Breakdown: SuperMotocross World Championship Structure Ahead of Round 1 in North Carolina

It's Race Week for Round 1 of the 2nd running of the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) Playoffs, starting with the first gate drop this Saturday at the iconic zMax Dragway at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, NC. Let's take a look at what to expect with the event and points structure, reigning champions, points fund breakdown, 2023 Charlotte highlights, zMax Dragway track maps, and current points standings leading into Saturday's racing:

SMX Structure

The top international motocross racers come together after the Monster Energy AMA Supercross and AMA Pro Motocross campaigns for combined points leading into the three-round SMX Playoffs. These tracks provide a mix of Supercross and Motocross throughout the three rounds. The three Playoff rounds: Round 1 at zMax Dragway on September 7th, Round 2 at Texas Motor Speedway on September 14th, and the Finale at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on September 21st, all live on Peacock.

At each round of the Playoffs, we will also get to witness the best up-and-coming stars of motocross hit center stage with the 65cc SMX World All-Stars in Round 1 (9 to 11 yr olds), the SuperMini SMX World All-Stars in Round 2 (12 to 16 yrs old), and the 250SMX World All-Stars (14 yrs old and above) at the Finale round in Las Vegas. These young riders will put themselves to the test in front of thousands of fans to see who is victorious on the main stage.

The top 20 seeded in combined points are qualified straight into the two main events for each class at each round (450SMX & 250SMX), and 21-30th will have a shot to transfer from the LCQ (Last Chance Qualifier) to make it to those mains. The top 2 from the LCQs will make "the show." If a seeded rider cannot compete for any reason, an additional opportunity will be available for a racer to qualify through that LCQ.

The SuperMotocross World Championship will implement a unique points system specifically for the playoff rounds. For the final three races, points will be reset, with the top seed starting at 25 points, the second seed at 22 points, the third seed at 20 points, and the fourth seed at 18 points. Each subsequent seed down to the 20th will receive one point less than the previous. Riders ranked outside the top 20 in combined points will begin the playoffs with zero points.

Each moto will be 20 minutes plus one lap, in which Olympic scoring will determine an overall finishing position for each round

Playoff 1 will follow the standard points structure, while Playoff 2 will offer double points. The SMX Finale in Las Vegas will award triple points, ensuring an unpredictable battle for the title.

At the end of the three-round Finale, the 450SMX Champion will take home $1 million, and the 250SMX Champion will bring in $500,000. Last year's inaugural winners were Team Honda HRC's Australian rookie (at the time), Jett Lawrence, in the 450SMX division, and another rookie (at the time) in the 250SMX class, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing's and Californian Haiden Deegan. Both riders have been running the blue & gold number plates throughout the year, different than the rest of the field, signaling they are the reigning champions.

Let's not forget the riders who aren't at the front of the field but are going after the funds by achieving their best standing and placings at the Finale in Las Vegas for their chance at some significant money. Those privateers and "non-factory" riders deserve recognition for their placings and money taken home at the end of their endeavors throughout this 2024 season.

450SMX Points Fund Breakdown

250SMX Points Fund Breakdown

2023 Round 1 Charlotte Highlights

2024 zMax Dragway Track Maps

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2024 450SMX Combined Points

250SMX Combined Points

We are guaranteed great racing for these three Playoff rounds. For tickets, fan zone, VIP, camping, or more information, please visit the SuperMotocross website.