The Chase for the Main

By Kenedy Rae | May 2025

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Denver, Colorado: Qualifying Morning- Before the crowd fills the stands and the lights flip on, qualifying quietly becomes one of the most critical moments of the weekend. There are no trophies on the line—just lap times, line choices, and pressure. At Supercross Denver 2025, the thin air and midday sun created a uniquely brutal challenge for both riders and machines. The track was technical, the elevation unforgiving, and every rider on the floor had something to prove. From privateers clawing their way into the night show, to title contenders fine-tuning their rhythm, Saturday’s qualifying sessions told the real story of who came ready.

From behind the lens, qualifying is where I get to witness the craft in motion—no fireworks, no TV spotlight, just athletes slicing through dirt at the edge of control. I shot from the whoops to the table-tops, watching body language and brake taps, reading the track like a script in motion. This is when you see the truth: who’s flowing, who’s fighting, who’s quietly building momentum. These moments may never make the highlight reel, but they’re the ones that shape race day.

The qualifying sessions at Supercross Denver weren’t just about speed — they were about survival, precision, and passion. For many, it was the most important part of their weekend. For some, it was the only shot they’d get.

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What Is Qualifying?

For anyone new to Supercross, here’s how qualifying works.

It’s not a race — it’s a time trial.

Qualifying is where dozen’s of riders head out onto the track during their class’s scheduled session (either 250cc class or 450cc class) and tries to lay down the fastest single lap they can. The top 40 fastest lap times from each class move into the night show. That’s the goal: one blistering lap that gets you through to prime time. But don’t let that simplicity fool you—this is where legends are sharpened and dreams are often crushed.

Factory riders use it to lock in setup and secure a favorable gate pick. But for privateers? This is the gauntlet. Most of them don’t have semi trucks or suspension techs on hand—just heart, hope, and a time to beat. Some of these riders have been chasing the night show for years, traveling round to round with no guarantee they’ll ever hear their name during the main event intros. Others may have qualified once or twice in the past and are still chasing the high of doing it again. It’s personal.

Then you have the title contenders. Top ten guys looking for the top qualifying spot—not second, not third—first. They’re shaving tenths off each lap, digging for microscopic gains: cutting corners tighter, throttling harder on the jump faces, trusting traction where there might be none. Watching them string together multiple fast laps in a row—eight in a row, even—is watching a masterclass in calculated aggression.

There are no trophies handed out here. But qualifying is everything: it sets gate picks, shapes heat lineups, and sometimes tells you more than a podium interview ever could. Some guys fly under the radar all day and show up when it counts. Others come out swinging and make you take notice immediately.

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What It Feels Like

It feels like being part of something bigger than you—like an ant in a maze of other ants. Every person has a purpose. Fans flood into their seats with beers and nachos in hand, track crew post up in their corners like silent sentinels, mechanics hustle back and forth from the pit with wrenches in hand, riders head to staging with their game faces on. And then there was me—right where I was meant to be—curled against the side of the whoops section, looking through my lens, trying to freeze chaos into clarity.

It was hot. It was sweaty. I was baking in my little photographer outfit, sunscreen melting into my eyes, granola bar crumbs in my pocket, a camera strap digging into the back of my neck—but I didn’t care. The joy I get from catching a rider in crispy focus, their wheels suspended mid-air and their jersey whipping behind them, makes all of it worth it.

Qualifying feels different from anything else on race day. There are no trophies. No fireworks. Just the sound of revs bouncing off stadium walls, the smell of race gas and hot pretzels lingering in the air, and the quiet tension of riders chasing tenths of a second. You see the pressure in their body language—the micro-adjustments in a rhythm lane, the roll of a throttle just a split second sooner, the grit it takes to keep shaving time, lap after lap.

You start to pick up on things most people miss. A mechanic’s thumbs-up across the track. A rider shaking his head as he pulls off. A privateer stretching out his arms before going back in—knowing this might be the lap that makes or breaks his night. You feel the hunger, the desperation, the routine. Everyone’s chasing something.

From where I stood, lens up and heart full, it wasn’t about the leaderboard—it was about the pursuit. It was raw. It was real. And somehow, even in the blur of dirt and sweat and sunburn, it felt sacred.

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Track Talk: Hardpack, Dust, and Elevation Games

Denver’s track had a mood of its own. Morning moisture evaporated fast, leaving the surface dry, slick, and rutted by early afternoon. Though, the racers didn’t seem to be having any major problems with it.

The elevation at Empower Field is no joke either. Thinner air means less oxygen for both the riders and the bikes. You could see riders coming off track breathing heavier than normal, tweaking setups, or even switching lines entirely between sessions. The altitude changes everything.

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Timeline: The Rhythm of Race Day

10:00 a.m. – Free Practice Begins
Riders roll onto the track for the first time, easing into the day. For me, this is when I walk the stadium, check the light, and dial in where I want to be for big hits, scrub zones, and corners with drama.

11:05 a.m. – Timed Qualifying Round One
The tone shifts — this is when it counts. Lap times start to shape the gate picks and stories begin to emerge. Riders are riding the edge now. The pace is fast, but calculated.

12:30 p.m. – Midday Madness
At this point, it’s hot. Like, dry-mouth, camera-grip-sweating, shirt-sticking-to-your-back hot. I’m bouncing between the whoops, the rhythm sections, fan-fest, and media booth. The track is drying out in the Denver sun.

1:20 p.m. – Timed Qualifying Round Two
This is the real show. The fast laps get set now, and everyone’s hanging it out. Riders are fighting for the last tenths — the good gate picks are on the line.

2:45 p.m. – Final Bikes Off the Track
And just like that, the roar fades. The stadium quiets. But the groundwork is done. The gate is set for Saturday night.

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450 Class Recap

The 450s came out swinging — full commitment, fast lines, and high-altitude horsepower. The whoops were sketchy early but began to separate the elite from the rest by the second session. Chase Sexton threw down an insane lap in the first five minutes of the first qualifying, locking in the top spot with a 49.224 second time. But behind him, it was a knife fight.

Malcolm Stewart, Cooper Webb, Aaron Plessinger, and Justin Cooper were all within 0.4 seconds of each other—each lap shaving milliseconds off the last.

Top 5 Fastest 450 Qualifiers:

1. Chase Sexton – 49.224
2. Malcolm Stewart – 50.373
3. Cooper Webb – 50.404
4. Aaron Plessinger – 50.575
5. Justin Cooper – 50.640

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250 Class Recap

The 250 class felt scrappy. Julien Beaumer’s 50.070 time landed him in P1, while Deegan, Smith, Marchbanks, and Davies followed close behind. There’s a season long battle brewing between some of the riders, so they’re out there to prove something. When a rider finishes ahead of another rider, its personal.

Top 5 Fastest 250 Qualifiers:

1. Julien Beaumer – 50.070
2. Haiden Deegan – 50.366
3. Jordon Smith – 50.577
4. Garrett Marchbanks – 50.701
5. Cole Davies – 50.778

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The Verdict

No trophies, but plenty of stories. Qualifying is where the storm builds. By the time the sun set behind the Denver skyline, the stadium was primed, the gate was set, and every rider had taken their shot.

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Final Thoughts

Qualifying might not get the broadcast attention of the night show, but for those of us with cameras, credentials, and dusty shoes — it’s the heart of the day. It’s raw, it’s personal, and it reveals so much more than just lap times.

By 2:45 p.m., the track was beat, my memory cards were full, and I had dirt in places I won’t name — but I wouldn’t have traded it for anything. It’s days like these that remind me why I love what I do.

This was Supercross qualifying in Denver: sun-soaked, gritty, and full of moments worth remembering.

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By Kenedy Rae
Founder & Photographer, KRX Media

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← Media Day at Supercross Denver 2025
Behind-the-scenes access, factory teams rolling in, first looks at the track, and the calm before the race day storm. [Read the full recap →]