Main image by Mitch Kendra
The Track
The track this weekend isn’t a supercross track or a motocross track—it’s a combination of both. The huge layout of zMAX Dragway is perfect for a hybrid style track too. It’s long, has plenty of rhythm sections, a split start, and there’s even a split lane in the section that goes outside the stadium. And the fact that there are dirt bike jumps built right on the famous four-lane dragstrip is just cool! Plus, the dirt has been tilled pretty deep, too. We’ll see how the riders handle this hybrid racing surface when the very first SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) round in history gets underway. -Aaron Hansel
Champ vs. Champ
The AMA Pro Motocross Championship is officially over and Jett Lawrence did indeed go undefeated all summer in the 450 Class, despite heavy pressure at times from Chase Sexton. Well, with SMX set to begin this weekend, we’ll get a chance to see these two-wheeled warriors go at it again. The track will be a lot different than a national track, but it’s not exactly a supercross track either. Jett said in Friday’s pre-race press conference he could either be good at this SMX format or “suck” so he will find out today! Can the reigning Monster Energy AMA Supercross champion finally get another win, or will the newly crowned national champ lengthen his winning streak? -Hansel
Spoiler Alert
We only got to see Ken Roczen in action once over the summer, at High Point Raceway, but he was exceptionally good—he led laps and took second overall! We haven’t seen him line up against the rest of the boys since, and as a result, might be a little off the radar for some people. He’ll be back this Saturday, however, and while it’s impossible to predict where he’ll finish, you know he’s going to be good. Lawrence owns the spotlight right now, but with Roczen joining the party, that could change. -Hansel
Combined Forces
One of the cool things about the SMX rounds is that there is no East or West Region in the 250cc Class. This means that when the gate drops, we don’t have to wonder how the top guys would do against the big dogs on the opposite coast—they’re all racing together! The deeper class should make for more competitive racing, which will only add fuel to the fire in a class that already has a reputation for getting wild! -Hansel
- SuperMotocross
SuperMotocross Playoff 1
Saturday, September 9- QualifyingLiveSeptember 9 - 1:30 PM UTC
- Pre-Race ShowLiveSeptember 9 - 6:30 PM UTC
- Night ShowLiveSeptember 9 - 7:00 PM UTC
- Night ShowLiveSeptember 9 - 7:00 PM UTC
- Night Show Re-AirSeptember 11 - 5:00 AM UTC
Returning to Action
We haven’t seen Jordon Smith race since the High Point National, due to a ligament injury in his thumb that kept him out of action for most of the summer. That’ll change this Saturday, however, as Smith is slated to line up for the first round of SMX. He didn’t light the world on fire in the four rounds of motocross he raced (his best finish in a moto was sixth), but there were moments during supercross when he was startlingly fast. If he’s able to find that same speed, which is tough to do after being away from the races for so long (although he said Friday he was putting in a lot of time on his road bike so he doesn’t feel like he lost fitness), he’ll be in the mix for podiums and maybe even a win. -Hansel
Going Out Coming Back With a Bang
Jo Shimoda probably would have liked to have had better results more consistently this summer, but he finished the season in one of the best ways possible when he went 1-1 at Ironman Raceway to win the final national of the year. He’d been improving as the season wrapped up too, and now that he seems to have figured some things out, he’s got three SMX races to show his speed. How will Shimoda fare in his final three races with Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki? -Hansel
Dream Extension
Haiden Deegan had a dream rookie season. He was great in Monster Energy AMA Supercross, where he collected three podiums and finished second in points, and he was spectacular in AMA Pro Motocross, where he won two overalls and was even in championship contention. There’s no denying Deegan is already a force to be reckoned with, and he only seems to keep getting better in a remarkably short period of time. We know he’s going to be good in SMX, but will he be good enough to collect some wins? -Hansel
Back On Blue
Cooper Webb will be back to racing for the first round of SMX… on a Yamaha! Back with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing for the first time since 2018, a team that he won three 250 titles for (two 250SX West Coast Championships and the 2016 250 Motocross Championship). Will it take Webb a round or two to get reacquainted with the blue machine or will he show up swinging in Charlotte? -Sarah Whitmore
The Start
Until the track maps came out, no one really knew what they were in for with the hybrid tracks. Looking at the Charlotte track map, the thing that stands out the most is the split lane start. We have seen split starts before, but this time there is an entire lane between the two starts and the two starts turn into each other, with one side turning left and the other right. So technically there will be two inside gates. It's going to be wild to watch for sure. -Whitmore
History
Imagine going back 50-plus years and being at the first ever motocross or supercross race. Being the first ever SMX race, no one knows exactly what to watch out for, because it has never been done before! But one thing is for sure, history is being made this weekend, and in 50 years fans will be able to brag that they were at the first ever SMX in Charlotte. So, take plenty of pictures as memories and history is being made. -Whitmore
Bonus: All-Star Races
At each of the three SMX races over the next three weeks, we will also see different All-Star class races at the different venues. Similar to how Monster Energy Cup had the Supermini and 250F all star classes, these SMX All-Star races will take place right in the mix of race day. The first SMX race in North Carolina will feature a 65cc All-Star race, the second event in Illinoins will feature a Supermini All-Star race, and the SMX finale in California will host the 250cc All-Star race. Being a part of history might not be clear for these youngsters from the getgo, it’s more of another opportunity to race, but whether these all-star riders turn pro or not, years from now these lil’ rippers and their families will remember being a part of history for the first ever SMX races. For media and fans, another glimpse at some of the sports up and coming stars is also exciting. -Mitch Kendra
