Destination Detroit! This week in Supercross – Detroit
Detroit is the destination this weekend for round 10 of the 2023 AMA Supercross Championship and for the first time this year Eli Tomac won’t be sporting the red plate after Cooper Webb overhauled his lead with third last week in Indianapolis.
Images and Stats courtesy of Feld Motor Sports, Inc
Kickstart Kenny Roczen surprised everyone by taking the win in Indy while a resurgent Justin Barcia finished a great second which sets this weekend up to be an intriguing contest.
Webb is just one point ahead of Tomac, with Chase Sexton now 13 points down on the leader, and with Roczen and Barcia thrown into the mix, the title fight is still well and truly on after the halfway part of the series.
Hunter Lawrence continued to dominate the 250 East class, while British hope Max Anstie suffered from a poor start in the Indy main and had his worst result of the season finishing fifth. Anstie still holds second in the series but has Nate Thrasher, Jordan Smith, Haiden Deegan and Jeremy Martin snapping at his heels!
450 Class Recap: Indianapolis
Kenny’s Indy: Ken Roczen stole the show in Indianapolis as he pulled off the ninth closest 450SX Class victory since 2003 with a .739 sec. victory over Justin Barcia. Roczen now has 21 wins tying him with Cooper Webb for 10th on the all-time 450SX Class wins list. He also breaks Suzuki’s historic seven season losing streak (Roczen, East Rutherford 2016) and passes Ryan Dungey for third on Suzuki’s all-time 450SX Class wins list.
Barcia Battles: Barcia battled to the very end falling just shy of his sixth career victory. He was able to pick up his 28th podium and tie Andrew Short for 13th on the all-time 450SX Class starts list. Barcia’s 65th top-five finish is good for 15th all-time tied with Cooper Webb.
Webb Steals Red: Webb rode to his fifth straight podium with a third-place finish, stealing the red-plate off Eli Tomac’s Yamaha by only one point. Webb was making his 100th career start becoming only the 46th rider in 450SX Class history to do so.
Dad Power: In the 49 seasons of 450SX Class racing there had never been a podium consisting of all fathers until San Diego 2023 with Tomac, Webb, and Barcia. Indianapolis 2023 marks the second occurrence, this time with Roczen, Webb, and Barcia.
450: Michigan Historical Facts
History Lesson: The first 450SX Class race held in Michigan was on March 27th – 28th, 1976 in the Pontiac Silverdome. Marty Smith won the race on a Honda by going 4-1-2-1 in the four-moto format. Jimmy Weinert’s third place overall finish put him in a position to win the title four months later in the L.A. Coliseum.
Supercross Mainstay Destroyed: Pontiac hosted Supercross in the historic Silverdome every year almost every year from 1976-2005 (skipped 1985). Multiple races were held each season from 1977-1993 and again in 2000 which gave the Silverdome 46 450SX Class races. The last standing piece of the Silverdome was brought down in 2018 but it has still hosted the third most 450SX Class races behind Angel Stadium and Daytona Intl. Speedway.
Ford Field Takes Over: Ford Field was built in 2002 and took over hosting duties for Supercross in 2006. 2023 will be the 10th time Ford Field will host a 450SX Class race and the 56th time between the Silverdome and Ford Field. The winner of the Ford Field 450SX Class race had only won the title in 1/8 seasons until Eli Tomac pulled it off last season making the number 2/9.
9-Timer: Bob Hannah holds the record for most consecutive 450SX Class wins at any venue and he earned that record in Pontiac, where he won six straight races from 1977-1979 (two per season). Jeremy McGrath would tie his record by winning Minneapolis six straight times from 1994-1999. Hannah earned 1/3rd of his career 450SX Class wins in Detroit (9/27). Eli Tomac looks to nab his fourth straight in Detroit as he has won the previous three and four of the last five.
450: Winners in Michigan
Manufacturer Combined Wins/Ford Field Wins (Last Win)
Yamaha: 20/1 (2022)
Honda: 19/2 (2015)
Kawasaki: 11/4 (2019)
Suzuki: 4/1 (2014)
Husqvarna: 1/1 (2016)
Top Winners in Michigan
1. Bob Hannah: 9 (1977 X2, 1978 X2, 1979 X2, 1981, 1983-1984)
2. Jeremy McGrath: 6 (1993-1994, 1996, 1999, 2000 X2)
3. Damon Bradshaw: 4 (1990-1991, 1992 X2)
3. Eli Tomac: 4 (2015, 2017, 2019, 2022)
5. Chad Reed: 3 (2003-2005)
5. James Stewart: 3 (2006-2007, 2014)
450SX Class: First Time Winners in Michigan
Marty Smith: 1976
Nathan Ramsey: 2002
250 Class Recap: Indianapolis
Hoosier Hunter: Hunter Lawrence tamed the rutted Hoosier State Supercross with his fourth win of the season and 10th of his 250SX Class career. He is now tied for 22nd in all-time 250SX Class wins and only one win behind brother Jett who is tied for 17th. Hunter ties Jett in podiums with 18, good for 23rd all-time in 250SX Class racing.
Thrasher Rebounds: After a difficult Daytona Supercross, Nate Thrasher rebounded with a runner-up finish in Indy, good for his third podium of the season and sixth of his career. Thrasher now has 10 top-fives and 17 top-10 finishes in 23 starts.
Smith Slays Ruts: 250SX Class veteran Jordon Smith (54 career starts, 29th all-time) nabbed his 17th career podium with a third-place finish in Indy. His 28th top-five finish moves him inside the top-15 all-time tied with Joey Savatgy. Max Anstie, Thrasher, Smith, Haiden Deegan, and Jeremy Martin are all within 13 points of each other for second in the point standings.
Notes: Jeremy Martin (4th) 39th top-five finish moves him into a tie for second all-time in 250SX Class history with Nathan Ramsey; Chris Blose (6th) season’s best finish and one start behind 15th all-time in 250SX Class history with 64. Haiden Deegan (7th) remains perfect in top-10 finishes (5/5). Lane Allison (18th) made his first career 250SX Class start.
History Lesson: The first 250SX Class race held in Michigan was on April 13, 1986 and Ron Tichenor won on a Kawasaki with Honda’s Keith Turpin in second. The next night it was Turpin winning with Tichenor runner-up. Turpin won the title two weekends later in Texas Stadium with Tichenor 22-points behind.
38 Previous: The Pontiac Silverdome hosted 29 250SX Class races from 1986-2005. Ford Field has hosted the 250SX Class race in Detroit since, making the 2023 Detroit 250SX Class race Michigan’s 39th all-time and 10th at Ford Field.
Championship %: The winner of the 250SX Class race in Michigan has gone onto win the title in 19/38 races (50%), but only 2/9 in Ford Field just like the 450SX Class. Jett Lawrence and Eli Tomac both pulled it off in 2022.
Returning Winner: Jordon Smith is the only rider to earn his first win in either class at Ford Field when he took the checkers on his KTM in 2017. In 2023 he will be the only returning winner and only rider within the top-12 from last season’s Detroit 250SX Class Supercross race who will be lining up.
250: Winners in Michigan
Manufacturer Combined Wins/Ford Field Wins (Last Win)
Honda: 12/4 (2016)
Suzuki: 9/1 (2007)
Yamaha: 8/0 (2003)
Kawasaki: 7/3 (2019)
KTM: 2/1 (2017)
Top Winners in Michigan
1. Brian Swink: 3 (1991, 1992 X2)
1. Stephane Roncada: 3 (1997, 2000 X2)
3. Ron Tichenor: 2 (1986-1987)
3. Keith Turpin: 2 (1986-1987)
3. Damon Bradshaw: 2 (1989 X2)
3. Denny Stephenson: 2 (1990 X2)
3. Doug Henry: 2 (1993 X2)
250SX Class: First Time Winners in Michigan
Ron Tichenor: 1986
Mike LaRocco: 1988
Mike Brown: 1994
Brock Sellards: 1999
Branden Jesseman: 2002
Ivan Tedesco: 2003
Jordon Smith: 2017 (Ford Field)
Past Winners in Ford Field
450
2006: James Stewart, Kawasaki
2007: James Stewart, Kawasaki
2008: Davi Millsaps, Honda
2014: James Stewart, Suzuki
2015: Eli Tomac, Honda
2016: Jason Anderson, Husqvarna
2017: Eli Tomac, Kawasaki
2019: Eli Tomac, Kawasaki
2022: Eli Tomac, Yamaha
250
2006: Josh Grant, Honda
2007: Ryan Dungey, Suzuki
2008: Ryan Villopoto, Kawasaki
2014: Adam Cianciarulo, Kawasaki
2015: Justin Bogle, Honda
2016: Malcolm Stewart, Honda
2017: Jordon Smith, KTM
2019: Austin Forkner, Kawasaki
2022: Jett Lawrence, Honda
Detroit Track Map
