On September 18, 2025, Trista Cordell took to Facebook to clear up the confusion after the Mud Madness Season 2 finale, confirming what many fans suspected.
According to the producers, her run was faster than AJ Robertson’s.
In her post, Cordell wrote:
“Yes I did beat AJ’s time in the finale according to the Mud Madness producers. I was awarded the 1st place points and AJ got 2nd place points. AJ’s overall points were high enough going in that he still won overall.”
That is the central point of her frustration. The producers recognised her as the faster competitor on the night, but Robertson’s cumulative points meant he still walked away with the Season 2 title. For many fans, that highlighted how the scoring system could let a finale win be overshadowed by earlier rounds.
The situation was complicated by Madi crossing in front of the timers before Robertson finished. Cordell pointed out that in most race series this would trigger an automatic disqualification.
She added:
“Do I think AJ should have been DQ’d? Yes but that is my opinion and our opinions did not count only Chris’ is what mattered.”
That decision ultimately rested with producer Chris, who said Robertson’s time was valid thanks to a backup timer. But with no record ever shown, the call has been hard for fans to accept at face value.
Cordell also noted that Robertson himself admitted on stage that her time was faster, even if the show’s edit glossed over that fact. Instead, the broadcast leaned into the Maddi subplot — a choice Cordell criticised for pulling attention away from the competition itself.
She wrote:
“I do not agree with what was shown on the show because the whole Maddi situation was their personal lives and not the world’s business. Again this is my opinion and my opinion doesn’t matter.”
Her post put the spotlight back on the racing, where she feels it belongs. While Robertson’s overall points made him Season 2 champion, Cordell’s claim is clear: on the night of the finale, she outran him.
