2023 SuperMotocross Power Rankings after Nashville: Eli Tomac retakes the top spot

Nearly every position among the top 20 changed hands in the SuperMotocross Power Rankings after Nashville with Eli Tomac reassuming the lead and last week’s most powerful rider Justin Barcia dropping dramatically after crashing on Lap 8 and finishing 21st. This was a sharp contrast to last week when practically none of the top 20 riders changed positions.

The 2023 Supercross championship was radically altered last week in the first 450 heat when Cooper Webb’s front wheel washed out in the third turn. When he went to the ground, his helmet was struck at speed by Adam Cianciarulo and the result was a concussion that will put an end to his 2023 Supercross campaign. Most of the remaining riders in the top five in SuperMotocross Power Rankings after Nashville are ones who have shown consistent speed.

The NBC SuperMotocross Power Rankings look at the past 45 days for the 450SX division, which includes races from Daytona through Nashville and during that span, Tomac has been almost perfect in podium finishes in his heats and mains. An eighth-place result in the Indianapolis main is the only time he’s been outside the top five and as long as he continues to ride that well in the next two rounds, there is not going to be any question about the championship.

Chase Sexton is 18 points behind Tomac with two rounds remaining. His focus remains on overcoming that deficit, but that is not the most important thing for Sexton, who will need a mistake by Tomac in order to take the title. But in a very large sense, Sexton has already done what he needs to do. After several consecutive races with mistakes, he rode perfectly at Atlanta and Nashville in the last three rounds and that will give him some momentum heading into the Lucas Oil Pro