Vialle Secures Season-First Victory, Tightens Championship Race Ahead of Finale
In a dramatic showdown at the latest round of the Supercross series, Tom Vialle clinched his first victory of the season, dramatically reshaping the championship landscape as the series heads towards its finale in Salt Lake City.
Starting the main event, Vialle was positioned second behind Max Thrasher, while teammate Hammaker struggled outside the top 15 and Hampshire contended within the top five. As the race progressed, Hammaker mounted a fierce charge, moving into the top ten. Crucially, despite Vialle’s consistency—remaining unchanged in position for six consecutive laps—he lost championship points due to Hammaker’s ascent.
Late in the race, Vialle executed a decisive pass on Thrasher, securing the victory and gaining three additional championship points over his rivals. The final standings saw Vialle rise to the top of the leaderboard, now ahead by one point over Hammaker and three points over Hampshire. Hammaker finished fifth while Hampshire, despite a late-race crash, managed to salvage a fourth-place finish.
“That one was very important,” stated Vialle post-race. “I feel like I had to win to get the chance next race in Salt Lake City. The bike was working pretty good, and I felt great on the track.”
Hampshire expressed disappointment over his late error, which cost him crucial points. “I had a good Main Event going and then made a small mistake with a few laps to go that really cost me. We’re leaving here three points down heading into the finale, so we’ll put our head down for two weeks and be ready to win in Salt Lake.”
The trajectory of this championship has been tumultuous, particularly for Vialle, who faced challenges earlier in the season. In the Foxborough SX mud, he finished a disappointing 22nd after facing significant obstacles on the track. “The last three races have been pretty tough,” Vialle reflected. “I lost a lot of points in Foxborough. Two laps to go, I could have had a 22-point lead, and I went down to one point.”
As the competitors head into the final showdown, the championship remains tightly contested, setting the stage for an intense conclusion in Salt Lake City.
