The 28-rider field is set for the three-round 2023 SuperMotocross World Championship Playoff series. The Playoff series begins on Saturday, September 9, at zMAX Dragway in Concord, North Carolina. The track is intended to be a mix of motocross and supercross, reflecting the goal of a unified championship.
Rocky Mountain ATV/MC has stepped up again with its free fantasy game, and that means a new website: RMFantasySMX.com. It works the same way Supercross and Pro Motocross did—you pick the top five riders in order, plus a Wild Card that changes for each round. The overall points will reflect the distribution by the SuperMotocross World Championship Playoff series. The first round is worth standard points; round 2 is double points; round 3 is triple points.
Okay, we all understand how it works, so let’s get to the 2023 SuperMotocross Round 1 fantasy tips and picks.
- Jett Lawrence comes in with seemingly unstoppable momentum. Despite not running the 450SX class in Supercross, Lawrence still managed to be the #3 seed thanks to his perfect performance in the 450MX class in Pro Motocross. Keep in mind that Lawrence is also the defending 250SX West champion. Put Lawrence down to win at zMAX Dragway.
- With a 450SX title and a boatload of P2 moto finishes in Pro Motocross in 2023, Chase Sexton is the top seed and top pick for P2. Until Sexton can prove he can beat Lawrence, Sexton is going to have to be the runner-up pick. He should have it free and clear—no one seems ready to challenge Sexton for P2.
- The last spot on the 2023 SuperMotocross round 1 podium is a tough one to call. Cooper Webb was strong in Supercross this year, but will be riding a new bike, having switched from KTM to Yamaha. Dylan Ferrandis had a strong year in MX, but missed most of the SX series. Ken Roczen had a strong year in SX, but missed most of the MX series. Jason Anderson, Justin Barcia, and Aaron Plessinger did well in both disciplines, and come into round 1 strong. That’s five riders for one spot!
Ken Roczen. - I’m going with a fresh Ken Roczen for P3. Roczen had six Supercross podiums, including a win. In MX, Roczen was the only rider to give Lawrence a run for his money. Downtime could work either way, but Roczen benefits from a break more than most riders.
- Cooper Webb almost won the Supercross title, and was decent outdoors this year, so he’s a solid P4 pick. Webb switching to Yamaha is a great unknown. What is known is that Webb ran up front in SX all year. Although the track is a hybrid, it’s still SX at heart. Webb could surprise and is a great dark horse pick for higher. I still need to be convinced, but he should be able to run in the top five. With that, I’ll go with Webb for P4.
- Ferrandis has the balance to round out the top five. Ferrandis was a reliable top-three rider in the Pro Motocross series. Before getting hurt at the fourth round of the Supercross season, Ferrandis beat Plessinger thrice, Anderson twice, Barcia twice, and Roczen once. Ferrandis never beat Sexton or Webb. So, it’s P5 for Ferrandis.
- The Wild Card is P10, and that’s going to be a big guess. The top nine seeded riders should be the top nine finishers at zMAX Speedway. Of the rest, Garrett Marchbanks and Ty Masterpool are the cream of the crop on the MX side, with Dean Wilson and Justin Hill strong in SX in 2023. Any of the four will do, and I’m picking Justin Hill.
- Don’t miss a single gate drop at the first-ever SuperMotocross race. We have the 2023 SuperMotocross Television Schedule for you!
Photography by Will Embree and Tyler Maillet
2023 SuperMotocross Playoff Series Rider Entry List
Seeded
- Chase Sexton
- Aaron Plessinger
- Jett Lawrence
- Adam Cianciarulo
- Dylan Ferrandis
- Cooper Webb
- Jason Anderson
- Ken Roczen
- Justin Barcia
- Fredrik Norén
- Grant Harlan
- Garrett Marchbanks
- Ty Masterpool
- Justin Hill
- Kyle Chisholm
- Dean Wilson
- Shane McElrath
- Colt Nichols
- Josh Hill
LCQ (three to Main)
- Phil Nicoletti
- Kevin Moranz
- Justin Starling
- Josh Cartwright
- Jerry Robin
- Jeremy Hand
- Bryce Shelly
- Jace Kessler
- Max Miller
