Chase Sexton is hoping to go the opposite direction from last year’s SuperMotocross World Championship SMX Playoffs. Last year, Sexton entered in the 450SMX qualifying with the lead before winning the inaugural SMX Playoff event in North Carolina, then finished third overall at the second round (double points event) and tenth overall at the finale (triple points) after crashing out of the final moto while in the race lead. After getting his teeth kicked in last summer by Jett Lawrence, he wanted to win the SMX title so badly. He came in back on supercross suspension—which he won the Monster Energy AMA Supercross title on aboard his Honda CRF450R—and was the best rider at the first event, although things went south from there. This go round, the Illinois native wants to right the ship and finish the deal, especially now that his biggest competition—Jett Lawrence and Eli Tomac—are both back from their respective injuries.
This year, Sexton was coming off of the heels of his AMA Pro Motocross Championship title and carrying a ton of momentum from that title, having won the final six overalls to finish off the season—highlighted by a 1-1 day at the finale in Indiana. Sexton had the hot hand, could he carry it?
The question with Sexton this year has been his supercross setup. In Pro Motocross, he got the bike dialed in and was rolling, especially at the Hangtown Motocross Classic when he went from dead last to first, and in the latter half of the season as well. But the SMX hybrid format brings some big rhythm sections that require SX suspension. He needs a mix of the two clashing setups.
The first SMX race at zMAX Dragway did not go great for Sexton. He finished fourth in moto one then third in moto two but got dropped by Eli Tomac and Jett Lawrence in the second half of moto two. Third overall with getting his doors blown off is not great, but on the bright side, he leaves with the SMX Points lead still. Or is there anything to be happy about there? Is he okay knowing big picture he’s still leading going into round two?
“I'm not okay with that, I don't like losing,” Sexton replied to my question in the post-race press conference. “But I think compared to what I did last year, if I can go the opposite way this year, that'd be good. Last year I was good and then I just got worse through the rest of the races. So, this year, hopefully I can bounce back in the next round and then obviously the last one is really where everything's won at. So, if I can just try and improve and keep myself in it the last round and try and work some bugs out. We be in a good spot.”
SMX Playoff 1 - 450SMX
September 7, 2024| Rider | Hometown | Motos | Bike | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Jett Lawrence | Landsborough, Australia  | 2 - 1 | Honda |
| 2 |  Eli Tomac | Cortez, CO  | 1 - 2 | Yamaha |
| 3 |  Chase Sexton | La Moille, IL | 4 - 3 | KTM |
| 4 |  Hunter Lawrence | Landsborough, Australia | 3 - 6 | Honda |
| 5 |  Ken Roczen | Mattstedt, Germany  | 5 - 5 | Suzuki |
| Position | Rider | Hometown | Qualifying Points | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jett Lawrence | Landsborough, Australia | 561 | 156 |
| 2 | Hunter Lawrence | Landsborough, Australia | 669 | 156 |
| 3 | Eli Tomac | Cortez, CO | 349 | 129 |
| 4 |  Aaron Plessinger | Hamilton, OH | 601 | 116 |
| 5 |  Cooper Webb | Newport, NC | 350 | 109 |
Was it on him or was it the setup? He did not get great starts but his setup did not allow him to unlock the speed we saw this summer.
“Yeah, no we really haven’t quite figured it out yet,” he said. “I thought we were good, but, yeah, it's still a lot different.”
Crew chief Carlos Rivera spoke with TV reporter Will Christien after the race as a part of the SMX Insider Post-Race show and he shared some insight from his position.
“I definitely think we need to get better starts,” Rivera said on where to improve. “I mean, these guys are really good, not taking [away] any credit, they are strong on the starts, and he has to be better at the starts.”
“Confidence, he is a champion, he knows how to get back [there] again,” Rivera continued. “And he can do it. he can come back next week swinging and be on top again.”
Recommended Reading
Tue Sep 10 The Conversation: “I feel a lot stronger than I did in supercross” 
Mon Sep 9 Yamaha: Nate Thrasher Has Hematoma on Leg from Qualifying Crash 
Mon Sep 9 450 Words: Jett Lawrence Wins Anyway 
Mon Sep 9 Open Mic: "It Stings Getting Second" 
Mon Sep 9 Jalek Swoll Provides Update: “Just Took a Quick Nap on Saturday I’ll Be Okay” 
Mon Sep 9 250 Words: “Everything Fuels Me” Rivera also mentioned the team is trying to improve the bike and Sexton’s comfort level.
“Definitely every weekend we try to get better, that’s our job, to make the bike better and better, we never stop trying stuff,” Rivera said on Sexton’s setup. “But definitely, we’re not re-inventing the wheel. We’re pretty close, we just gotta get better starts and move forward.”
Sexton also commented on his setup.
“I mean, you really had to run supercross suspension today just with how that rhythm section was and how tight and steep it was,” he said. “So, you couldn't really get away with an outdoor set up. But yeah, like I said, we have work to do with the SX setup and getting more comfortable. But yeah, most of the track was pretty outdoorsy. It was just that really that supercross section and some of the fast parts where you were hitting some pretty big G-outs, so you had to have enough hold up. But yeah, we'll go back to the drawing board trying to work with the team and come out strong because I gotta get better.”
This weekend in Texas he will have his chance at redemption. Will he leave the second SMX Playoff round with the red plates still on his #4 KTM 450 SX-F?
