T-Dog’s Takes: The World Supercross Championship Lineup is Unpredictable

Notice that this column now has a sponsor? That’s right! Troy Dog joined the Blu Cru and you should too! I have one in my garage right now and I can’t wait to go shred it! Thank you to Yamaha for believing in my ELITE columns on this dirt bike website enough to sponsor me. What a dream come true! BTW: Have you seen the all-new YZ450F? OH. MY. GOODNESS. I can’t wait to test that bad boy.

The World Supercross Championship is quickly approaching! We are just two weeks away from the first round in Cardiff, Wales! I’ve been getting excited for this championship and it’s definitely racing that you need to tune into as well. The TV package will be announced soon, but we do know that my pals Ralph Sheheen and Jeff Emig will handle the announcing duties. I also had a conversation with SX Global’s Adam Bailey a couple of weeks ago to explain the championship more in depth. Adam gave me a lot of great insight on what to expect during the race day and also talked about what makes this championship different from Monster Energy Supercross. We also went over the racing format that includes a Superpole, a three main event format, and discussed what went into those decisions. You really should give it a read if you haven’t.  

I went through all of the press releases and put together a roster to help you know who is riding what class and for which team. I’m here for you people.

WSX (450)

Ken Roczen – Honda Genuine
Eli Tomac – Cardiff Wildcard
Josh Grant – MDK
Chad Reed – MDK
Josh Hill – CDR Yamaha
Luke Clout – CDR Yamaha
Fredrik Noren – PMG Suzuki
Brandon Hartranft – PMG Suzuki
Ryan Breece – Rick Ware Racing
Joey Savatgy – Rick Ware Racing
Cade Clason – ClubMX Yamaha
Grant Harlan – ClubMX Yamaha
Cedric Soubeyras – BUD Racing Kawasaki
Gregory Aranda- Bud Racing Kawasaki
Justin Brayton – Motoconcepts Honda
Vince Friese – Motoconcepts Honda
Anthony Bourdon – Team GSM
Thomas Ramette – Team GSM
Angelo Pellegrini – Honda NILS
Jordi Tixier – Honda NILS

SX2 (250)

Shane McElrath – Rick Ware Racing
Colt Nichols – Rick Ware Racing
Jace Owen – ClubMX Yamaha
Phil Nicoletti – ClubMX Yamaha
Marshal Weltin – PMG Suzuki
Dylan Schwartz – PMG Suzuki
Derek Drake – MDK
Justin Bogle – MDK
Maxime Desprey – Team GSM
Carson Brown – Team GSM
Matt Moss – BUD Racing Kawasaki
Chris Blose – BUD Racing Kawasaki
Max Anstie – Honda Genuine
Wilson Todd – Honda Genuine
Aaron Tanti – CDR Yamaha
Kyle Chisholm – CDR Yamaha
Mitchell Oldenburg – Motoconcepts Honda
Cole Seely – Motoconcepts Honda
Lorenzo Camporese – Honda NILS
Thomas Do – Honda NILS

We might see a few other names pop up on this roster as we get closer to the first round in Wales. I have heard of at least one other rider who has not been announced yet. So stay tuned to that.

The WSX Championship is going to be exciting. It has several big names and everyone on the line has accomplished some great results in supercross, whether it be in the USA or overseas racing. The three main event format will provide a chance for these races to not be a runaway. In Wales, Tomac and Roczen will be the guys looking for the win, but several veterans will also be wildcards entering the first round. Reed, Brayton, Grant, Friese, and Hill all are Supercross specialists these days, so it’ll be interesting to see how they end up. Then you throw in some overseas talent that we have seen in the USA from time to time like Ramette, Pellegrini, Clout, and Soubeyras. Add to that list Hartranft, Harlan, Noren, Clason, Tixier, and Breece? We’ve got ourselves an exciting class full of unpredictability.

The SX2 breakdown will be harder to decipher, especially with only two rounds as a sample size. Guys like Bogle, McElrath, Nichols, and Seely have won races in the Monster Energy Supercross. Bogle and Nichols are 250 SX champions. The other riders in the class are hungry to prove they belong on the podium and the racing environment should make for some unpredictable racing. Remember, this championship has put up a lot of prize money for finishing positions. Guys are going to be sending it harder for a chance at a big payday. 

No matter where you look, the riders in the WSX Championship all have their own unique story of how they got here in their careers. Some are just getting their first chance at a team ride, while others are veterans who have seen and done everything in this sport. This is the perfect amount of ingredients to add to an exciting new championship. Cardiff, get ready, because you have a great show heading your way!

Main image: World Supercross