC Progressive) – Ninth:
I’m happy with how the night went. It was nice to be back inside the top 10. I definitely didn’t ride my best, but after last weekend, my goal was just to get solid laps in. I backed it down to about 80 percent and focused on being consistent—nothing too crazy. I felt a lot more comfortable this weekend, and the team did an awesome job. The bike was great. I’m still getting over a bit of sickness, but I think we’ll be in an even better spot heading into Pittsburgh. I’m really enjoying the process and having a great time with the team.

Justin Barcia (Rockstar Energy GASGAS Factory Racing) – 18th:
Jersey was good today, I had a lot of fans and friends here – it was a lot of fun seeing people I hadn’t seen in a long time! I was riding really well, I had a good qualifying session and scored P3 in the heat race. Main event, AP [Aaron Plessinger] and I were battling for a while, then I think he made a mistake and I gapped him, then I hit a soft spot in the whoop section, which sent me into an endo. I’m a little tore up and bruised up, so we’ll go home and try again next week. I feel like I’m saying that a lot lately, but dirt bikes are tough, so we’ll come back next weekend and keep trying!

Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) – Sixth:
New Jersey went alright for me. The day was not too bad, it was nice to get away from the questionable weather of the last couple [rounds]! Heat race went well with P4, and then main event, I just got a really bad start and was shuffled pretty far back. I made a lot of passes from there and felt like my ride was good, but we’ll come back and have another swing at it next week. Ups and downs are all part of the rollercoaster of racing, but we’re still on the Mookie train!

Cooper Webb (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) – Second:
East Rutherford was a pretty good day. I was able to qualify first in one session and get a heat race win. In the main event, I just wasn’t gelling with the whoops and got my butt kicked there. I got some arm pump, and that was all she wrote. So yeah, it was a bit of a bummer, but we gave it our best with what we had and ended up with a solid night in second. We’ll work on our weaknesses this week and come back swinging in Pittsburgh.

Justin Cooper (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) – Fourth:
It was a great day. I qualified first, but I had a little sickness this week, the first one of the year, so I didn’t know what to expect and how the racing would go. At the end of the heat race, I was kind of out of breath, and that was way shorter than the main, so I knew I was going to be in for it. I felt strong in the main. I felt like I rode well – it was just nothing flashy. I didn’t have any sprint in the main, and I couldn’t really muster any energy for that last podium spot, which was unfortunate, but we’ll take it and go into the next round and try and be better.

Christian Craig (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) – 12th:
East Rutherford was a step in the right direction. I need to put myself in a better position off the start, and I believe I will be inside the top 10. On to Pittsburgh.

Shane McElrath (Quad Lock Honda) – Eighth:
I got great starts in both my heat and the main. The bike is working incredibly well. I was inside the top three early in the main, but unfortunately came together with another rider, which cost me time and positions. It took me a few laps to find my rhythm again. It’s a solid result, but I feel like we left a bit on the table tonight.

Joey Savatgy (Quad Lock Honda) – 11th:
Tonight was disappointing. I was on track for a fifth or sixth-place finish, but made a few mistakes late in the race and ended up going down with about four or five laps to go. That’s on me. In this field, you can’t afford those errors. The bike and our speed were both good, I just need to clean up my riding and get a start. I still believe I can fight for a podium before the season ends – but it starts with the gate drop.

Ken Roczen (Progressive Insurance Ecstar Suzuki) – Seventh:
New Jersey was not the greatest weekend for us, honestly. It’s been really tough not riding during the week. I didn’t feel too bad in practice, but it just wasn’t my weekend. I didn’t feel that hot, and we only ended up with a seventh. It’s definitely been a tough few weeks. I’m just going to throw this one behind me, regroup, and see if we can turn it around next weekend.

Colt Nichols (Twisted Tea Suzuki) – 13th:
East Rutherford wasn’t a terrible night, but I keep shooting myself in the foot, right out of the gate, in the main event. Starting in the back and working my way up just isn’t going to get it done. I need to put myself in a better position off the start. We will try to do that next weekend.

Kyle Chisolm (Twisted Tea Suzuki) – 16th:
My heat race was pretty good, I had some fight in me, battled a bit, and went straight out of the heat race to the main. Main event time, though, I just didn’t have that intensity that I needed, at least for the first half of the race. So, I’m going to try to rest up this week, recover a little bit more, and that way I can come in a little bit more rested for Pittsburgh. I’m excited for that one. I’ve never raced there before, so a new venue is always fun. Hopefully we’ll have a good week and then get back at it in Pittsburgh.”

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Image: Octopi Media.

Tom Vialle (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) – Third:
My start in the main event just wasn’t that good, I had to pass a few guys, and then I was behind RJ [Hampshire] pretty much the whole race, and both guys at the front were riding really good. I think for now the starts are really important, and I have to make it happen for these next two races as we are all pretty similar on pace.

Chance Hymas (Honda HRC Progressive) – 22nd:
It was an up-and-down day here in New Jersey. Qualifying had its highs and lows, but the heat race went well. Unfortunately, I had a crash at the end of one of the rhythm sections in the main, which ended my night early. We’ll regroup and get back to it in Pittsburgh.

Seth Hammaker (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) – First:
It was a good day here at MetLife. I was the fastest in qualifying, then P2 in the heat behind Nate [Thrasher]; he was riding well, but I felt solid. I got a great start in the main, passed Nate at the end of the rhythm lane and took the lead, which was key. He pressured me for a bit, but I found my lines, settled in, and started clicking off good laps. I navigated through lappers well and started jumping the whoops, which helped. I am super pumped to get the win and finally have the red plate to myself. It was great to do it close to home with family and friends here.

RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) – Second:
This one was a step in the right direction in pretty much all areas for me. I got a good start and just did my laps, as I just didn’t quite have it for Seth [Hammaker]. The track was super-tricky tonight and could catch you out if you weren’t careful, so I am happy with a P2. I feel like we’re peaking at the right time, so we’ll go out there and look for the win in Pittsburgh.

Nate Thrasher (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) – Fifth:
It was a good day in New Jersey, and my speed was good all day. I felt like I let that one go there in the main event. I got the holeshot, but I just didn’t execute. I was in the lead early, but then I made a mistake by going on the outside on the first lap, which put me in second place. I was putting a lot of pressure on Seth [Hammaker]. I think we were the two fastest guys tonight, so it was going to be a dog fight to the end. It was going to be a great race, but I ended up going down there, and it just cost me. After that, I put in a late charge and got close to [Tom] Vialle on the last lap, but I was just not close enough. We’ll come back next weekend. There are a lot of positives to take away – a heat race win, and I felt my speed was the best it’s been in a long time. I think we’re in a good spot. We’re just going to keep doing better.

Austin Forkner (Triumph Racing) – Seventh:
I qualified well, and could see improvements in both my aggression and riding. I was third in the heat before a crash but still ended up fourth. I had a good start in the main event – I just did not have the intensity at the start of the race. I was a little pumped up around halfway and was jumping the second set of whoops, but hit a hole and ended up crashing out of fifth. I got seventh, which is still progress. We will take that and build on it!