Shop Rag: 2024 Fort Worth SMX Research
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Welcome to Fort Worth… it’s not Dallas!
Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) is a massive metroplex of nearly 8 million people (4th largest metropolitan area in the U.S.) and encompasses 11 counties in Texas. But Fort Worth is not Dallas.
The second round of the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championships at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth is a new venue market for the sport. While we count Arlington and Irving as suburbs of Dallas, Fort Worth is its own city (pop. 995,000) with a culture very different than Dallas. Nicknamed, “Cowtown”, it was established in 1849 under the motto: “Where the West begins”.
Here’s a list of cities, venues and year(s) where SX and MX have run since 1972:
Supercross
- Houston: Astrodome and NRG Stadium Stadium (1974-2023)*
- Dallas: Cotton Bowl (1983, 1990)
- Irving: Texas Stadium (1975-2008)*
- Arlington: AT&T Stadium (2010-pres.)
Pro Motocross
- San Antonio: Cycle-Rama (1975-1977)
- Wortham: Freestone Raceway (2007-2012)
- Natalia: Good Times Raceway (1987-1988)
- Lake Whitney: Lake Whitney Cycle Ranch (1973-1983)*
- Houston: Rio Bravo MX Park (1972-1979)*
*non-consecutive
Chase’s Biggest Race
Chase Sexton needs to win in Fort Worth. He needs to beat Jett Lawrence in the critical races and this one is critical.
SMX Round 2 at Texas Motor Speedway is potentially the biggest race of his career. Yes, I said career. That’s a big statement and that’s because it has a significant impact on this SMX series and the 2025 Supercross season.
- If Chase Sexton wins, he will extend his SMX Championship lead to +10 points. He could then finish 2nd in the Las Vegas final and still be the 2024 SMX Champion. With a win in Fort Worth, he controls his destiny.
BUT, if he finishes 2nd to Jett Lawrence in Fort Worth, he’ll enter the final round -2 pts and be in a must win situation. Even worse, if he finishes 3rd like he did in Charlotte, he’ll enter the final round -6 pts.
Chase Sexton vs Jett Lawrence
If history is any indicator, the odds are not in Chase’s favor. They have raced against each other in a combined 51 Supercross mains, Pro Motocross motos, and SuperMotocross motos (34 total events).
- Jett has won 41 of the 51 races (8 mains, 28 mx motos, 4 smx motos) while Chase has only 7 victories (2 mains, 3 mx motos, and 2 smx motos).
- The biggest advantage is raw speed. Jett has been fastest qualifier 22 of the 34 events vs. Chase’s 3 times. And in the races, Jett’s been fastest 26 times to Chase’s 11.
- The other key advantage is starts*… Jett Lawrence has averaged 3.6 which is a nearly 3 positions better than Chase who’s averaged 6.3 (*note this does not include SMX motos).
Lawrence vs. Sexton, all Mains & Motos
Balance of Power
Eli Tomac has been one of the best 450 riders in moto for the past decade. He’s won 6 championships (2 Supercross and 4 Pro Motocross) and is now ranked 2nd in all-time Supercross wins and 3rd in all-time Pro Motocross wins. Maybe most defining, he’s stood atop the podium the most of anyone in the history of the sport – and he continues to add more!
Sure, Cooper Webb (2 Supercross championships and 25 main event wins) and Ken Roczen (2 Pro Motocross championships and 22 Supercross wins) have been great, but they’ve not had quite the same success as Eli Tomac.
Maybe the biggest statement of Eli’s success is what Jett Lawrence said on the podium in Charlotte after beating Eli Tomac.
“Back in 2023 I was saying I really wanted to battle Eli in outdoors. This is as close to outdoors as we get, it was a really cool thing to do, and I can say a goal checked off. Or you could say a check off the bucket list.”
– Jett Lawrence after beating Eli Tomac in moto 2.
Interpret it how you’d like, but I hear the next great star of the sport showing respect to one of the all-time greats. He wants to beat the best from the previous generation. He wants to take the torch from Eli Tomac no different than Ricky Carmichael took it from Jeremy McGrath or James Stewart from Ricky Carmichael.
450 Career Stats: Tomac, Sexton, Lawrence
And similar to Chad Reed, Chase Sexton finds himself caught in the middle of two generational talents. At 24 years of age, Sexton started his career at Eli Tomac’s peak and he’ll finish his career at Jett Lawrence’s peak. Eerily similar to Chad Reed starting his at Carmichael’s peak and then facing off against James Stewart. Reed won 3 championships, again similar to Sexton with his now 2 championships.
It all leads to one thing – great racing! We get to see 3 incredibly talented riders battle on the biggest stage in the sport. Eli Tomac continues to add wins and podiums deep into his career at the same time Jett Lawrence looks to solidify his position as a great in the sport while Chase Sexton wants to delay Lawrence’s ascension.
Jett Lawrence Owns SMX
Just 2 years and 4 races into the creation of the SuperMotocross World Championship finals and the young Australian has solidified he’s THE rider. He’s now won 3 of the 4 rounds and only been off the moto podium once – the first moto of the 2023 series.
Jett vs. Chase: SMX Career Stats
Last year he finished the 2023 series with 3 moto wins and a 2nd place in the other moto (and that moto he seemed to allow a competitor pass). Said another way, he was near perfect when the points doubled and tripled.
Down -4 points to Chase Sexton in the championship, will we see him have the same success in 2024? Does Chase Sexton step up to the challenge? Does Eli Tomac win again?
Deegan Dominates
Haiden Deegan backed up his first Pro Motocross championship with a dominating performance at the first round of the SuperMotocross World Championships, but it’s clear that his eyes are on the current prize.
I don’t care who won what.
– Haiden Deegan referring to who won the 2024 Supercross and Pro Motocross championships.
What’s most impressive about his win in Playoff #1 at zMax Dragway in Charlotte is how he did it – Bad starts, unmatched speed, +14 positions, and two moto victories for the overall.
Haiden Deegan’s Race Stats, Playoff #1
- He started in an abysmal 9th in moto 1 and 7th in moto 2.
- He passed his championship rivals to finish a perfect 1-1.
- He was fastest rider on the track in both motos.
He’s now the second 250 rider (Hunter Lawrence, Joliet 2023) to sweep the motos in a SuperMotocross playoff round. More important, does he do it again this weekend in Fort Worth?!
Beaumer’s Beautiful Day
The rookie Julien Beaumer had a good season but we’d not seen a break-out ride until this past weekend where he stepped up to the playoff challenge and delivered his first career podium finish – 2nd overall (2-4).
- In Supercross he finished a season best 6th at Anaheim 1 and was 7th in the final 250 West standings.
- In Pro Motocross he finished a season best 4th in moto 1 at Budds Creek and had two 6th overalls (High Point, Budds Creek). Ultimately he finished 11th in the standings.
Julien Beaumer at Playoff #1
Most important, the rookie moved from 9th to 5th in the standings. If he’s able to replicate that at this weekend’s double points paying round in Fort Worth, it’s possible he could move into a podium position in the standings.
Title Contenders Falter
Heading into Playoff #1, 250 East Supercross Champion Tom Vialle, 250 West Supercross Champion RJ Hampshire, and USA MXdN representative Chance Hymas were expected to battle Haiden Deegan for the title. Each of them faltered.
Contenders Tough Playoff #1
- Tom Vialle is now -13 points to Deegan. With double and triple points races ahead, no need to panic, but he can’t afford another so-so weekend in Fort Worth.
- RJ Hampshire was in position for a significantly better finish before he crashed, but oddly never was close to the podium after he showed race winning speed as the fastest qualifier. He started as a #13 seed down -16 points and is now 10th in the standings down -28 points.
- Chance Hymas entered a #5 seed and exits in 9th, down -27 points. Most pressing is the status of his knee moving forward and not only the implications for the remaining two playoff races but also representing the USA at the beginning of October.