Closest Points Through 11 Completed Rounds:

1. 2023: Eli Tomac and Cooper Webb, 244 Points | Gap: 0 points

Yup, doesn’t get any tighter than this. Webb v. Tomac, or Tomac v. Webb. The series has never been tied at this point in the season. Wowzers. Plus, we’re talking two, two-time champs who have been there and done it, and have proven themselves under pressure. Who is gonna crack first? Maybe neither!

2. 1985: Jeff Ward and Broc Glover, 229-227 | Gap: 2 points

This one is different because round 11 was…the final round of the season. Ward won the title by two over Glover, and not without controversy. At the Pasadena, California, finale, Ward rode backward on the track briefly while getting back on his bike after a crash in a heat race. AMA rules said anyone riding backward on the track would be DQed. Ward was not, he qualified for the main and finished fourth, edging Glover for the title. Anyway, it’s a long story that’s been talked about for years, with Glover and his Yamaha team not happy.

3. 1992: Damon Bradshaw and Jeff Stanton, 250-244 | Gap: 6 points

An epic season. Bradshaw started the year on fire with a five-race win streak (rounds two through six) but then crashed out in the ruts of Indianapolis. At the same time, the Team Honda juggernaut of Jean-Michel Bayle and Jeff Stanton had fixed some early-season teething problems with their bikes, and started going faster. This title went back and forth, with Bradshaw winning races but making enough mistakes for Stanton to stay in it. Stanton won the title in a dramatic finale, but after round 11, Bradshaw held a small edge.

4. 1997: Jeff Emig and Jeremy McGrath, 220-214 | Gap: 6 points

A wild season, with the dominant McGrath departing Team Honda and jumping on a not-ready-for-primetime Suzuki. Tons of riders won races and contended in this season, including a surge early in the year from Yamaha’s Doug Henry. Ultimately this one broke down to Jeff Emig versus McGrath. Each time it looked like McGrath was finally going to get back on top, something would go wrong and Emig would hold onto the points lead. Emig hung tough to the end and emerged as champion.

5. 2011: Ryan Villopoto and Chad Reed, 221-214 | Gap: 7 points

Seven points separated RV from CR after an absolutely nutty night in Jacksonville, Florida. Villopoto led the series but went down in both his heat and the Last Chance Qualifier and….failed to make the main event! That would appear to have opened the door for James Stewart, who was right behind RV in points, but then Stewart got smashed in the first turn of the main and couldn’t finish! Trey Canard won this race, but Reed finished second and got himself right into the thick of the points chase. This season was close to the end, with RV edging Reed for the crown.

6. 2006: Ricky Carmichael and Chad Reed, 237-229 | Gap: 8 points

A gold standard for closeness, as 2006 wasn’t quite tied after round 11…but it was tied heading into the series finale! Reed and Carmichael were close, and James Stewart was also in the hunt all season as well. This 2023 season has been great, but we’ve got a long way to go for it to match the winner-take-all 2006 finale scenario.

7. 2009: Chad Reed and James Stewart, 246-238 | Gap: 8 points

Chad Reed’s been in some nail-biters, eh? This 2009 duel was the peak of Stew/Reed, with Stewart mounting a huge comeback after crashing out of the opener, and Reed logging his usual consistent results. Stewart would eventually edge ahead for the title.

8. 2020: Eli Tomac and Ken Roczen, 252-244 | Gap: 8 points

This is an underrated title fight, because it was interrupted by COVID-19 and completed with the seven-races-in-Salt-Lake residency. Going into the halfway mark at Daytona, old rivals Tomac and Roczen were tied in points. Eli won Daytona in a close battle, then won again once the series finally resumed about two months later. This all led to Tomac capturing his first AMA Supercross Championship.

9. 1990: Jeff Matiasevich and Jeff Stanton, 198-190 | Gap: 8 points

Every season listed here is epic, and those of a certain age feel 1990 might have been the best ever. Some are partial to ’06 being so close, some to ’85 (no rider even had even a two-race win streak that year!), some like the ups and downs of ’09 and ’11. Or how 1992 was truly flipped at the finale. Look, they’re all winners!

The 1990 season had a deep field of the old guard (Jeff Ward, Rick Johnson, Johnny O’Mara) against newcomers (Damon Bradshaw, Jeff Matiasevich, Larry Ward, Mike LaRocco, Jean-Michel Bayle). Rookie Matiasevich only won one race but was the most consistent rider for most of the season, so he maintained the points lead while other contenders cycled in and out. Jeff Stanton, the defending champ, stayed in range and then won two clutch late-season races to vault ahead and win a second-straight title.

10. 2013: Ryan Villopoto and Davi Millsaps, 227-218 | Gap: 9 points

The 2013 campaign is forever remembered as a magical one for Millsaps and his Rockstar Energy Suzuki team, which didn’t actually have factory support. Davi won the opener while defending champion Villopoto crashed and started in a deep hole. Davi was consistent all year but got banged up here and there. Villopoto was a winning machine in those days, and eventually took the points lead away en route to a third-straight crown.