There were six major takeaways from the inaugural SuperMotocross World Championship season that concluded Sept. 23 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
No. 1: The Color — Red
From start to finish in the premier 450cc class, the 31-date schedule was dominated by Team Honda HRC, with riders Chase Sexton and Jett Lawrence sweeping the titles in Monster Energy AMA Supercross, AMA Pro Motocross and the SMX playoffs.
Sexton earned his first 450SX Supercross championship in May, while also bringing Honda its first premier class crown since 2003.
No. 2: The Name — Lawrence
Jett Lawrence had one of the most memorable rookie campaigns in motocross, winning all 22 motos and becoming only the third rider to complete a perfect season. The others who achieved the feat were Ricky Carmichael (2002) and James Stewart (2008).
The 20-year-old rider also won his fourth and final 250cc class championship during the 250SX West Supercross season before graduating to the premier class for the summer motocross stretch.
No. 3: The Unknown — SuperMotocross
This year marked the first season that Feld Motor Sports and MX Sports Pro Racing worked in unison to elevate the sport by bringing Supercross and motocross athletes a higher payout and an end-of-year playoff format.
The new setup provided an overall purse of $10 million — distributed among the Supercross, motocross and playoff rounds.
Lawrence brought home $1 million for becoming the inaugural SuperMotocross world champion in the premier class, while 250cc class titlist Haiden Deegan earned $500,000.
The resounding feedback from the top riders was, while the payout was an added bonus, most of the “cool factor” came from being part of the inaugural SMX class.
“We don’t typically make big changes to the sport,” said Adam Cianciarulo, rider of the No. 9 Monster Energy Kawasaki. “To be a part of this transition period, where Feld and MX Sports have come together, it feels like there’s more hype around this sport than ever.”
No. 4: Injuries — Tomac, Webb, Anderson, Barcia
During the final two rounds of the Supercross campaign, title contenders Eli Tomac and Cooper Webb suffered season-ending wounds. Meanwhile, main event winner Justin Barcia and 2018 Supercross champion Jason Anderson fell right along with them.
Webb was the first to go, sustaining a concussion during a heat race crash at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., on April 29 — the penultimate round of the season. At the time, he was hunting Tomac from second in the standings.
Barcia also suffered a slew of injuries in Nashville — breaking his collarbone, two ribs and right shoulder during the main event — which kept him out until Unadilla MX on Aug. 12.
Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Anderson experienced a non-displaced fracture of the C5 and C6 vertebrae in his neck, which took him out of contention for the Supercross finale and the first four rounds of motocross.
For a brief moment, Tomac was one of the last men standing.
But on May 7 at Empower Field in Denver, Colo., following an incident in the main event, Tomac found himself relegated to the sidelines with a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Prior to the crash, he was 18 points ahead of Sexton in the title fight and seemingly en route to his third Supercross championship. The injury kept the Star Racing Yamaha rider out for the rest of the year, though he plans to mount a comeback in 2024.
Notably, it was still a banner year for the Colorado native, as he earned his 51st career Supercross victory earlier in the season — placing him second on the all-time list behind Jeremy McGrath (72).
No. 5: Almost — Roczen, Plessinger
In his debut season with H.E.P. Motorsports, and a year where many doubted his winning potential, Ken Roczen proved he still has more in the tank.
On March 11, the German talent collected his first Supercross victory in two years at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. It was also Suzuki’s first triumph in seven years.
As Roczen’s wife, Courtney, later wrote on Instagram, “Ken Roczen, winning or losing, you brought people to their feet and reminded people around the world why we love motorcycle racing. You made us feel something special with that win in Indy.”
Later in the year, Roczen came up one spot and 17 points short of becoming the first SMX champion. His rivalry with Lawrence, who won the title, will be something to watch next year.
On the other hand, Red Bull KTM’s Aaron Plessinger was one lap away from earning his first career main event win at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich., on March 18 when he caught his foot on a rut and watched his shot at a win come to a screeching halt.
The Ohio cowboy finished 13th in the race and seventh in the Supercross standings, but soldiered on to claim third-place in the motocross championship over the summer.
Plessinger will continue chasing his elusive first 450SX win next season.
No. 6: The Future — 2024
Another Lawrence is being added to the mix. Hunter, Jett’s older brother, is heading to the 450SX class after sweeping both the 250SX East and 250 motocross championships this season.
After departing from Red Bull KTM in the mid-summer, Webb jumped to the Star Racing Yamaha ship, where he’ll race alongside Tomac during the upcoming SMX campaign.
Sexton slid into the open spot at Red Bull KTM and signed a multi-year contract with the team in early October. He will defend his Supercross championship aboard the No. 23 KTM machine.
Here’s to seeing what storylines year two of the SuperMotocross World Championship will bring.
This story appeared in the Dec 27, 2023, edition of the SPEED SPORT Insider.
