Ranking Every Pro Motocross Champion Since 2000

The 2023 Pro Motocross season is officially over. While it may not have been the most tightly contested series of all time, it was certainly one that will be remembered thanks to its historic nature.

Chase Sexton is the 2024 Pro Motocross Champion. Thanks to one of the more dominant seasons in recent memory, and a some fortunate injury luck, he has now etched his name is stone along some of the all-time greats like Carmichael, Stewart, Villopoto, Dungey, and Tomac. The thought of Sexton being tied to those names got me thinking, how does his 2024 season stack up against others before it? So, I went through all of the data and decided to rank every 450 Pro Motocross champion since 2000.

Before we jump into the list I think it is important that I explain the criteria I used. One of the most important factors to me was the level of competition faced. A good example of this is 2012 Ryan Dungey. While he completely dominated the field from start to finish, he didn’t really compete against any superstar riders. So, while his numbers will tell you it was a top-5 season ever, he fell a bit based on competition. The other things I really looked at were the number of wins they secured, their average moto finish, and then just interesting bits of information I learned while reading about that particular season.

25. 2007 Grant Langston

There were really only two spots that were blatantly obvious; the number one spot, and this spot. Grant Langston won this title primarily due to the fact that Ricky Carmichael didn’t race all of the rounds as he transitioned to NASCAR. Throw in the fact that James Stewart also got hurt midway through the season and you see why this lands in last place. He won 3 overalls, none with RC or Stew in the mix, and had an average moto finish of 4.416. Where he deserves a ton of credit is how he ended the season. He won the last 3 races of the year, allowing him to outlast Mike Alessi, Andrew Short, and Tim Ferry.

24. 2009 Chad Reed

The only MX title in his historic career, Reed had the worst average moto finish of any champion since 2000 at 4.875. He won 5 overalls that year, including 4 straight from rounds 7-10, that essentially clinched the title. The biggest reason I have this season at 23 is the injury to Ryan Villopoto and the absence of James Stewart, who was on a SX only deal in 2009. It isn’t his fault that his competition was lacking, but ultimately it causes his championship season to look far less impressive. Still, the best man won in 2009.

23. 2017 Eli Tomac

The first of his four Pro Motocross championships, 2017 really showed the inexperience when you looked deeper. He was wildly inconsistent at both the beginning and end to the series, winning the championship largely due to his 3 straight overall wins in the middle of the season. In total he won 4 overalls and had an average moto finish of 4.041, good enough to beat Musquin by 17 points. It also didn’t hurt that reigning champion Ken Roczen was out with an arm injury.

22. 2020 Zach Osborne

Zach Osborne’s 2020 championship season was one of the toughest to rank due to the Covid-19 shortened schedule. He did win four of the nine rounds, but he was pretty inconsistent in the others. This is apparent by his 3.722 average moto finish. Given the inconsistency he displayed, you have to wonder if those 3 missing rounds would have been the difference. I mean, he only won the title by 12 points over Adam Cianciarulo. Regardless, Zacho does get a lot of credit for being the one to end Eli Tomac’s 3-peat.

21. 2011 Ryan Villopoto

This one may seem low to some, but the reality is that Ryan Villopoto caught some very lucky breaks in 2011. His main championship rival Ryan Dungey lost roughly 30 points from bike failures. This is extremely important to note when you consider RV won this title by 12 points. His average moto finish of 2.333 was terrific and he finished on the overall podium at every single round, but it is impossible not to wonder if Dungey would have won this title had his bike held up.

20. 2019 Eli Tomac

His third and final championship aboard the Kawasaki, Eli Tomac’s 2019 season was really good but not great. Of course when I say “not great”, that is in comparison to the other champions on our list. 2019 Tomac won 6 races and had an average moto finish of 2.625, both really solid among champs. What really holds him back is his competition. He beat Ken Roczen by 58 points, but this was Ken Roczen after his arm surgery. The 2x champion Roczen was already gone by that point. Eli Tomac was the best of the bunch in a rather forgettable season.

19. 2021 Dylan Ferrandis

Dylan Ferrandis’ numbers in 2021 are actually quite similar to Tomac’s in 2019, but given the fact that this was his rookie season I decided to put him above ET. Ferrandis won 6 overalls and had an average moto finish of 2.083. What stands out the most when I think about this season was how dominant he was late in races. Regardless of how far back he started, you could count on him to work his way towards the front until the checkers waved.

18. 2014 Ken Roczen

Much like Ferrandis in 2021, Ken Roczen also won his first championship as a rookie. Despite having one less win than Ferrandis, I put Roczen ahead on this list based on competition. Roczen had to hold off Ryan Dungey, while also squaring off with Eli Tomac and James Stewart for portions of the season. To have an average finish of 2.083 with that level of competition is phenomenal.

17. 2015 Ryan Dungey

Of his three outdoor titles, I think even Dungey himself would admit 2015 was his least impressive. That isn’t to say he wasn’t phenomenal, but his 7 wins on the season were the least of any of his title seasons. As always he was incredibly smart and consistent throughout the entire series, resulting in a terrific average finish of 2.041. What I think people remember the most about 2015 was how dominant Tomac looked on the Geico bike before leaving the series with an injury. If that is the lasting memory of the season then I can’t put it much higher.

16. 2001 Ricky Carmichael

This initial placement speaks a ton to the greatness of Ricky Carmichael. He won 7 championships, and each of them are special in their own way. The 7 overall victories he captured in 2001 were the least of his title seasons. Also, his 8 point final gap over Kevin Windham was also by far the closest of his titles, although that's misleading due to him missing a round. Speaking of that missing round, if you’re unfamiliar I strongly suggest you look up the history of 2001 Steel City. RC chose to race the 125 class to break Mark Barnett’s win record, adding even more drama to an epic battle between Mike Brown and Grant Langston for the 125 title. It is potentially the wildest day in MX History.

15. 2000 Ricky Carmichael

The first championship crowned in the new millennium checks in at number 15. RC won 9 races in 2000 and had an average moto finish of 2.458. We didn’t know it at the time, but this was the season that kicked off the most dominant stretch we’ve ever had a racer have. Aside from a strange 11th, RC finished on the podium in every other race.

14. 2010 Ryan Dungey

Ryan Dungey’s rookie season was perhaps the greatest rookie season we had ever seen until Jett Lawrence came along. Dungey won an incredible 10 overalls and 19 of 24 motos that season. His average moto finish was 3.333, but that includes a 40th place moto. If you eliminate that moto, his average moto score was 1.739 on the season. The biggest knock on this season is the competition, or lack thereof. Villopoto got hurt in SX, leaving Brett Metcalfe as the rider who finished 2nd in points.

13. 2018 Eli Tomac

Of his three straight titles on the Kawasaki, 2018 was the best for Eli Tomac. He mixed his incredible speed with a consistency that he had never really displayed up to that point. He had 8 overall wins and finished with an average moto score of 3.458. He really only had one bad race all season, coming at RedBud when numerous issues caused him to go 36-9 on the day. If you eliminate that performance, he was special from start to finish.

12. 2024 Chase Sexton

Chase Sexton’s 2024 season is a pretty interesting one to rank. From an average moto finish standpoint he was absolutely dominant. His 1.909 average finish puts him in the top-10 of the last 25 years, just behind 2013 Ryan Villopoto. Tack on 7 overall victories and a dominant close to the season and you may wonder why this isn’t ranked higher. Well, it’s because the Jett Lawrence injury adds an obvious asterisk. Jett had won four of the five overalls before going out with injury, with Sexton only beating him at Hangtown. Sexton didn’t begin to dominate the field until his toughest competitor was out. Nonetheless, his late moto charges were something to behold and his unmatched speed make him a very worthy champion.

11. 2012 Ryan Dungey

Aside from the four perfect seasons, 2012 Ryan Dungey may have been the most consistent rider of the last 25 years. He won the final 10 overalls of the season after finishing 2nd at the first two races. His average moto finish of 1.291 was only topped by the four perfect seasons and 2016 Ken Roczen. So, why is he outside of the top-10 if he was so dominant? Competition. I mentioned that the only rounds he didn’t win were the first two, well that is because James Stewart went 1-1 at each of those races. Once Stewert got hurt at Thunder Valley, that’s when Dungey took over. Throw in the fact that reigning champion Ryan Villopoto was out and you have a battle between he and Mike Alessi for the title, a battle Dungey would never lose.

10. 2006 Ricky Carmichael

Kicking off the top-10 is the final of Ricky Carmichael's seven straight championships. RC won 9 overalls and finished on the podium in every single moto except the final 2, where he went 36-38 after crashing while leading in moto 1. He was utterly dominant from start to finish despite having to battle James Stewart for most of the season. Also, this is the year he lapped the entire field in a moto at Millville, so bonus points for that.

9. 2022 Eli Tomac

I deemed 2022 the best of Tomac’s four championships because that was the year he was pushed the hardest. He may have “only” captured 5 overalls, but he delivered clutch ride after clutch ride as Chase Sexton pushed him to his limits. His average moto score of 1.958 was easily the best of his career and proved that he could mix speed with consistency once and for all. 

8. 2003 Ricky Carmichael

We are really getting into the elite of the elite with RC’s 2003 season. During that season he had an average moto finish of 1.318, and never finished worse than 2nd in any of the 22 he raced. The reason I have him in the 8 position instead of higher, is because he did miss the final 2 moto’s of the season. Even with the missed race, he still finished 69 points ahead of 2nd place Kevin Windham. A truly remarkable season from the GOAT.

7. 2016 Ken Roczen

I don’t think people give enough credit to Ken Roczen for his remarkable summer in 2016. He totaled 9 overall wins with an average moto finish of 1.25. This is even more impressive when you consider his only finish outside the top-2 was Glen Helen moto 1 when his bike broke while leading. Everybody thinks of Eli Tomac as the rider who took over after the Villopoto/Dungey stretch, but there was an incredible Ken Roczen run right in the middle of it.

6. 2013 Ryan Villopoto

While his 2011 title is probably more memorable due to the battle between himself, Reed, and Dungey, it was his 2013 season that was his most impressive. Trade out Reed for Stewart, and replace the close battles, and you have a dominant Villopoto season against elite competition. He won 8 overalls that summer, and had an average moto finish of 1.66. This was the absolute peak of one of the best we’ve ever seen on a bike.

5. 2005 Ricky Carmichael

RC in 2005 came closer to a perfect season than anybody who didn’t actually accomplish the feat. He won 22 of the 24 motos, finishing 2nd in the other two, for an average moto score of 1.083. Those two motos didn’t cost him any overalls however, winning all 12 for the THIRD, YES, THIRD, time in his career. 2005 was pure dominance from Carmichael, it just gets overlooked because we had grown used to it.

4. 2002 Ricky Carmichael

Now it is time to really split hairs and decide between the only 4 perfect seasons we have ever had in our sport. While this one does get a ton of credit for being the first ever, I just don’t think his competition was quite up to the level of some of the others. I’m not trying to take anything away from the likes of Tim Ferry and Ezra Lusk, but they just weren’t on the same planet as RC that summer.

3. 2008 James Stewart

Much like RC in 2002, I can’t put Stew’s incredible 2008 season above the final 2 on our list based on level of competition. Ferry, Short, and Byrne were his main competitors that summer. That just is not up to the standard of the next entry on the list. What he does get a lot of credit for is the way he dominated. He led over 96% of the total laps that season, and had an average margin of victory of 19.6 seconds. From a pure talent standpoint, you could argue no one has ever ridden a motorcycle better than Stewart in 2008.

2. Jett Lawrence

Recency bias? Maybe. But I don’t think we should sleep on the incredible performance we witnessed in the summer of 2023. While he didn’t dominate with massive margins of victory the way Stew and RC did, he dominated in a way that could be described as more psychological. At times throughout that summer it seemed as if Jett was simply playing with his food before he went in for the final kill. This wasn’t over weak competition either. He absolutely dominated a former champion in Dylan Ferrandis, and Chase Sexton coming off of a SX title of his own. Throw in the fact that this was his rookie season and you have the 2nd best summer of the millennium.

1.2004 Ricky Carmichael

2004 RC was the greatest rider of all time completing the greatest season of all time. He won all 24 motos and did so with an average margin of victory of 23.07 seconds! He was never even seriously challenged, with his smallest margin of victory still being over 4 seconds. This wasn’t against terrible competition either. Both Chad Reed and Kevin Windham were on the gate with RC that summer, they just didn’t have anything for him. When you look at the total body of work there is no way you can justify any season over this one. RC was like Michelangelo on the bike, and 2005 was his Sistine Chapel.