It’s time for the big one! The 2025 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations is set to take place this weekend, for the first time ever at the incredible Ironman Raceway near Crawfordsville, Indiana, in the USA!
This will be only the sixth time that the United States has hosted the “Olympics of Motocross”, and Ironman will be the fifth venue to welcome the biggest Motocross event on the planet through its gates. Unadilla hosted the first American Nations event in 1987, and since then it has visited Budd’s Creek, Thunder Valley, and then twice at Red Bud in 2018 and 2022. The home nation has won all but one of these contests, as Team France broke the perfect record with overall victory in 2018. However, Team USA set the record straight with the “W” in 2022, although that still stands as their only win since the last of their seven-year streak in 2011.
The Ironman Raceway facility started out in 1995 as a venue for Grand National Cross Country racing, which proved so popular that a Motocross track was built and opened in 2014, and has held a round of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship every year since, mostly at the end of the season, meaning that many Champions have been crowned at Ironman!
Team Australia come into this year’s event as defending Champions, and both Jett Lawrence and his elder brother Hunter Lawrence have good records at Ironman, with Hunter winning the 450cc class event here in August, as well as sealing his 250cc title with a win in 2023. That was the same day as when Jett completed his perfect season in the 450 class that year, and between the brothers they have racked up five overall victories around the Indiana valley.
The Aussies have the exact same team as last year, with Kyle Webster again taking on the MX2 class duties after his 11-19 results were just about enough to see them to victory at Matterley Basin. Jett has so far always competed in the Open category for his country, but he is entered as riding with the #1 plate in the MXGP class this season. After Open class wins in 2022 & 2024, and one race win in each of his three appearances so far, watch for the talented younger brother to go all-out for a double win.
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Photo: Team Australia Champion MXoN 2024 in Matterley Basin
The home squad, however, will for sure be strong, and even more certain is how much support they will get from what looks like being a massive valley full of patriotic fans! Eli Tomac lines up for his sixth Nations appearance, at a track where he has won three times overall and clinched his first two outdoor 450 crowns in 2017 & ‘18. He has only one Nations Gold Medal to his name, however, and just one race win at the event as well, both in 2022. His MX2 teammate from that event, Justin Cooper, has been drafted in to race the 250cc machine again this year, after injury forced a late withdrawal from AMA Champion Haiden Deegan. Cooper won the MX2 class that year at Red Bud, so he is certainly an able substitute for “Dangerboy”.
Completing the line-up for the host nation is RJ Hampshire, making his second MXoN appearance after his debut two years ago at Ernée. He will be looking to improve on his 16-10 results from that weekend, and prosper against European opposition like he did when he won the MX2 GP at WW Ranch in 2017.
Photo: Team USA Champion MXoN 2022 in Redbud
Team Netherlands reached the podium last year with consistent results and the best MX2 individual performance from Kay de Wolf, who returns after losing his MX2 world title just two weeks ago. The Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing star will be fired up to perform on American soil, and he is joined by MXGP warriors Glenn Coldenhoff, in his 13th straight Motocross of Nations appearance, and Calvin Vlaanderen. Coldenhoff won four straight MXoN races through 2018 & ’19, leading his country top its only overall victory on home sand in Assen. They will be looking to prove they can do the business without Jeffrey Herlings in the team!
The perennial favourites, who just missed the podium last year, are 2023 winners Team France. With newly-crowned World Champion Romain Febvre leading the charge on his Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP steed for the third straight year, they are looking in good shape as two-time Nations class winner Maxime Renaux has started to see the sharp end in MXGP again towards the end of the season. Mathis Valin was a surprise pick to make his Nations debut in the MX2 class, but the 2024 EMX250 Champion would be an automatic choice for just about any other team, and will bring his own flair to the event.
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Photo: Tim Gajser and Jett Lawrence
The MXGP class is full of talent from outside of the top four teams as well. Besides Jett Lawrence, Tomac, Coldenhoff, and Febvre, Honda HRC’s Ruben Fernandez will line up for his fourth straight Nations for Team Spain. The last two class winners in MXGP, Tim Gajser from Team Slovenia, and Ken Roczen for Team Germany, will no doubt have something to say about the individual result, especially after Gajser’s incredible last-lap pass to take the final race win from Jett last year. Roczen won the MX2 class individually for four straight years in 2010-13, as well as the MXGP class in 2023 at Ernée. Winner of National rounds at Ironman in 2014 & ’16, the German legend always brings out his best for his country, as he did for that unforgettable team victory at Lommel in 2012.
The enduring legend that is Antonio Cairoli will line up for an incredible 16th Motocross of Nations appearance for Team Italy. Three times a class winner and part of the winning squad in 2021, he will, alongside Team Switzerland’s Jeremy Seewer, make the first MXoN showings for the Aruba.it Ducati Factory MX-Team at the Nations. Cairoli isn’t quite the most experienced Nations rider here, though, as Martin Barr finishes his career for Team Ireland this weekend, overcoming a broken leg bone in recent weeks to make it MXoN appearance #19 for the Irish squad.
Photos: 1. Ken Roczen; 2. Antonio Cairoli
Two talented debutants in the MXGP class are also looking to stir things up. Karlis Reisulis lines up on the 450 for Team Latvia, after winning the Ricky Carmichael Award for best young rider in last year’s event at Matterley Basin. A possible favourite for the victory, however, could be Lucas Coenen, who was incredibly fast on a 250 last year for Team Belgium, and after winning six MXGP rounds in 2025, more than anyone else, he could be one to watch as he measures up against the top contenders!
Along with fast MXGP regulars like Team Sweden’s Isak Gifting, and riders with AMA experience such as Team Great Britain’s Josh Gilbert, Team Venezuala’s Anthony Rodriguez, and Team Estonia’s Jorgen-Matthias Talviku, the MXGP class will be a firecracker all weekend long!
Photos: 1.Romain Febvre; 2. Eli Tomac
Photo: Justin Cooper
The MX2 category is always a thrilling little battle within a battle, and any 250cc riders that can compete against the larger capacity bikes are automatically heroes in the making! Lining up with De Wolf, Cooper, Webster, and Valin are a multitude of stars who can get in the mix.
Don’t be surprised to see a 250 take a Fox Holeshot Award if the rider’s name is Sacha Coenen! Unbelievably making his first Motocross of Nations appearance for Team Belgium, his starting prowess is second to none, and this could really see him mix it with the big boys. He is the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate to new World MX2 Champion Simon Längenfelder, who makes his sixth straight Motocross of Nations appearance for Team Germany, keen to show why he’s the new Champ! Andrea Adamo makes his fourth consecutive showing for Team Italy, and the 2023 MX2 World Champion has been a force to reckon with on hard surfaces this year.
Monster Energy Triumph Racing will field three riders at the Nations this weekend, including Guillem Farres, making a return to American soil for Team Spain, Camden McLellan for Team South Africa, and Mikkel Haarup, who has been racing in the USA this season to good effect, taking sixth overall at Ironman in August. He could be a surprise package for Team Denmark if they can make it to the main races.
New EMX250 Champion Janis Reisulis lines up for his second Nations alongside his brother Karlis, and Dylan Walsh, having raced in 2019 for New Zealand, makes his first appearance for Team Great Britain after racing Stateside this season. Nico Greutmann makes his Nations debut for Switzerland, which should make for an interesting team photo as he towers above his elder colleagues! As always, the MX2 class results will make a serious impact to their team’s positions as they do all they can to embarrass the big-bike riders around the fast Ironman circuit!
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Photos: 1. Simon Längenfelder 2. Kay de Wolf
Photo: Andrea Bonacorsi
The MX Open class sees some very interesting additions to the Motocross of Nations list of star attractions. At present, Hunter Lawrence is listed as being in the MX Open category, but that has been changed late on in previous years! Hampshire and the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP pairing of Vlaanderen and Renaux will also be joined by Liam Everts for Team Belgium, possibly riding a 350cc machine as in previous years. Jan Pancar will try to be a strong backup for Team Slovenia again, as he helped them to seventh last year in England.
Fantic Factory Racing MXGP will field Andrea Bonacorsi as part of Team Italy for the third straight year, while Pauls Jonass completes a strong line-up for Latvia after their surprise tenth place in 2024. Fast British rider Conrad Mewse will line up against his former British Championship rival Harri Kullas, who competes in his 11th straight Nations for Team Estonia. Harri has been racing in the US for the last two years, and this year he was joined by Valentin Guillod, who goes for Team Switzerland for the 14th time!
Perhaps a key player in the MX Open class, with pressure to help his team get into the main races, is Team Japan leader Jo Shimoda, racing a Honda HRC CR450F for the first time in the country where he races full time, having just won the 250cc SMX title. There will also be debut Nations starts for Team Spain’s Francisco Garcia, and Team Germany’s Max Spies.
The 78th edition of the event will again start with a massive 37-team entry list, and as usual the individual classes will have their Qualifying Races on Saturday, with the top 19 teams feeding through to the main races. There will be a C-Final on Saturday afternoon for the teams outside the top 31, with the winning team from that joining 12 others in the B-Final on Sunday, from which the winning team will join the main races as well. Last year Team Latvia graduated from the B-Final to claim tenth overall!
Photos: 1. Pauls Jonass; 2. Jo Shimoda
With the usual Olympic spirit including teams from countries such as Morocco, Puerto Rico, Ukraine, Honduras, and Uruguay, there will be a true festival atmosphere across the Ironman venue all weekend long! The Ballot for gate picks will start the Press Conference for the leading teams, which will be broadcast live on MXGP-TV. The Team Presentation in the centre of the town of Crawfordsville, which is already decorated with national flags for all of the participating countries, will take place on Friday evening and also broadcast live to begin the festivities!
A Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations held in the USA always carries a special flavour, and this year promises to be an incredible competition as well as a true celebration of bringing together the world of Motocross at its very best!
2024 MXoN Nations Classification Top 10 (Matterley Basin, Great Britain)
- Australia
- USA
- Netherlands
- Spain
- France
- Germany
- Slovenia
- Italy
- Switzerland
- Latvia
Photo: MXoN Podium Redbud 2022
View the official ENTRY LIST HERE!
Don’t miss the action, you can still purchase tickets HERE or go the full way with VIP PLATINUM, GOLD and CLUB SKYBOX tickets HERE.
If you cannot make it to Ironman, pay it no mind… the FULL LIVE coverage of the action will be available on www.MXGP-TV.com throughout the three days of action!
WEEKEND TIMETABLE (Local Time)
FRIDAY: 10:30 Opening Press Conference, 10:45 Team Managers Briefing, 11:00 Ballot of Start Positions, 12:00 –13:30 Team Press Conferences, 14:00 Blåkläder Start Practice Group 1, 14:25 Blåkläder Start Practice Group 2, 14:50 Blåkläder Start Practice Group 3, 17:00 Monster Energy FIM MXoN Nucor Steel Indiana
SATURDAY: 08:00 BLU CRU 125 Free/Timed Practice, 08:40 BLU CRU 85 Free/Timed Practice, 09:20 BLU CRU 65 Free/Timed Practice, 10:00 MXGP Free Practice, 10:50 MX2 Free Practice, 11:40 Open Free Practice, 13:10 BLU CRU 65 Race, 13:45 BLU CRU 85 Race, 14:30 MXGP Qualifying Race, 15:30 MX2 Qualifying Race, 16:30 Open Qualifying Race, 18:15 Paddock Show.
SUNDAY: 08:35 B-Final Warm-Up, 09:20 BLU CRU 125 Race, 10:00 MXoN Group 1 Warm-Up, 10:20 MXoN Group 2 Warm-Up, 11:00 B-Final, 12:25 Opening Ceremony, 12:57 USA National Anthem, 13:10 MXGP & MX2 (MXoN Race 1), 14:40 MX2 & Open (MXoN Race 2), 16:08 Open & MXGP (MXoN Race 3), Podium Ceremony & Final Press Conference immediately after Race 3.
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