Two weeks ago, the AMA Pro Motocross season came to an end at the Ironman National, with the Lawrence brothers claiming championships.
Hunter, 24, earned his first 250cc class motocross title, while 20-year-old Jett celebrated his inaugural 450cc class championship — and a perfect 22-0 moto sweep — during his rookie motocross season in the premier class.
If this were a typical year, both riders would likely be diving straight into their offseason after having competed in 28 rounds of motocross and AMA Supercross competition over the last nine months. However, this September holds a new challenge for the Lawrence brothers and their rivals.
The top 20 athletes in combined Supercross and motocross points will contest the SuperMotocross World Championship Finals — a three-race playoff stretch — starting Sept. 9 at zMAX Dragway in Concord, N.C. The second race will take place at Illinois’ Chicagoland Speedway on Sept. 16, with the finals slated for the L.A. Memorial Coliseum on Sept. 23.
There is $5.5 million in SMX purse money on the line, with $1 million set aside for the inaugural 450 SMX champion. There is also a considerable payout throughout the top 20, with the 20th place rider earning a $27,000 bonus.
Here is a rundown on the 20 athletes who are qualified for the playoffs in the 450 class.
1st — Chase Sexton (710 points)
After winning the 2023 Supercross championship and finishing runner-up in the motocross point standings, it’s no surprise to see Sexton leading the points.
While he didn’t win a race during the motocross season, and missed three rounds due to health concerns, Sexton had an average finish of 2.38 during the outdoor series.
“You haven’t seen the last of me winning,” the Honda HRC rider noted after finishing on the podium at Ironman.
He also collected six wins during his Supercross campaign.
2nd — Aaron Plessinger (622 points)
The Ohio Cowboy was quiet but deadly during the Pro Motocross season, coming away third in the championship.
In 11 races, Plessinger only had one overall result outside the top five. He also finished runner-up to Lawrence twice — a stat the Red Bull KTM rider can proudly hang his hat on.
“I’m pumped to finish this season’s outdoor championship on the box. We experienced a few ups and downs this year, which is all part of racing, although continued to fight and ended up with P3 overall in the championship,” Plessinger said. “Onto the SMX playoffs now, I’m stoked and intrigued to see what the tracks will be like, and excited to take the sport to all-new venues also.”
Plessinger also came tantalizingly close to clinching his first Supercross win earlier this year, but ultimately came away from the season with two podium finishes.
3rd — Jett Lawrence (550 points)
Despite racing this winter’s AMA Supercross campaign in the 250 class — and winning that championship, no less — Lawrence’s unbelievable summer in motocross rocketed him to third in the 450 standings.
The 20-year-old is only the third rider in 52 years to boast a perfect season record, 22-0, and the first 450 class rookie to do so.
The SMX playoff rounds will be an interesting test for Lawrence, who has yet to race Supercross on a 450 machine. However, in light of his astonishing motocross record, it’s expected to see the Honda HRC rider at the front.
4th — Adam Cianciarulo (538 points)
The No. 9 Monster Energy Kawasaki rider has had an average season, at least on paper.
He finished ninth in the Supercross standings and stepped up to fifth in the motocross championship, placing him as the fourth seed in SMX. However, while average, simply making it through the months without major injury is an accomplishment for Cianciarulo, who missed last year’s motocross season.
5th — Dylan Ferrandis (455 points)
The 2021 Pro Motocross champion has had an off year.
It didn’t start out the best, as Ferrandis sustained a concussion at the fourth round of AMA Supercross and missed the remaining races. But the No. 14 Star Racing Yamaha rider appeared to find his footing again once saddling back up for motocross, earning nine top-five finishes in the 11-round series.
With the first two SMX tracks leaning more toward a motocross-style design, the Frenchman will likely be one of the lead contenders for a win.
6th — Cooper Webb (451 points)
While seeded sixth in the SMX standings, it’s unconfirmed whether Webb will race the playoffs.
After finishing third in the Supercross championship — despite suffering a concussion at the third-to-last race of the season — and racing only four rounds of motocross, Webb announced a split from Red Bull KTM during the summer.
After five years with the team, it was an oddly-timed ending for the championship-winning duo.
Webb has remained quiet about his plans for SMX and has yet to officially sign with a new team. However, it is rumored that the North Carolina native is headed to the Star Racing Yamaha camp and will make his debut with the team during the SMX rounds.
7th — Jason Anderson (449 points)
The 2018 Supercross champion has had an up-and-down year — and it’s not exactly clear why the No. 21 Monster Energy Kawasaki rider has struggled.
The New Mexico native finished in the top five at seven of 17 rounds during Supercross this season, with two podium trips to highlight his year. It’s worth noting, during the 2022 season, Anderson logged seven wins.
The pieces have yet to fall into place for Anderson this year, who missed the first five rounds of motocross due to a non-displaced fracture in his vertebrae that he sustained late in the Supercross season.
But with two podium finishes during the motocross season, it seems Anderson is on the mend and perhaps moving back toward his winning ways.
8th — Ken Roczen (340 points)
The No. 94 rider had a Supercross season to remember.
In a year where many doubted his relevancy — and the caliber of his team, H.E.P. Motorsports — Roczen proved that his time in the spotlight wasn’t over. He pulled off a win and 12 top-five finishes over the season.
As the German is committed to racing the FIM World Supercross Championship through 2025, he was unable to contest a full Pro Motocross campaign, moving him from fourth to eighth in the SMX standings.
However, he showed up for a one-off performance at the High Point National and finished runner-up to Lawrence.
9th — Eli Tomac (339 points)
Last year’s Supercross and Pro Motocross champion is still sidelined from competition, as he continues to recover from a ruptured Achilles tendon. He will not line up for SMX.
In other news, Tomac recently re-signed with Star Racing Yamaha for the 2024 season.
10th — Justin Barcia (334 points)
“Bam-Bam” Barcia has also spent quite some time in recovery, after breaking his collarbone, two ribs and right shoulder during the third-to-last race of the Supercross season.
The injury put a damper on his otherwise solid season, as the No. 51 GASGAS rider collected a win, five podiums and eight top-five finishes during his Supercross campaign.
After taking three months off, Barcia made his way back to the starting gate at Unadilla MX on Aug. 12 to race the final three rounds of the Pro Motocross season. In three races, his best finish was fifth.
“Not bad, but I definitely have a lot of work to do. I’m looking forward to SuperMotocross and getting back to my winning self,” Barcia said.
11th to 20th — Also Locked In
11. Fredrik Noren, 12. Grant Harlan, 13. Garrett Marchbanks, 14. Ty Masterpool, 15. Justin Hill, 16. Kyle Chisolm, 17. Dean Wilson, 18. Shane McElrath, 19. Colt Nichols, 20. Joshua Hill
21st to 30th — Unseeded LCQ Riders
The athletes ranked 21-30 in the SMX standings will compete in a Last Chance Qualifier at each race to vie for the final gate positions. There will be three spots available, as Tomac will not fill the ninth spot on the grid.
21. Phillip Nicoletti, 22. Kevin Moranz, 23. Derek Drake, 24. Justin Starling, 25. Joshua Cartwright, 26. Jerry Robin, 27. Jeremy Hand, 28. Luca Marsalisi, 29. Bryce Shelly, 30. Jace Kessler