Troy Dog
If you had any doubts that the sport is heading in the right direction, then you need to take a look at this. On Friday the Pro Motocross Championship announced that more than $10 million is on the line in manufacturer contingency for their 11 round championship.
Not only that, but the astonishing sum of “a combined $36 million in prize money and posted contingency awards available during 31-race SuperMotocross World Championship Series”.
The SMX League has been a refreshing new era for the sport and it’s also been exciting to report on. Not only has the sport seen new heights in the past year, but we’ve had the debut of two new manufacturers already in the series (Beta and Triumph), with another on the horizon (Ducati). The manufacturers are investing in the future of the series, which means good news for us!
Below is the press release in its entirety.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (February 16, 2024) – MX Sports Pro Racing has announced the financial contribution that will be made available by competing manufacturers this summer during the 2024 Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. Collectively, GASGAS, Honda, Husqvarna, Kawasaki, KTM, Suzuki, and Yamaha have combined to provide $10,496,200 in posted contingency awards for racers this summer. The addition of Triumph Motorcycles to the starting gate for the 2024 season adds an eighth manufacturer to American motocross competition and the storied British brand is currently in the process of developing its own contingency program that will bring even more financial benefits to racers.
The contingency resources contribute to the growing financial investment around the SuperMotocross World Championship, which features nearly $26 million in combined OEM contingency across the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship, the Pro Motocross Championship, and the SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs and Final, in addition to the more than $10 million in prize money up for grabs across each respective championship and postseason.
“Thanks to a steadfast financial commitment from our competing manufacturers, the competitive foundation of the Pro Motocross Championship, and the SuperMotocross World Championship as a whole, is healthier than ever, with the primary intent to benefit our highly skilled athletes,” said Roy Janson, Commissioner of Motocross, MX Sports Pro Racing. “In Pro Motocross alone we’ve seen an increase of more than one million dollars in OEM contingency for the upcoming season and are eagerly anticipating a further diversification of motorcycles in our paddock with the addition of Triumph Racing. Under the unified effort that is the SMX League, the sport is bigger and better than ever, with a bright future ahead as organizers and manufacturers alike continue to prioritize the very individuals who make SMX the premier level of off-road racing by laying it all on the line each and every weekend.”
The eight manufacturers slated to contest the 2024 season broaden the global footprint of American motocross with representation from five different countries in Austria, England, Japan, Spain and Sweden. Moreover, with the recent introduction of Italian icon Ducati’s endeavor into motocross with its Desmo450, both a new manufacturer and country will enter the fray for the 2025 season. This growing populace of brands is also complemented by an even more diverse field of international racers that will go head-to-head against homegrown American talent. Last season, the Pro Motocross Championship welcomed an incredible 84 racers from 24 different countries outside the United States and anticipate participation from even more this summer as the SuperMotocross World Championship becomes further established within the motocross racing community worldwide.
All told, this unique assortment of manufacturers and athletes makes the Pro Motocross Championship one of the most globally diverse motorsports series on the planet, headlined by multi-national premier class champions from countries such as Australia (Jett Lawrence), France (Dylan Ferrandis), Germany (Ken Roczen), and the United States (Eli Tomac).
The 2024 Pro Motocross Championship is the centerpiece of the SuperMotocross World Championship, with an 11-round summer schedule that will visit 10 different states from late May through the end of August. The season will kick off on Memorial Day Weekend in Southern California with the Fox Raceway National on Saturday, May 25, from Fox Raceway at Pala.
Tickets are now available for all 11 rounds and can be purchased by visiting www.ProMotocross.com.
Main Image: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
