Daytona is the most unique round of Monster Energy AMA Supercross. It feels more like an SMX Playoff round than a typical stadium SX. The speedway atmosphere, spring break vibes, Bike Week crowd, and beautiful Florida weather are all on deck. For the riders, Daytona presents a mid-season change. They will ride different types of tracks this week and work on settings that will be more conducive to what Daytona offers. A ruttier, bumpier track that still needs supercross style stiffness. Not an easy task to master but the challenge remains.
The start for Daytona cuts through the middle of the course which means it will be a short chute. A long right hand 180 brings riders back towards pit lane and immediately into a long rhythm section.
This rhythm section will be critical to get right on that first lap and avoid incident. Inside a stadium, there would be opportunities to go big here but when thinking Daytona, it’s prudent to take things down a notch. The track will deteriorate much more and the big options will not be possible. Case in point, tripling in would be the fast line but I don’t think that will be the race line here. Doubling in and then finding ways to put triples together down the lane will be the way. If those triples can come from the lower 3’ jumps, even better.
A left hand 180 at the far east end of the speedway brings riders alongside the oval and through several sand rollers. Those are met by two large, steep doubles that will slow riders down a bit before accelerating towards the finish line.
More sand rollers follow the finish line jump as riders are continuing down the side of the speedway. A steep wall jump will bring riders to a standstill before rocketing down the backside and into the only set of clay supercross whoops on this year’s layout. These will likely get edgy and tricky so watch for those with the will and the skill to try to blitz past those a bit more hesitant on entry.
A 180 left at the far west side of the speedway will bring the riders back and riders will hope to execute a 3-3 before entering a sandy section. This sand will wreak havoc on many as it will be true beach sand with uneven rollers and a bend left then right. The key here will be consistency and rhythm. Overriding this section is ill-advised!
A raised 180 will offer an inside-outside option but I expect the inside rut to be the dominant line. That will set riders up for a step up double after the inside rut.
Another 180 left looks like it offers a 3-3 option but I expect the black sand to disallow that. Watch for riders to go 2-3-2 or 2-2-3 here and then rip across the mechanics’ area.
Two switchbacks cut horizontally across the starting line and will give riders a chance to breathe if they can remember to. These flat, smooth sections are important to relax your hands and take a deep breath or two because the rest of Daytona’s track is simply too treacherous to disengage even for a second.
A big double jump over the second lane off the start and feeds into a few sand rollers before diving into a 180 right hand corner. Riders will want to smoothly exit this corner and accelerate towards the only true supercross triple on this layout. Pushing too hard in this corner could lead to a mistake and missing the triple. Riders would be smart to remember that Daytona rewards consistent laps versus overriding the track.
The next left-hand corner brings riders back into the first rhythm section and onto lap two!
Who’s Hot
Cooper Webb has won two in a row and now has sole possession of the red plate. He never won at Daytona but he’s only missed the podium once.
Ken Roczen has been fantastic in 2025. The Tampa mishap looms large on a points scale, but I think he has a very good chance of winning Daytona this year. If he can get the start and sprint early, watch out.
Levi Kitchen stole some 250 east momentum back with the red flag drama in Detroit. Continuation is a must for Daytona.
Max Anstie was angry after Detroit and it’s obvious why. Big picture, though, this is the best he’s ever looked and he has every opportunity to win a title in 2025.
Who’s Not
Chase Sexton shouldn’t be here but mentally, I think he put himself through the ringer this week. A Daytona win could go a long way in turning the tide of momentum.
Aaron Plessinger is struggling to find the magic of 2024. Everyone cheers for the cowboy but there’s just something missing right now.
Cameron McAdoo had another rough crash in Detroit. He’s a tough dude, though, and will line up this weekend.
Bold Predictions
Ken Roczen works on his speed all week and discovers time travel late Thursday afternoon.
Reviewing the policy and procedure for the red flag restart in Detroit, teams employ a designated crasher for each main event if they need to regroup the field for a late race run at the win.
Justin Barcia and Jason Anderson attend couples counseling on Friday evening at the AMA truck.
