The State of Supercross, Motocross

There’s certainly a resurgence in the racing world. More specifically, the state of Supercross. The announcement of two new series, the World Supercross Championship (WSX) and the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) are both set to give fans no shortage of racing in the coming years. New teams, new locations, and ultimately more races isn’t something to complain about, and we like to think that a rising tide floats all ships. But is there a competition between the two entities, and if so, will this be better or worse for the sport as a whole?

Supercross, motocross, World Supercross and SuperMotocross—racers have more options than ever. Photo by BrownDog Wilson

To clear things up, the WSX are the new kids on the block ready to strut their stuff. It’s an all-new series run by the team that organized the Aus-X Open a few years back. They’re set to embark on their inaugural season in October and have locked down big purses, international locations, 10 teams, and 40 riders. From the outside, their business model looks like F1 or MotoGP, but fit to spec for Supercross. For 2022, their series of 3-4 races will take place after the American Motocross series but they plan to overlap that schedule in coming years. It will be interesting when that schedule comes out.

The SMX is the newest collaboration between the two big American promoters, Feld and MX Sports. They’ve teamed up to make one giant series within two separate series, which spans the current Supercross and Motocross Championship and pays points throughout the year. From what we understand, the top 20 riders in each class will be eligible to race in three “playoff” rounds which will be held on a hybrid-style track (think Monster Cup). Points from those rounds will then earn someone the SuperMotocross World Championship crown. In theory, three different riders could win throughout the year: one Supercross, one motocross and one SuperMotocross. It’s something new and we will learn more down the road when more details from Feld and MX Sports are revealed.

But let’s play a game of hypotheticals here. As a rider, this could be good. More racing means more chances to put money in your pocket. And if you’re a Supercross specialist, maybe this is your shot to ride stadiums year-round. No more hot summers and no more 30-plus-two motos. But hopefully your team is okay with you choosing which schedule you’d like to run. In the case of KTM USA, we’ve yet to see any support from them regarding the new WSX series. Same goes for Kawasaki, as none of their U.S. riders have been confirmed, either. This gives us the idea that they’ll be competing in the SMX Championship, which is basically the current American schedule.

From a team’s perspective, more racing means more money. More travel, more parts, more time, more money. That’s the bottom line. The WSX grid is composed mostly of privately funded or European-run efforts. Teams like MotoConcepts, MDK Motorsports and Rick Ware Racing are all privately run ventures that seem to have enough “resources” to fund a new racing venture. The others, Craig Dack Yamaha, Bud Racing Kawasaki and Honda NILS are all staples in the MXGP or Australian Championships. The WSX promoters do plan on off-setting team costs, but, in the end, international travel for big teams will come with a hefty price tag.

Justin Brayton made a comment that really resonated with me regarding this topic. In short, he said that Supercross and motocross are about the same as indoor and beach volleyball. Sure, they’re both volleyball, but the technique, training and physical exertion required to play each one makes them two entirely different games. Brayton’s choice to race the WSX route is an easy insight to his opinion on the two options.

Eventually the two schedules will overlap and there will be choices for everyone involved: Which series to run, which teams to ride for, and which schedule to adopt. But for fans, it’s an easy choice. We can support both endeavors and enjoy more racing than we know what to do with. CN