Colt Nichols and Next Wave of FIM World Supercross Championship Competitors Announced

Justin Brayton, Vince Friese, Enzo Lopes, Chris Blose, Kyle Peters and more added to 2023 Championship teams’ lineups.

The 2023 FIM World Supercross Championship has continued to expand its global contingent of star athletes, announcing Colt Nichols, Justin Brayton, Vince Friese, Enzo Lopes, Chris Blose, and Kyle Peters, who have all been added to the six-round championship season.

With global sensation Ken Roczen recently announcing his return to WSX competition, SX Global CEO Adam Bailey said Roczen’s commitment and the growing list of international stars add further anticipation and excitement for fans attending this year’s events around the world.

“We’re building the World Supercross Championship for the fans first and foremost, and they are our motivation. There’s nothing more rewarding than witnessing their enjoyment when they experience WSX racing for the first time and get to see their heroes in action first-hand.”

Adam Bailey | SX Global CEO

“You can feel the energy building for the season opener in Birmingham. If you’re a hardcore supercross fan or just looking to experience the most entertaining motorsport on the planet, you have to be at Villa Park on the first of July.”

“It’s fantastic to see so many of the top riders from 2022 returning and new faces joining WSX for our first official season. It’s been an enormous amount of work, but the increased depth of talent in 2023 proves we’re building a product that the world’s best athletes want to win, and I’m proud of that,” said Bailey.

2021 AMA 250SX East Region Champion Nichols makes the move to the World Supercross Championship for the first time. He joins Rick Ware Racing and is eager to test his mettle against the best riders in the world after a breakout season in the US domestic championship.

Henry Miller returns to Rick Ware Racing for a second season of international competition alongside defending SX2 World Champion Shane McElrath.

Debuting for the Honda NILS team is 2022 SX2 3rd place getter Chris Blose. Blose will be joined by World Supercross Championship newcomer and four-time AMA Arenacross Champion Kyle Peters, who will also compete in the SX2 class for Honda NILS.

MotoConcepts’ mainstay Vince Friese, who finished 3rd on the podium in the WSX class in 2022 after a controversial finish, will be joined by seasoned AMA 250cc and 450cc winner Cole Seely, who is stepping up to the premier WSX class.

In SX2, Mitchell Oldenburg also returns to the MotoConcepts squad alongside veteran racer Michael Alessi, who will make his return to supercross competition.

The Yarrive Konsky-led Fire Power Honda team further strengthens its competitive lineup with international supercross specialist and AMA 450cc race winner Justin Brayton joining teammates Max Anstie and Dean Wilson.

Justin Brayton has experienced great success under Konsky’s management in the Australian and AMA Supercross Championships. He moves across to Konsky’s WSX team to compete on the Fire Power Honda-built Honda CRF450R.

Having had a breakout season in this year’s AMA Supercross 250cc West Coast Championship, Enzo Lopes will give the Brazilian fans a reason to cheer. He’s returning to the Club MX FXR team and competing in the SX2 class.

Canadian Cole Thompson will join Lopes in SX2, while Matt Moss (making a recent switch from MDK Motorsports) and Luke Neese will represent the team in the WSX class.

The MDK Motorsports squad will see former AMA 250cc East Coast Champion and fan favourite Justin Bogle return to the team to contest the SX2 class and welcome newcomer Cade Clason, who will race in the WSX class.

Tickets for the 2023 FIM World Supercross Championship season-opening rounds are on sale now. Visit the WSX Championship website to find out more.

Pilot Season for FIM World Supercross Championship culminates in Melbourne where four Champions will be Crowned

Pilot Season for FIM World Supercross Championship culminates in Melbourne where four Champions will be Crowned

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Germany’s Ken Roczen and American Vince Friese To Battle It Out For WSX (450cc Class) Championship Australian Aaron Tanti Looks To Upstage American Shane McElrath And Make History In The First Australian Grand Prix By Bringing Home The SX2 (250cc Class) Championship

AUSTRALIA – October 21, 2022 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – The FIM World Supercross Championship descends into Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia on October 22nd for the culmination of its pilot season with the Australian Grand Prix. History will be made as four FIM World Champions will be crowned, with the WSX, SX2, Team, and Manufacturer championships all up for grabs.

The WSX Class Championship will be headlined by a battle between Germany’s iconic Honda Genuine rider, Ken Roczen, and hard-charging American, Vince Friese, riding for MotoConcepts Honda. Both riders are in prime position to take home the title of FIM World Champion with several other 450 riders in the mix looking to spoil Roczen and Friese’s chances. Round one wildcard, Eli Tomac – who dominated Cardiff sweeping all three main event heats – will not be heading to Australia, leaving the Championship fight between Roczen and Friese – with just three points separating the two riders.

Within striking distance of the WSX Championship is is Honda’s Justin Brayton, just eight points off the lead, and American CDR Yamaha rider Josh Hill – who has won rounds of the Australian Supercross Championship in the past – sitting 17 points out heading into Melbourne.

The Melbourne event had looked to be a dramatic homecoming for Chad Reed after coming out of retirement at the age of 40 for this year’s pilot season. Unfortunately for Reed, the British Grand Prix proved catastrophic when a fuel pump failure on his MDK Motorsport KTM threw him off-track during his heat race, resulting in a dislocated shoulder, broken hand, and broken ribs. Having already returned to Australia, Reed underwent surgery this week and is expected to make a full recovery.

In addition to Reed, MDK Motorsports rider Josh Grant was injured in Cardiff and will also be out for the final round in Melbourne. As a result of the two injuries, Australian replacement riders Joel Wightman and Jackson Richardson will race for MDK Motorsports in Melbourne.

Although Australian legend Chad Reed is out of action for this weekend’s event, fellow countryman and Aaron Tanti has a chance to make history. The Craig Dack Racing rider and local favorite comes into Melbourne just eight points behind SX2 points leader, Shane McElrath, riding for Rick Ware Racing.  Tanti’s local storyline aside, the SX2 Championship battle will be intense with Americans Chris Blose and Mitchell Oldenberg only one and two points back of McElrath respectively.

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The FIM World Supercross Championship pits 10 licensed teams from Australia, America, Italy, and France against each other, including NASCAR and IndyCar team owner, Rick Ware and two Australian teams – Honda Genuine and Craig Dack Racing. Each team fields two riders in both the WSX and SX2 classes.

Joining the 40 licensed team riders are two local wildcards in each category, with Melbourne’s WSX additions being led by South Australian KTM veteran, Brett Metcalfe. The multiple-time Australian Champion will compete against the best in the world from America, Germany, France, Italy, and Sweden. Joining him as a Melbourne wildcard is 26-year-old Aussie young gun, Kyle Webster. The SX2 Australian Grand Prix wildcards, Rhys Budd and Nathan Crawford, are a duo that has been at the top of their game in Australian motocross and Supercross competition.

While the WSX Australian Grand Prix Round takes place on Saturday, the supercross action at Marvel Stadium gets underway on Friday, with the first round of the Australian Supercross Championship, along with the first practice round for WSX Australian Grand Prix.

The weekend’s high-flying supercross and freestyle motocross action will be supported by leading Australian recording artists – Peking Duk (Friday) and Bliss N Eso (Saturday). Fans will get the chance to meet their heroes during autograph sessions on Friday from 4 p.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday from 12 p.m.-1 p.m.

Tickets are available now at Ticketmaster.com and for more information on the FIM World Supercross Championship, visit www.wsxchampionship.com or follow the WSX Championship on Facebook and Instagram.

Source: SX Global Pty Ltd.

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Perfect Tomac Wins Inaugural World Supercross Championship Grand Prix

Perfect Tomac Wins Inaugural World Supercross Championship Grand Prix, which took place in Cardiff’s Principality Stadium today.

Perfect Tomac Wins Inaugural World Supercross Championship Grand Prix, which took place in Cardiff’s Principality Stadium today.

Perfect Tomac Wins Inaugural World Supercross Championship Grand Prix, which took place in Cardiff’s Principality Stadium today.

Perfect Tomac Wins Inaugural World Supercross Championship Grand Prix, which took place in Cardiff’s Principality Stadium today.

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Tomac makes history by winning the first ever FIM World Supercross Championship Grand Prix SX2 overall victory goes to Shane McElrath Highs and lows for…

SX2 overall victory goes to Shane McElrath

Highs and lows for home hero Anstie who missed overall podium despite heat and main event victories

AUSTRALIA – October 10, 2022 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – A perfect score for Eli Tomac saw him win the inaugural FIM World Supercross Championship Grand Prix, which took place in Cardiff’s Principality Stadium today. The American secured the WSX (450) class win with three GP race victories, while compatriot Shane McElrath took the overall honours in the SX2 (250) class.

The wait was finally over for world championship racing in the sport of supercross to finally go global, as fans packed into Wales’ national stadium in the heart of the country’s capital. And the world class racing on display was only part of the show, as freestyle motocross shows, a live performance from music megastar AJ Tracey, and fireworks and pyrotechnics wowed crowds that had queued in their thousands.

Tomac – a wildcard this weekend – was third quickest in qualifying, behind Rick Ware Racing’s Joey Savatgy and pace-setter Ken Roczen. And it was Roczen who was shaping up to be the man to beat; winning his heat and setting the fastest lap in the night’s superpole session with a huge quad in the rhythm section wowing fans.

Unfortunately for him, things began to unravel for the German in the GP race main events. Leading the first of three he was caught out by the changing track conditions, crashing and handing the lead to Tomac. He recovered to finish third, behind fellow Honda pilot Vince Friese on the MotoConcepts machine.

It was a Tomac, Roczen one-two in the second of the three GP races, with the pair having to fight through the field, before Tomac made it three from three in the third to cap a perfect evening. While Savatgy was second in the final race, the MotoConcepts outfit bagged two more GP race top-three finishes, with Friese and teammate Justin Brayton taking a third apiece.

With all the points tallied up, Tomac was the clear winner, with Roczen and Friese completing the night’s podium.

“To be honest I started off a little bit slow and Ken [Roczen] rode really well in that heat race and in the superpole I just never manned up for the quad, to be straight up,” world championship leader Eli Tomac said. “That thing was a big nope I was going to stay with the triple-single and it ended up working out. All three mains were a little bit different; obviously I got the gift from Ken in the first and then had to make a couple of passes in the second but I think the most technical part of the night was the dirt: it was tough, very hard pack. I actually almost fell in the third, near the mechanics in that last left-hander. But overall I just enjoyed the whole schedule and the racing. Coming in here I thought that the eight and 12-lap races were going to be a little short but that wasn’t easy and it obviously showcased some good racing and I had a lot of fun doing it. The World Supercross Championship is real: it was a real supercross and nothing was second level with it, it was all first class and it was great to see the big crowd here. It was really cool to see the stadium filled up. To be honest I was looking at it thinking this is a big stadium but I think we filled it pretty well.”

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Ken Roczen said on finishing second on the night, “In my superpole lap I wasn’t quite as clean as I wanted to be in the beginning, but the quad was huge and I wasn’t really planning on it but I saw Josh [Hill] do it. What made it really nice though was that it set me up real nice for the turn because I didn’t have to do that single into it with how slippery it was. In that first main event, obviously things happened really quick but from what I could tell there was a tiny line or ledge and the angle I was coming in on, I just wasn’t set up for it. It was so minimal but it just happened so fast. I tried to save it but I couldn’t. It was a bit of a bummer because it felt like it was set up to be a really good race. But it was tough out there and you couldn’t really rely on anything out on track because the berms were really flat. But it made for some great racing tonight.”

“I had pretty good starts and sprinted really hard in the first two mains and that third one I kind of just managed the podium,” Vince Friese said of his night. “I knew these guys were pretty quick all night and I didn’t really want to put up too much of a fight for that, I just secured the podium spot, as I had my eye on my teammate and a couple of the guys who were close on points with me but I got it done and I couldn’t be happier. It’s really cool to be in contention for the title but it’s just cool to even be on the podium with these two guys. It’s awesome for me and I’m trying to inch my way closer to their level. I’ve got a little bit to go but I’ve made some improvement.”

In the SX2 category McElrath, who finished third in his heat race, took the overall victory for Rick Ware Racing and leads the championship standings by a single point after going fourth, third, fifth in the night’s three GP races, highlighting the importance of consistency in the World Supercross Championship’s main event format.

Chris Blose’s second place in the first GP race aboard his Bud Racing Kawasaki gave him a good haul of points that meant he would take second overall on the night, despite taking fourth and eighth place finishes in GP race two and three.

While finishing on the overall podium in third, MotoConcepts Honda’s Mitchell Oldenburg will arguably be going home disappointed after winning the first and third GP races, but a disastrous second GP race – that saw him crash into the back of Pipes Motorsport’s Derek Kelly and take a heavy fall – cost him the overall victory on the night.

Home hero Max Anstie’s British Grand Prix got off to a perfect start, as he won his heat race, coming from behind to hit the front and pull away. The Honda Genuine Honda Racing rider also won the second GP race, but average starts left him with work to do in race one and three, and he could only manage 11th and 10th for sixth overall.

“Winner of the first ever World Supercross Championship SX2 race has a pretty good ring to it,” Shane McElrath reflected. “This was a lot of work to get everything ready to go in minimal prep time, for a lot of guys. Coming here was like, okay, we’re all kind of starting from the same level, and the track was really good. I felt good on the bike and we were really learning every time out there. Here for the first ever world supercross event has been a blast and there’s been some really good competition, really good racing between our class and the WSX class, and I’m very excited for the future of this. It’s big.”

Chris Blose said of the new event structure, “I raced this format in 2019 at the Aus X Open so I was a little familiar with it but it was very similar and very chaotic, and you’ve got to be on it in the main events. I think everyone up here had one bad race and it’s just trying to eliminate those, recover in between the main events. But you know what, being here has been an awesome opportunity and I’m very thankful, and I’m looking forward to the future of the World Supercross Championship, and the many more rounds that are going to come.”

“I need to be smarter than that bone headed move on my part,” Mitchell Oldenburg said on missing out on the win. “I put myself in a bad position on the jump after the guys around me on the start flinched and I fell for it. I came around bad and in the chaos I made a bad move and I’ve got to be smarter than that. But I really enjoyed myself in Cardiff and I had a lot of fun here this weekend. It’s been a blast from the get go and I’m really looking forward to Australia.”

Australian superstar Chad Reed’s return to competitive racing was, sadly, cut short, the former world champion crashing heavily in his heat race. He sat out the rest of the night’s action, with a view to making a return at his home Grand Prix in Melbourne, Australia in two week’s time.

Source: SX Global Pty Ltd.

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