Where They're From | Champions by State (Fourteen Titles) 1

In the 52-year history of the AMA Pro Motocross series and the 50-year history of Monster Energy Supercross, there have been 103 AMA champions from 27 states within the United States and nine total countries. Which states have the most champions born? Which have the least?  

Where Winners Come From is a series posted every Tuesday and Thursday until we've featured all the major AMA titles from each state and country. If you enjoy this content and would like to read others like it click HERE.

Two countries makes up the list of places with fourteen major AMA Supercross or Pro Motocross Championships from riders born within their borders.

Australia

Chad Reed 2002 - 125SX East

Chad Reed 2004 - 250SX

Chad Reed 2008 - 450SX

Chad Reed 2009 - 450MX

Jett Lawrence 2021 - 250MX

Jett Lawrence 2022 - 250SX East

Jett Lawrence 2022 - 250MX

Jett Lawrence 2023 - 250SX West

Hunter Lawrence 2023 - 250SX East

Jett Lawrence 2023 - 450MX

Hunter Lawrence 2023 - 250MX

Jett Lawrence 2023 - 450SMX

Jett Lawrence 2024 – 450SX

Jett Lawrence 2024 – 450SMX

Chad Reed

Titles: 2002 - 125SX East, 2004 - 250SX, 2008 - 450SX, & 2009 - 450MX

Place of Birth: Kurri Kurri, Australia

Years Pro: 1999 - 2020

Chad Reed began to get noticed when he won the Australian Junior Championship in 1997 and then went pro in 1998. He won the Australian 250cc Supercross Championship in '99 and 2000. In 2001, he and his now wife, Ellie, went to Europe to compete in the GPs, where he became the first Australian to win a 250cc GP. In 2002, Reed moved to the U.S. to chase Supercross and Pro Motocross titles, which he accomplished his first season in the 125SX East class. Chad spent most of his career battling two legends, Ricky Carmichael and James Stewart, and he developed a reputation for being one of the most driven competitors the sport has ever seen. Chad sits fifth all-time on the 450SX wins list.

Jett Lawrence

Titles: 2021 - 250MX, 2022 - 250SX East, 2022 - 250MX, 2023 - 250SX West, 2023 - 450MX, 2023 - 450SMX, 2024 - 450SX, & 2024 - 450SMX

Place of Birth: Landsborough, Australia

Years Pro: 2018 - Current (2024)

Jett Lawrence, brother Hunter, and family moved from Australia to Europe in 2015 to pursue their dream of becoming professional motocross racers. In 2018, Jett won his first overall in Assen, going 1-1 at the 250 European Motocross Championships. The family moved to the U.S. in 2019, and Jett won the 250 Futures class at the Monster Energy Cup that same year. 2020 would be Jett's first full season of AMA racing, but he broke his collarbone in the third round, cutting his SX rookie season short. In a short four years following his debut, Jett has proven to be one of the greatest riders the sport has ever seen and is on his way to breaking win records. The future is incredibly bright for the kid. 

Hunter Lawrence

Titles: 2023 - 250SX East & 2023 - 250MX

Place of Birth: Landsboroug, Australia

Years Pro: 2017 - Current (2024)

Hunter Lawrence raced the MXGP MX2 class in 2017 and '18, finishing ninth overall in both seasons. He had several podiums and top fives in the GPs and won the MX2 class for Australia at MXdN in 2018. He and his brother, Jett, moved to America in 2019 but missed Supercross that year due to a collarbone injury. 2020 was a learning year, but by '21, he was a contender for wins and a title. Hunter found himself as the 250SX East champion in '23 and moved to the 450 class for '24, impressing many with his adaption to the big bike. 

France

Jean-Michel Bayle 1991 - 250SX

Jean-Michel Bayle 1991 - 500MX

Jean-Michel Bayle 1991 - 250MX

Mickaël Pichon 1995 - 125SX East

Mickaël Pichon 1996 - 125SX East

Stephane Roncada 2000 - 125SX East

Christophe Pourcel 2009 - 250SX East

Christophe Pourcel 2010 - 250SX East

Marvin Musquin 2015 - 250SX East

Dylan Ferrandis 2019 - 250SX West

Dylan Ferrandis 2020 - 250SX West

Dylan Ferrandis 2020 - 250MX

Dylan Ferrandis 2021 - 450MX

Tom Vialle 2024 - 250SX East

Jean-Michel Bayle

Titles: 1991 - 250SX, 1991 - 500MX, & 1991 -250MX

Place of Birth: Manosque, France

Years Pro: 1986 - 1992

Jean-Michel Bayle had a fairly short career but won a lot in that time. He won the 125cc World Championship in 1988 and the 250cc World Championship in 1989. He then moved to America and became the only rider to win all three major AMA titles in the same year (1991). Bayle then left the sport of motocross to race in the 250cc road racing world championships for Aprilia. In 1996, he raced in the 500ccc class for Kenny Robert's Yamaha team.

Mickaël Pichon

Titles: 1995 - 125SX East & 1996 - 125SX East

Place of Birth: La Mans, France

Years Pro: 1992 - 2003

Mickaël Pichon debuted in his first MXGP race in 1992 at 16. In 1993, he competed in three AMA Supercross races and won his first win (San Diego) before heading back to Europe to race in the GPs. He moved full-time to America in 1995 to race for Pro Circuit Kawasaki and won the 125SX East title in his rookie season. He backed that up in 1996 with another title before moving to Factory Suzuki in '97. He moved to the 250 class in '98 and '99 with some good results before returning to Europe. He then won the 250cc world championship in 2001 and 2002.

Stephane Roncada

Titles: 2000 - 125SX East

Place of Birth: Chambery, France

Years Pro: 1997 - 2006

Stephane Roncada made his Supercross debut in 1997 at the L.A. Coliseum with a sixth-place finish. His first win came a few months later in St. Louis. Stephane's career is loaded with great results, and he spent most of it racing guys like Ricky Carmichael and James Stewart. His 2001 125SX East title found him topping riders Brock Sellards, Travis Pastrana, and Nick Wey. He stepped away from the sport after the 2006 season and found a career in video game design.

Christophe Pourcel

Titles: 2009 - 250SX East & 2010 - 250SX East

Place of Birth: Marseille, France

Years Pro: 2004 - 2017

Christophe Pourcel spent the first couple of years of his professional career racing the Motocross World Championships in Europe, beating Antonio Cairoli and winning the MX2 title in 2006. He suffered a broken back in 2007 while racing in Ireland and missed all of 2008 recovering. Christophe moved to America in 2009 to race for the Pro Circuit Kawasaki team and won his first race back at the Houston Supercross, eventually winning the title. Pourcel won the title again in 2010 and came close to winning the 250 Pro Motocross title in '09 and '10. He went on to become third all-time on the 250SX East win list.

Marvin Musquin

Titles: 2015 - 250SX East

Place of Birth: La Rėole, France

Years Pro: 2008 - 2023

Marvin Musquin was a two-time MX2 World Champion (2009 & 2010) before coming to the U.S. to race in 2011. Marvin's first professional win in America came at Unadilla in 2012 where he beat Eli Tomac, Ken Roczen, and eventual champion, Blake Baggett. He won his first U.S. title in 2015 in the 250SX East class before moving to the 450 class in 2016. He retired in 2023 after a wrist injury took him out of Supercross and finished his career with ten 450SX wins and ten 450MX wins.

Dylan Ferrandis

Titles: 2019 - 250SX West, 2020 - 250SX West, 2020 - 250MX, & 2021 - 450MX

Place of Birth: Avignon, France

Years Pro: 2011 - Current (2024)

Dylan Ferrandis started his pro career racing in Europe in 2011 and got his first GP win in 2015 in Argentina. He moved to the U.S. in 2017, quickly becoming a podium threat. In 2019 he trailed Adam Cianciarulo by eight points going into the final round in Las Vegas. Cianciarulo would make a mistake allowing Ferrandis to finish ahead of him and win the title. In 2020, Ferrandis won both 250 titles before moving to the premier class in '21. Dylan then won the 450MX title in his rookie 450 season. Since then he has struggled with injuries and changing teams and is looking to return to his winning form.

Tom Vialle

Titles: 2024 - 250SX East

Place of Birth: Avignon, France

Years Pro: 2019 - Current (2024)

Tom Vialle is a two-time MX2 World Champion (2020 & 2022) who, like many of his fellow countrymen, came to America to have his hand at Supercross and the Pro Motocross Championship. Riding for Red Bull Factory KTM, Vialle made his Supercross debut in Houston in '23, finishing seventh. His first American win came outdoors at Southwick that same year. Vialle's Supercross skills increased quickly, elevating him to a championship season in 2024. He finished second outdoors and in the SuperMotocross Series behind Haiden Deegan.