ELLENTON, Fla. — The SuperMotocross League has announced the formation of SMX Next, the collective of SuperMotocross World Championship initiatives focused on providing amateur racers with a clear, defined path to professional racing.
SMX Next combines the Supercross Futures AMA National Championship, the Pro Motocross Scouting Moto Combine and SMX World All-Stars into one, season-long collaborative effort to cultivate the development of top prospects in the talent-laden amateur level of the sport.
“SMX Next represents the natural progression of the respective efforts of Feld Motor Sports and MX Sports Pro Racing to develop the next generation of professional racers with a strategic, hands-on approach focused on ensuring a seamless transition into the sport’s highest level,” said Tim Cotter of MX Sports Pro Racing. “Establishing a synergy between Supercross Futures, the Scouting Moto Combine, and SMX World All-Stars will allow for both series organizers and competing manufacturers to further strengthen the cohesive and collaborative effort that has defined the immediate success of each respective initiative.”
The amateur development programs were established with an intention to develop the next stars of SuperMotocross. With a focus on nurturing the most talented and promising A & B class prospects from around the world, both Supercross Futures and the Scouting Moto Combine have fostered highly anticipated and successful promotions into the professional ranks.
Headlined by inaugural SuperMotocross world champions Jett Lawrence and Haiden Deegan, this exceptional group of young talent also includes Chance Hymas and Ryder DiFrancesco, as well as an impressive incoming rookie class for next year consisting of Julien Beaumer, Daxton Bennick, Preston Boespflug, Casey Cochran and Mark Fineis.
Consisting of four invitational rounds and a season-ending AMA National Championship round hosted in conjunction with select events of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship, Supercross Futures provides a race oriented platform for riders to develop their skills under the bright lights of premier stadiums, competing against their peers on a professional stage.
The upcoming Supercross Futures Championship will consist of:
• Angel Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, California
• Daytona Int’l Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla.
• The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis
• Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts
• Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City
Scouting Moto Combine
The Scouting Moto Combine is hosted in conjunction with two rounds of the Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, and takes a coaching-first approach to provide mentorship for the on- and off-track demands of the world’s premier off-road motorcycle racing championships.
While racing remains a focal point with a pair of 25-minute, plus two-lap motos, classroom-style seminars provide invaluable insight and education into riding techniques and mental awareness, health and fitness, as well as media engagement from past champions and legends like Broc Glover and Chad Reed, who provide guidance as rider coaches, along with industry leaders and experts like Gareth Swanepoel and Jason Weigandt.
The Scouting Moto Combine gatherings will take place at Buchanan, Michigan’s RedBud MX as part of the RedBud National and Crawfordsville, Indiana’s Ironman Raceway as part of the season-ending Ironman National.
World All-Stars
The SMX World All-Stars provides a platform for top amateur prospects to engage in postseason competition alongside their professional counterparts.
The best of the best come together in a one-race showcase on the sport’s biggest stage at the SuperMotocross World Championship Finals, aligning the skills and experience learned throughout Supercross Futures and Scouting Moto Combines to see who prevails.
The SMX 250 World All-Stars will take place on September 21, while the unique nature of the SMX Playoffs also features World All-Star showcases for younger amateur talent at the first two postseason races.