The 2026 SMX World Championship postseason found its stride at the second playoff in Carson, California, as pleasant weather and a respectable crowd huddled inside of Dignity Health Sports Park. It was a narrative-driven event, making Lewis Phillips' recapitulation easier to craft.

IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS

It should be apparent by now that in-stadium races have little to offer without supercross' most technical elements – whoops and a triple out of a turn are where exceptional talents thrive. Los Angeles, in contrast, was an exercise in speed and commitment.

Whilst students of the sport can identify differentiators (and there were more than expected by the conclusion of the schedule), it's impossible to contest that these circuits don't create the best on-track action. There were passes at the front of 450SMX – five in moto one and nine in moto two – but those were mistake-induced rather than a result of an unordinary skillset.

Still, there were moments of satisfaction for those who wanted to see these superstars showcase their mettle. The three over five before sector six's sand section was frankly mesmerizing and something that just Jorge Prado and Ken Roczen could execute seamlessly. "That five-footer was kind of tall," Roczen said of the jump. "I just grazed the top pretty well, then I found a tiny little knuckle so I had the lift to clear it." Prado echoed the sentiment: "It was a risk! You really had to compress the bike."

To justify the layouts in Columbus and Carson as a hybrid would be ludicrous. While stadiums are unequivocally the best location for an event, it's clear that they are not fit for SuperMotocross' purpose. Has there been a venue that works though? The speedways were inspired yet underwhelming and concepts like city streets are no closer to fruition. SMX floats in obscurity. Will Branson pull it from that realm or reinforce how difficult it is to find a sweet spot away from the sport's successful foundation?

Verdict: Another week and no conclusive answers.

PRADO'S KRYPTONITE

The Prado playbook is known: his best attributes are starts, sprint speed and defensive action. Those traits make him a formidable competitor in any situation, but he can be vulnerable once outside of that sweet spot. There are two main weaknesses that have been well documented:

1. Recovery: A mistake can rob Prado of all momentum. To his credit, he recovered brilliantly after his crash in the second 450SMX moto. The crash was on lap twelve, but he was already the quickest on track by over half a second on lap fifteen (and his time was just a tenth slower than his personal best) and did that twice more by lap nineteen. "I'd lose the rhythm after a crash in the past," he said. "Even a yellow would upset my rhythm, but the way that I bounced back was pretty cool. I impressed myself."

2. Passes: Prado is so well versed in racing from the front that making passes can be a flaw – that is also relevant to his backmarker problem. 'Combativeness' could be a headline to file all of this underneath. To his credit once more, he was on the attack from start to finish in the 450SMX motos. "I had extra speed in my pocket today, so I would make the difference when I was close. I need to learn and improve, and that's what I have done. Lappers have been a problem, but not today. Passing has been a problem, but it looks like I was the best at that."

Verdict: Take a bow, Jorge Prado. Well deserved…

YAMAHA'S MOOD SHIFT

What Prado, Lawrence and Roczen did was rendered irrelevant by Yamaha's post-race fracas. Cooper Webb was put down by Haiden Deegan late in moto two, the move was not well received and the rest is well documented. Those in blue stayed schtum in the aftermath, refusing to clarify what transpired in the semi. Whatever happened will ensure that Webb's farewell to the manufacturer will attract more eyeballs than anyone predicted.

Webb and Deegan will interact this week – the compound ensures it's impossible to hide – and that should make it a non-event when wheels turn at the Finals, yet every comment and contact will be overanalyzed. Unorthodox as it may be, Deegan was quick to admit fault in his broadcast interview and underline that what he did was incorrect (especially when in combat with a teammate).

If there was any doubt, this is further confirmation that Webb's departure could be the best outcome for Yamaha. Having two alphas in one truck, especially with personalities as fiery as these two, is clearly a recipe for disaster. It reinforces just how special the dynamic at Honda is, to boot.

Verdict: Proof that SuperMotocross must matter…

FINAL PUZZLE PIECES

SMX's transfer market is all but complete, but some puzzle pieces float in the ether. Justin Barcia confirmed that he will leave Ducati, despite hitting his auto extension in the Pro Motocross series. "I don't want to be a full-time test rider," he surmised. Barcia will join Jason Anderson at the Twisted Tea Suzuki team, which means that Colt Nichols must find an alternative home. The Yamaha-bound PRMX team is where he's likely to settle down.

With Barcia on the move, it's almost without doubt that Dylan Ferrandis will return to Ducati for the second year of the project. However, despite the natural fit, Ferrandis is still coy about his plans. "The team has struggled on the financial side this summer, so I think they want to be sure that they can make a proper offer," Ferrandis said exclusively. "I am still waiting on that. I have never really ridden for money before, but this is the first time that I’ve thought I should ride for the money."

All of this is small fry compared to the paddock's most pertinent decision: Will Ken Roczen continue for another year? Despite his reluctance to commit in public discourse, all paddock murmurs indicate that he will race once more. "I don't even know, man," Roczen pondered. "I have commitment issues! I kind of live day to day currently, and I would much rather not sign anything and keep doing what I'm doing. I've told my wife that I may just be a little bit too good right now to retire. I'm working on it!"

In more paddock news, Kawasaki has found a third mechanic for their three-man roster but continues to hunt for an additional crew chief. The initial feedback on the new KX450 that they have tested for a couple of weeks is positive, it seems. While it's not a complete overhaul or all-new model, it sounds like it addresses a lot of the common critiques that the current model faces from riders around the world.

Verdict: 2027 will feature many changes after all.