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TOM VIALLE AND RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING DEFEND 250 EAST SUPERCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Tom Vialle has successfully defended his 250SX East title in the 2025 AMA Supercross Championship following tonight's title-deciding final round of the season, on a night where Chase Sexton also raced to his seventh 450SX victory of the year at Salt Lake City's Rice-Eccles Stadium.

At 24 years of age, Vialle adds a second AMA Supercross title to his resume onboard the KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, in addition to the pair of MX2 World Championships that he earned in 2020 and 2022. After an incredibly hard-fought season this year, Vialle demonstrated a never-give-up spirit, with his fighting mentality ultimately sealing the title.

Originally from Avignon, France, Vialle relocated to the U.S. ahead of the 2023 season, where he made a highly-anticipated American Supercross debut and gained experience in the stadium-based discipline, before charging to a maiden 250SX East Championship in 2024.

Since then, Vialle has pieced together convincing indoor and outdoor campaigns as part of the wider SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX), becoming a title contender in each series. This year’s 250SX East division championship didn’t come easily, however, as the defending champion began the opening two rounds at Tampa and Detroit outside of the podium positions.

Second-place results at the following two rounds in Daytona and Indianapolis, followed by third in Birmingham, initially earned Vialle the red plate, before the torrential rain in Foxborough resulted in a troubled 22nd-place result. P6 in Philadelphia and third on the podium at East Rutherford were then followed by a pivotal victory in Pittsburgh, putting him back in the title hunt upon regaining the points lead, with a dramatic P3 at Utah's 250SX Showdown sealing the championship.

Vialle and the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team will now focus on the upcoming AMA Pro Motocross Championship, which commences at Fox Raceway in Pala, California, on Saturday, May 24th.

Tom Vialle: "I can’t believe this, to be honest! I got a good start behind Haiden [Deegan], and I was feeling good, then I started to make a couple of mistakes, and both Seth [Hammaker] and RJ [Hampshire] got me, so then I was about five seconds back. I saw them both down in the corner, and I couldn’t believe it – I thought, ‘This is crazy!’ There were still about four laps to go, and I just did it from there to clinch the title. The speed was really high this year from everyone and I lost a lot of points in the mud at Foxborough, but overall I just tried to stay steady, and that’s what paid off in the end. I came to the United States to win Supercross titles, so to have two now is insane! Two championships are hard to win, so this feels really good to achieve this with the whole Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team.”

Also riding the KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, 250SX West contender Julien Beaumer continued the solid momentum gained last weekend in Denver by charging to the top spot in the overall combined qualifying times, before racing to what was a well-deserved western division Heat Race win.

Upon battling at the front of the field throughout the Showdown Main Event, Beaumer would finish with a P2 score and also elevated himself to second position in the western division's final standings. One win and a further four podiums mark a successful sophomore season for the number 23, who will look to take that form into Pro Motocross later this month.

Julien Beaumer: "I’m really happy with how my riding was in these last two rounds, it really came back around, and my biggest takeaway from this championship is just consistency. I had that mid-season slump and a couple of tough races, so for me, it’s about being consistent. Tonight I was racing hard for position there in the Main Event, and we’re happy to come away with second place.”

In 450SX, Chase Sexton powered to the fastest qualifying time equipped with the KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION in Salt Lake City, beginning his title quest in the best possible fashion on the dry, slick Rice-Eccles Stadium track surface.

An important Heat Race victory set up the number 4 strongly for the Main Event, in which Sexton made fast, decisive moves to hit the front of the pack, clearing out to a 10-second margin of victory and claiming his seventh 450SX win of the series. As a result, he was credited second position in the standings after what was an inspired season-long fight until the very end across a 17-round duration.

Sexton opened the 2025 AMA Supercross Championship by claiming his first Anaheim 1 victory, quickly followed by winning the Glendale Triple Crown. In finishing on the podium a total of 12 times and collecting an additional five wins, the 2023 450SX Champion pieced together one of his most impressive seasons to date – just two points shy of the crown in the end.

Chase Sexton: "Today, I think I did everything that I could’ve done. Obviously, we came up short on the championship, which is a bummer and it’s a tough pill to swallow, but Cooper [Webb] had a great season. We were able to achieve seven race wins this year, and throughout the season I became a much more complete rider, having learned from some of my mistakes, so I’ll take that and head into the outdoors. I am proud of what we were able to achieve together with the team and am happy to beat my personal season win record with seven this year.”

Teammate Aaron Plessinger – who this week was announced to have re-signed with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing for 2026 – picked up a popular victory in the second 450SX Heat Race of the night onboard his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, earning ‘The Cowboy’ an ideal gate selection for the final Main Event of the year.

Another holeshot followed by a conservative ride saw Plessinger race to a sixth-place result, completing the championship in sixth overall, and delivering five podium finishes alongside a second-career victory in the Foxborough mud.

Aaron Plessinger: "Salt Lake City was a pretty good race. I struggled to find a setting that worked for me in qualifying, but by the time we got to the Heat Race, it was working awesome! I got a holeshot there and won the thing, which was good. Holeshotted again in the Main, but I saw that I was around both Coop and Chase, and panicked a bit – I doubled the whole way down a rhythm lane and lost a lot of positions, then struggled to recover from there. That was my night in Salt Lake, but it's time to regroup and head outdoors. We'll be going for it!"

Next Race: May 24 – Pala, California

Results 450SX Class – Salt Lake City
1. Chase Sexton (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
2. Malcolm Stewart (Husqvarna)
3. Justin Cooper (Yamaha)
6. Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
8. Justin Hill (KTM)

Standings 450SX Class 2025 after 17 of 17 rounds
1. Cooper Webb, 365 points
2. Chase Sexton, 363
3. Justin Cooper, 281
4. Malcolm Stewart, 277
6. Aaron Plessinger, 255
8. Justin Hill, 194
10. Justin Barcia, 185

Results 250SX Showdown – Salt Lake City
1. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha)
2. Julien Beaumer (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
3. Tom Vialle (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)

Standings 250SX East Class 2025 after 10 of 10 rounds
1. Tom Vialle, 180 points
2. Seth Hammaker, 177
3. RJ Hampshire, 173

Standings 250SX West Class 2025 after 10 of 10 rounds
1. Haiden Deegan, 221 points
2. Julien Beaumer, 189
3. Cole Davies, 171

    KTM NEWS

    RED BULL KTM'S JORGE PRADO TO SIT OUT ARLINGTON ROUND OF SUPERCROSS

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    Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Jorge Prado will sit out Round 7 of the 2026 AMA Supercross Championship in Arlington, Texas, this weekend. Prado will continue his recovery after crashing heavily in the final qualifying session at Seattle, sidelining him for the remainder of the event in order to undergo further evaluation on his right shoulder. While no major injuries have been determined, the four-time world champion will take a week off his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION as a result of excessive swelling and irritation in his shoulder joint, prioritizing his health with the goal of returning for the Daytona Supercross on February 28. Ian Harrison, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: "Following Jorge's crash in qualifying at Seattle, we had his right shoulder checked out, which he has injured previously. While there are no major injuries that have been found, other than the excessive swelling and irritation in the region, it has been decided that Jorge will take a week off the bike and his goal is to be back for Daytona if he is in a position to do so. We are not in a title fight with Jorge and his health is the absolute priority, so with some more therapy I am sure that he will be back and competitive again as soon as he is ready." Prado has been exceptional since reuniting with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing for 2026 in the U.S.-based SMX World Championship, finishing on the Main Event podium in third at Anaheim 1, also achieving three Heat Race wins (Anaheim 1, Anaheim 2 and Glendale), in addition to qualifying quickest at both Glendale and Seattle.

    RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING AND ELI TOMAC BACK ON TOP IN SEATTLE

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    Eli Tomac and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing returned to the top step of the AMA Supercross podium at Round 6 in Seattle tonight, as the two-time 450SX Champion raced to a convincing third win of 2026 in technical conditions at Lumen Field. Equipped with the KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, Tomac set the second-fastest qualifying time behind Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Jorge Prado at the conclusion of the afternoon sessions. The 33-year-old then powered to a measured third-place finish in the opening 450SX Heat Race, earning a strong gate selection for the upcoming Main Event as track conditions continued to break down throughout the night. In launching out of the gates well for the Main Event, Tomac positioned himself in second position early on, then trailed the race leader during the opening stages of the race as he looked for opportunities to make a move. A decisive pass at the halfway point saw him take control of the lead, going on to deliver victory by 9.265 seconds. Tomac recorded his third win of the 2026 SMX World Championship season in Seattle – which was also the 56th of his career in 450SX – and now is one point outside of the 450SX lead entering Arlington next weekend. Eli Tomac: “Seattle was the usual conditions today, a tough track to really get ahold of and get comfortable on, but I saved the best for last – I got the best start and had my best ride in the Main Event. I cleaned up some lines, did some different jump combinations, and this was just typical Seattle, and one of the toughest rounds that we have on the schedule. I am glad to come here and get back on top, as the last couple of weekends have been a little tough, so we're back at it!” Also onboard the KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, Aaron Plessinger qualified ninth overall during the afternoon, later taking a direct transfer to the 450SX Main Event with a convincing third-place finish in his Heat Race. 'The Cowboy' then powered to a good start in the Main Event, battling within the top-five throughout the opening stages of the race, before eventually crossing the finish in seventh position and continuing to improve into the middle stages of the Supercross series. Aaron Plessinger: "Wrapping up Round 6 in Seattle, it was an alright night for me. I struggled a little in practice, but then got a pretty good start in the Heat Race and finished third, and then made another good start in the Main Event. Half of that one was solid, but it just kind of fell apart after that, so I've just got to be better. We're getting back towards consistent riding and not making so many mistakes, and I think heading back to Florida this week will do me good – we'll get some riding done and work on some things. The positives are that we got two good starts tonight and had some good laps, so we'll build on that in Arlington!" Four-time world champion Jorge Prado continued his impressive pace in Seattle, setting the fastest overall qualifying time for the second-consecutive week with a 50.600-second lap — nearly half a second clear of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Eli Tomac. An incident late in the second 450SX qualifying session, however, ultimately sidelined the 25-year-old for the remainder of the night program. After attempting to line up for Heat 2, Prado withdrew from Round 6 and will undergo further medical evaluation this week. Next Race: February 21 – Arlington, Texas Results 450SX Class – Seattle 1. Eli Tomac (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 2. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) 3. Justin Cooper (Yamaha) 6. Malcolm Stewart (Husqvarna) 7. Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 11. Justin Hill (KTM) 15. Kevin Moranz (KTM) 16. Grant Harlan (KTM) Standings 450SX Class 2026 after 6 of 17 rounds 1. Hunter Lawrence, 124 points 2. Eli Tomac, 123 3. Ken Roczen, 113 10. Jorge Prado, 73 11. Aaron Plessinger, 65 12. Malcolm Stewart, 52 13. Justin Hill, 51 16. RJ Hampshire, 38

    JORGE PRADO CONTINUES 450SX PROGRESSION WITH GLENDALE TOP-FIVE

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    A top-five result for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado marked another impressive performance at Glendale's fifth round of the 2026 AMA Supercross Championship, with the Spaniard topping the 450SX qualifying timesheets, claiming a convincing Heat Race victory, and finishing fifth in Saturday night’s premier class Main Event. The four-time world champion continued his progression in the 2026 SMX World Championship season inside State Farm Stadium, posting the fastest qualifying time in the afternoon with a 56.451s lap on the high-speed, technical Arizona layout. The 25-year-old followed that by controlling 450SX Heat 2 from start to finish onboard his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, before a top-10 start translated into a composed fifth-place result in the Main Event to conclude round five of the series. With his Glendale finish, Prado advances to seventh position in the championship standings. Jorge Prado: "My start was actually very good, it was just that I didn’t have much space entering the first corner. But still, I managed to get around the turn decently, and then I was battling back and forth with Justin [Cooper], which made me get a little bit tight. I ended up bringing it home in P5, which I would say is a solid night. We’re getting better and better with P1 in qualifying and the Heat Race, and then fifth in the Main Event is a good progression. I am happy with my riding and effort, so thanks to the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team – they’re doing a great job, we have a great bike, and hopefully I can put it on the box again soon.” Entering the Glendale round as the 450SX red plate-holder, Eli Tomac arrived READY TO RACE on his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION and charged to the second-fastest time during the qualifying sessions, only marginally behind teammate Prado. A strong start in 450SX Heat 1 saw the two-time Supercross champion take the holeshot, going on to control the race from the front as he recorded a decisive 5.987s victory and secured a strong gate selection for the Main Event. The Colorado native endured a challenging start to the 450SX race, however, after being caught up in a multi-rider, first turn incident, before remounting to make a determined climb from the rear of the field to finish 12th, salvaging valuable championship points in the process. Tomac is now positioned third in the series, eight points outside of the lead. Eli Tomac: “I put myself in a position where bad things can happen. I got a little pinched at the start and then got taken out – so I don’t know what happened before that, all I know is, I was done. It took me a little while to get warmed up again, kind of got my body loosened up and going, and that’s what I had to get back to 12th. The good thing is, we're not too far down – we’re fine – so we’ll just have to do some digging now.” Also equipped with the KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, Aaron Plessinger qualified a promising ninth overall during the afternoon sessions, later claiming a direct transfer to the 450SX Main Event courtesy of a sixth-place finish in his Heat Race. 'The Cowboy' then battled inside the top-10 throughout the Main Event in Arizona and ultimately claimed eighth position when the checkered flag flew, providing a solid platform to build upon entering the middle stages of the Supercross season. Aaron Plessinger: "Glendale was a step in the right direction. The result may not show it, but the last few weeks have been really tough, so this week was a lot better as a stepping stone and I think we are on the way to turning things around. I felt better on the bike – that was my first 20-minute moto since San Diego – and it is safe to say that things have been up and down. But, either way, we are moving forward, and that’s a positive for us. We’ll go back, do some more homework this week, and show up for Seattle! I’m ready to go.” Next Race: February 14 – Seattle, Washington Results 450SX Class – Glendale 1. Ken Roczen (Suzuki) 2. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 3. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) 5. Jorge Prado (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 8. Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 10. Justin Hill (KTM) 12. Eli Tomac (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 22. Malcolm Stewart (Husqvarna) Standings 450SX Class 2026 after 5 of 17 rounds 1. Hunter Lawrence, 106 points 2. Ken Roczen, 101 3. Eli Tomac, 98 7. Jorge Prado, 73 11. Aaron Plessinger, 50 13. Justin Hill, 40 14. RJ Hampshire, 38 15. Malcolm Stewart, 36