After chasing the thrill of a podium finish throughout the entire Supercross season, Jorge Prado finally recaptured that feeling in his last attempt. The Spanish rider struggled to return to the champagne ceremony following his shoulder injury, but managed a third-place result in Salt Lake City.
Chase Sexton won the race, while Prado matched his earlier third-place finish from the California opener. He ended the championship in ninth place overall, as Ken Roczen claimed the title by a razor-thin margin over Hunter Lawrence.
Prado’s performance in the AMA Supercross finale was arguably his best of the season. Although qualifying only eighth, his pace in the Heat race hinted at something special in Utah. He finished second in the Heat, grabbing the holeshot, behind Sexton, who would dominate the night. In the Main Event, with the title still on the line between Roczen and Lawrence (separated by just one point), Prado shone among the elite.
As the gate dropped, the KTM rider slotted into third place right behind the two championship contenders. Lawrence led with the holeshot, but he and Roczen quickly swapped positions. After settling into third amid a battle with Sexton, Prado picked up the pace, forcing those ahead to respond. Then came two critical mistakes from Lawrence: first running off track, then crashing, dropping him to seventh.
Seeing his rival’s misfortune, Roczen played it safe and slowed down, focused only on finishing ahead of Hunter. Sexton passed him, and so did Prado, pushing Roczen to fifth. That was enough for Roczen to lift the title by just three points, becoming the oldest Supercross champion at 32. Meanwhile, in Prado’s fight to finally return to the podium, Justin Cooper passed him on the final lap, leaving him third – but Prado was equally happy.
“I got to the point where I was faster than the guys in front, but they were fighting for the championship, and I didn’t want to interfere. Then Hunter made a mistake, and I lost a bit of rhythm, but it was a great day,” analyzed Prado. With his second podium and seventh top-10 of the season, he closes Supercross ninth, calling the campaign a “great learning experience” that leaves him “very proud.”
“I thought the switch from MXGP to Supercross would be a bit easier, but it’s totally different,” he summarized. The Pro Motocross season begins on May 30 in Pala, California—a discipline more familiar to the former world champion, and one he enters with strong momentum.
**Results of the Salt Lake City Supercross:**
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**Final AMA Supercross Standings:**
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