VOLUME 59 ISSUE 34 AUGUST 23, 2022 P137
schedule in coming years. It will
be interesting when that sched-
ule comes out.
The SMX is the newest col-
laboration between the two big
American promoters, Feld and
MX Sports. They've teamed up
to make one giant series within
two separate series, which
spans the current Supercross
and Motocross Championship
and pays points throughout the
year. From what we understand,
the top 20 riders in each class
will be eligible to race in three
"playoff" rounds which will be
held on a hybrid-style track
(think Monster Cup). Points
from those rounds will then earn
someone the SuperMotocross
World Championship crown.
In theory, three different riders
could win throughout the year:
one Supercross, one motocross
and one SuperMotocross. It's
something new and we will learn
more down the road when more
details from Feld and MX Sports
are revealed.
But let's play a game of
hypotheticals here. As a rider,
this could be good. More racing
means more chances to put mon-
ey in your pocket. And if you're a
Supercross specialist, maybe this
is your shot to ride stadiums year-
round. No more hot summers
and no more 30-plus-two motos.
But hopefully your team is okay
with you choosing which sched-
ule you'd like to run. In the case
of KTM USA, we've yet to see
any support from them regarding
the new WSX series. Same goes
for Kawasaki, as none of their
U.S. riders have been confirmed,
either. This gives us the idea that
they'll be competing in the SMX
Championship, which is basically
the current American schedule.
From a team's perspective,
more racing means more money.
More travel, more parts, more
time, more money. That's the
bottom line. The WSX grid is
composed mostly of privately
funded or European-run efforts.
Teams like MotoConcepts,
MDK Motorsports and Rick
Ware Racing are all privately
run ventures that seem to have
enough "resources" to fund a
new racing venture. The others,
Craig Dack Yamaha, Bud Racing
Kawasaki and Honda NILS are
all staples in the MXGP or Aus-
tralian Championships. The WSX
promoters do plan on off-setting
team costs, but, in the end,
international travel for big teams
will come with a hefty price tag.
Justin Brayton made a com-
ment that really resonated with
me regarding this topic. In short,
he said that Supercross and
motocross are about the same
as indoor and beach volleyball.
Sure, they're both volleyball,
but the technique, training and
physical exertion required to play
each one makes them two en-
tirely different games. Brayton's
choice to race the WSX route is
an easy insight to his opinion on
the two options.
Eventually the two schedules
will overlap and there will be
choices for everyone involved:
Which series to run, which
teams to ride for, and which
schedule to adopt. But for fans,
it's an easy choice. We can sup-
port both endeavors and enjoy
more racing than we know what
to do with.
CN
Supercross, motocross,
World Supercross and
SuperMotocross—racers
have more options than ever.
PHOTO: BROWNDOG WILSON
