Everything You Need To Know About SuperMotocross World Championship

Fans of professional dirt bike racing rejoice! The 2023 professional competition season, with all the familiar Monster Energy names (See: Chase Sexton, Haiden Deegan, etc.) in the starting gate, has been extended another three weeks! Beginning this weekend at the famed Charlotte Motor Speedway, most of world’s top pros, many of whom will be running the Monster Energy M-claw logo, will be back in action as Feld Entertainment (SX) and MX Sports (MX) get set to kick off the newly formed SuperMotocross World Championship, Sept. 9, at zMAX Dragway in Concord, N.C.

Similar to professional golf’s recent PGA vs. LIV tours war, SuperMotocross (SMX) was the American supercross/motocross promoters’ response to the 2022 founded/Australian-based FIM World Supercross Championship startup series.

SMX 101

SMX organizers are looking to combine “the profound technical skill and precision needed to excel in supercross with the sheer speed and endurance required for success in motocross.” In other words, the SMX tracks will be designed in an effort to create a hybrid SX/MX design and will, in theory, crown the world’s best combination SX/MX racer. Because of the unique track design, races will be run at facilities with considerably larger than normal footprints (as in relation to U.S. SX stadiums) in order to copy the longer (distance and time) U.S. MX Nationals tracks. These facilities include; Traditional NHRA drag racing venues at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Chicagoland Speedway, along with the massive LA Coliseum, which played host to a NASCAR Cup race this past season.

In addition, the collaboration between the two series and their organizers results in one TV production company and crew, and one network (Peacock). One group that unites SX, MX and SMX with a $10 million yearly purse.

How the Monster Energy-backed racers qualified

Qualifying for the three SMX rounds took place during the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship season (17 rounds), as well as the Pro Motocross Championship (11 rounds). Automatic qualifiers include the Top 20 racers in each of the 450 and 250 divisions in both SX and MX. Beyond that SMX has a point system to fill out the remaining 40-man gates. For Monster Energy, qualifiers include:

Monster Energy SMX 450 Class Qualifiers

• Chase Sexton (Honda, No. 1 overall qualifier at 710 points)
• Adam Cianciarulo (Kawasaki, No. 4 at 538 points)
• Dylan Ferrandis (Star Racing/Yamaha, No. 5 at 455 points)
• Jason Anderson (Kawasaki, No. 7 at 449 points)
• Justin Hill (KTM, No. 15 at 212 points)
• Justin Cooper (Star Racing/Yamaha, No. 31 at 76 points)

Monster Energy SMX 250 Class Qualifiers

• Haiden Deegan (Star Racing/Yamaha, No. 2 at 539 points)
• Levi Kitchen (Star Racing/Yamaha, No. 3 at 478 points)
• Jo Shimoda (Pro Circuit/Kawasaki, No. 5 at 468 points)
• Justin Cooper (Star Racing/Yamaha), No. 8 at 399 points)
• Jordon Smith (Star Racing/Yamaha, No. 9 at 234 points)
• Ryder DiFrancesco (Pro Circuit/Kawasaki, No. 12 at 208 points)
• Carson Mumford (Pro Circuit/Kawasaki, No. 17 at 173 points)
• Seth Hammaker (Pro Circuit/Kawasaki, No. 19 at 157 points)
• Chance Hymas (Honda, No. 20 at 152 points)
• Nate Thrasher (Star Racing/Yamaha, No. 26 at 120 points)
• Daxton Bennick (Star Racing/Yamaha, No. 28 at 116 points)
• Stilez Robertson (Star Racing/Yamaha, No. 29 at 106 points)
• Cameron McAdoo (Pro Circuit/Kawasaki, No. 30 at 101 points)
• Austin Forkner (Pro Circuit/Kawasaki, No. 31 at 99 points)

Race Format

Similar to the MX Nationals, the SMX’s “Playoff” races will operate under a two-moto format for both the 450 and 250 classes, with each moto being 20 minutes plus one lap (for reference, MX Nationals are 30 minute plus two lap motos). Scoring will be determined, in an Olympic format, based on the rider’s moto finish.

How the SMX World Champion be crowned

With its unique playoff format, unifying SX and MX, the top 22 racers will be seeded from both championships and will compete in a single winner-takes-all contest.

Purse

$5.5 million on the line at the playoff rounds of SMX. $1 million goes to the 450 division winner, $500,000 to the 250 division champion.

2023 SMX Schedule

Round One (Sept. 9): zMAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, N.C.

Round Two (Sept. 16): Chicagoland Speedway, Joliet, Ill.

Round Three (Sept. 23, SMX World Championship Final): Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Calif.

How to watch

All three SMX events will be broadcast, ‘Live,’ on the Peacock Network.

Up next…

The opening round of the SuperMotocross World Championship is set for Sept. 9 at zMAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, N.C.