The pilot season of the FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX) came to a spectacular end in Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium with four world champions crowned.
German rider Ken Roczen is the new WSX champion after finishing second in a dramatic WSX Australian Grand Prix. The WSX title ends a championship drought for the Genuine Honda rider.
Roczen said: “I would do it over and over again, I’ve had such an amazing experience. It’s been a tough ride the last few years that’s why I did this. I don’t regret it. I’ve had so much fun here, I love coming to Australia and I can’t wait to come back again. Finally getting a title again, especially the first one for my team, is nothing short of amazing.”
American Joey Savatgy won the WSX race with Roczen second and America’s Justin Brayton in third.
In SX2 American Shane McElrath was crowned world champion after winning the Australian Grand Prix from Genuine Honda’s Max Anstie and Craig Dack Racing’s Aaron Tanti.
The world championship is the first major title for McElrath, who rides for the Rick Ware Racing.
McElrath said: “A win is a win, it’s never easy. These guys made it tough. We had minimal prep time but Rick Ware Racing, we literally didn’t stop working. To come out on top, and to really get better every single time on the track, that’s really what we worked for. Number one baby. I am proud of this team and what they’ve done in a few short weeks.”
MotoConcepts won the Teams Champions and Honda took out the Manufacturer’s Championship after strong performances from its riders in Cardiff and Melbourne.
The pilot WSX season featured 10 international teams including NASCAR and IndyCar team owner, Rick Ware and two Australian teams – Honda Genuine and Craig Dack Racing.
More than 50,000 fans filled Marvel Stadium for the WSX Australian Grand Prix.
SX Global President Tony Cochrane AM, who pioneered the Australian V8 Supercar championship, said fans across the world were hungry to see supercross racing, “We knew there was a global market out there for supercross. You need the courage of your convictions to take these things on. We really believe in the product of world supercross. We really do believe there is a global audience out there. These athletes are so talented, we really believe the world wants to see that. We’re prepared to put that to the test. You’re going to see, in my humble belief,this championship grow enormously in the next two to four years.”
