The 2023 Monster Energy Supercross season looks to be unpredictable. Last year, Eli Tomac and Jason Anderson dominated the series, with Tomac taking the title by nine points. While the championship could come down to these two again, challengers are ready to take it to the duo. Let’s break it down in our 2023 Monster Energy Supercross season preview.
Top Tier: Jason Anderson, Chase Sexton, Eli Tomac
The Big Three are Tomac, Anderson, and Sexton. Tomac and Anderson accounted for 14 wins in 17 rounds last year—that speaks for itself. Although only winning once in his injury-interrupted season, Sexton had eight podiums, just two less than Anderson and three less than Tomac.
Sexton has the speed to run with Tomac and Anderson, but he had to make it to the checkered flag at every race. Tomac is riding a new version of the Yamaha YZ450F, so that’s an unknown in the equation. Regardless, expect one of these three to be the 2023 Supercross Champion.
Could Do It Tier: Dylan Ferrandis, Ken Roczen, Cooper Webb
It was a tough 2022 for all three of these riders. Roczen never made the podium after winning Anaheim 1, and he didn’t finish the season due to ongoing health issues. Roczen’s move back to Suzuki could energize him—this is a big question mark.
Webb rode 16 of 17 rounds, taking four podiums—three of them in a mid-season flourish. Webb was battling a new platform last year, though three other riders on Austrian bikes finished better than Webb in 2022. Still, you don’t want to count a two-time former champion out.
Ferrandis was only on the podium once before injury ended his season early. Ferrandis will have to get his starts together if he wants to have a chance to use his undeniable speed and compete for wins.
You Never Know Tier: Justin Barcia, Adam Cianciarulo, Justin Cooper, Christian Craig, Marvin Musquin, Colt Nichols, Aaron Plessinger, Malcolm Stewart
Despite finishing third in the championship last year, Stewart still has a lot to prove. He had just three podiums in 17 rounds, and no wins. However, no one had more top 5 finishes than Stewart—13 of them, like Tomac. Stewart must show he can run up front before being considered a legitimate title contender. Update: VitalMX reports that Justin Cooper will not be racing the first four rounds this year.
Musquin came on strong at the end last year, with a win and five podiums in the seven races finishing the season. However, it’s hard to imagine Musquin putting it together for 17 rounds.
Barcia falls into the same category as Musquin—flashes of speed, but not enough consistency. Although Barcia didn’t have a win in 2022, his six podiums were more than Stewart, Musquin, and Webb.
Due to injuries, it’s almost like Cianciarulo is still a 450SX rookie. He hasn’t come close to putting together an entire season in the premier class. Regardless, his speed is always impressive. Can he pull off a miracle? Maybe, but don’t bet the house on it.
Aaron Plessinger is another rider who has been hampered by injuries. When he’s fast, he’s fast. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen often enough, and he gets hurt. If Plessinger can find the key to a consistent season, he could do well.
There’s no phenom rookie in 2023—that will have to wait until next year when Jett Lawrence moves up. The top rookies will be Cooper, Craig, and Nichols. A win by any of the trio would be a surprise, but not quite a shock. Regardless, like the other riders in this tier, a title seems out of reach.
You won’t want to miss a round of the 2023 Monster Energy Supercross Championship Series, so be sure to bookmark our television schedule—oh, and get ready to sign up for a Peacock subscription.
