Chase Sexton Takes Giant Win at East Rutherford Supercross

Seth Hammaker Tops the 250SX Class Inside MetLife Stadium

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton took the Holeshot and left the field in his dust at Round 14 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross season inside MetLife Stadium. Sexton stretched the lead past 18 seconds at one point. The win moved Sexton within nine points of the championship lead; a win in each of the three remaining rounds would assure Sexton the title.

MetLife Stadium hosted its seventh Monster Energy AMA Supercross and delivered excellent weather. Chase Sexton earned another win to tighten up the points chase. The series remains in the Northeast for one more round before heading west for the final two stops.

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb, the current points leader, moved into second place immediately after the Holeshot but slowly lost touch with Sexton on the rutted and challenging New Jersey track. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger battled much of the race with Rockstar Energy GASGAS Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia. After Barcia crashed in the closing laps, Plessinger held on to earn the final podium spot. In the Eastern Divisional 250SX Class, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker led every lap to become the first repeat winner in the division and took sole possession of the points lead.

First place 450SX Class

“I felt good all day. The two whoop sections helped me out a lot. I really feel like I made a lot of time up there. The KTM group has the bike working great. I had such a good flow that moto, and it really just felt like it was effortless for me, which is what we want. [We’ll just try to] keep that going, but I’m stoked. Fifth win of the season, so just try to keep truckin’ and focus week in/week out and see where we get. Overall, [I’m] having fun. I got a great start and made it happen.” – Chase Sexton

Second place 450SX Class

“It’s tough, he was on it and he was killing me in those two sets of whoops. It’s something we’ve tried to fix this year, but these are gnarly. They have ruts all the way down them. I’m still pretty mind blown how he was able to do it so good. You’re trying to just stay with him and he rode awesome. He was inching away, and those whoops were really killing me. I got a little tight, and that was all she wrote. With that being said, he did what he needed to do, he rode a great race, he kicked my butt, and I didn’t put my money where my mouth was. We’ll go back, re-group. Definitely bummed on that finish, we wanted more fight tonight, but it is what it is and we’ll come back swinging… and try come win next week.” – Cooper Webb

Third place 450SX Class

“I was ready for this track to be over since second practice. It was gnarly, but it was just steep. I’ve been riding outdoors a little bit more than Supercross, so I got on this track and I was like, ‘Woah!’ But nonetheless, we had a good ride. The team made the bike work great. [We] made a little change between, I think it was second and third practice, and after that I was smooth sailing. Got off to a great start, Justin [Barcia] and [Justin Cooper] were riding awesome. Unfortunately, Justin went down right there and JCoop kept me honest the whole race. And these guys [Sexton and Webb] were on another level. I was just pushing as hard as I could. Heartrate got high and I slowed it down a little bit. Third’s good, five podiums now, and we’re going to finish this season off strong and head to outdoors feeling good.” – Aaron Plessinger

In the Eastern Divisional 250SX Class, Seth Hammaker became the first rider to give Kawasaki a win in the 250SX Class in East Rutherford. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire kept the racing close but never reached striking distance of the rider he shared the points lead with going into the New Jersey round. Defending champion Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle earned the final step on the podium, bouncing back from two tough finishes in the previous rounds that saw him surrender the points lead.

First place 250SX Class

“I got sick on Tuesday night into Wednesday. [That] just put another thing into coming into the weekend. But we have a great group of people around me, and just thought positive. It did creep into my mind a little bit but thankfully I was able to put in clean, consistent laps. It feels really good to get another win and have the red plate solo now. Back to work we go. Two more rounds, this championship’s still really tight. Looking forward to some more great battling in the future.” – Seth Hammaker

Second place 250SX Class

“It was important to get the start, and Seth had me off the gate. I just kinda rode in third for a bit. Nate [Thrasher] made a mistake and I got around him and I tried to make a push. I closed in some and then I’d make a mistake… Hey, I was better this weekend than I was last, so [I’ll] be better next weekend, knock off another win, [and] have the confidence going into Salt Lake here in a few weeks.” – RJ Hampshire

Third place 250SX Class

“The track was pretty tough tonight and my start wasn’t the best. I had to pass a few guy and then, I mean, Seth was first and he had a pretty good gap. I rode pretty much the whole race behind RJ, and I couldn’t do much more. I made a few mistakes. Tonight we end up third and we’re going to try again next weekend.” – Tom Vialle