Ryan Nitzen | November 28, 2023
The World Supercross Championship completed its series with the Australian Grand Prix inside Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia, on November 25. Both WSX (450cc) and SX2 (250cc) titles were up for grabs at the series finale, with Ken Roczen and Max Anstie taking the respective crowns.
Highlights
WSX
It was a winner-take-all scenario in the WSX division, as Joey Savatgy (Rick Ware Racing) led the overall points going in, with only 19 points separating the top four contenders. Roczen, the defending champion, remained close in the standings and set the fastest times in both the qualifying and SuperPole laps.
Good starts put Roczen up front all night. Photos: WSX
Roczen executed three strong starts and stayed up front in all three main events. He won the first and second races, and a third in the final race of the night earned him first overall, taking the Australian GP and back-to-back WSX titles.
Roczen won two of the three mains.
Savatgy looked strong with a third in the opening race but had a first turn crash in race two courtesy of Vince Friese, and was only able to work his way up to 10th. A fourth in the final race resulted in fourth overall and second in the championship.
Savatgy came in with the points lead but finished fourth on the night.
Mitchell Oldenburg (MotoConcepts Racing) went 2-3-5 for second overall on the night.
Mitchell Oldenburg rode to second overall.
Dean Wilson had his best finish of the night with a second in the final moto behind race winner Colt Nichols. Wilson’s 5-4-2 results put him third overall and third in the WSX Championship.
Nichols held on for the final WSX main event.
Dean Wilson finished third overall.
WSX Overall podium.
Roczen clinched his second WSX title.
SX2
The SX2 title was a showdown between FirePower Honda’s Max Anstie and defending SX2 champ Shane McElrath. Anstie led the points going into the final round and completed a perfect night by winning all three SX2 main events. Anstie clinched the title before the gate dropped for the final moto. A hat trick for the Brit saw him take his first WSX title.
Anstie swept all three SX2 mains.
McElrath’s night came undone when a Tuff Block lodged in his rear wheel and forced him to DNF the first race of the night. He rode to a strong third in race two, but an 11th in the final race of the night dropped him off the overall podium. McElrath still took second in the championship.
Mcelrath’s night came undone in race one.
Canadian Cole Thompson linked together three consistent main events to finish second overall with a 5-2-2.
Two seconds gave Cole Thompson second overall.
Aussie native Luke Clout took third overall with a 2-4-3. Clout also finished third in the series.
Luke Clout landed on the podium in front of his Aussie fans.
SX2 Overall Podium.
Anstie won the SX2 championship.
Overall Results
WSX Overall
- Ken Roczen (Suz) 1-1-3
- Mitchell Oldenburg (Hon) 2-3-5
- Dean Wilson (Hon) 5-4-2
- Joey Savatgy (Kaw) 3-10-4
- Gregory Aranda (Yam) 16-2-6
SX2 Overall
- Max Anstie (Hon) 1-1-1
- Cole Thompson (Yam) 5-2-2
- Luke Clout (Yam) 2-4-3
- Cullin Park (Suz) 4-5-4
- Carson Mumford (Hon) 3-11-6
