Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing Primed for 2025 450 SMX Title Run

December 16, 2024

Image from Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA

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PRESS RELEASE FROM YAMAHA MOTOR CORPORATION, USA

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MARIETTA, Ga. – December 16, 2025 Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing heads into the highly anticipated 2025 SuperMotocross World Championship geared up and ready for a premier-class heavyweight fight with three championship-proven riders and the potent YZ450F. Two-time 450SX Champion and four-time Pro Motocross 450MX Champion Eli Tomac is joined by two-time 450SX Champion Cooper Webb and the 2021 250SX West Champion Justin Cooper. The 31-round season kicks off after the New Year with the Monster Energy AMA Supercross season opener at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, on January 11.

After a successful off-season of racing around the globe, Tomac is looking to keep the momentum rolling into 2025 as he begins his fourth season with the team and his final full season of racing the SMX World Championship. His debut with the bLU cRU in 2022 was a dream season, earning premier class titles in both Monster Energy AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross, as well as being the team captain of the victorious Team USA at Motocross of Nations. Although he was sidelined with injuries following the penultimate round of the last two seasons of supercross, Tomac has amassed an impressive tally of wins during his tenure with the team - 15 in 450SX and 14 moto wins in 450MX - which not only bolsters his position as the winningest rider currently racing but continues to add to his legacy in the sport. Despite missing this year’s supercross season finale with a thumb injury, he finished fourth in the 450SX point standings with a win and a total of six podiums and was third overall in 450SMX despite being sidelined for 10 rounds. Tomac filled in on short notice and led the charge as the captain for Team USA at this year’s Motocross of Nations in the UK, with the team coming just three points shy of victory. He then continued his successful outings overseas by taking top honors in WSX. Tomac heads into 2025 looking to add to his win tallies and combined total of eight championships across AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross. He sits runner-up on the all-time premier-class win list in AMA Supercross with 52 victories and is also the winningest rider at Daytona Supercross with seven victories at the iconic venue.

With a total of five titles across Monster Energy AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross, Webb is also coming off of a successful off-season of racing overseas as he heads into his second full season with the team aboard the YZ450F. 2024 was a welcome return to Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing, where he enjoyed a lot of success in the 250 class – back-to-back 250SX West Championships in 2015 and 2016, as well as the 2016 250MX Championship. Webb’s never-quit attitude and gritty performances saw him battle for the 2024 450SX Championship all the way to the final round. Even with a thumb injury in the later part of the season, he finished runner-up in 450SX with four wins and a total of nine podiums and then secured a top-five finish in the 450SMX Championship despite being sidelined for 10 rounds of the 31-round series while he returned to 100% after his thumb surgery. Webb filled in on short notice to race the 250 for Team USA, finishing runner-up in the team overall, and then he continued his upward momentum to earn his first King of Paris Championship. The North Carolina rider is fired up for 2025 and eager to make another title run in the SMX World Championship.

Cooper returns for his eighth season with the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing squad in 2025. Another rider with a rich history and a 250SX West title with the team, the New Yorker had a solid first full season aboard the YZ450F and continued to make progress throughout the year. At the Supercross season finale in Salt Lake City, Utah, he scored a runner-up finish to earn his first premier-class podium and was sixth in the 450SX points. Cooper continued his forward momentum outdoors, finishing fourth in the 450MX points standings with two overall podiums and eight top-five overall finishes. His combined efforts in both Monster Energy AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross gave him a top-five seed in the SuperMotocross World Championship Finals, where he would finish the year eighth despite a cracked collarbone he injured at the second round of the three-round post-season. With a strong year under his belt, Cooper is eager to continue his upward trend in 2025.

The Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 team would like to thank its partners for their continued support of their championship-winning program: Monster Energy, Yamaha Racing, Yamalube, Yamaha Financial Services (YMFUS), Progressive Insurance, bLU cRU, Rekluse, FMF, KYB, Dunlop, GYTR, D.I.D., AFAM, Kite, VP Fuels, CWI, Twin Air, ProTaper, Parts Unlimited, Motion Pro, Vortex Ignitions, D’Cor, Matrix Concepts, and Mechanics Wear.

As we approach the third year of the SuperMotocross World Championship Series – Monster Energy AMA Supercross, Pro Motocross, and the three-round SMX World Championship Finals – anticipation is high to see who will reign supreme. Yamaha is excited to offer an enhanced contingency support program featuring over $5 million for Yamaha bLU cRU riders competing in all three series. Stay tuned for more details on the 2025 Off-Road Racing Contingency Program coming soon.

Brad Hoffman – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing Team Principal: “It’s been a productive off-season. In addition to all the work the team’s been putting in here at The Farm, we’ve been able to get some gate drops in overseas, which has been good for both Eli and Coop. Justin continues to build, and we’re looking forward to seeing what he can do this year. After all the hard work that’s been put in to prepare for the season, we’re looking forward to getting back to racing and battling for the championship.”

Eli Tomac – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #3: “I’m excited for 2025. For me the most important thing was to do my best to come in healthy, and as of now, I am a lot stronger than I was the year before. In 2024, I felt like I had a rushed preparation time, so I’ve done a lot of racing leading up to this point, and it should keep me sharp. To be sharp, coming into Anaheim is going to be very important. As usual, it’s going to be a very packed gate with a lot of guys that can win. I believe I am in a better position than the year before. I’ve had good results with the off-season racing and will try and continue that in the New Year.”

Cooper Webb – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #2: “So far, the off-season’s been great. We’ve been able to do some racing this year, which is awesome. I was able to win King of Paris, and then in Australia, I won the first main event. I had a crash in the second one and was a little banged up after that, but I haven’t missed any days. We're back to riding, testing, and training for the upcoming year. So far, it’s been good. Everything is very similar for me in 2025 - same trainer, same bike, same team, and same program, so it’s just kind of building off of what we did last year. I’m feeling really good. We had a great 2024 and hopefully can improve off of that.”

Justin Cooper – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #32: First of all, I’m just really proud of myself for making it through the 31 rounds last season. That was important for me, as far as learning. It was a really good year for me. I hit the podium multiple times and, overall, just had a solid year. We have the same bike this year and kind of have a good starting point going into next season. It’s kind of a quick turnaround, I feel. We’ve only had a few months off, but I’m already looking forward to the next 31 races. I can’t wait to come into the new season and see what I can improve on. That’s going to be the fun part, seeing the progression, and hopefully it all pays off.”

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