When Jordon Smith crossed under the checkered flag first in San Francisco last January, he must have breathed a huge sigh of relief. It was his first Monster Energy Supercross victory since 2018 at Daytona International Speedway. Most importantly, it validated his skill as a Supercross rider — and to qualify for the SuperMotocross World Championship, he would need all the momentum his early efforts would provide.
MORE: Triumph Factory Racing announces team
Smith was coming off a second-place finish in the season opener at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. He scored a third consecutive podium in San Diego the following week.
Smith has long been at his best in the stadium series. In his fourth season as a professional, he came within eight points of winning the 250 East championship behind Zach Osborne. The difficulty for Smith has been his ability to stay healthy.
A wrist injury in 2019 and shoulder injury in 2021, when the racer was in his mid-20s, came at a time when Smith should have been making progress toward the 450 division. Instead, he suffered some of the worst points’ results of his career. In dirt bike motorcycle racing, injury is an unavoidable part of the sport, but so is the indomitable spirit of SuperMotocross riders.
Smith rebounded in 2022 to challenge for a top-five position in Supercross’s 250 East championship. He finished sixth that season and improved to fourth in 2023. There was still an item of business that needed to be addressed, however; Smith had not raced Pro Motocross since his injuries and finished 24th there in 2019. His last full season netted only a 10th-place showing in 2018.
Smith made only four rounds in 2023 and scored one top-10 — a seventh at Thunder Valley. The 2024 season would be much kinder with Smith surviving the year healthy and with seven top-10s in 11 rounds. Two of these were top-fives at The Wick in Southwick, Massachusetts, and Ironman Raceway in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Still, Smith barely finished inside the top 10 in points.
Seeded sixth to start the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX), Smith owed most of his success to 10 rounds of Supercross, in which finished outside the top five only once.
That is precisely where Smith finished in his first two SMX Playoff races; he was sixth overall at both Charlotte and Texas Motor Speedway.
Smith knew he would leave the Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha team at the end of the season and with a change on the horizon, he wanted to go out on a high note. Smith finished third in the SMX finale at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for his first appearance on the box since the Supercross-ender at Salt Lake City.
In 2025, Smith moves to the factory Triumph team as that organization increases from what was essentially a one-rider effort in 2024 to four this season. Smith will race in the West division once more. Austin Forkner will be his teammate in that division.
It is not inconceivable for Smith, 29, to challenge for a 250 divisional title and if that happens, the clock will start on the time when he will be forced into the 450 class. Triumph plans to field a 450 in 2026 and Smith will once again need all the early momentum he can earn to keep his name in consideration.
2024 Statistics
Feature starts: 24
Average feature finish: 7.13
Wins: 1
Podiums: 6
Top-fives: 12
Top-10s: 19
Best finish: Won (San Francisco SX)
SMX Standings/payout: Fifth/$50,000
2024 News
Jordon Smith leaves Star Racing with a podium finish in SMX
Jordon Smith joins Triumph Factory Racing
450 Countdown
6. Hunter Lawrence
7. Jason Anderson
8. Ken Roczen
9. Justin Cooper
10. Justin Barcia
11. Malcolm Stewart
12. Dylan Ferrandis
13. Christian Craig
14. Shane McElrath
15. Dean Wilson
250 Countdown
7. Pierce Brown
8. Cameron McAdoo
9. Ty Masterpool
10. Chance Hymas
11. Garrett Marchbanks
12. Max Anstie
13. Julien Beaumer
14. Coty Schock
15. Ryder DiFrancesco
More SuperMotocross News
2025 SX schedule | MX schedule | WMX Schedule
2025 Supercross tickets on sale | Pro Motocross tickets
2025 TV Schedule | Track Maps
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Hunter Lawrence shone brightest on 2024 outdoor tracks
WMX announces six-round schedule for 2025
Jason Anderson and the ticking clock
What might have been for Cameron McAdoo
Yamaha Star Racing announces seven rider team
Reid Taylor replaces injured Devin Simonson
Ken Roczen has the SMX Championship in mind
Devin Simonson injures wrist, will likely miss start of SX 250 East
Ricky Carmichael’s 2025 Daytona track design
