SMX Playoffs Rd 1 Charlotte Preview / Viewing Guide
It is time for the SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs Round 1 at zMax Dragway in Concord, NC. The top 30 racers in both the 450 class and 250 class qualified from the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and the AMA Pro Motocross Championship for combined points to have an opportunity for these final three Playoff rounds.
Yesterday was Press Day for the riders, the fans, and the media a chance to see these riders speak ahead of tomorrow’s round and witness the riders hit the track. The day started with a press conference including the top 10 in both classes and the 65cc World All-Star riders. For each round of this Playoff campaign, the riders will have a chance at two free practice rounds before Saturday’s event. This is something different from what we witness at both Supercross and Motocross series rounds throughout the year.
These three Playoff rounds allow camping at the races for the fans to be a part of the action from Friday to Saturday activities like taking part in the press conferences, watching the free practices, walking through the pits grabbing autographs, and much much more and that’s just on Friday. This is an addition that the SMX Playoffs are doing for the fans to get up close and personal with their favorite rider.
Photo Courtesy of Ayala Media / Josh Davey
Last year’s inaugural 450SMX Champion Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence and this year’s 450SX Champ is back from injury, early, to defend his title, and the new 250MX Champion, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racings Haiden Deegan, and last year’s inaugural 250SMX Champ is here to defend his title yet again this year. Big prize money for these riders again this year with the winner taking home $1 million to the 450SMX champion and $500,000 to the 250SMX title winner.
The riders took to the track for their first look at this year’s zMax Dragway track design and in the 450SMX class, it was Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac, who returned early to racing at Budds Creek in Pro Motocross to get some gate drops in before this SMX Playoffs, came out swinging setting the fastest lap time in that session. For the 2nd free practice session, the 450MX Champion on the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Chase Sexton was the quickest on track over nearly a second on the rest of the field. These times do not matter, with qualifying sessions the ones that truly do this morning.
Photo Courtesy of Ayala Media / Josh Davey
During the first 250SMX free practice, Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Gas Gas’s Pierce Brown came out firing setting the fastest time. He has had a quiet but solid season this year, completing every round up to this point and that was his goal that he stated in the press conference. During the second session, the defending 250SMX champion Haiden Deegan took that top spot.
Photo Courtesy of Ayala Media / Josh Davey
We start this morning with qualifying, then jump into the LCQs to grab those last remaining spots and finally drop the gate for the two 20 minutes + 1 lap motos.
The points reset entering this first round as well. Here are the points coming in, our Press Day YouTube video, the viewing guide along with the new live timing link down below.
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