Rispoli’s found his form at the right time—five podiums in a row, three straight wins.
Photos by Brian J Nelson
The 2025 Mission Super Hooligan National Championship went right down to the wire at Mid-Ohio, and it had everything—red flags, mechanical heartbreak, elbows-out battles, and a title fight that wasn’t decided until the very last laps of the season.
When the dust settled, it was James Rispoli standing tall, sweeping the weekend with back-to-back victories to claim his first Super Hooligan crown.
Saturday: A Red Flag Shakes Things Up
Race One kicked off with immediate drama. A first-lap crash brought out the red flag, shortening the race to a five-lap sprint. On the restart, Jake Lewis surged into the lead, but Rispoli stalked him, waiting for the right moment. By lap three, he fired past into turn one and never looked back.
Cory West, the championship leader heading into the weekend, suffered mechanical gremlins that dropped him down the order. He nursed the bike home in seventh, salvaging points but watching his margin shrink.
Dominic Doyle delivered his first Super Hooligan podium in third, while Corey Alexander gave the new Arch motorcycle its best finish yet in fourth.
“Rispoli’s found his form at the right time—five podiums in a row, three straight wins. This is anybody’s championship now.”
Sunday: Every Man for Himself
The finale had the perfect setup—three riders in contention, starting 1-2-3 on the grid, and everything on the line. Off the start, Jake Lewis grabbed the holeshot, with Rispoli and West right behind him. For several laps the trio ran nose-to-tail, trading blows in the corners and refusing to give an inch.
West looked strong, even setting the fastest lap of the weekend as he muscled his way past his teammate Lewis. But the harder the Saddlemen duo fought, the more it played into Rispoli’s hands.
Then came the heartbreak. With just two laps remaining, West’s bike faltered. He slowed, dropped through the pack, and with it, his title hopes vanished.
Out front, Rispoli stretched a narrow lead over Lewis and held it to the flag, taking his fourth win in a row—and with it, the championship. Doyle backed up Saturday’s podium with another third-place finish.
“He’s only led the championship for these last couple of laps—but those are the only laps that matter.”
The Final Tally
When the checkered flag waved, Rispoli had done it. Four straight wins. Seven podiums. And a national championship by just four points over Jake Lewis.
4 wins in a row to close the season
Equal wins and podiums, but just short on points
From title leader to heartbreak after a mechanical DNF
The numbers show how razor-close it was: Rispoli and Lewis each finished with four wins and seven podiums. West had led the standings for most of the year. But momentum belongs to the rider who finishes strongest, and Rispoli found his form at exactly the right time.
A Championship for the Ages
Rispoli’s comeback run from midseason contender to champion will go down as one of the great stories in Super Hooligan history. But the stage is already set for 2026 to be even bigger. It won’t just be about Rispoli, Lewis, and West—though both challengers will be back with unfinished business.
Corey Alexander and the Keanu Reeves–backed Arch showed real promise with back-to-back fourths and flashes of podium pace. Dominic Doyle proved the Yamaha can run at the sharp end with a pair of podiums. The Triumphs are closing the gap every weekend, and next year could see them right in the mix. Add to that the incoming Vincent effort and whispers of a new electric challenger, and the 2026 grid is shaping up to be a multi-brand slugfest.
The crown may belong to Rispoli for now, but the fight for the next one is already heating up.
