We’ve got beef between soon-to-be ex-teammates Cooper Webb and Haiden Deegan, though it seemed to be settled when Webb posted a pic of them together on stationary bikes at the Farm. (Apparently, there’s also online beef between Trey Canard and Ellie Reed on Instagram and X, but neither are racing tomorrow.) We have the last races of two multi-time champions in Eli Tomac and Dylan Ferrandis, who will both be hanging up their boots after tomorrow night’s race; Eli is one of our all-time greats while Ferrandis quietly put together a career that ranks him among some of the best imports we’ve ever had. And speaking of imports, who would have thought just one year ago that Red Bull KTM’s Jorge Prado would be wearing the red plates here in SMX?! The Spaniard didn’t even race the playoff rounds last year after his downright bad run with Kawasaki, but he stuck with his plan to win here, got back on an Austrian bike and he could end up with a million bucks tomorrow night! And after losing the 250 Pro Motocross title at the very end to Cole Davies, Levi Kitchen could redeem himself and pick up a half-million dollars if he can just keep it together on the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki. We should also keep our fingers crossed that Team USA's Webb, Levi Kitchen, and Chance Hymas all get through the weekend healthy and ready to take off for next weekend's Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations in France. And we’ll have the top WMX girls participating in SMX for the first time. Jett Lawrence is out, but Hunter’s here and no doubt will want to end the best season of his own career on a high note, as will Ken Roczen—who still hasn’t committed to defending his #1 plate in SX—and maybe, just maybe, the Deegs/Webb thing is not all done… 

Add it all up and we should have a dramatic and entertaining conclusion to the season. James Stewart better keep that popcorn handy!

Oh, there's even a boat out there that might want to get even with Ricky Carmichael!

• SuperMotocross

  • Pre-Race Press Conference 

    Live

    September 18 - 2:30 PM

    

  • Race Day Live (Qualifying) 

    Live

    September 19 - 1:00 PM

    

  • Race Day Live (Qualifying) 

    Live

    September 19 - 1:00 PM

    

  • Pre-Race Show (2 Hours Live) 

    Live

    September 19 - 5:00 PM

    

  • September 19 - 7:00 PM

    

  • September 19 - 7:00 PM

    

  • September 19 - 10:00 PM

    

This SMX Playoffs concept is still relatively new, so we’re still seeing what does and doesn’t work as far as tracks and facilities are concerned. NFL and MLB stadiums are impossible to book in September, but it seemed like maybe the MLS soccer stadium idea could work. Well, doesn’t seem like that concept was a hit the last two weekends, with a lot of riders saying the events in Columbus and Los Angeles felt like supercross without whoops instead of a true hybrid motocross/supercross track.

This weekend reintroduces the true hybrid concept back into the game. This track looks good, reminding me more of the high-speed layouts at Las Vegas (in the “outdoor” section behind the grandstands) and the Chicago race of 2023. Plus, this Thunder Ridge Nature Arena, itself, is unreal as far as viewing and atmosphere.

By now you know how the points play out: Jorge Prado needs to only finish third in the 450 class to secure the SMX Championship and an incredible one-year career turnaround. Just as big is the story in the 250 class, as Cole Davies’ crashes last week have pretty much taken the title favorite out of title contention. This championship would be absolutely huge for Levi Kitchen, Ryder DiFrancesco or Julien Beaumer. The fact that one of those three is very likely to get it means this will be a huge, huge event.

Plus, the 450s are likely packing more surprises: if any combination of Haiden Deegan, Hunter Lawrence, Ken Roczen, or Cooper Webb push Prado back to fourth overall or worse, now it becomes winner-take-all for the title. Although I shouldn’t say winner take all. Remember that second in 450 points makes $500,000. It’s winner-take-more. And combined with this track, it should be a really fun night.

And just like that, the finale is here. Thirty-one rounds will be done and dusted in 24 hours’ time, a crazy 2026 SMX championship season completed. This finale venue lives up to the billing, too. There has been a lot of feedback, mostly critical, of the first two playoff rounds. I do understand it and while I am a bit more rosy about the situation, there is zero doubt that this finale is a home run location.

Nestled just outside Branson, Missouri, the Thunder Ridge Nature Arena is the brainchild of Bass Pro Shops' founder Johnny Morris. It's one of the most beautiful resorts I have ever seen and completely unexpected for those visiting for the first time. The attention to detail is on a Disney World level and the amount of money spent to create all of this has to be breathtaking. 

As for the racing, motivation levels always vary at these final rounds. Some will go through the motions, just checking a box and cashing a check. Others will be wound up, ready to make history and accomplish something they will remember forever. No one can manufacture motivation and focus, that is either there or it isn't. I have felt both in my time, but I always tried to remember the opportunity at hand. When others are thinking about their upcoming vacations and much deserved time off, I knew that they would be less likely to fight for every inch. They wouldn't be as engaged and that means if I put in my best effort, a best result was more likely.

It's no coincidence that crazy results often happen at the final rounds. The champions often lay up (think Davies at Ironman second moto), those with injuries or nothing to really vie for will ride uninspired, and forcing the issue will typically yield a favorable ending. All of that spells opportunity. Sure, those at the very front will go for the gusto. They have championships to chase. But, those in seventh or ninth or 11th will often turn in a ho-hum type evening. Their incentive is to leave uninjured and get to the off-season where rest or team change awaits.

My incentive was to log a season best, career best, or simply have a great result. Add the huge money of these playoff rounds and points fund to the mix and I would have been champing at the bit. To each their own and the money doesn't matter as much to some as it does to others, but for those so inclined, this is a great opportunity to have a great evening.

Don't fall into the trap of complacency. Attack the race like it's Anaheim and good things will happen. There will be plenty of time to exhale in October, the chance to excel is still here in September. 

What a story that I'm sitting here typing that Jorge Prado has A) a points lead and B) won the SMX round last week. A shameful effort by him at Kawasaki last year led to him and Monster Energy Kawasaki parting ways, KTM getting him back and now look at this! I mean, I get that he didn't like the Kawi but he's THIS much better with the KTM? Yup, it appears so. He's going to be tough to beat this weekend in my opinion with his starts putting him in a good spot. The comeback last week after falling in the sand was impressive. I detailed it in my Observations column this week that, with three minutes left, it was going to be Ken Roczen with the overall win and the SMX points lead, but Prado used a crash by Haiden Deegan and some real grit to get back to second place and win the overall.

We had Ian Harrison on PulpMX Show this week and he admitted that he had "no idea" that Prado would do this well upon signing him and admitted that it was really Robert Jonass over in Europe that pushed the signing through. Win or lose this SMX, Prado deserves to take a bow because he showed many people, myself included, how good he is.

From one Spanish rider to another... After a wild and exciting MX2 season in the FIM Motocross World Championship (MXGP) overseas, Triumph’s Guillem Farres was named 2026 MX2 World Champion. Like Davey mentioned last week in Racerhead #38, the title was down to both Triumph riders: Farres and Camden McLellan. Despite his incredible season, Sacha Coenen—who ran into some tough luck late with his collarbone injury at the Southwick National in his second race in the USA—was mathematically eliminated from the title before the final round in Australia and the title was down to the two Triumph riders. 

McLellan won the qualifying race on Saturday and the first MX2 moto Sunday, but Farres, who finished second in that moto, had a gap that would eliminate McLellan no matter what happened in the second moto. The celebration was on for the Spanish rider! Liam Everts would take the MX2 moto two race win, McLellan the overall, and Farres the MX2 title. Farres and McLellan’s P1 and P2 in the championship standings is hugely impressive, especially their own personal careers, plus the fact that this was only the third year of the Triumph TF 250-X racing MX2 full-time. 

When you look at Farres’ career specifically, to say this was possible a handful of years ago would have been a pretty wild take back then. Farres was a tenth-place guy in EMX250 back in 2021 and was working in a grocery store during the week to make ends meet. Then, a call from Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing changed everything. Farres flew over to the United States of America and competed in the final two rounds of 2022 AMA Pro Motocross Championship as a fill-in rider after one of the team’s youngsters got hurt (Nick Romano). The long-haired, unknown Spanish rider turned heads immediately, with many fans and industry personnel saying, “Who is #109 on the Star Yamaha?!” He had two strong rides: ninth overall at Budds Creek National and 11th overall at the Ironman National. He even got to use his Star Yamaha YZ250F at the ‘22 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations in Michigan—where he landed fourth in the MX2 qualifying race in a great ride. The riders that beat him? Justin Cooper, Hunter Lawrence, and Marvin Musquin!

Farres stayed in the States—and with Star Racing Yamaha—and skipped all of Monster Energy AMA Supercross in 2023 to ramp up for a full season of Pro Motocross. He finished eighth and seventh overall, respectively, to start the 2023 Pro Motocross season until he suffered a badly broken arm in a first turn crash at the Thunder Valley National.

In October 2023, Farres signed with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna. The factory Husqvarna team saw Farres’ results and took a chance on having him race the entire year, starting with SX. The Spanish rider would make two 250SX starts in his debut SX season, finishing eighth and ninth, respectively in Michigan and Texas, before a practice crash resulting in a broken femur would sideline him for the remainder of the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) season. His time with Husqvarna, and in the USA, had come to an end. 

Then, Farres landed a deal with the Monster Energy Triumph Racing Team to return to MX2 for 2025, joining returning rider Camden McLellan. 

The Triumph duo put in solid results in 2025, landing fifth (McLellan) and eighth (Farres) in the MX2 championship. But this year they both ramped it up. McLellan earned his first MX2 overall win at the second round MXGP of Andalucia in March and had the points lead. He and Farres both tallied 13 overall podiums (in 19 rounds), with McLellan landing five overall wins and Farres six, battling the KTM duo of Sacha Coenen and 2025 MX2 Champion Simon Längenfelder.

In August, Farres signed a new deal with Triumph for 2027, but in the premier class. Currently 23 and to be 24 in March, he was going to age out of the MX2 class at the end of this calendar year. Now, it worked out perfectly since he has the MX2 title to show for it before he joins the likes of Jeffrey Herlings, Kay de Wolf, Romain Febvre, Tim Gajser, Maxime Renaux, and more in the 450cc MXGP division come February ‘27.

McLellan will remain with the team to compete in MX2 in 2027. Could the South African be the ‘27 MX2 Champion and give Triumph back-to-back titles?

The Progressive Grand National Cross Country (GNCC Racing) Series returned from summer break, and riders were immediately thrown back into the deep end, quite literally, in Ohio. The John Penton GNCC brought another heavy rainfall and a muddy mess for the riders, adding to an already mud-filled season. But, hey, mud races are part of the sport, especially in the wild, wild woods of GNCC Racing!

The riders hit the course for yet another physically and mentally taxing day, and at the checkered flag it was KTM’s Grant Davis taking the race win. Davis picked up his second win of the 2026 season but he sits seventh in the overall standings. Steward Baylor Jr., and Jordan Ashburn rounded out the overall podium. Ashburn holds an eight-point lead over Baylor in the championship, with Liam Draper, Ben Kelley, and Craig Delong rounding out the top five in the championship standings.

The home race for the series is up next (the Mason-Dixon GNCC next weekend), but that round will be non-points-paying for the Bike XC1, XC2 and WXC classes as a result of the schedule conflict with the International Six Days Enduro (ISDE).

Check out The John Penton GNCC highlights below:

This weekend we will see the ladies line up for their hybrid SMX debut.

Accepted Invitation Riders:
Mayla Herrick - 23
Charli Cannon - 7
Mikayla Nielsen - 51
Taylah McCutcheon - 10
Jamie Astudillo - 469
Jordan Jarvis - 301
Lachlan Turner -99
Lilly-Ann Pettus - 76
Hannah Hodges - 172
Piper Bell - 167
Kaylie Kayer - 912
Lotte Van Drunen - 401
Tayla Jones - 713

The 13 invited ladies will line up to tackle the Thunder Ridge SMX course and if you have been following along on social media a lot of these women have been working hard at local SX tracks in order to get ready for their time on a hybrid SMX track. It will be hard to bet against Lachlan Turner but one could say that Charli Cannon has had more time to prepare as she has been working hard on her SMX craft at MTF while Lala was in Australia racing the last round of the MXGP series. No matter what, it will be must-see TV as the ladies show all of us what they can do at the Thunder Ridge Nature Arena Saturday evening!

The journey of the FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX) took another detour this week when the organizers, SX Global, released a statement announcing that the Birmingham, Great Britain, round that was set for October 10 was canceled. It was to be the second round of the 2026 series, which opened back in August in Calgary, Canada.

The statement added that all ticket holders for the Birmingham race will receive an email directly from Ticketmaster within the next 24 hours. Refunds will be processed automatically to the original method of payment and should be received within 14–21 days. 

As for the upcoming races, the second round will now be in Buenos Aires, Argentina, though the exact date is yet to be determined. Same goes for the following round in South Africa, though the city and the date are also TBA. The fourth round of the series is set for Gold Coast, Australia, on November 21, and final round scheduled right now will be on December 5 in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Good morning from the beautiful Pleasure Valley Raceway in Seward, Pennsylvania, as we kick off practice day here for the Travis Pastrana Pro Challenge sponsored by Rockwell Time, Cleveland Brothers CAT Rental, MX6 Racing, and Monster Energy. This is also the Monster Energy Wes Kain Last Man Standing event, and a MotoPlayground Dirty100 event.  

It will be an eventful three day race weekend. To kick things off on Friday, there will be three rounds of free practice that is followed up by the Monster Energy Wes Kain Last Man Standing Event afterwards, where the winner of the event will take home a cool $5,000!

Saturday will feature the first motos for amateur classes, the 450 Pro AM motos, and after the racing, stick around for an awesome TNT/Fort Pedro fireworks show along with the famous auction that all proceeds from the auction go back to support Team USA at the MXoN.

Sunday will close out the weekend with all second motos for the amateur classes and the 250 Pro AM as well.

This weekend there will be $26,000 on the line as the Pleasure Valley Rockwell Time 450 Pro Purse will pay out $1,250 for moto one, and another $1,250 for moto two and the winner of the class will also receive a watch personalized from Rockwell Time.

Jeff Cernic and the gang have the track perfectly groomed and it's going to be one heck of a racing weekend. The bikes are out on the track already and cutting in lines into the fresh dirt.

This event always brings out the best of the best from all of the classes, and I do not expect things to be any different this year. Whether you are just a fan of the sport or here racing, this amateur event always seems to have a different feel than other races. From the friendly banter in the pits, to the families lining the fences watching and cheering for their racers, the atmosphere is always a reminder of why we gather at tracks on the weekends.

On my way home from the second round of SMX we had a stopover in Denver. While we were having a quick lunch at a restaurant bar a couple of guys walked in, wearing black hats with the Bobby J's Yamaha logo. I asked where Bobby J's was, and when one guy answered Albuquerque, I immediately realized it was my old friend and very fast pro Keith Johnson. No, not the one from Southwick fame, but rather from the good old days of moto in New Mexico. Keith and his brother Kevin, as well as their cousin Isaiah Johnson, were part of an excellent crew that came up some 25 years that also included Ivan and Gio Tedesco, Justin Buckelew, Ryan Clark, and more recently Jason Anderson. Albuquerque was practically another El Cajon Zone for several years!

I covered Keith throughout his pro career, which lasted from 1999 through 2005, and his high-water marks were a couple of top five finishes in 125 Supercross, so it was great to catch up.

He was headed to Columbus for the Yamaha dealer show for Bobby J's, and we immediately got to bench-racing about all of the events of Saturday night. As we were both leaving, he said they would all be definitely watching the SMX Final to see who wins as well as whatever happens between Coop and Deegs—and he loved James Stewart with the popcorn!

It was a busy week of racing around the dirt bike world. Here's a shortcut to see the big winners, according to the win ads in cyclenews.com.

The latest vintage rider, Phil Nicoletti!

Barry Hawk's two-stroke quad

"‘I needed an IV’: shoes melt as turf temperature reaches 157F in Eagles-Titans game"—The Guardian

"Nashville turf temp of 157 degrees melts cleats, sends Sirianni for IV"—ESPN

“Jake Paul says civilians should be allowed rocket launchers and drones after Pentagon visit”—The Mirror

“The California Surf Spot With Epic Waves—and Rusty Metal Spikes”—Wall Street Journal

"A raccoon boot camp in Mississippi teaches abandoned kits survival skills"—AP

"South Park just took on America’s e-bike problem – and surprisingly nailed a lot of it"—Electrek

"Seattle's 'Inconvenience Store' features pre-tangled USB cords"—UPI

"Zoo advertises tickets for 'child predator tour'"—BBC News

November 2026 Issue Cover Posters featuring LaLa Turner are available now on racerxbrand.com:

lachlan turner Cover poster