2023 Detroit Supercross Photo Gallery

2023 Detroit Supercross Recap

Remember "The Bizarro World" episode of Seinfeld?

That's a bit what Round 10 of the 2023 Monster Energy Supercross series felt like on Saturday at Ford Field in Detroit, MI.

Aaron Plessinger almost won a 450 class round. Arguably, he should have won. And, Chase Sexton didn't crash. But with two laps left after time wound down, Plessinger, who led and checked out after two minutes, had personal history taken from him when after not standing up the whole race in a turn right before a jump, he took a seat, his foot caught in a rut, knocked him off the bike and put him in a quasi-Superman ultimately resulting in a crash. If you watched closely, it could have been career-ending and life altering.

Sexton, who has gifted more than his share of race victories this year to other riders after hitting the dirt in the waning moments of a race, took the present and final lap easy win. His second checkers of the season and quite possibly one of the biggest confidence builders of his career, Sexton catapults back into the thick of the 450 class Championship.

"I've been in that position too many times," Sexton said. "(But) I was bummed to see Aaron fall. I rode solid the whole main event. I needed this. This is a big win for me. I've had some tough races. This one means a lot."

But hold the phone. Sexton got docked seven points for jumping on a Red Cross flag when Dean Wilson went down. Instead of gaining three points on first-place Cooper Webb, who finished second, and five on reigning champ Eli Tomac, who finished third, he drops further behind. Webb now leads Tomac by three and Sexton by 18.

Tomac, nursing a neck injury that hampered his race craft a week earlier at Indianapolis where he finished a season worst eighth, said his neck was much better but not 100%. At one point he seemed to back off after an early charge to the front including a full on blitz to get around Webb for second about four minutes into the Main Event. But shortly later, Webb, Sexton and Justin Barcia passed Tomac nearly all at once. In fact, Tomac was off the box until Plessinger crashed.

The early racing also featured some of the most exciting action all year as a charging Barcia cross jumped to get around Webb and somehow Sexton sneaked his way into second. Adam Cianciarulo led the first few minutes after quickly getting by Plessinger, who grabbed the Holeshot, before dropping anchor and finishing eighth. After things settled in the first half it was all Plessinger until the fateful moment.

"Man that hurts. I couldn't believe it flying through the air like that," Plessinger said through tears amidst a plume of white smoke coming from his dirt bike. "Get back up on the saddle and get back up there in Seattle. Don't count me out, I'm not done yet. I was riding so good."

Plessinger, who led 20 laps, appeared injured and hobbled off the track before quickly turning around and getting back on his bike to finish 13th. It would have been his first career 450 class win and until Detroit, Plessinger only led seven laps in his five-year 450 class career with three podiums. Ken Roczen, in an emotional win the week before, finished fifth.

2023 450 Class Supercross Season Standings

Cooper Webb (225)
Eli Tomac (222)
Chase Sexton (208)
Ken Roczen (182)
Jason Anderson (180)

250SX East Class

It was more of the same in the 250 East class, as Hunter Lawrence grabbed the Holeshot and checked out for his fifth win of the season. Nate Thrasher finished second and moves into second-place in the points standings 35 points back, as Max Anstie finished last after getting tangled with other riders at the start on the first lap which led to bike problems. Anstie drops from second in the East class to fifth.

In a sort of passing of the torch moment, veteran Jeremy Martin had his best race of the year and fought hard in second for a few laps before Thrasher got him then Martin fended off rookie Haiden Deegan as the two played cat and mouse for about six minutes until Deegan passed Martin and secured his second career podium in third. Deegan now resides in third-place in the points standings and Martin moves into fourth.