Keen to put a challenging 2023 Pro Motocross Championship campaign behind him, Chase Sexton offered a reminder of why he was in a position to capture the 2023 Monster Energy Supercross 450SX title in the form of a dominant 1-1 performance in the first of three SuperMotocross World Championship playoff rounds in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Justin Barcia executed the split start best at the unique zMAX Dragway track and controlled the early moments of the first 450SMX race aboard his TLD Red Bull GasGas-prepared machine.

Privateer rider Ty Masterpool held second before Sexton worked past both Masterpool and Barcia for the lead.

The reigning 450SX champion led 16 of the race’s 17 laps, beating Dylan Ferrandis (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) to the checkers by 8.871s for his first victory since the Supercross season-ending Salt Lake City round.

Ken Roczen (Progressive Insurance Ecstar Suzuki) claimed third, with Jason Anderson (Monster Energy Kawasaki), Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM), and Barcia finishing fourth, fifth, and sixth to join the podium finishers in beating Lawrence, who closed out a perfect Pro Motocross Championship season two weeks ago.

Seventh in his first Supercross-style race on a Honda CRF450R marks Lawrence’s worst result since he finished ninth overall due to an engine failure in 250MX at last year’s RedBud National.

In his first race on the Star Racing-prepared Yamaha YZ450F, Cooper Webb came home eighth, leading Adam Cianciarulo (Monster Energy Kawasaki) and Garrett Marchbanks (Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha) in rounding out the top 10.

In the midst of a second strong start for privateer hero Masterpool and a crash while running near the front for Cianciarulo, Roczen moved into the early lead aboard his Suzuki as the concluding 450SMX moto began.

Once Sexton was able to work past Masterpool and begin to pursue Roczen from the second position, the overall as they ran fell into the hands of the Honda rider. With a few blisteringly fast 1:14s laps, Sexton ran down Roczen and turned a 1-1 result in the first SuperMotocross race into a reality.

Nearing the white flag, Lawrence also passed Roczen but could only come within 6s of his victorious teammate at the end. Lawrence’s 7-2 finishes in the day’s two races gave the undefeated Pro Motocross champion fourth overall, while Roczen and Ferrandis joined Sexton on the podium with 3-3 and 2-4 results, respectively.

The middle of the three-round SuperMotocross playoff series is next, set for September 16 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois. With double points on offer, Sexton will head to Chicago with a 12-point lead in the SMX standings over Lawrence and Plessinger, who are tied with 38. Ferrandis and Roczen are next with 37 and 36, respectively.

Detailed results