Lucas Oil Pro Motocross And Monster Energy Supercross Partner To Create SuperMotocross World Championship

In a move designed to strengthen both forms of the popular series, the partnership between the premier outdoor series and stadium series will create the richest purse in the history of either.

The announcement made on Tuesday by MX Sports Pro Racing and Feld Motor Sports, Inc., would see a new playoff series and championship with a purse of $10 million.

The alliance between the two series will start in 2023 and conclude with the SuperMotocross World Championship on Saturday, October 14 at the LA Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles.

The alliance does not affect the individual series. Both Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross will continue to crown their champions. But in creating an alliance between the two American Motorcycle Association (AMA) sanctioned series, it becomes a more formable platform for sponsors, television, and excitement for fans.

After both series end, the top 22 riders in the 250cc and 450cc classes in combined Supercross and Pro Motocross points will qualify to compete in the two SuperMotocross Playoff Rounds and World Championship round for the SuperMotocross #1 plate for the large purse.

Details on the playoff format and playoff locations will be forthcoming after today’s announcement.

“With the creation of the SuperMotocross World Championship, we are taking a significant step towards growing the sport into a series that will be better suited for the expanding global marketplace and its impact on our fans and sponsors,” said Kenneth Feld, Chair and CEO of Feld Entertainment, Inc. “As media and technology continue to evolve, SuperMotocross will be able to capitalize on these innovations to reach new audiences and grow exponentially in the coming years.”

The alliance – over two years in the making – has received broad support from the manufacturers. KTM, Husqvarna, GASGAS, Kawasaki, Honda, Yamaha, and Suzuki have all committed to supporting the partnership.

“The creation of the SuperMotocross World Championship is the biggest and most positive step to ever happen in our sport,” said Roger De Coster, Director of Motorsports, KTM Group North America. “Supercross and Motocross racing in the U.S. is very strong right now and this investment from Feld Motor Sports and MX Sports Pro Racing will bring the next generation of fans to motorcycling.”

“The SuperMotocross World Championship is an important and necessary step forward for our sport,” stated Chris Brull, Kawasaki Vice President of Marketing and Racing. “The collaboration between Feld Motor Sports and MX Sports Pro Racing further strengthens Kawasaki’s commitment to this new world championship and to the already well-established and successful Supercross and Motocross championships.”

The alliance is designed to create a new style of racing in which the more wide-open aspect of the outdoor series on natural terrain is combined with the tighter, man-made track layouts that are seen inside ballparks and football stadiums that are hosted in major markets. Plans are for a hybrid track design in major venues that can support these new custom-built tracks.

The culmination of a World Championship between the two racing disciplines creates hype that should lure sponsors and a television event to see who the best racers are between the two series.

Unlike stick and ball sports, the two racing series are almost exclusively supported by a large well of consumers and amateur racers. While there are media rights for both the outdoor Pro Motocross and Supercross series, fan attendance at race events fuels stability in the industry.

Largely born out of the pandemic, Feld Motor Sports and MX Sports Pro Racing partnered to help survive the lack of fans in attendance with COVID restrictions. Leadership between the two series will not be affected.

“We are celebrating 50 years of American Motocross this season and the creation of the SuperMotocross World Championship and working in unison with Supercross may be one of the most significant changes the sport has ever undertaken,” said Carrie Coombs-Russell, Chief Executive Officer, MX Sports Pro Racing. “This collaboration will create the only off-road racing series on the planet that provides a fully supported infrastructure, from amateur development to the professional ranks for global competitors to race on the world’s most challenging and demanding tracks.”