Troy Dog
The inaugural SuperMotocross Playoffs are about to start and there are a million and one storylines heading into this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. I figured what better way to go into the weekend than break down some scenarios that may happen as well as give you a refresher into what’s at stake.
The Jettson
I didn’t think a perfect season was possible in this day and age, but like Kevin Garnett said, “ANYTHING IS POSSIBLLLLLLE”. Jett hasn’t lost on a 450 and he’s got a crew of healthy 450 riders aiming for him on a hybrid track with A LOT of money on the line. Ken Roczen, Chase Sexton, Cooper Webb, Aaron Plessinger, Dylan Ferrandis, Jason Anderson, Adam Cianciarulo and company will be chomping at the bit to make sure SMX Playoffs are a fresh start. Can Jett carry the momentum, or will we see a different victor emerge?
Webb is Blue
Cooper Webb will be joining Star Racing Yamaha for the SMX Playoffs as well as 2024 SX. It’ll be a homecoming for Webb as Star was the team to bring him to the pro ranks and he rewarded them with titles soon after. Webb was never able to race a 450 for Star as he moved over to the Yamaha Factory Racing team after his 250 career was over. We haven’t seen Coop since his scary moment in Nashville when he crashed and his head was run over, unintentionally of course. Will the move to Star give Webb that extra bit of sauce that he needs to get this money? Remember, he was in the title hunt at Nashville…
The Forkner Factor
Austin Forkner has to race the LCQ each weekend of the playoffs. He’s the only factory supported rider in these races. With that being said, Forkner could play an incredible darkhorse to win these races. His Supercross skills are his strong point and if he keeps it on two wheels he’s always a threat to win. A quick LCQ will give him more track time and a nice little warm up for the two motos. Will Forkner win these playoffs?
Star Racing is Stacked
We know. The team has 800 riders and they’re all great. Here’s the thing, Hunter Lawrence has had their numbers all season. Hunter is going for a clean sweep of SX, MX, and SMX Playoffs. Star is the biggest team threat to stop the domination and they have Haiden Deegan, Levi Kitchen, Justin Cooper, and Jordon Smith ready to do battle. Will this be enough? Will Hunter continue his remarkable run, or will a Pro Circuit rider like Jo Shimoda or Austin Forkner peak at the right time?
LCQ Hype
I’m honestly excited for the LCQ’s. Both classes have main event riders who have put some great results in this season. I’m expecting to see some desperate passes and drama as these will be short races to get into some big money. Also, make note that these guys will have to race the LCQ at all three rounds of the playoffs. That means you Austin Forkner. Anything can and will happen in these races.
Points Game
Charlotte is single points, Chicago is double points, and LA is triple points. It’s a format the sport has never seen before and this is where a lot of scenarios are going to play out. I saw a post that Chris Blose put up on X that the money wasn’t too different from 11th to 20th place, however the big money payout will be combined with all three rounds. So, maybe that 15th to 12th place will make a huge difference in the final standings? We will have you covered on all of these scenarios in the coming weeks. Keep it locked here for all of your SMX Playoff coverage.
