No one quite knew what to expect for the first-ever SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) race, but in some ways, this race was even more surprising than expected. The track threw riders (and their suspension techs) for a loop all weekend, passing was tough and starts were all over the map for everyone, which meant chaos on the track and hard-to-predict results.
Former racer Jason Thomas was on hand as NBC Sports’ trackside analyst. Here are his thoughts on a number of topics.
The gate dropped on a new venue, zMAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway, on Saturday, which means the teams and riders had to acquaint themselves with dirt they haven’t ridden on before. What other venues would you liken it to, and did you notice any riders struggling to find a good setup and/or tire choice?
It was definitely a unique one. The dirt was orange Charlotte clay as you’d expect, but rain and track watering created a mix of mud and a hard base. Riders mentioned how slippery it was all morning long and there were many crashes to reinforce that theme. I raced the Charlotte races in the late 90’s at the speedway so I would say it was closest to those events. The long straightaways and unmistakable dirt hue was eerily reminiscent of those events located only a few hundred yards away.
In past races that took place after the conclusion of the regular supercross and motocross series, like the U.S. Open and Monster Energy Cup, there was always a feeling that not everyone was taking the race seriously. But at round one of SMX, there seemed to be a sense of urgency for everyone. Is that an accurate perception? If so, what do you think the difference is?
I don’t know if it was urgency or a sense of opportunity. For so many riders, 2023 has been a tough one, especially Pro Motocross. The Lawrence brothers collectively shut down a lot of hopes, with Hunter winning seven of 11 overalls and Jett winning every single 450 race. This race gave them a chance to reset the points and fight it out for a ton of money. At those MEC type races, there is nothing really on the line other than a pay day. This is a real championship with real implications. It’s very different as far as importance.
Split lanes often don’t tend to be equal, and even if they start that way, they tend to favor one lane or the other as the track shapes up. What’d you think of the split lane in the back section of the track? Were both lanes fair, or did one seem to hold a slight advantage?
This one was closer than most. It’s incredibly challenging to keep them equal with changing conditions. I was very impressed with the track builders to have it work out that some riders chose each and stuck to it. I think it came down to personal preference in the end. For example, Haiden Deegan said this in the post-race press conference: “I was sticking to underneath. I feel like when they added those bumps, supercross suspension does not mesh with that. So, I was going under that tunnel.” It was interesting to see the section stay close enough to where riders just picked based on feel, instead of the stopwatch saying one line was the only one that could work. Usually, one line is almost unusable because of the time lost. Not this time. Kudos.
SuperMotocross Playoff 1 - 450SMX
September 9, 2023| Rider | Hometown | Motos | Bike | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Chase Sexton | La Moille, IL  | 1 - 1 | Honda CRF450R |
| 2 |  Ken Roczen | Mattstedt, Germany  | 3 - 3 | Suzuki RM-Z450 |
| 3 |  Dylan Ferrandis | Avignon, France  | 2 - 4 | Yamaha YZ450F |
| 4 |  Jett Lawrence | Landsborough, Australia  | 7 - 2 | Honda CRF450R |
| 5 |  Jason Anderson | Edgewood, NM | 4 - 5 | Kawasaki KX450SR |
We finally saw some 450 races not completely dominated by Jett Lawrence. You watched him protect his lead all summer, but in Charlotte he had to come from way back. Did you notice a difference in the way he rode when he faced some adversity?
I had a feeling he would run into this situation eventually. The margins are much tighter in this type of environment (supercross, etc.) than in motocross. There’s less room to move around and it’s harder to pass. Also, many of these riders have had enough of Jett winning. That’s not a personal thing, they would feel the same about anyone on an undefeated streak. It doesn’t help that he’s a rookie, either. When he got into traffic, many of the veteran elite took their opportunity to push Jett around a bit. It’s a rite of passage that he was going to face eventually and will likely have to again. I think his stiffer setting was the biggest bugaboo in his struggle but I think this Charlotte weekend will bring a lot of focus back to his game for Chicago. He looked a bit off many times throughout the day, not just that first moto. Sometimes a bit of adversity is just what is needed to snap back to form.
After a long summer, Chase Sexton finally got back on top by going 1-1 over the weekend. Was there something about the track that gave him an edge? And what kind of a mental boost does he get from finally being dominant again
Chase is a phenomenal talent. Let’s just start there. He’s also the reigning Monster Energy SX Champion and also went into this race with the SuperMotocross points lead. None of that is an accident. To think he wouldn’t win again is silly. He will continue to have his hands full with Jett Lawrence and likely will for the rest of his career, but that doesn’t mean Chase can’t win. This weekend was a return to form and more than anything, a sigh of relief. Celebration? Sure. Relief? You betcha.
![Chase Sexton]()
Chase Sexton Align Media ![Chase Sexton]()
Chase Sexton Align Media
Ken Roczen was back! He was good, too, going 3-3 for second overall. He hasn’t raced much at all for several months. Did he look rusty at all to you, or was he on point?
He looked great! I will say he looked a bit tired in the second moto but maybe that’s to be expected. It’s incredibly hard to replicate race intensity, especially for two motos of considerable length. It’s an unpopular take but I believe had he raced the entire Pro Motocross season, he wins that second moto. He would be more fit and more prepared. But, he was still great. His talent is undeniable. The sport is better with him in it.
Tom Vialle was really good at zMax Dragway, going 3-2 for second overall. What can we attribute this sudden boost in speed to? Did the dirt or layout favor him? Was it the lack of pressure? The lack of whoops?
Great question and I don’t have a good answer! The starts helped but he was really strong all day. I do believe the lack of whoops helped (I mentioned this on the broadcast), but he was better than several rounds of motocross this season so it can’t be only that. Great job in any case.
SuperMotocross Playoff 1 - 250SMX
September 9, 2023| Rider | Hometown | Motos | Bike | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Jo Shimoda | Suzuka, Japan  | 4 - 1 | Kawasaki KX250 |
| 2 |  Tom Vialle | Avignon, France | 3 - 2 | KTM 250 SX-F |
| 3 |  Haiden Deegan | Temecula, CA | 1 - 5 | Yamaha YZ250F |
| 4 |  Ryder DiFrancesco | Bakersfield, CA | 7 - 3 | Kawasaki KX250 |
| 5 |  Jordon Smith | Belmont, NC | 8 - 4 | Yamaha YZ250F |
Jo Shimoda really seems like he’s gotten into the zone, and it showed with an overall win on Saturday. What’d you like about his racing, and what’s it like for a racer when they get into a sweet spot like this?
First, I love his demeanor. Jo is such a nice human being, it’s easy to cheer for him. I don’t know what it is about late season performances but it seems to be his jam (outside of 2022 MXON, which just needs to be forgotten). He made a lot of money on Saturday and could make a LOT more if he keeps this form. I’m here for it. I’m a Jo fan.
Wow, was Ryder DiFrancesco good! Is that the best we’ve seen him ride in his professional career? How do guys all of a sudden find such big gains like that?
It’s really just been the staying power that’s been missing. He’s been fast. He’s gotten good starts. All of that only highlights his march to the rear, though. That second moto was different and his display of emotion was all you needed to know. Racing is so hard mentally when things aren’t going well. Racers are judged as humans by their performance. To think a person is considered less or more by how well they perform on a motorcycle is crazy talk but it’s absolute reality in this world. It’s no different in any other professional sport. To finally have that confirmation on that stage had to really hit home. I was happy for him simply because I know he likely felt like he was underperforming expectation to this point. Racing at the highest levels can be a cruel thing.
Not everyone’s results were top notch. Was there anyone you noticed who was riding well, but for whatever reason, didn’t shine on paper?
Jordon Smith was very good and if not for a tough opening lap in the first moto, he could have been a podium contender. We haven’t seem him since High Point but his speed was absolutely legit. We all know Jordon’s biggest challenge is staying upright but that guy can fly when things are right. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him win one of these motos.
