In October 2022, fans of dirt bike racing were in the off-season slump, where fans missed the racing action and often rewatched some of the best races of past seasons. However, on Oct. 6, 2022, the world of Supercross and Motocross racing was forever changed with the announcement of the SuperMotocross World Championship.
With this championship competition, fans have finally seen the combination of both disciplines of dirt bike racing. In years past, the two championships were separated and the season would be over at the finale of the motocross season. Now with this championship, both series and promoters combine to make a year-long season, with playoffs at the end of the year that comes with large payouts.
Throughout the whole year, the points scored in supercross and motocross go toward the rider’s season total points. At the end of the regular season, the top 20 go to the playoffs. The points are seeded, so the regular season championship starts with a three-point advantage, and it continues back for each other rider.
The SMX World Championship has brought better things to the sport, and the best thing has to be the payout for the riders. The 450 playoff champion gets a $1 million dollar purse payout, and the 250 champion gets $500,000. Every racer leaves with money at the end of the night, which is huge for the racers who are self-funded.
Another great benefit of this championship is how intense the racing gets. In the 2025 SMX World Championship race in Las Vegas, viewers were able to witness one of the greatest races in the past 10 years. The 250 and 450 classes had very close points going into the final races, making the entertainment as high as it could possibly be. Within two minutes of each race starting, fans were on their feet, cheering on the action.
However, with all new things come with their challenges. The playoffs having a points reset is great for the action, but if a racer has one bad race, their chances of winning the title are almost completely eliminated.
Fans have also complained about the format of racing leading in the favor of certain racers. For example, Jett Lawrence has won the 450 championship every year since its conception, and Haiden Deegan won back-to-back titles in the first two years. But these are two of the best racers in this sport’s current generation, and the championships add proof to their skill and talent.
Also, with the season being over 30 races long isn’t easy for the riders. By the time the year is over, the racers’ bodies are broken down. However, these racers are professionals for a reason, so they are able to handle these challenges.
Last year, Justin Cooper was the only racers in the 250 or 450 class to stay healthy enough to race every single regular season race, making him the regular season champion. Unfortunately, after a few mishaps within the playoffs, he dropped from first to fifth in the championship standings, which definitely hurt him and left his bank account a bit smaller than it could have been.
The SMX World Championship has brought positives and negatives to the world of racing, but there are so many more positives that cancel out the negatives.
With less than 50 days until the start of the 2026 season in Anaheim, Calif., every racer is getting prepped for the new year, and a new chance to become the SMX World Champion.
