SX Global, the Australian sports and entertainment company spearheading the FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX), has announced an official FIM World Championship for the 250cc class (SX2) and an open format for the class that provides significantly more freedom and flexibility for teams and riders.

For the first time in the history of supercross, an official FIM-sanctioned world supercross championship will be up for grabs in the SX2 class for the upcoming FIM World Supercross Championship, scheduled for this Autumn. To date, supercross has only offered an official FIM World Supercross Championship for 450cc riders. SX2 250cc riders were never previously competing for official “FIM World Champion” status. That all changes with the upcoming pilot season for WSX and will continue ongoing, with official FIM World Championship titles available for both classes.

“An official FIM World Championship for 250cc riders is something that’s been a long-time coming in our sport, and with the truly global nature of our series, it just made sense to finally make it a reality for WSX as we move into this new era of global supercross competition,” said Adam Bailey, managing director – Motorsport for SX Global.

In addition to the official SX2 FIM World Championship, the entire structure of the SX2 class has been redefined to move away from the more “developmental” nature that the class has traditionally been held to in prominent supercross and motocross series. For decades, the sport’s most prominent series have mandated a system of points thresholds and age limits that restrict participation in the 250cc class. The mandates force riders to move up to the 450cc class once a certain amount of competitive points have been earned over time. But with available seats in the 450cc class typically being severely limited, these rules have forced many talented riders out of the sport entirely. The removal of these parameters will translate into significantly increased freedom and flexibility for teams in selecting riders, while also increasing competitive and professional opportunities for riders looking to extend their careers and maintain relevance.

“We want to ensure that the 250cc (SX2) class features the best talent the world has to offer and, to achieve that, we are opening it up to all competitors regardless of age or past success,” said Bailey. “There have been numerous examples of limitations on 250cc class eligibility pushing high-level talent out of the sport, or into compromising scenarios that impede their career progression and earning potential. We want to ensure we’re doing everything we can to give supercross athletes the best possible career opportunities and increased longevity. A rider-first commitment is core to SX Global’s mission, and we feel this is the right move for the sport and its competitors.”

The announcement of the FIM World Championship for the SX2 class, reinforces SX Global’s commitment to elevating opportunity for its teams and delivering a significantly enhanced rider experience. This will occur through the addition of unique competitive dynamics and innovative formats, higher prize purses, increased financial support for teams and riders, and a team-ownership model that provides teams more autonomy to pursue and realise higher financial returns through global and regional sponsorships.

“An overview of virtually every successful sport or racing series around the world will tell you that success is driven by the stars – the athletes putting their talents on the line,” said Tony Cochrane, president, SX Global. “To be honest, expanding opportunity for athletes as a strategy for business growth isn’t all that innovative, it just hasn’t been the case in supercross. It makes complete sense that our emphasis would be on elevating opportunities and potential outcomes for our teams and riders.”

A model unprecedented in supercross yet utilised amongst the majority of thriving sports leagues and motorsports series around the world, WSX features an exclusive team ownership structure that allows each team to increase its value over time, while also enabling a host of commercial opportunities on global and regional levels for international and local events. This unique model, combined with SX Global’s allocation of $50 million specifically for team and rider support over the Championship’s first five years, has driven widespread interest for the coveted 10-team allotment, as evidenced by more than 40 ownership applications submitted from suitors across the globe.

SX Global is offering an unparalleled level of financial support for WSX teams, including seed funding for every team awarded a license, appearance fees at every round, and logistics and freight support. The global series will feature the richest championship prize purses in the sport’s history, with a total of $250,000 up for grabs at each round. 

The FIM World Supercross Championship will annually take place in the second half of the year, including up to four events in 2022, from October through November. 2022 will serve as a “pilot” season, allowing the Championship to establish itself and build momentum going into 2023. 2023, and subsequent years, will see the FIM World Supercross Championship expand annually between June and November, with up to twelve events in 2023.

Global also announced the next two of the 10 exclusive team licenses it will issue for its global championship. The two teams include Australia’s Craig Dack Racing (CDR) and American Rick Ware Racing, whose extensive experience includes NASCAR and IndyCar racing teams, as well as American supercross dating back to the early 2000s. The CDR team adds Australia to the international footprint of the global championship while bringing supercross powerhouse, Monster Energy into the mix.

As with the first four teams announced last week, these two teams bring the highest levels of experience in professional supercross and motocross in both the 450 and 250 classes, while also bringing a shared vision and spirit of collaboration in elevating the sport through this dynamic global series. Combined with the French representation of Bud Racing and GSM Yamaha teams, the Australian representation underscores the Championship’s global emphasis and overriding mission of reinforcing and increasing supercross’ relevance in key international markets.

Over the coming weeks, the WSX four remaining licensed teams will be announced, completing the exclusive 10-team field. These latest two and team principals are broken down in greater detail below:

• Craig Dack Racing – Craig Dack: Supported by Yamaha, Dack runs the most successful team in Australian motocross and supercross history. Spring boarding motocross and supercross star Chad Reed’s career, Dack managed the Yamaha of Troy team in the United States where Reed won 7 of 8 races in his first season on the East Coast Championship. Furthermore, Dack’s team is supported by action sports powerhouse, Monster Energy.
• Rick Ware Racing – Rick Ware: A mainstay on the NASCAR circuit, former driver Rick Ware runs the Rick Ware Racing (RWR) Team with extensive experience in the world of motorsports. Boasting more than 1,000 starts in multiple premier auto racing series around the world, RWR currently competes in the NASCAR Cup Series, IndyCar Series and IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Series. Ware is also a veteran of motocross and supercross, having owned and managed supercross teams in the late 2000s.

“Aside from operating and competing at the highest levels of the sport, the addition of Dack’s Monster Energy Yamaha team expands the international relevance to our backyard where we have a storied history of popular supercross events in Australia, while also bridging across the broader realm of prominent American auto racing through Rick Ware’s history in NASCAR and IndyCar racing,” said Adam Bailey, managing director – Motorsport of SX Global. “It’s incredible to see the intensive demand for these exclusive licenses with teams at the highest levels of competition, and with the sophistication and commitment to support and sustain a truly global Championship.”

A model unprecedented in supercross yet utilized amongst the majority of thriving sports leagues and motorsports series around the world, WSX features an exclusive team ownership structure that allows each team to increase its value over time, while also enabling a host of commercial opportunities on global and regional levels for international and local events. This unique model, combined with SX Global’s allocation of $50 million specifically for team and rider support over the Championship’s first five years, has driven widespread interest for the coveted 10-team allotment, as evidenced by more than 40 ownership applications submitted from suitors across the globe.

“Our ambitions and plans have faced incredible scepticism, but for those that have doubted us, or continue to do so, we hope this lineup of credible, powerful teams and owners speaks volumes to our ability to bring this Championship to fruition at the level necessary to give fans across the world a truly top-tier global supercross offering,” said Tony Cochrane, president of SX Global. “What may be most valuable to us is the strength that each of these teams brings our series through their spirit of partnership – that shared vision and commitment to global success is extremely powerful and will drive us forward in the years to come.”

This team announcement is just one of many ongoing development efforts that will continue to elevate and solidify the FIM World Supercross Championship. The Championship will feature a highly exclusive structure, with unparalleled level of financial support for teams, including seed funding for every team awarded a license, appearance fees at every round, and logistics and freight support. The global series will feature the richest championship prize purses in the sport’s history, with a total of USD$250,000 up for grabs at each round.

The FIM World Supercross Championship will annually take place in the second half of the year, including up to four events in 2022, from late September through November. 2022 will serve as a “pilot” season, allowing the championship to establish itself and build momentum going into 2023. 2023, and subsequent years, will see the FIM World Supercross Championship expand annually between June and November, with up to twelve events in 2023.

About FIM World Supercross Championship

The FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX) is a comprehensive global Championship series led by SX Global in Australia. The world governing body for motorcycle sport, Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), awarded SX Global the exclusive organisational and commercial rights to stage and promote the World Supercross Championship commencing in 2022. The global Championship series represents the most progressive and ambitious platform to elevate the sport of supercross and expand its appeal across the globe. WSX will follow the established two-class format, with each independently owned team fielding four riders – two in the WSX (450cc) class, and two in the SX2 (250cc) class with a prize purse of up to USD$250,000 at each event. With more than $50 million allocated over the first five years, the global Championship features an unprecedented level of financial support for teams and riders, including seed funding for every team awarded a license, appearance fees at every event, and logistics and freight support. The independent team ownership model, similar to that of F1 and NASCAR, will expand opportunities for global and local sponsors. WSX will offer an elevated experience for fans, through unique race formats, broadcast innovations, and in-stadium attractions that elevate the overall entertainment experience.

About SX Global

Based in Australia, SX Global is a collective of world class sports marketing and entertainment experts who operate globally within the motorsports and entertainment industries. Considered the “founding father” of the modern era of Australian motor racing, Tony Cochrane leads the SX Global team as president, bringing more than 45 years of experience in developing and managing successful motorsports series and events. Managing Directors, Adam Bailey, a former competitive rider, and Ryan Sanderson, bring extensive proven experience in supercross event development, management, and promotion after five years of successfully delivering the largest action sports and supercross event in the Southern Hemisphere, the AUS-X Open.