Okay, I know we have two exciting AMA Pro Motocross Championship titles that are up for grabs this weekend, but let's take playoffs. Cue Jim Mora’s infamous press conference quote: "Playoffs?! Don't talk about Playoffs! You kidding me?"

I know, I know, this weekend is going to be epic as we have two titles up for grabs, the 250 Class title—between Cole Davies and Levi Kitchen—and the 450 Class title—between Hunter and Jett Lawrence. But, there is more than that on the line for this weekend.

Ten years ago, you would have one final Pro Motocross round then several months of quiet time during the off-season until Monster Energy AMA Supercross resumed in early January. Riders would mail it in at the final round, knowing if they made it through healthy, they would be able to finally relax from the grind. Well, that is not how the Pro Motocross finale goes now!

With the inception of the Monster Energy SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs in 2023, we now have three playoff races for another two titles (one 250cc, one 450cc) up for grabs. More racing and a HUGE payout to the riders? Sign me up!

We are entering the fourth year of playoffs in the Monster Energy SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX), and the riders now know how it works. The top 20 riders in combined AMA Supercross and Motocross total points get guaranteed spots on the gate at all three playoff races, riders ranked 21-30 get invited to the races but must race their way in through the Wild Card race (aka last chance qualifier) at all three playoff rounds. The Wild Card race is supposed to take two more riders to the gate, but if a rider that sits top 20 in points doesn’t compete (ala Haiden Deegan in the 250SMX playoffs this year since he is a full-time 450cc rider now, or Seth Hammaker who is inside the top ten in 250SMX but is out for the remainder of the year with a shoulder injury), additional Wild Card spots open up. Injuries and moving between classes cause riders not originally in the top 30 in combined points to get a chance to still race the playoffs.

At the playoffs, once the starting lineup is created, we get to watch two 20-minute-plus-one-lap motos for all 22 riders in both classes. And again, first playoff round is single points (25 for the overall winner), the second playoff round is double points (50 points for the overall winner), and the third playoff round at the season finale is triple points (75 points for the overall winner).

So, before we get to the playoffs, again not jumping the gun, we have to figure out the top 30 in points. Riders this weekend close to the edge of the top 20 will push to make sure they are guaranteed a spot on the starting gate for the first moto instead of having to chance making the motos by qualifying through the Wild Card races at the three playoff rounds.

This brings up the question: who are the riders to watch this weekend?

Well, in 450SMX, the math out front is simple: Hunter Lawrence has since clinched the top spot. The #96 has a 243-point lead (!) over P2 Cooper Webb, but Webb only leads Jorge Prado by 5 points. Barring a DNF from Prado, there is a high chance he passes Webb for P2 entering the playoffs, as Webb has averaged 22.9 points per round and Prado has average 35.1 points per round.

No love lost between those two during supercross this year!

Despite not racing any supercross rounds this year, Jett Lawrence has climbed up to a tie for fourth in the 450SMX standings with Dylan Ferrandis. Prado is 99 points up on Jettson though so the younger Lawrence brother will not make it any higher by the end of Saturday. Garrett Marchbanks, Haiden Deegan, and Eli Tomac are sixth through eighth and likely to stay where they are.

Justin Cooper (349 points) and RJ Hampshire (346 points) will both overtake 2026 450SX Champion Ken Roczen (349 points), who has not raced any rounds of Pro Motocross.

Chase Sexton sits 12th but he will be out for the playoffs after undergoing knee surgery back in June.

Behind Sexton, Christian Craig, Jordon Smith, Malcolm Stewart, Justin Barcia, Aaron Plessinger, and Mikkel Haarup are all separated 22 points, so there could be some shuffling in that group!

And just like last year, Mitchell Harrison (21st with 178 points) is chasing Justin Hill (20th with 188 points) for the final automatic transfer spot!

Now we suddenly see Justin Hill is on the entry list for this weekend. What does this mean? He appeared on entry lists last year for Pro Motocross but didn't actually end up competing. We'll see what happens on Saturday!

Shane McElrath, who will debut his new Beta RX 450F, is gauranteed to be in the Wild Card races as he sits 22nd, with Colt Nichols, Benny Bloss, Cornelius Tondel, Valentin Guillod, Jason Anderson, Grant Harlan, and Fredrik Noren currently in spots 23 through 30. Lorenzo Locurcio sits two points behind Noren as the Venezuela native looks to get into the playoffs.

Again, this list below is NOT the final finishing position NOR the entry list for the playoffs, but this is a good glimpse at what is going on. We still have to see who is confirmed in or not.

In the 250SMX Division, there are two things to note right off the bat: again, Deegan is full 450 now and will not race and Hammaker is out with injury. Carson Mumford is now also out with injury after his dislocated wrist at Budds Creek.

Out front of the 250SMX standings, it is not shocking to see Cole Davies leading Levi Kitchen (also P1 and P2 in the 250 Pro Motocross standings entering this weekend, respectively).

Ryder DiFrancesco has third place in the 250SMX standings on lock as Chance Hymas and Julien Beaumer round out the top five. Those top five are locked into the top five (barring a DNF), as Kayden Minear (eighth) sits down 26 points down from Beaumer. Jo Shimoda, the 2025 250SMX Champion, will return to action ninth in the standings at the first round as Nate Thrasher rounds out the top ten.

In terms of the final transfer spot(s), right now Drew Adams sits in 20th with 176 points. Max Anstie (168 points) is 21st, followed by Landen Gordon, Casey Cochran, injured Coty Schock, Henry Miller, Parker Ross, Devin Simonson, Avery Long, Marshal Weltin, and Derek Kelley. Kelley, who broke his arm at the High Point National (not a good weekend for right arm injuries if you ask me!), is expected to make his return to racing at the first playoff round.

A couple factory riders to note outside of the top 30: triple digit buddies Cameron McAdoo and Pierce Brown are 31st and 32nd, Deacon Denno is 36th, Carson Wood is 45th, Landon Gibson is 47th, and Enzo Temmerman is 48th.