The electrifying atmosphere is palpable at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado, as the 2024 season of Monster Energy AMA Supercross heads into its penultimate round.
With Round 16 of 17 set to unfold tonight, the competition is fierce, yet a different kind of intensity hangs in the air, particularly in the 450 Class.
Following a thrilling victory last week, Cooper Webb is now basking in a sizable twelve-point lead over Chase Sexton after a six-point swing in his favor.
The pressure has eased off Webb significantly, allowing him to race without the must-win mentality that he had been grappling with during the previous rounds.
Adding to the intrigue, Chase Sexton is not expected to receive any assistance from Ken Roczen, who will be sidelined for the remainder of the season following a training accident that exacerbated previous shoulder and ankle injuries.
In the 250SX Class, the results are shaping up quite differently, with Haiden Deegan enjoying a 17-point cushion over Cole Davies.
Tonight presents an opportunity for Deegan to clinch the championship title outright; if he wins and Davies finishes fifth place or worse, the championship will be his.
However, with Davies riding in remarkable form—winning the last two races he entered, including an East/West Showdown—anything can happen on the track tonight.
Julien Beaumer, who has made considerable progress in recovering from a dislocated shoulder injury, could also contend for the top spots.
With the hard-packed, dry conditions typical of Denver’s track, the expectations for the racers are high, and the challenges they face will be significant.
As practice kicks off shortly, the anticipation only grows for who will post the fastest lap times and gain an edge ahead of the main events tonight.
In the first 250SX qualifier, the drama started early, as Cole Davies and Haiden Deegan tangled four turns in—Davies attempting to pass Deegan on the outside, only to find himself on the ground when Deegan shut the door.
However, Deegan bounced back to set an impressive fast lap, clocking in at a time of 50.380 on his second lap, before Julien Beaumer emerged later in the session.
Beaumer took over the top spot with a stellar 50.354 and eventually finished with the fastest lap of the session at 50.147, edging out Deegan.
In the 450SX qualifiers, Chase Sexton set the pace early on, posting a 50.615 before breaking into the sub-50 segment with a dazzling series of laps, ultimately recording a best time of 49.224.
Malcolm Stewart followed him as the second-fastest with a time of 50.373, while Cooper Webb ended up behind in seventh place with a time of 50.785.
As the night progressed, the first of two 250SX heat races displayed a series of twists and turns.
Garrett Marchbanks shocked spectators with an early holeshot, but a slip-up caused him to fall after a lap, handing the lead back to Deegan, who took off toward an assured victory.
While early struggles persisted for Josh Shimoda in the opening laps, he managed a comeback, positioning himself in fifth place by the end of the race alongside Enzo Lopes, Drew Adams, Marchbanks, and others securing transfers to the next round.
If the first heat was a gripping introduction, the second heat race was equally captivating.
Cole Davies both shined with a holeshot and faltered in his performance due to pressure, but he persevered, hanging on to win against challenges from Michael Mosiman, who also fended off the relentless advance of Julien Beaumer from deep in the pack.
Despite the odds, Jordon Smith, after a rocky start and riding without a visor, managed to qualify for the main event, securing the ninth spot.
With the 450SX heats coming up next, the stage was set for more wild action as Malcolm Stewart once again took the early lead, with Plessinger closely following his every move.
However, as Plessinger made mistakes, Webb capitalized, snatching the lead, while Chase Sexton made waves by overtaking Plessinger with memorable speed through the whoops.
In what became an exciting duel for the top spots, Sexton took charge and left the others behind.
Though Savatgy struggled early, he managed to recover and secure a position in the last chance qualifier, finishing just shy of qualifying for the main event.
In the 450SX LCQ, Joey Savatgy dominated, exiting with a strong holeshot and an easy victory over Michael Hicks and Kevin Moranz, while the fight for fourth was an eye-catching battle between Marshal Weltin and Tristan Lane, with Lane ultimately securing a transfer spot.
The main event for 250SX kept fans on the edge of their seats as Cole Davies started with a holeshot, finding Michael Mosiman and Haiden Deegan hot on his heels early on.
As the race unfolded, Deegan quickly moved from third to second after challenging Mosiman assertively, and the battle between Deegan and Davies intensified as the laps wore on.
Despite relentless pressure from Deegan, Davies held his ground until an aggressive maneuver left him pushed off the track, securing Deegan the championship title while he claimed the race victory.
The tension peaked in the 450SX main event as Malcolm Stewart blasted out of the gate, only to find himself in a fierce challenge against Webb.
Sexton was not far behind, exhibiting fierce determination to navigate swiftly past Stewart before overtaking Webb in a bold move down the track.
It turned into a blistering ride for Sexton, creating significant distances between himself and his closest competitors, as Stewart battled to hold on in third, while the mid-pack contenders vied for their places amidst in-fighting throughout the race.
In the final moments of the race, Cooper’s impressive run through the ranks added another layer of unpredictability, particularly as Stewart ratcheted up the pressure during the closing minutes.
Faced with tight competition from multiple angles, Webb managed to fend off further challenges while keeping his second-place position intact, crossing the finish line behind Sexton and maintaining his grip on the championship storyline heading into the season finale.
The action on the track tonight promises to leave fans eager for the closing chapter of the season, with results this event conjuring anticipations for what’s to come in the spectacular finale ahead.
image source from：https://racerxonline.com/2025/05/03/live-written-updates-and-results-from-denver-supercross
