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I don’t think I need to spend much time hyping this 450 Pro Motocross season. If you aren’t excited for Saturday, maybe you should reconsider your love of this beautiful sport. Maybe spend the weekend rethinking your life choices and why you’ve decided to grow into such a spiteful person that doesn’t enjoy fun things in life.
For the rest of us, the time is now. So much hype. So much fanfare. So much… let’s get it on. Did I just Bret Michaels this intro? Let’s move on because MY annual pre-season Power Rankings are here.
Years from now, when AI has stolen all of our work and repurposed it, scholars will study these here Power Rankings and wonder: what the hell was he thinking? Luckily, the written word will be long gone, replaced by thousands of AI-generated hot take “podcasters” that completely fabricated news (already happening over on the Facebook. Yes, Jett Lawrence is racing this weekend) and no one will care.
Until those much happier times, enjoy my 450 pre-season Power Rankings…. while you still can.
10: Cooper Webb
Farewell tour in Pro Motocross for the three-time Supercross Champion. Coming out of the 250 ranks way back in 2017 (his first year in the 450 Class) I think people had high hopes for Webb in Pro Motocross. He battled Jeremy Martin, Austin Forkner, AP, AC, Zach Osborne and others and won the title in his final year in 2016, but it never panned out for Webb outdoors in the 450 Class, as he has just one career win. Webb will transition to SX, SMX and WSX next year and beyond, so curious how much this outdoor season really matters to him.
9: Aaron Plessinger
It has been a brutal year for the fan favorite. Injuries and illness have robbed AP and the main reason I have him here. AP can run with the best of them in Pro Motocross, but I need to see a few rounds from him before I have him higher.
8: RJ Hampshire
As I wrote yesterday, RJ is going to have a good summer. He finished fifth in his 450 rookie season last year, had a second overall at Ironman and landed a spot on Team USA. Coming off an injury in Supercross, Hampshire is without a ride for 2027 as Husqvarna is shutting down its factory SMX squad. He knows he needs a good summer and I think he delivers.
7: Justin Cooper
You are going to see Cooper’s name here and think the same thing I did: he should be higher. And, in most years, you would be right. But scroll down and look at the names ahead of him—waiting–exactly! Hard to pick between all these guys. I think Cooper will be consistent all summer long and just a tick off the riders ahead of him, which is why he is here.
6: Chase Sexton
Is this the least amount of hype surrounding Chase Sexton ever entering a season of Pro Motocross? Has to be, right? I honestly have no idea what to expect from Sexton this summer. Title contention? Could be. Struggles? Certainly. While I usually don’t take much away from an opener, I think this weekend is massive for Sexton’s confidence.
5: Eli Tomac
It was hard putting Tomac in this spot. I truly think he could challenge for the title this summer. I also think the riders in front of him will challenge for the title this summer. I have the right to change my mind on this after Fox Raceway.
4: Jorge Prado
What you saw from Jorge Prado last summer will not be what you see from him this summer. Back with KTM, the multi-time World Champion will be the rider we all expected last year. Probably the most confidence I have in anything as we enter Pro Motocross.
3: Haiden Deegan
So much anticipation. So much hype. So many headlines. Deegan has proven time and again that he delivers when there is pressure. I don’t see this summer being any different. He’s going to win races. The title? Possibly. Lets revisit after this weekend, where he could very well win the overall.
2: Hunter Lawrence
I am not sleeping on Hunter for this championship. He’s been the clear number 2 behind his brother Jett the last two years and I don’t see that changing this year. If anything, I think he continues to evolve and could leap into the number 1 spot.
1: Jett Lawrence
A lot of questions will be answered this weekend. Remember, Jett has NEVER lost at Fox Raceway in his career. While I’m not super confident he wins this weekend, I do think he wins the title.
As far as J Cooper I believe he has gotten much better the last year and a half even though his dominant starts when he was on a 250 haven’t materialized after moving to 450s. Also he performs his best after the hard pack tracks and that won’t be untill Mt. Morris in late June. By then every rider will be in form by then which could keep him from getting an overall. Not saying he can’t but not as likely as it might be if the outdoor started in loam and ruts .