Devin Simonson shatters career best 250 SuperMotocross finish with Nashville podium

Devin Simonson crossed under the checkered flag fourth at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, to record the best finish of his career. As great as his night was, it only got better.

Seth Hammaker was penalized by the American Motorcycle Association (AMA) for cutting the track while passing a rider. Demoted by two positions, the penalty elevated Simonson onto the podium and Daxton Bennick to fourth.

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Cole Davies wins Nashville Supercross, Seth Hammaker penalized

Seth Hammaker crossed under the checkered flag in third, but was penalized two positions for cutting the course.

• Dan Beaver

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"Honestly, it still hasn't set in yet," Simonson said during the post-race media scrum. "Kind of lost for words, in a sense. Coming into this year, my best result ever was an eighth, and that was my rookie year, and the field was not deep at all. So yeah, like I said, truly insane. Can't believe it, but at the same time, you've got to be in it to win it sometimes, and I was there."

Simonson's response was to a question about where he was when he received the news. With his head still spinning from the achievement, Simonson apparently forgot the location.

Simonson's first top-10 came quickly. In the third feature for which he qualified, he finished eighth in the final race of the Indianapolis COVID-19 residency in 2021. He earned another top-10 at Salt Lake City in the season finale of the 2023 season when he crossed under the checkers in ninth.

Adding another pair of top-10s in a three-race season in 2025, both ninth-place finishes, one might presume the lows outweigh the highs. But ClubMX saw Simonson's potential and extended his contract two weeks ago.

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A large part of the reasoning behind the extension was three consecutive top-10s to start the 2025 SuperMotocross 250 East season, which was highlighted by a sixth-place finish in Indy.

"I'm pumped to be back with the team," Simonson told NBC Sports prior to the St. Louis, East/West Showdown. "Well, for the rest of this year and outdoors, I haven't really got to do many outdoors, so I'm looking forward to that. And then as well, the full 2027 season, so it should be good."

Despite the added competition from the best riders in the Western division of the 250 class. Simonson added another top-10, an eighth, in St Louis.

None of that fully prepared him for his Nashville podium.

"I always believed in my capabilities during that time [when Simonson was a fill-in rider at ClubMX], but there were a lot of days, like summer 2024 at Club, when they were kind of throwing some things at me, saying that if something came up, I might be able to race.

"And dude, I went all summer paying out of pocket, not only train there, but for my bike, just everything. So there were a lot of days, long hot days, there that I was like, man, is this even worth it? Not that they're not telling me I'm doing a good job, but they wanted to see it out of me. And yeah, I think I've proved myself to them. And now, starting to prove it to everyone else."

Simonson left Nashville tied with Nate Thrasher for sixth in the 250 East Championship.