2023 SuperMotocross Power Rankings after Atlanta: Justin Barcia leapfrogs the Big Three

With a streak of six top-five finishes and podiums in his last three races, Justin Barcia tops the NBC SuperMotocross Power Rankings after the Atlanta round. As the three title contenders, Eli Tomac, Cooper Webb and Chase Sexton, pay close attention to one another, it has allowed the field to close the distance in recent weeks.

Barcia adjusted his setup slightly following the Daytona Supercross race and snapped a string of five races outside the top five. Since then, he’s gained confidence and speed with each round. In the past three races, the title contenders have failed to stand on the podium at least once each, while Barcia has been a permanent fixture on the box, usually after recording an equally strong run in his heat. Following the Atlanta race, Barcia said he is at one with his GasGas bike and felt like one of the Na’vi from “Avatar” fame. That connection is serving him well.

Just when it seemed he was falling out of contention for the 2023 Supercross title, Sexton rode a mistake free race in Atlanta and closed the points’ gap significantly with his third win of the season. Four rounds remain and 17 points are going to be difficult to erase against two riders who rarely struggle in back-to-back races, but Sexton has served notice he will not concede the title without making it challenging.

MORE: Chase Sexton is back in the hunt with Atlanta win

Webb won his heat last week and seemed to have the right setup for the tricky Atlanta track, but a poor start in the main and his second consecutive fourth-place finish hurt him in the SuperMotocross Power Rankings. That came on the heels of a less than stellar effort in the Glendale Triple Crown where he scored only one podium in three features. This is just the second