When Christian Craig won the 2022 Monster Energy Supercross 250 West title in convincing fashion, it was easy to believe he would carry that momentum into the 450 division. And for a moment, that appeared to be the case as he stood on the podium in his first outdoor race on the big bike and finished fifth in outdoor points.
When the SuperMotocross League returned to the stadiums, he never quite found his rhythm, however, and it was five rounds before he cracked the top 10 with a 10th-place finish at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. He failed to earn a top five that year and came close only once, at Detroit in March with a sixth-place result. The positive news was that had a seven-race, top-10 streak and and was accumulating notes in the middle of the season.
Those notes would be shelved for the remainder of the 2023 when he dislocated his hip and broke an elbow in Round 12 in Glendale, Arizona. He would not return to racing until the Motocross of Nations in the fall.
The 2024 season was similar. He opened the year without a top-10 in the first six rounds of Supercross, suffered an injury, and did not return to action until the Pro Motocross opener at Fox Raceway in Pala, California. He qualified for all 11 rounds but once again failed to score a top-five, coming close once with a sixth at Budds Creek Motocross Park in Mechanicsville, Maryland.
Craig qualified for the SuperMotocross World Championship three-round playoff (seeded 12th), finished 14th in the first two rounds, and failed to complete Round 3 after crashing in Moto 2 at tThe Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He finished 20th in SMX points.
Craig’s injuries make it difficult to assess his progress but by any measure his tenure with Husqvarna was unsuccessful. Craig hopes to return to his old form in 2025 by returning to his old team.
Soon after the completion of the 2024 SuperMotocross playoffs, Craig and Yamaha Star Racing announced he would return to the team that gave him his 250 SX West title. Like with the Husqvarna contract, the term is for two seasons. He will ride in the 450 division and act as a coach to the 250 riders and that could make a difference in how he performs overall with the team.
One of the keys to Craig’s success has been a desire to prove his detractors wrong. Following a win in Houston in 2021, Craig said “I hear little chirps here and there. I used to bug me back in the day, but now I use it as motivation to prove them wrong.” In the past two seasons, that chip on his shoulder has gotten bigger and the desire to silence the critics has only increased.
2024 Statistics
Feature starts: 20
Average feature finish: 12.80
Top-10s: 8
Best finish: Sixth (Budds Creek MX)
SMX Standings/payout: 20th/$27,000
2024 News
Christian Craig out of Arlington Supercross with elbow injury
Paige Craig updates social media on Christian’s surgery behind the scenes
Craig undergoes off-season knee surgery
Craig returns to Yamaha Star Racing with a two-year deal
450 Countdown
14. Shane McElrath
15. Dean Wilson
250 Countdown
14. Coty Schock
15. Ryder DiFrancesco
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