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The 2023 Monster Energy Supercross series is complete and Chase Sexton is the new champion. The three-way battle that so many dreamt of did not materialise and the final round was a bit of a snoozer, so there is not much to talk about. It was the Sexton show from start to end. Anyway, seeing as there is little to unpack from Rice Eccles Stadium, let’s take a look at the year that was for some of the huge names in Monster Energy Supercross.
Chase Sexton: A+
There is no doubt that Chase Sexton deserves the 450SX title and anyone who suggests otherwise is uninformed. Sexton had the “wow” factor from that moment that the gates fell inside of Angel Stadium and was clearly the fastest rider in all conditions. There are so many standout moments from his term; Anaheim 2, Houston practice, the first main in Arlington, Detroit’s composure and Atlanta’s dominance are just a few moments that leap to mind. Would he have won without the problem that Eli Tomac ran into? We will never know, but it was not over. This scribe is ready to stamp ’23’ as the heavy favourite for the 2024 Monster Energy Supercross title.
Eli Tomac: A+
Eli Tomac did all that he could in the 2023 Monster Energy Supercross series. Cruel luck was all that stood in his way! Was he the quickest rider? Absolutely not, but he was an ever-present fixture in the top three and won more than the others (seven wins to the six that Sexton had). There were very real concerns about the new YZ450F and how he would adapt to that – there were even rumours that he was in disarray in the week before Anaheim 1. There were some problems in the whoops, but he kept his head above the water and never showed any significant weaknesses. There’s no doubt that he was concerned about Sexton’s raw pace at points though.
Cooper Webb: A-
Cooper Webb’s season confuses me. It was great, because he was in the title hunt from start to finish (the finish of his season anyway). Dive into the numbers and the fact that he only had two victories in fourteen rounds jumps off the page. One of those was a little gift too, because Sexton got held up by a backmarker and Webb cruised by. ‘2’ admitted that his lack of wins bothered him, but the issue was even deeper than that. There were not many laps led – Justin Barcia and Ken Roczen spent more time at the front. Put simply, that needs to be addressed if he will win the title next year. Expect to see him on Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing too.
Ken Roczen: A
Should A+ be next to Ken Roczen’s name? Perhaps. Expectations were so slow as the first round was approaching. No one was certain whether his head was in the game nor were they confident that the Progressive Insurance Ecstar Suzuki team could handle such a talent. Those doubts were calmed once the second half of the season was breached. Winning in Indianapolis was huge, of course, but the fact that he stayed in contention in the races that followed was an even bigger statement. Roczen has not committed to ‘yellow’ yet but expect that to happen soon. There are not really alternative options for him.
Justin Barcia: A+
Truthfully, could Justin Barcia have done much more in 2024 Monster Energy Supercross? The results were a little rocky to begin with, sure, but the speed and potential was clearly there. ’51’ burst through his own glass ceiling and joined the elite trio of Sexton, Tomac and Webb in the second half. There is almost scope for one to claim that he was Austria’s greatest hope, ahead of Webb, and that is far from what anyone expected in January. Barcia has a two-year deal with the Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing and will want to be in title contention next year.
Jason Anderson: D
Honestly, even a D may not represent just how bad Jason Anderson’s season was. Was he the quickest qualifier on two occasions? Sure. Was he on the podium twice? Yeah. There are so many athletes who would clammer for those accolades, but ’21’ was meant to be a title contender and he was never even in that picture. Some say that crash at Anaheim 1 did more damage than anyone actually realised, but he never got going. There was no point where it felt like he was “on” and it was just terrible. Kawasaki will be desperate to forget that 2023 Monster Energy Supercross ever happened.
