Championship standings.
The 2024 WSX Australian GP at HBF Park in Perth, Western Australia, brought a night of intense supercross action in both the WSX and SX2 classes, marking the third round of the World Supercross Championship.
In the WSX class, round one winner Eli Tomac proved why he is a force to be reckoned with, sweeping all three GP races. Tomac’s commanding performance showcased his dominance and extended his lead in the 2024 World Supercross Championship standings. Despite challenges from title rivals like Ken Roczen and Joey Savatgy, Tomac’s consistency and speed ensured a clean sweep, solidifying his place at the top of the field.
Meanwhile, the SX2 class provided equally close action, featuring close battles among the world’s top 250cc riders. Shane McElrath emerged as the standout performer of the weekend, claiming two race wins and further cementing his position as the championship leader. McElrath’s speed and consistency throughout the weekend underlined his status as a top contender in the division.
WSX Class
In the WSX class, the weekend’s first competitive session saw the undefeated Eli Tomac pick up where he left off in practice, topping the timing charts with a blistering 53.988. Joey Savatgy was his closest challenger, while Mitch Oldenburg and Greg Aranda impressed by securing third and fourth respectively, with minimal time gaps separating the top riders.
In SuperPole, Savatgy flipped the script with a stunning 52.919, securing the #1 gate pick. Tomac came close but fell three-tenths short. Oldenburg and Aranda battled it out for third and fourth, continuing their strong performances from qualifying.
Wildcard Kyle Webster electrified his home crowd in the first GP race by winning the holeshot and leading the opening laps of the first of the three races to be contested ahead of Vince Friese and Luke Clout. Tomac, who had an uncharacteristically slow start, quickly made up ground, slicing through the pack to take the lead at the halfway mark. From there, the American never looked back, claiming a commanding victory. Ken Roczen showcased his racecraft to climb into second after a late surge, while Australian favourite Luke Clout secured his first WSX 450cc podium in third. Savatgy recovered from a poor start to finish fourth, followed by Dean Wilson in fifth.
Tomac’s momentum carried into the second GP race, where he claimed the holeshot and immediately built a commanding lead. Behind him, Clout initially ran second but was overtaken by Savatgy on lap three. Roczen joined the battle, but a small front wheel washout saw Clout on the ground, forcing him to recover to fourth. At the checkered flag, Tomac crossed the line 10 seconds clear of the field. Savatgy held onto second, fending off a charging Roczen, while Mitch Oldenburg completed the top five.
In the final race of the night, Tomac once again dominated from the start, claiming his second holeshot of the evening. Clout held onto second early on, but the real action unfolded behind him as Roczen, Savatgy, and Friese engaged in a fierce battle for third. Savatgy and Roczen ultimately surged past Clout, setting up a thrilling duel for second. On the final lap, Roczen made a decisive move to secure the runner-up spot, while Tomac cruised to his third victory of the evening, finishing four seconds ahead. Clout settled for fourth, with Aranda rounding out the top five.
With a clean sweep of the GP races, Tomac extended his lead in the 2024 World Supercross Championship standings. Roczen’s consistent podium finishes keep him firmly in the title hunt with second overall while Savatgy’s strong weekend, including his SuperPole win, highlights his growing competitiveness and collecting third as a result.
SX2
American Shane McElrath started strong, demonstrating his championship-calibre form by topping Qualifying with a 55.552-second lap and edging Enzo Lopes and Canadian Cole Thompson to secure his place in SuperPole. The single-lap shootout for gate picks saw McElrath deliver a blistering 53.861, the fastest SX2 lap of the weekend, locking in the #1 spot on the grid and earning crucial championship points.
SX2 GP Race 1 delivered the night’s first surprise, as rookie Coty Schock claimed the first WSX GP Race win of his career. Schock battled through the field after starting third, overtaking Thompson on lap four to take the lead. A relentless McElrath pushed hard in the closing laps, but Schock held firm to cross the finish line first.
Brazilian Enzo Lopes rounded out the podium for Rick Ware Racing, while Thompson, despite leading early, faded to fourth. Frenchman Maxime Desprey capped off the top five for Team GSM.
The second SX2 race of the night saw an intense showdown between Schock and McElrath. Both riders surged to the front off the gate, but the relentless pressure from McElrath eventually forced Schock into a costly error. A crash in the rhythm section handed McElrath the lead, allowing him to secure a comfortable win.
Lopes showcased his consistency by finishing second again, while Thompson regrouped to take third. Schock recovered from his crash to salvage fifth, keeping his overall hopes alive.
McElrath capped off the evening with a dominant performance in GP Race 3. A strong holeshot allowed him to control the race from start to finish, taking the checkered flag with a commanding five-second margin. Schock recovered from his earlier misstep to claim second place, proving his mettle against the more experienced competition.
The battle for third was fiercely contested between Lopes, Desprey, and Thompson. After several exchanges, Lopes claimed the final podium spot, while Thompson edged out Desprey on the last lap for fourth.
With two race wins and strong showings across all motos, McElrath cemented his position as the SX2 class leader in the 2024 WSX Championship with the round win. Enzo Lopes finished second while Coty Schock’s breakthrough performance saw him round out the night’s podium.
With championship battles intensifying, both Tomac and McElrath have set the benchmark for their respective classes. As the series continues with another round three in Perth on Sunday, the stakes are higher than ever, promising more intense action for supercross fans worldwide.
