Faces at the Races | 2025 Philadelphia Supercross

By Billy Rainford

It’s time for another light-hearted look at the riders and people who were at Round 13 of the 2025 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Series at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA. Sarcasm usually runs deep so be ready.

I already told the story of 2 blocks over on Oregon Street in my Monday Morning Coffee column. Wow, that was really something.
It was cold (3-4C) early on so my photos start during track walk. This is #169 Logan Karnow who is about as far from a mud rider as you can get. He was happy to see the track was pretty much dry.
Canadian-owned Partzilla PRMX Team.
Welcome back, #78 Cade Clason. He crashed early in the LCQ and his night was done.
#82 Ryder Floyd. He raced in Canada and I always check in with him on race days.
I was in the security line behind #58 Derek Kelley. He was the only rider there form the Heartbeat Hot Sauce Solitaire Team.
#173 Hunter Schlosser came up to see us in Canada so we always keep an eye on him.
#83 Austin Forkner really needs a couple solid weekends in a row. Let’s watch for that this week in Jersey.
I really liked the way #115 Gavin Towers rode as an amateur. I think he’s starting to feel like he can do the same at this level. He’s looked good lately. He held off #1 Tom Vialle in the 250 LCQ this week!
#105 Marcus Phelps is from all the way down in Johannesburg, South Africa.
That’s #33 Freddie Noren who is always quick with a smile.
#43 Grant Harlan and #57 Benny Bloss apparently “doin’ it for the vlog!”
I can’t get a read on #35 Marshal Weltin. He either hates me or just really dislikes me.
#14 Dylan Ferrandis seemed to really want to be ahead of HRC fill-in rider #15 Dean Wilson all day. They went bar-to-bar every time they were on the track.
You think you’ve been to a lot of motocross races?
#146 Kevin Moranz getting his race face ready early.
#92 Max Vohland has definitely gotten some mud race advice from his dad over the years.
#41 Nate Thrasher was dead last after the restart and made it to 14th by the checkers.
The best thing #2 Cooper Webb can do is relax and let these races come to him. He’s in the driver’s seat.
Michael Byrne trying to think of how he’s going to put a positive spin on the wet transitions to his riders.
Some of the smoothest, nastiest whips have been done by Trey Canard.
#36 Garrett Marchbanks looked great all day and was 7th in the Showdown.
I think this may be the only shot in existence without Brent Duffe showing his perfect, toothy smile!
#28 Christian Craig enjoying watching his little guy enjoy walking the track.
It looks like the Lanes are having a classic father/son discussion about sentimental things…
Something is going on over at the Beta Team because both #49 Mitchell Oldenburg and Bloss have found some sort of answer lately.
Fortunately, #118 Cheyenne Harmon was able to laugh at my video of him stuck in the mud from Foxborough. He did want to clarify that it wasn’t the very next lap that he got stuck again. #creativeliberties
I’m a big fan of what #32 Justin Cooper has been doing this season. You can always count on a good start from him.
Josh Hill cruising the track.
Still getting the biggest cheers of anyone, #7 Aaron Plessinger. I joked with him that we should probably get the water hoses out for him because it didn’t look nearly wet enough.
It was tough for the riders who did well in the mud last week because expectations rise but it’s not always realistic. #75 Gage Linville had a bad crash this week. “Man the sport can be brutal! Felt good throughout the day and was looking to have a good night. Thankfully it’s no worse than it is. Ended up with a concussion, broken rib, bruised lung, super bruised shoulder, and a fracture in my back. Gonna take some time off to let everything heal the right way and will have an update later in the week on the next steps! Huge shoutout to the team and everybody who checked in on me!“
How do you think Mike Brown would do if he tried to qualify?
#100 Cole Davies has all the tools to take over as “The Next One.” Agree?
#27 Malcolm Stewart put in a solid ride in the Main to take 4th. He was as high as 2nd early.
Speaking of looking good early, #86 Mitchell Harrison got a taste of what a podium ride feels like when he was 3rd to open the Main. He crossed the line 16th.
Ethan Ouellette strikes a thinking pose. What were you thinking about, Ethan? You still think I should go with a high roof, don’t you?
#30 Jo Shimoda and Lars Lindstrom. Jo was 5th and in a tight battle with Vialle at the end.
A ton of the official shots you see from Feld are from this guy, Mike Emery. He likes to yell, “Come onnnn, Billeh!” when he sees me in a Rod Stewart voice. (Google ‘Young Hearts,’ Bowker!)
An early morning, pursed-lip nodder from #4 Chase Sexton. All he can do is try to win out and hope Webb gets worse than 2nd at 1 round.
#12 Shane McElrath had nowhere to go in the start of the 450 Main and launched himself and his bike into turn 1. He managed to claw his way up to 12th.
Our old buddy Joe Kremkow with the friendly wave as he walked the track with his rider, Colt Nichols.
Deano coming out dressed as Grandpa Earl for opening ceremonies was great, but I don’t think everyone there knew what was going on. Dean finished 15th after being 10th for a couple laps.
Brian Converse from MXA in cleaner moments…
I actually stopped to smell the roses a bit this time as I wandered in areas of the stadium that most people never get to see. This is where the Eagles head out onto the field. Behind me, a door leads out to the 50-yard line. Pretty cool.
The guy beside me in the photo den was a local, first-timer. It turned out, he’s the guy in charge of blowing the horn whenever the Philadelphia Flyers score a goal. Cool.
Everyone does this, even on hot days.
Not sure what Kevin Moranz had to do here on the line.
I said to another photographer that #56 Seth Hammaker seems like he’d be the most normal guy of anyone away from the track. He knows him and said, “He is.”
I went up to the first level for opening ceremonies.
Attendance wasn’t great, as you would imagine, but the lower bowl was nice and full.
#87 Hardy Munoz stretching out the shoulders.
Some firepower on the gate. Unfortunately, #34 Daxton Bennick had a rider cross-rut him and he went down hard. From his IG page: “Happy to be somewhat ok from the crash in philly got cross jumped pretty hard after a bad start in the main just trying to get through the pack. I did compression fracture a vertebrae in my back and was knocked out for a short amount of time me and the team are gonna start working on a plan to get my recovery going and to come back when I’m ready I have a great group around me and wanna say thanks to everyone reaching out 👊🏻“
#24 RJ Hampshire playing to the crowd in his Phillies baseball gear. They play in the stadium across the parking lot.
#10 Chance Hymas getting his goggles just right. He ended up 10th after starting 7th.
Vohland moved his way up to 8th at the flag.
This is after Vialle stood up when he crashed into a puddle in his Heat race.
And this is Brian after Vialle crashed in a puddle in his Heat race.
You have to agree that this is the future of the sport, no?
#38 Haiden Deegan closed on Davies but had to settle for 2nd.
I’ve been calling #100 Cole Davies the “reluctant superstar” because he seems a little surprised by the attention he’s been receiving. I think he’d like to just go out and win and then just chill out somewhere with his people. I’m thinking he should get used to the attention…

A few pitboards:

5 right turns and only 2 left – I never would have thought to count that until #94 Ken Roczen pointed it out. He grabbed 3rd place.
Cooper heading for Championship #3.
Unless something very interesting happens…
Brown Dog Wilson takes this shot every weekend for Kevin. We’ll let them say it: “See you at the races…“

We’re off to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ this week. I’ll leave on Friday again to make the long, boring drive across I-90. I won’t get to enjoy the “Endless Mountains” like I did last week on my drive to Philly, but oh well.