With six rounds remaining in the Monster Energy Supercross (SX) season and the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross (MX) seven weeks away, Davey Coombs sat down with SMX Insiders Jason Weigandt and Daniel Blair to evaluate the dramatic SX campaign and predict how it will carry over into the summer series.
For most of the first 11 rounds of the 2023 Supercross championship, the title battle has been a three-man race between last year’s Motocross champion Eli Tomac, Cooper Webb and Chase Sexton. As that series heads into the homestretch, Tomac and Webb are separating themselves from the pack, but that does not discount Sexton’s speed.
“Who would have thought at this point in the season we would have Eli and Cooper tied in points,” Coombs, President of MX Sports Pro Racing, said in the interview above. “Your No. 1 and No. 2 both with red plates and arguably the fastest guy has been Chase Sexton, who just has not been fast at the right time, which is at the end of the race when they give out the results.”
Coombs had ample opportunity to evaluate Sexton last year as he won four Motocross rounds, including the season opener at Fox Raceway in Pala, California, and stood on the podium in all but one overall race. He pursued Tomac until the very end of the season before ultimately coming up only seven points shy of the lead.
Points have added importance this year. Sexton currently sits 22 behind Tomac and Webb and will continue to tally points during the final six rounds of Supercross and throughout the Motocross season. Combined points will seed the final three-race SuperMotocross World Championship that gets underway September 9 at zMax Dragway in Charlotte, NC and Sexton can still be No. 1.
Looking forward to Pro Motocross, Coombs sees a lot of value in several riders. Notable among them will be Justin Cooper, who has the opportunity to compete in the 250 class in that series after being required to move into 450s this year by Supercross rules. (Cooper won the 2021 250 West championship and had one season to defend his title.)
“I don’t count Cooper as having even done Supercross [this season] even though he’s had three or four really good 450 rides,” Coombs said. “I think that Justin Cooper is the guy I’d be thinking of as my favorite for that opener at Fox Raceway.
“And as for Jett moving up, we watched the Motocross of Nations last September and saw him go straight up against Sexton, straight up against [Dylan] Ferrandis - I feel like he goes to the starting gate as a top-five guy, maybe even a podium guy.”
Lawrence moves from the 250 to 450 class for the Motocross season and earlier in the year he said once he moves into this class, he intends to remain there for the inaugural SuperMotocross World Championship.
The SuperMotocross World Championship is not the only new feature this year. NBC Sports announced earlier they will air all 31 rounds of the three combined series on Peacock, NBC, USA Network, CNBC, and NBC Sports digital platforms, providing seamless coverage.
The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross season kicks off May 27 at Fox Raceway.
The 2023 Pro Motocross Championship broadcast and streaming schedule:
| Date | Race Location | Platform/Network | Time (ET) |
| Sat., May 27 | Fox Raceway National | Peacock | 4 p.m. |
| Sat., June 3 | Hangtown Classic | Peacock | 4 p.m. |
| Sat., June 10 | Thunder Valley National | Peacock | 3 p.m. |
| Sat., June 17 | High Point National | Peacock | 1 p.m. |
| Sat., July 1 | RedBud National | Peacock | 1 p.m. |
| Sat., July 8 | Southwick National | Peacock, NBC | 1 p.m. |
| Sat., July 15 | Spring Creek National | Peacock | 2 p.m. |
| Sun., July 16 | Spring Creek National | USA Network* | Noon |
| Sat., July 22 | Washougal National | Peacock | 4 p.m. |
| Sat., Aug. 12 | Unadilla National | Peacock | 1 p.m. |
| Sat., Aug. 12 | Unadilla National | Peacock, NBC | 3 p.m. |
| Sat., Aug. 19 | Budds Creek National | Peacock | 1 p.m. |
| Sun., Aug. 20 | Budds Creek National | USA Network* | Noon |
| Sat., Aug. 26 | Ironman National | Peacock | 1 p.m. |
*Encore presentation