Ryan Nitzen | September 9, 2023
The playoffs are here! After 17 rounds of Supercross and 11 rounds of outdoors its time to kick off the first ever SuperMotocross playoffs. We’re live from Charlotte, North Carolina to bring you all of today’s action.
Welcome to Charlotte for round one of the SuperMotocross! Note, the oval track above is where the USGP was held.
450 SMX
Moto 1
Justin Barcia grabbed the holeshot in the first 450SMX moto. The number-51 GasGas rider showed some strong riding in the early parts of the race before handing the lead over to Chase Sexton just after the split lane.
Barcia leads the first 450 moto. Photos: Brown Dog Wilson
Once Sexton got the lead it was game over for the rest of the field. The 2023 450 Supercross champion looked back to form after struggling during the summer outdoor series. Sexton opened up a gap and cruised to victory.
Sexton cruised to the win.
Dylan Ferrandis jumped up to second overall in the first moto. The Star Racing Yamaha rider, who’s likely departing the team after the playoffs, locked in a solid ride after moving to second on lap six. He battled back and forth with Ken Roczen but ultimately held the second spot. He’s crossed about eight seconds behind Sexton.
Ferrandis looked good for second.
Ken Roczen returned to racing with a third in moto one. The Suzuki rider, who only raced one outdoor national, never missed a beat as he battled into a podium position. He fought with Ferrandis but settled for third.
Ken Roczen put up a fight for third.
Jett Lawrence’s streak came to an end in his first 450 “Supercross-style” race. A poor start and a crash in the early laps dropped him to seventh.
Moto 2
Ty Masterpool got out front early in race two, showing his excitement for the SMX series. Ken Roczen quickly moved to the lead and seemed to be running away with the race win. Roczen ran up front and held the lead until five minutes to go before dropping to third.
450 start.
Chase Sexton swept the day with a 1-1 finish. He caught fire half way through the moto and set the fastest lap of the race while catching Roczen. Sexton made the pass with only a few laps left and held on for a perfect day. He now extends his SMX points lead to 12.
Roczen led most of the second 450 moto.
Jett Lawrence rebounded in the second moto to claim second. He strung together a slew of fast laps which moved him up the ranks and to the rear wheel of Sexton. This in turn pushed Sexton to the front while Lawrence stayed in third.
But Sexton tracked him down and went 1-1.
Dylan Ferrandis finished fourth in the second race but still grabbed an overall podium with 2-4 scores.
450 Podium.
450 SMX Overall (Top 10)
1. |
Chase Sexton |
(Hon) |
1-1 |
2. |
Ken Roczen |
(Suz) |
3-3 |
3. |
Dylan Ferrandis |
(Yam) |
2-4 |
4. |
Jett Lawrence |
(Hon) |
7-2 |
5. |
Jason Anderson |
(Kaw) |
4-5 |
6. |
Aaron Plessinger |
(KTM) |
5-6 |
7. |
Justin Barcia |
(GG) |
6-8 |
8. |
Cooper Webb |
(Yam) |
8-7 |
9. |
Garrett Marchbanks |
(Yam) |
10-9 |
10. |
Colt Nichols |
(Kaw) |
12-10 |
250 SMX
Moto 1
Seth Hammaker qualified first and led the field through the first turn before handing the lead over to Levi Kitchen. Kitchen ended the outdoor nationals on a high note and carried that momentum into leading the first half of the second moto.
250 start.
Haiden Deegan ran second for most of the race before turning up the heat. He tracked down his Star Racing Yamaha teammate at the half-way point and passed Kitchen when encountering lapped traffic. With Deegan in the lead, he ran away with the race win.
Deegan held on for the win in race one.
Tom Vialle grabbed third in race one. The MXGP transplant looked the best we’ve seen on a Supercross track as he worked his way into podium position.
Kitchen led for the first half.
Tough race for Hunter Lawrence after a crash on lap one.
Hunter Lawrence fell on lap one before finishing ninth.
Moto 2
Tom Vialle continued his strong performance in moto one with a big holeshot in race two. The KTM rider led for the first half of the race, the most he’s led of his career. Eventually he gave up the spot to Shimoda. Vialle still took second in the race and tied for first overall in points. He did lose the tie breaker due to his second place result.
Shimoda came from behind to win race two and the overall.
Jo Shimoda stalked Vialle for the first half of the race before making the pass with five minutes left on the clock. He went around the outside of Vialle to take the lead and claimed the overall. Shimoda tied in points with Vialle but his win aided in the tie breaker. Shimoda is now tied for the the 250 SMX points lead with Haiden Deegan.
Tom Vialle led and finished second.
Ryder Difrancesco held on for third in the second moto. Ryder D hasn’t raced a real Supercross in the pro ranks and a third is a great showing in his first SMX race.
Haiden Deegan finished fifth in the second moto.
250 Podium.
250 SMX Overall (Top 10)
1. |
Jo Shimoda |
(Kaw) |
4-1 |
2. |
Tom Vialle |
(KTM) |
3-2 |
3. |
Haiden Deegan |
(Yam) |
1-5 |
4. |
Ryder DiFrancesco |
(Kaw) |
7-3 |
5. |
Jordon Smith |
(Yam) |
8-4 |
6. |
Seth Hammaker |
(Kaw) |
5-8 |
7. |
Levi Kitchen |
(Yam) |
2-11 |
8. |
Hunter Lawrence |
(Hon) |
9-7 |
9. |
Justin Cooper |
(Yam) |
12-6 |
10. |
Pierce Brown |
(GG) |
11-10 |
QUALIFYING
450 SMX
Back on top for the number-18. This is the first time we’ve seen Jett Lawrence on a 450 in a Supercross-style setting and he picked up right where he left off this summer with the fastest qualifying time despite a big slide-out crash in the first session.
Jett is back on track with the fastest 450 time. Photos: Brown Dog Wilson
Lawrence was 0.7 seconds better than Honda teammate Chase Sexton. Ken Roczen is back racing and qualified third, 1.1 back from Lawrence. Adam Cianciarulo and Dylan Ferrandis rounded out the top five.
Sexton clocked in second.
Roczen is back on track and was third fastest.
Cianciarulo looks fast in fourth.
Cooper Webb returns to racing and qualified sixth.
450 SMX Qualifying (Top 10)
1. |
Jett Lawrence |
(Hon) |
1:13.332 |
2. |
Chase Sexton |
(Hon) |
1:14.039 |
3. |
Ken Roczen |
(Suz) |
1:14.414 |
4. |
Adam Cianciarulo |
(Kaw) |
1:14.551 |
5. |
Dylan Ferrandis |
(Yam) |
1:14.570 |
6. |
Cooper Webb |
(Yam) |
1:15.044 |
7. |
Jason Anderson |
(Kaw) |
1:15.169 |
8. |
Aaron Plessinger |
(KTM) |
1:15.789 |
9. |
Colt Nichols |
(Kaw) |
1:15.955 |
10. |
Justin Barcia |
(GG) |
1:16.049 |
250 SMX
Can’t say we picked this running order. Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker topped the overall 250 times with a 1:15.05. Hunter Lawrence and Pierce Brown were second and third, only 0.1 behind Hammaker.
Seth Hammaker clocked the fastest 250 time.
250 SMX Qualifying (Top 10)
1. |
Seth Hammaker |
(Kaw) |
1:15.052 |
2. |
Hunter Lawrence |
(Hon) |
1:15.118 |
3. |
Pierce Brown |
(GG) |
1:15.149 |
4. |
Jo Shimoda |
(Kaw) |
1:15.368 |
5. |
Tom Vialle |
(KTM) |
1:15.456 |
6. |
Maximus Vohland |
(KTM) |
1:15.484 |
7. |
Justin Cooper |
(Yam) |
1:15.556 |
8. |
Jalek Swoll |
(Hus) |
1:15.611 |
9. |
Austin Forkner |
(Kaw) |
1:15.739 |
10. |
Levi Kitchen |
(Yam) |
1:15.768 |
Talking Points
The full SMX rider roster.
Cooper Webb is back and on a new team, the Star Racing Yamaha team.
Phil Nicoletti won the 450 LCQ. Photo: Brown Dog Wilson
Roczen is also back on the grid.
Welcome to ZMax Dragway!
The track under the lights.
Let’s go racing!