The Weekend Breakdown | 2025 Millville

Millville's stop of 2025 AMA Pro Motocross was a defining moment in the season – and sport – as positive and negative narratives emerged from the picturesque Minnesotan circuit. Some of which caught Lewis Phillips' eye and landed within this recapitulation.

TELLING TIMES FROM LAWRENCES

Jett Lawrence's brilliance continues to leave observers speechless. While poring over his data from the Minnesota mission, a moment stood out and lingered like a mental itch. In moto one, he clocked a lap time of 1:55.724 on lap five – nine-tenths quicker than anyone else. It was a pace he couldn't replicate in either moto.

It brings to mind his 'must try harder' claim from the RedBud press day. Could he have pushed the issue to catch his brother and race leader, Hunter Lawrence, in that stint – or was that lap all he had in reserve? Only Jett was capable of unearthing that pace. #18 was two seconds slower on the next two laps, yet still matched Hunter's pace. It almost felt like a miracle lap – three of his five fastest sectors came on that single go-around. Even more curious is that Jett benefitted from a clear track after that fifth lap.

It's notable that both Hunter and Chase Sexton posted faster lap times in moto two than they did in moto one – a trend that runs slightly against the grain. While some of that could be chalked up to halftime track work, riders consistently mentioned that the downhill section was scarier than it had been all day. Jett Lawrence, in contrast, set a best lap in moto two that was a full second slower than his best in moto one. Could that be further evidence of him weathering the storm and riding within his means – confident that he can control the race?

Verdict: Jett is brilliant, incredible, radiant and more.

SEXTON'S MOUNT MARTIN MISFIRE

"I could have walked down the hill faster," Chase Sexton laughed, reflecting on Millville's notorious feature. "I needed to be faster down the hills. I lost a lot of time." Frustratingly, there is not a sector time that represents the impact of Mount Mountain – it was split over sectors three and four.

There is some data that supports Sexton's modest assessment. The commitment required to 'send it' to the bottom is reflected in sector four times, where he was half a second slower than Jett in moto two. The discomfort likely stems from an ongoing effort to fine-tune the balance of his KTM 450 SX-F – a project that remains a work in progress. That said, this was only Sexton's second Pro Motocross outing while his rivals have seven under their belts. It's a difference worth remembering.

Even Jett was uncomfortable with his bike at the second round – evident by his own subpar third in the first moto there. The counter to that is, unlike Honda HRC, KTM is not attempting to understand a new model and so last season's data should be serving Sexton better than it is. Still, don't expect this version of the defending champion to stick around. The two-week break before Ironman will offer him a window to regroup and react to all that he has learned.

Verdict: A stronger score with a much steeper deficit.

MALCOLM'S STILL IN THE MIDDLE

"We're still stressed about 2026," Malcolm Stewart admitted with his trademark grin. "There's still no deal – we are working hard to lock in something solid. Am I sleeping a little better? Yeah, but it's not done until it's all the way done."

Conversations about Stewart's next steps have dragged on for months, making it all the more surprising that no resolution has been reached. Stewart enjoyed a career-best season in Monster Energy AMA Supercross – as most know – and has met expectations through seven rounds of Pro Motocross, so it seems a foregone conclusion that he'll return for a fifth term in Husqvarna colors. The previously rumored move to Triumph, in contrast, will not materialize; the British manufacturer is set to debut in 450SMX with Jordon Smith as its sole representative.

Verdict: No reason to doubt his future at Husqvarna.

DUCATI'S REAR-END RESOLUTION

Mumurs from the MXGP paddock hint at persistent rear-end issues with Ducati's Desmo450 that have been near impossible to solve. Until now, that is, as Tony Cairoli and Factory Connection went in a revolutionary direction that will trickle over to Jeremy Seewer and Mattia Guadagnini.

"I've been asking Ducati for these changes since Arnhem last year, basically," Cairoli admitted to me. "We came here and immediately went in that direction. It's normal. Ducati was busy developing the stock bike – to sell it – so the priority was this rather than the factory bike. I already knew which direction was correct. We can concretize here, let's say, and make it happen quickly. I'm happy – I was right to go this direction. I think that I'll have more time to come back and forth to test."

Ducati's debut in the United States was an undeniable success, despite a mechanical issue and rear-end troubles for Cairoli himself. It's no surprise, then, that Justin Barcia is keen to finalize his contract. He is expected to lead the team, with several options being considered for a second seat. Ducati Corse Off-Road would be wise to make room for Cairoli too – his renewed intent to race the playoffs and Motocross of Nations suggests that he has no plans to quietly step aside.

Verdict: Amazing Antonio Cairoli's just sheer class.

ELI MYSTERIOUS IN MINNESOTA

"It was a difficult couple of motos this weekend," Eli Tomac said in a Yamaha statement. "We'll get back to work and try to be stronger next weekend." Just 21 words – only nine of which reference Millville – exist in relation to Eli Tomac's puzzling seventh-place finish. No explanation, no insight and no real comment.

What is known: Tomac was in Tallahassee the week before, testing with the team at Yamaha's compound. That last-minute trip hints at set-up troubles – issues that may have grown more pronounced as the series shifted to softer terrain. There's also been speculation of a motivation dip, triggered by the mechanical issue at RedBud, but his decision to log extra laps in Florida undermines that theory.

Is it possible that the suspected set-up problems left Tomac doubting the YZ450F heading into Millville? That he entered the weekend mentally disconnected, already convinced a podium wasn't realistic? That would explain the subdued ride – but we're left guessing. With only 21 words to go on, fans are in the dark about a story that would dominate headlines in other forms of motorsport. All involved have to improve on and off of the track.

Verdict: Fans deserve much more from an all-timer.

PLESSINGER HAS PUT IN THE TIME

Common sense would suggest that Aaron Plessinger will sit out Washougal – his illness has all the hallmarks of Epstein-Barr. Despite his best efforts, and flashes of incredible speed, he couldn’t even finish a moto at Millville, so what's the benefit of crossing the country this week?

What may come as a surprise is just how much Plessinger has raced over the last five years. Chase Sexton leads the active-starts list with 128, but Plessinger is just four behind with 124. Sexton's heavy race load has been well documented, but has anyone acknowledged the tenacity of his KTM stablemate? It is an underrated stat, perhaps obscured by the supercross rounds that Plessinger has missed since 2022. Still, this workload is significant – and a testament to his resilience.

Cooper Webb (110), Jason Anderson (108), Hunter Lawrence (106), Eli Tomac (106) and Ken Roczen (101) sit just behind the KTM duo in total starts since 2021. Tellingly, the gap between Sexton and Webb is effectively an entire Monster Energy AMA Supercross season. Had Sexton raced all seven Pro Motocross rounds to this point, the difference would be even more daunting. There is something to be said about four of those seven riders being inactive now.

Verdict: Merit to Chase's words about more rounds.

STARTS STEAL 250MX NARRATIVE

Garrett Marchbanks has had horrific starts for some time; his size in comparison to his competition is an obvious handicap and so he is in a constant battle to eliminate the deficit. Bizarrely, he would often reference his clutch release as the catalyst for his poor launches. Now, however, he has hinted at a bigger solution.

"I will not say much. We are super private on this," he mused with trepidation. "This was a really big change for us and the clutch engagement is super important now. If you mess it up then you are way back there. I went in a completely different direction to something that none of us on the team do and it is my call. It has worked out a little bit. You just have to perfect it to make it work." This could be a new clutch set-up, although the discreetness hints at a much larger overhaul.

It is possible to 'fix' a bike's performance off the line – Jo Shimoda is proof of that. "The biggest improvement that we have made is on the start," he said. "Now, for sure, I can get a good start if I make it right. We are at a point where it is on me, whereas in the past I was unsure [about the bike]." The CRF250RW has a checkered past off the line, of course, but the progress is reflected in Shimoda's position in the 250MX championship standings. Notably, he should return to Honda HRC Progressive in 2026.

Verdict: Starts will dominate Pro Motocross chatter.