“This 250SX East Division Championship just continues to deliver! In what has been a historic start to a small-bore divisional championship in Monster Energy AMA Supercross, the racing is unpredictable, exciting, and phenomenally close.”
That is how I started off a write up two weeks ago on this unbelievably close 250SX East Division battle after an exciting Philadelphia SX East/West Showdown. We got all of the championship contenders out front, as Cole Davies ran through the top five to take his second consecutive win. Haiden Deegan has a nice lead in the 250SX West Championship but the key in Philly was the battle between RJ Hampshire and Seth Hammaker for the final podium position, with Tom Vialle getting passed late by Jo Shimoda for fifth place. Just two points separated Hammaker, Hampshire, and Vialle entering the day and that gap would remain the same by the checkered flag! And I’ll be damned, the title fight continues to bring unpredictability, new race winners, and a historically close battle here now two weeks later!
Tom Vialle scored a huge race win in the series’ return to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, over the weekend, when the French rider rebounded from a huge crash in qualifying to come out and win the main event when it counted most.
Related: Vialle on Pittsburgh SX Win: “I Had to Make It Happen Tonight”
Vialle finally got that win he has been hungry for. Hampshire, who had a late crash that cost him the final spot on the podium, came through fourth, and Hammaker charged to fifth from about 17th, nearly going down a few different times. This all combined to change the points from Hammaker’s plus three on Hampshire and plus seven on Vialle entering the day to Vialle up being up one on Hammaker and up three on Hampshire by the checkered flag.
| Position | Rider | Hometown | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Tom Vialle | Avignon, France  | 180 |
| 2 |  Seth Hammaker | Bainbridge, PA  | 177 |
| 3 |  R.J. Hampshire | Hudson, FL | 173 |
| 4 |  Nate Thrasher | Livingston, TN | 137 |
| 5 |  Cullin Park | Clermont, FL | 131 |
Remember, Hampshire was in almost this exact position with Levi Kitchen last year heading into the finale. After the Denver SX last May, Kitchen and Hampshire were tied for the 250SX West championship lead in a winner-takes-all finale. Hampshire would come out on top, finishing second in the showdown over Kitchen’s fifth.
At last year’s finale, Vialle had a buffer over Deegan entering the showdown and his eighth-place finish got the job done even though Deegan won the showdown main event.
But Hammaker is in completely unfamiliar territory here. These last few races with the points lead have been his first time ever in a championship battle and races with the red plate. He is navigating unchartered water in what he expected to be a rebuilding year.
Will Hampshire have déjà vu this year in Utah and go from 2024 #1W to 2025 #1E?
Can Vialle win back-to-back races AND back-to-back 250SX East titles?
Could Hammaker bring Mitch Payton and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki their first 250SX title since 2017?
With Vialle winning in Pittsburgh, that makes seven different 250SX East Division race winners in nine rounds, with only Hammaker having two wins (the other win was for 250SX West rider Davies). This title battle has already been one for the history books. We will see who writes their name in as the champion on May 10.
![Tom Vialle]()
Tom Vialle Align Media ![Seth Hammaker]()
Seth Hammaker Align Media ![RJ Hampshire]()
RJ Hampshire Align Media
