Main image is from the 2022 Denver Supercross, photo by Align Media
Ay Denver, the sunshine state… Gorgeous! While Luke Wilson may have been wildly confused on his geography, he’s not wrong about Denver’s beauty. With spring finally arriving, Denver should be green and inviting. The mountainous backdrop creates one of the most scenic atmospheres in Monster Energy AMA Supercross (SLC is up there, too). The one caveat to this round is the altitude, wreaking havoc on torque and overall engine performance. It’s the same issue for everyone but for those trying to put big jump combinations together, the missing ooopmh is noticeable. Watch for the 250SX riders to struggle mightily on seemingly easy triples. Tougher, the rhythms exiting slower corners put a big ask on every engine. Riders will likely go up a tooth or two on the drivechain but that has ripple effects to starts and handling characteristics. Many rounds have subtle nuances that riders must account for. Denver’s adjustment is much more significant.
The start for Denver is similar to 2022, beginning in the middle of the course and bending left. It stops one lane short this year, bending back into the middle of the layout and into an immediate rhythm section. If riders can get their steeds spooled up, there is a chance for a 1-2-3-4 and into the next berm. As weird as it sounds, it will depend on how riders can maneuver over the smallest jump of the lane. There is a small bump exiting the first corner. If riders can cross it with speed and also without leaving the ground, they should be able to put it together. If it’s too large to blitz through, riders will use it as a real jump. That changes the rhythm entirely, instead making it a likely 2-3, triple onto the tabletop and step off combo. Watch for that small bump to dictate this.
![The 2023 Denver Supercross layout.]()
The 2023 Denver Supercross layout. Feld Motor Sports ![The 2023 Denver Supercross layout.]()
The 2023 Denver Supercross layout. Feld Motor Sports ![The 2023 Denver Supercross layout.]()
The 2023 Denver Supercross layout. Feld Motor Sports
A netted bowl berm is up next before a stadium long rhythm section. The choices come quickly as riders will need to decide if they want to step-on step off exiting the corner or jump to the downside of the tabletop. That choice will tip their hand on how they approach the rest of the section. I am always in favor of tripling from a small jump and downsiding a bigger jump and jumping to the downside of the first tabletop sets that up. They would be able to triple low and fast all the way into the next 90-degree right hander.
The next rhythm spans the width of the stadium and will have riders likely going inside before and after. A simple step-on step-off leads to a potential triple into the next corner but as I mentioned, I believe riders will forego the 3 in lieu of a 2-1 and sticking to the inside.
A small double exiting the prior 90 leads to the only set of whoops and watch for these to be tricky. Traction will likely be low and the dirt will likely be edgy. Riders will want to upshift and keep their RPM low when blitzing these. Wheel spin in Denver whoops leads to unwanted problems and with the ability to gain speed before entry (accelerating down the backside of the prior double), watch for riders to be very easy on the throttle until the end of this set.
A bowl berm meets the end of the whoops and fires riders back over four small, rolling jumps and into the finish line jump.
A tight 180 sends riders down the start straight backwards, passing the mechanics’ area and into a tight right hand 180. The ideal line would be sticking to the inside here but watch for that to depend on traction in this flat corner.
A few small rollers (similar to the jumps before the finish) set riders up to re-enter the first corner and onto lap two.
Who’s Hot
Jett Lawrence is in great position to win his second 250 regional SX title after watching his brother Hunter win his first last week in Nashville.
Chase Sexton won rather easily in Nashville and looks poised to move into second in the championship. With Tomac willing to cruise through the final two rounds, it’s hard to think Sexton won’t win out.
Eli Tomac has an 18-point lead over Sexton after Cooper Webb’s unfortunate departure from the series. I don’t see him (Tomac) taking any significant risk in the final 42 minutes of main event racing.
Colt Nichols was calm, cool, and collected on his way to a fourth-place finish.
Justin Hill has been quietly putting in impressive performances, pushing up the leader board.
Kyle Chisholm got a season best ninth in Nashville.
Who’s Not
Webb suffered a concussion in his heat race and while exiting the series is always terrible, it looked like it could have been much worse.
Justin Barcia went bum over tea kettle in the main event, breaking his collarbone along the way. He had so much positive momentum going, too. Let’s hope they can get that fixed up and have him back out there asap.
Benny Bloss took a digger on the opening lap of his heat race and will likely be out until summer.
Grant Harlan (you might be noticing a pattern here) dislocated his shoulder in the main event.
Jason Anderson has not looked himself in quite a while and now has an injury to add to the struggles. Hopefully we see him back and refreshed at Pala this Memorial Day Weekend.
Bold Predictions
With silly season well underway and many spots left to be determined, teams set up a speed dating kiosk just outside the press box.
Honda HRC commissions a statue of Lucas Mirtl to be built just outside their Kumamoto factory.
SmarTop MotoConcepts Honda returns for another round of WSX warm-up.
Chaos reigns in the Yamaha LCQ Challenge. With well over 100k on the line, privateers lose their minds in pursuit of riches. On the podium, Joan Cros pulls off his Scooby-Doo villain mask to reveal that it was actually Kyle Chisholm taking the checkers.
My Picks
250
Jettson Lawrence
RJ Hampshire
Levi Kitchen
