Videos: Racing records fall as rain wreaks havoc

In Monster Energy AMA Supercross, the record for the most different race winners in all three classes (set just last year) has already been shattered with five rounds still remaining. And in MotoAmerica, Josh Hayes added to his record for the most career wins, just two days after his 50th birthday. And did I mention the rain? The rain was epic.

Supercross: The most brutal conditions ever

At one point during the broadcast of Saturday night's race at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, commentator and champion Ricky Carmichael said the conditions might be the worst he'd ever seen. And he's seen a lot of conditions. Consider that Carmichael once lapped the entire field in a mud race. As the statsmasters over at We Went Fast pointed out, April 5 was the earliest date ever for the New England round. Having a Supercross race in an open stadium in New England this early is a bold move, and temperatures in the 40s Fahrenheit and dropping, along with steady rain, forced an abbreviated schedule of racing. The usual high-flying Supercross action turned into an earthbound fight for survival (see highlights of the 450SX main below). Some motorcycles got so badly stuck in the deep ruts that they had to be removed from the track using the earth-moving equipment after the race ended.

Chaotic conditions can unleash unpredictable results, and 2025 has already been unpredictable in Supercross. Last year, a record 16 different riders won races in the three classes, 450SX, 250SX East and West. This year, that record had already been tied going into Saturday night's racing and by the end of the night it was shattered, with two riders getting their first wins this year. Team Honda HRC Progressive rider Chance Hymas capped his comeback from injuries with a win in the 250SX East main and fan favorite Red Bull KTM rider Aaron Plessinger took the victory in 450SX by nearly 26 seconds. If anything, the 250SX East main (highlights below) was crazier than the 450SX main, and Hymas' victory makes this the first season ever where six different riders won the first six races. 

"After I got the lead I just kind of cruised it on in. I mean, it was a tough cruise. It wasn't easy by any means," Plessinger said, laughing. "Boots were getting stuck in the mud, lappers were everywhere. It was tough, but I had a lot of fun. I had a lot of fun."

MotoAmerica: Experience over youthful skills

While it was raining and cold Saturday in Massachusetts, it was sunny and warm in Alabama for the opening round of MotoAmerica racing at Barber Motorsports Park. But Sunday was a different situation, with steady rain all day long and lightning delaying some sessions. The pouring rain unleashed a predictably eventful Motovation Supersport race. In the highlights below, don't miss defending champion Mathew Scholtz's near save as he crashed out of the lead and Blake Davis and Tyler Scott narrowly avoiding disaster when Scott crashed. But in the end it was the experience of BPR's Hayes on his new Yamaha YZF-R9 that took the win, with Scholtz finishing on the podium and reviving memories of a wild and wet Superbike race at Barber a few years ago, when all three podium finishers crashed.

It was the 89th career win across all AMA Pro roadracing classes for Hayes, who surpassed Miguel Duhamel on the all-time wins list in 2023 but sat out the 2024 season without a ride. Friday, the first day of the MotoAmerica round at Barber, was his 50th birthday.

It's not likely to be the last time this year that the all-time wins record changes. Cameron Beaubier won Saturday's Superbike race in dry conditions to record his 87th career victory, moving past Duhamel into second place on the list and following close in Hayes' career tire tracks. I'll be surprised if Beaubier doesn't surpass Hayes sometime this racing season.