Denver, CO DenverMonster Energy AMA Supercross Championship

Denver, Colorado, hosts the penultimate round of the 2025 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship. It’s an underrated round, too, as weather has mostly cooperated since we returned in 2018. The downtown location and plethora of outdoor enthusiasts in the region make this round a hit. Further, Thunder Valley MX signifies round three of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship and sits 15 minutes down the freeway. All in all, Denver represents must-visit rounds of both series.

The track in Denver is always tricky. High elevation and low traction are hallmarks. The start for 2025 is longer than most and bends into a left-hand double apex. A rhythm section immediately meets the exit of the first corner and presents two basic options: stick to the inside and double from the small knuckle, then step over the tabletop and triple into the corner. The second option and likely a 450 specific option with the lack of power at elevation is to go outside of the initial knuckle, triple onto the tabletop, step off and double into the corner. I think the inside line will be the more likely option as it allows riders to stick to the inside and they can also drift right and block anyone trying to triple on, too.

A 180 left is up next and sets riders up for a small double and then over the finish line jump. Riders will land from the finish and face back-to-back 180’s with a small chute across the start in between. At some tracks, the inside lines might be the way to go here, shortening the distance traveled but Denver’s slippery surface may see riders stick to the berms. In 2024, there was a similar corner dynamic after the whoops and before the finish line and riders were trying anything and everything to figure it out.

A standard supercross triple meets the exit of the flat 180 which will have riders’ seat-bouncing here as they gingerly exit the flat left (unless they go to the berm).

A 180 right brings riders down the length of Empower Stadium for the longest rhythm section of the layout. There are a few options here and they will all be dictated by the first choice. If riders double out of the corner, they will then triple, step over a tabletop, and triple into the corner. If they decide to triple out of the corner, they could then triple into quad-single exit to the section. The quad part is the iffy factor in this equation. The combo is a common one and riders do this weekly at practice tracks. Taking off from a tabletop face is generally a fly-high scenario and can be slow if the face is too steep. It’s also a daunting one as the distance is far and consequences can be heavy. Watch for riders to try a few different options here and use their qualifying video footage as well as the sector times to tell the tale.

A 3-5-3-foot triple section is right out of the corner and some 450’s will triple to the outside while many others will double-single to the inside of the next 180 left.

Riders will slingshot back across the start again and into a sweeping, inside-dominated 180 right leading into the only whoops section in Denver. This corner before the whoops is a Godsend for those inclined to jump as riders won’t have any momentum coming in. That limits top speed through them, making jumping and blitzing similar in efficiency.

A 2-3 or 3-2 meets the exit of the whoops and if able, most would prefer the 3-2 as they can much more easily double to the inside for the next section where tripling brings too much momentum, and riders inherently drift wider.

The width of the stadium if filled by a basic step-on step-off and into a 180 right. The exit of this 180 sends riders back into turn 1 and the beginning of lap 2.

Who’s Hot

Cole Davies won the Philly Showdown and fully arrived as a 250 superstar. It will be fun to watch he and Deegan weave through their competitiveness/teammate dynamic.

Deegan has a 17-point lead and barring disaster, will check a career box by winning a 250 supercross title next weekend in Utah. This felt inevitable but never should be assumed.

Cooper Webb stole back the headlines, momentum, and narrative with his wire-to-wire Pittsburgh win.

Justin Cooper broke out in the heat race and backed it up with a podium. The whoops are still a liability but if he can offset it at any particular venue, he has the rest of the game on lock.

Kyle Chisholm and PulpMX are both doing great things in Denver for privateers and Jerry Robin’s recovery effort.

Who’s Not

I hate putting Chase Sexton here. I do. But, in the spirit of rising or declining momentum, Pittsburgh was a step in the wrong direction for #4. He needs to win out and get some help to win this thing.

Christian Craig hasn’t had the flash that we all know is hiding somewhere inside him. He did throw in a good lap time last weekend so maybe that’s the start of something.