Supercross Statistics | The Chase Sexton Story 6

Diving into Chase Sexton's Salt Lake City and career, then comparing his run to the title.

The 2023 Monster Energy Supercross season is in the rear-view mirror and therefore this 'Supercross Statistics' feature on Vital MX is drawing to a close. There were not too many storylines that came from Rice Eccles Stadium. Truthfully, Chase Sexton was the story. It is that simple! That is why this feature is going to focus on the champion.

  • Chase Sexton topped timed qualification for the fourteenth time in seventeen events, which is just incredible. Even more impressive is the fact that '23' has qualified in the top three at twenty-one events in succession. The last time that he did not manage that was at round thirteen, St. Louis, last year. Will the streak continue through 2024 Monster Energy Supercross? One would be brave to bet against that.
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  • Another round and another win for Sexton, which means that his career percentages have jumped up. '23' has a win percentage of sixteen percent in the premier class – he has won in seven of his forty-four starts. Cooper Webb had the same win percentage after the same number of races, for context, and Eli Tomac was at a percentage of nine. Sexton has a podium percentage of fifty-five, in addition. It was fifty-four prior to Salt Lake City.
  • It has been 849 days since Sexton moved into the 450SX class – he has had an average finish of sixth since then. If he wins Anaheim 1 in 2024 Monster Energy Supercross, that average will drop to fifth. '23' is right on the verge of knocking the number down! Fifth is actually the average finish that both Tomac and Webb have in the premier class. Again, the numbers that Sexton has amassed are similar to those who also have a championship trophy on the mantle.
  • Sexton finished 2023 Monster Energy Supercross with thirteen podiums. How does that compare to previous champions? Tomac had eleven podiums last year and twelve en route to his first title in 2020. Webb pulled twelve trophies in 2019 and then thirteen in 2021. When was the last time that a champion had more than thirteen podiums? Ryan Dungey jumped onto the podium sixteen times en route to the 2016 Monster Energy Supercross title.
  • 18.266 was Sexton's eventual margin of victory in the Salt Lake City main event. It was the biggest advantage that a rider has had this term, so when was the last time that someone won with a gap that was greater than that? It was at round fifteen of the 2018 Monster Energy Supercross series, Foxborough, which was 1847 days ago. Marvin Musquin won on that night. Dean Wilson finished in fifth at both events, believe it or not.
  • Salt Lake City marked the biggest advantage that Sexton has had in a Monster Energy Supercross main. Before Saturday, Nashville was his biggest (he led by 14.513) and before that it was the second 250SX main of the Triple Crown in Arlington in 2020 (he was 09.252 ahead). Take a second to acknowledge just how good he was in Salt Lake City, because a gap like that is a rarity. Props.
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  • This is not going to come as a shock at all, but Sexton threw some impressive times down in the early stages of the main. How did he pull away from the field in such an effective fashion? The table below covers his time in comparison to Adam Cianciarulo, who was in second to begin with. The time that he posted on the sixth lap was his fastest, by the way.

 

Chase Sexton

Adam Cianciarulo

Difference

Lap 1

49.508

50.745

-01.237

Lap 2

50.117

51.134

-01.017

Lap 3

50.031

50.332

-00.301

Lap 4

49.726

50.215

-00.489

Lap 5

49.317

50.502

-01.185

Lap 6

49.082

50.798

-01.716

  • With one hundred and sixty-six laps led, Sexton ended with the most time spent at the front in the 2023 Monster Energy Supercross series. Tomac had the second highest total, one hundred and forty-three. From Atlanta, '23' led seventy-four of the one hundred and nine laps that were held. Sixty-three percent of the laps that were run at the final five rounds were led by the eventual champion, which is quite impressive considering that his total was zero in East Rutherford.
  • Sexton just led his three hundred and fiftieth lap of a Monster Energy Supercross main event. That milestone was reached on lap eleven in Salt Lake City. Sexton's career total of laps led sits at three hundred and sixty-four (number includes both 450SX and 250SX). Let's remember to keep track of this, because that should be mentioned when he leads his five hundredth lap and so on.
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Those are some miscellaneous statistics that pertain to Chase Sexton's ride at the Salt Lake City finale, but how do his numbers compare to the sixteen champions that came before him? Well, his run towards to the title is certainly not out of place. The numbers that all of the champions amassed can be viewed below, but here are some notes and points of interest.

  • Put simply, it is rare for someone to have a speed advantage as incredible as Sexton. The fact that he has occupied pole position at fourteen of the seventeen rounds has been well documented at this point, of course, but the table below puts an exclamation mark on the matter. Let's just take a second to appreciate how fast the champion was each week. No matter the conditions, he showed up.
  • With the exception of Ryan Dungey in 2016 Monster Energy Supercross and Ryan Villopoto three seasons before that, it is fairly typical for the eventual victor to claim around seven victories. James Stewart was incredibly dominant in 2009 Monster Energy Supercross and eleven was his eventual total of wins. That is the realistic ceiling for a dominant champion. Would it be a surprise if Sexton is close to that number next season? Heck, he could have come close this year…
  • A lot is said about the mistakes that Sexton made this season, but he was actually very consistent. '23' gained thirteen trophies in seventeen starts and that's fairly uncommon for a champion. Only Ricky Carmichael (in 2003, 2005 and 2006), Chad Reed (2004), James Stewart (2007 and 2009), Ryan Villopoto (2013) and Ryan Dungey (2016) have surpassed that total in the last twenty years. That is an incredible list of names.
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Octopi Media
  • In a similar breath, for Sexton to finish in the top five in sixteen of the seventeen rounds is worthy of kudos. It was actually fairly common to see a number like that in the early 2010s, but just one other rider has managed it since Ryan Dungey in the 2017 Monster Energy Supercross season. It was Eli Tomac in 2020 Monster Energy Supercross – he too missed the top five once. Consistency pays.
  • Some assembly required here, sure, but crosscheck the Sexton numbers below with the first titles that Dungey (2010) and Villopoto (2011) gained. It really shines a light on how strong '23' was – he was better than both of those all-time greats were en route to their maiden titles. Perhaps this is a foreshadowing of what is to come? The idea here is to dispel any theories that there is an asterisk. There is not one of those. Simple.

Poles

2009

James Stewart

16

2023

Chase Sexton

14

2008

Chad Reed

9

2012

Ryan Villopoto

8

2016

Ryan Dungey

6

2010

Ryan Dungey

6

2020

Eli Tomac

5

2014

Ryan Villopoto

5

2013

Ryan Villopoto

5

2018

Jason Anderson

4

2015

Ryan Dungey

4

2022

Eli Tomac

3

2017

Ryan Dungey

3

2021

Cooper Webb

1

2019

Cooper Webb

1

2011

Ryan Villopoto

1


Victories

2009

James Stewart

11

2013

Ryan Villopoto

10

2015

Ryan Dungey

9

2012

Ryan Villopoto

9

2008

Chad Reed

9

2021

Cooper Webb

8

2015

Ryan Dungey

8

2022

Eli Tomac

7

2020

Eli Tomac

7

2019

Cooper Webb

7

2014

Ryan Villopoto

7

2023

Chase Sexton

6

2011

Ryan Villopoto

6

2010

Ryan Dungey

6

2018

Jason Anderson

4

2017

Ryan Dungey

3

Photo
Octopi Media

Podiums

2016

Ryan Dungey

16

2015

Ryan Dungey

16

2009

James Stewart

15

2013

Ryan Villopoto

14

2023

Chase Sexton

13

2021

Cooper Webb

13

2019

Cooper Webb

13

2017

Ryan Dungey

13

2008

Chad Reed

13

2020

Eli Tomac

12

2014

Ryan Villopoto

12

2012

Ryan Villopoto

12

2011

Ryan Villopoto

12

2022

Eli Tomac

11

2018

Jason Anderson

11

2010

Ryan Dungey

11


Top Fives

2017

Ryan Dungey

17

2016

Ryan Dungey

17

2015

Ryan Dungey

17

2023

Chase Sexton

16

2020

Eli Tomac

16

2014

Ryan Villopoto

16

2010

Ryan Dungey

16

2021

Cooper Webb

15

2019

Cooper Webb

15

2018

Jason Anderson

15

2009

James Stewart

15

2013

Ryan Villopoto

14

2012

Ryan Villopoto

14

2011

Ryan Villopoto

14

2022

Eli Tomac

13

2008

Chad Reed

13

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