2024 Charlotte Supermotocross | Pre-Race News Break

2024 CHARLOTTE SUPERMOTOCROSS | COMPLETE COVERAGE

It’s time for the 2024 Charlotte Supermotocross, the 29th race of the AMA season and Playoff One in the SuperMotocross World Championship. Today’s action in North Carolina will be the first of three events that will pay millions in purse money to the 27 250 riders and 29 450 riders that have earned a spot through seeding or are committed to the LCQs.

All three rounds are taking place on property owned by Speedway Motorsports, an auto racing group that owns more than a dozen NASCAR and NHRA-level facilities around the country.

Today’s track is like last year, albeit in reverse direction. It fills the four-lane strip and loops into a nearby clearing with a layout that features a split start, long rhythms, mixed terrain like red clay and sand, high-speed rollers, and massive jumps.

We’re in for an ideal day, as temperatures are forecasted to be in the mid-80s and earlier calls for rain have completely dissipated, but the blacktop and the lack of shade will make it feel much warmer.

The SMX rounds follow a two-day format, and Friday saw the introductory press conference, a massive pit party, and two Free Practice sessions for the riders.

Haiden Deegan set the pace in the 250 Class with a 1:45.307 lap, and was closely followed by Julien Beaumer’s 1:45.681 and Levi Kitchen’s 1:45.774. Chase Sexton’s 1:42.791 was the fastest of anyone on Friday, and it put him over a second ahead of Jett Lawrence’s 1:43.968 and Ken Roczen’s 1:44.630.

It was an eventful afternoon for some riders though, as Jason Anderson, Justin Barcia, Malcolm Stewart, and Aaron Plessinger all experienced crashes. Anderson and Barcia’s get-offs prompted medical check-ups for both, and they’ll make their final decision on Saturday morning about lining up.

Here’s how the top-ten are ranked in both classes after the points reset.

Haiden Deegan leads the 250 Class with 25, Levi Kitchen is second with 22, Tom Vialle third with 20, Jo Shimoda fourth with 18, Chance Hymas fifth with 17, Jordon Smith sixth with 16, Pierce Brown seventh with 15, Jalek Swoll eighth with 14, Julien Beaumer ninth with 13, and Ryder DiFrancesco tenth with 12.

The breakdown is the same in the 450 Class, with Chase Sexton ahead of Hunter Lawrence, Jason Anderson, Aaron Plessinger, Justin Cooper, Jett Lawrence, Malcolm Stewart, Dylan Ferrandis, Justin Barcia, and Cooper Webb.

Remember that today is a standard point day, not a multiplier like we’ll see in Texas or Nevada. The motos will go for 20-minutes and one lap, with a rider’s combined results in both determining their overall finish.