Well, the 2024 SMX Playoffs opening round is now in the books. It was an exciting start to the three-round Playoff Series, as fans were able to watch all of the top riders compete in Charlotte. Eli Tomac was back from his thumb injury, as was defending SMX 450 Champion Jett Lawrence. Ken Roczen, Cooper Webb, newly crowned 450 Pro Motocross Champion, and current SMX points leader Chase Sexton were all ready to challenge for the victory. In the end, Jett Lawrence used a 2-1 moto score to beat Eli Tomac in what was an epic battle in moto two. It’s great to see both riders back after injuries took them away from racing for a few months. The energy and freshness in their riding were quite evident on the hybrid Charlotte track. Getting injured is obviously never a good thing, but it gives these riders a break from racing and travelling. Both riders looked like they never missed a step during their summer hiatus from racing. Finally, it was great to watch the contrasting styles of these two talented athletes. Lawrence is smooth and precise, while Tomac is blazing fast, and rides with the determination of a bull rider. Both techniques obviously work, but on this day, Jett’s worked a little better, and he grabbed the win.
In the 250 class, it was all Haiden Deegan as he certainly made a big statement on Saturday. He started well outside the top five in both main events before charging to the lead. Deegan rides a lot like Tomac and never seems willing to settle for any position. Even when he gets to the lead, he wants to pull away and win by as much as he can. As good as Deegan rode in Charlotte, it was equally disappointing to see all the other 250 riders roll over a little and make life easy on him. Levi Kitchen had the second main event in the bag before two bad laps cost him the lead and the win. I’m not sure if this is the case, but Deegan just looks like he wants it a little more, actually, a lot more than his competitors do right now. With two more races to go until the off-season, it will be interesting to see which riders, if any, step up and challenge Deegan in the final few laps of either main event.
Now, the SMX Playoffs move West to Fort Worth, Texas, for round two. It’s supposed to be very hot in Texas on Saturday, so this race will be a grind for riders and fans. These SMX Playoff races are very fan-friendly, so if you get an opportunity to attend, I highly recommend it. Will Tomac be able to grit his teeth and power his way to the win in the 450 class this weekend? Or will Jett float around the track and use his speed and talent to take another victory? The riders will receive double points this weekend, so you know everyone will be going for it. Cole Thompson will also be in Texas and hoping to have a better race. Charlotte was Cole’s first race since the SLC SX in May, so he was admittedly a little rusty. The gate drops Saturday afternoon in the Lone Star State!
