A crossover between Monster Energy Supercross and Lucas Oil Pro Motocross seems natural. Most professional riders and teams compete in both championships every season, and the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) sanctions both series. There was just one roadblock, though: The championships have different promoters. The two sides have now agreed to organize a joint playoff series with a ridiculous name, and I absolutely love it.
The SuperMotocross World Championship will be a three-race playoff series organized in a partnership between Feld Motor Sports, Inc. and MX Sports Pro Racing, the promoters of Supercross and Motocross, respectively. SuperMotocross will be a postseason competition after both Supercross and Motocross determine their own champions and qualification into this playoff will be determined by regular-season performance. The top 22 riders in combined championship points in both the 450cc and 250cc classes will be eligible to take place in their class’ SuperMotocross series.
These riders will then compete in two SuperMotocross playoff rounds leading into the World Championship round at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on October 14th, 2023. They will be racing for a $10 million purse, the largest in the sport’s history. The SuperMotocross series will be held on uniquely designed courses that will require skills from both sides of off-road racing. It won’t be surprising to see hybrid courses with the technical sections and big jumps of Supercross combined with the high-speed flowing aspects of Motocross.
Kenneth Feld, Chair and CEO of Feld Entertainment, Inc., said:
“With the creation of the SuperMotocross World Championship, we are taking a significant step towards growing the sport into a series that will be better suited for the expanding global marketplace and its impact on our fans and sponsors. As media and technology continue to evolve, SuperMotocross will be able to capitalize on these innovations to reach new audiences and grow exponentially in the coming years.”
Carrie Coombs-Russell, Chief Executive Officer, MX Sports Pro Racing, added:
“We are celebrating 50 years of American Motocross this season and the creation of the SuperMotocross World Championship and working in unison with Supercross may be one of the most significant changes the sport has ever undertaken. This collaboration will create the only off-road racing series on the planet that provides a fully supported infrastructure, from amateur development to the professional ranks for global competitors to race on the world’s most challenging and demanding tracks.”
SuperMotocross will be a spectacular finale for the season as the Supercross season runs typically from January through early May, followed by Pro Motocross from late May through early September.