Moto News Weekly Wrap | SX season update – MXGP etc

Moto News Weekly Wrap
April 7, 2026

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What’s New:

• Manjimup 15,000 cancelled amidst logistic uncertainty
• Nashville preview — Roczen brings heat as pressure rises on every front-runner
• MXGP resumes in Sardinia with title fights tightening after Switzerland
• MX65 Futures returns to Australian ProMX in 2026
• Leo Joyon joins Triumph’s Factory Enduro efforts
• 2026 AMA SX Round 12 – St. Louis Wrap
• 2026 Racing Calendars

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Manjimup cancelled

Dirt High Promotions has cancelled the 2026 Berry Sweet Manjimup 15000. Manji has long been Western Australia’s premier motocross event, but the decision was taken following growing uncertainty around rider and team travel logistics amid fuel supply instability, leaving interstate competitors unable to commit to the event.

Manjimup 15,000 cancelled

Since the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, Dirt High Promotions owner Willie Thomson convened with ProMX team principals and interstate riders to discuss the viability of racing at this year’s event. Those discussions have now concluded, with the majority of major interstate teams and international riders unable to commit to transporting equipment and personnel to Manjimup, as fuel prices and availability force teams to act conservatively.

Willie Thomson – Dirt High Promotions Owner

“We have tried everything to make this event happen. Riders and teams can’t commit to making it to Manji, which makes it impossible for us to organise this year’s race. Every rider and team I spoke to understands what this race means to the WA motocross community. Under the current circumstances, it’s just not possible.”

Manjimup 15,000 cancelled

Fuel scarcity has added further pressure to an already challenging period for Western Australian motocross in 2026. The opening round of the 2026 WA State Motocross Championship in Wanneroo was recently cancelled due to insufficient licensed riders entering the event.

A number of organising bodies and riders, including the Manjimup Motorcycle Club, have chosen not to renew their affiliation with the licensing body, Motorcycling Western Australia, in 2026. Dirt High Promotions chose to independently apply for an MWA license for this year’s event, but still flagged this as a concern, considering the lack of amateur licensed MWA riders. Mr Thomson said that these existing licensing challenges, now compounded by uncertainty around fuel access and transport, posed too many risks for the event to proceed.

“What makes Manjimup so special is not just the racing but it’s the fans,” Willie said. “We owe it to the riders, the fans and our sponsors to make sure everyone can afford to race and come and see the best riders and teams go at it around the fastest track in the Southern Hemisphere.”

Dirt High Promotions remains committed to making the Manjimup 15000 happen in 2027. Mr Thomson assured riders that this decision will not impact other Dirt High Promotions-affiliated events. The three rounds of the Brookton Pony Express will go ahead as planned in July through to September in the Wheatbelt this year.

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AMA Supercross Update

Roczen brings heat as pressure rises on every front-runner

St. Louis tightened both AMA Supercross title fights, and the implications now carry straight into Nashville this weekend. Ken Roczen heads to Nissan Stadium with real momentum after back-to-back 450SX victories, while Eli Tomac and Hunter Lawrence remain locked together at the top of the standings.

In 250SX, Haiden Deegan has already settled the Western title, so the attention now swings back to the East, where Cole Davies leads Seth Hammaker by 11 points with the margin still slim enough to keep every contender under pressure.

Ken Roczen

Roczen is the rider who leaves Missouri with the strongest sense of momentum. His St. Louis win was not just another victory, but one of the most convincing 450SX rides of the season. On one of the roughest and most technical tracks of the year, the German looked composed and untouchable, managing the race from the front and stretching his advantage to more than 13 seconds by the flag.

It was his first run of consecutive wins since 2021, and it arrived at precisely the point in the season where form starts to matter as much as raw points. Roczen has now led more main event laps than any rider in the class this year and also carries the best average ranking for fastest lap times, so the speed has been there for some time. What St. Louis suggested was that the results are now beginning to match the underlying numbers.

That shift adds more weight to what Nashville may mean for Tomac and Lawrence. Tomac remains right at the top of the standings, but his early-season authority has not looked quite as secure in recent rounds. He is still collecting solid points, still very much in the fight, and still dangerous, but the sense of inevitability he carried earlier in the campaign has faded.

Hunter Lawrence

Hunter Lawrence, meanwhile, arguably did exactly what a championship contender needed to do in St. Louis. The Australian did not have Roczen’s pace, but he stayed measured, rode through the brutality of the conditions, and banked another podium despite the wrist issue he carried in from the previous round.

That was his eighth podium of the season, and it was the sort of ride that may prove valuable later if this title goes down to the final rounds. Roczen may have owned the night in Missouri, but Lawrence again looked like a rider willing to think long rather than simply react to the moment.

Justin Cooper’s St. Louis performance also added another layer to the Nashville picture. His runner-up finish was one of his strongest 450SX rides to date and another sign that he is improving as the season progresses. He may not yet have placed himself at the very centre of the title conversation, but he is becoming increasingly relevant to it. If his pace keeps trending upward, he has the potential to disrupt podiums, points and momentum for the riders above him.

Cooper Webb

Cooper Webb remains another important piece in the equation, even if his campaign has unfolded in typically understated fashion. He has not always stood out, but he rarely goes away, and his ability to keep collecting points without drama is precisely what makes him dangerous at this stage of the year. He remains the sort of rider who can turn steady accumulation into a real threat if those ahead of him make mistakes.

Chase Sexton continues to sit at the other end of the spectrum. Few riders in the field can match his outright speed when everything clicks, but his season has again been shaped by bursts of brilliance followed by periods of frustration. He remains capable of winning on any given Saturday night, but the question is no longer whether the pace is there. It is whether he can sustain it cleanly enough, often enough, to influence the title fight in a meaningful way over the closing stretch.

Jorge Prado

Jorge Prado is becoming increasingly interesting for a different reason. The Spaniard is not yet a weekly podium presence, but St. Louis was another encouraging sign that he is beginning to look more comfortable and more assertive in Supercross. His pace and race craft are starting to come through more consistently, and Nashville presents another opportunity to see whether that promise can be converted into a breakthrough result.

Joey Savatgy, meanwhile, continues to go about his season in a quieter but effective way. Seventh in St. Louis was another useful result for Quad Lock Honda, and he keeps steadily adding to his points tally while some bigger names continue to fluctuate around him.

Haiden Deegan

In 250SX, the broader shape of the season changed in St. Louis, even though the focus now moves elsewhere. Deegan’s win in the East/West Showdown sealed the Western title and underlined just how strong he has been among the next generation this season. He did not merely clinch the championship; he reinforced his status as the class benchmark. With the West now effectively closed off, Nashville turns attention back to the East and to a title fight that remains much more open.

Davies carries the advantage, and deservedly so. The young Kiwi has handled the season impressively and leaves the Showdown holding an 11-point edge over Hammaker, which is significant but far from decisive. At this stage of a 250SX campaign, that sort of margin can disappear quickly through one poor start, one crash, or one mechanical problem.

Cole Davies

That means Nashville is less about defending a comfortable lead than it is about proving he can carry the pressure that comes with one. Hammaker remains the most immediate threat, and St. Louis did nothing to diminish that. Another podium there showed he is still delivering when it matters, and his consistency keeps him within striking distance. If Davies is the rider with the points advantage, Hammaker is still the rider best placed to apply pressure every weekend.

Bennick and Shimoda remain relevant as well, even if they need help from the two riders ahead. Bennick is still close enough that any misfortune for Davies or Hammaker could bring him right back into the equation, and his ability to recover from adversity has already been evident.

Jo Shimoda

Shimoda’s position is more uncertain after being landed on by another rider in St. Louis, which left him with pain in his lower left leg. Early indications suggest there are no fractures, but his condition through the week becomes one of the more important subplots heading into Nashville. If he arrives fit enough to ride at his usual level, he remains capable of taking points off the leaders and reshaping the championship. If he is compromised, the East title battle narrows accordingly.

Nashville should provide further clarity, because once round 13 is complete, only four more races will remain to shape the final outcome of the championship as it heads towards the Salt Lake City finale on May 9.

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MXGP resumes in Sardinia with title fights tightening after Switzerland

After a weekend off over Easter, the 2026 FIM Motocross World Championship resumes this weekend with round four at Riola Sardo, where Crossodromo Comunale “Le Dune” will again throw up one of the season’s most specialised tests. The Sardinian circuit is a 1750-metre sand track, and it hosts MXGP and MX2 alongside the EMX250 and EMX125 support categories before the series rolls straight on to Trentino the following weekend.

Tom Vialle

That shift matters because Switzerland delivered a very different kind of examination. Frauenfeld became a mud-soaked survival contest in which Tom Vialle claimed his first MXGP overall, Simon Längenfelder reclaimed the MX2 red plate, Francisco Garcia stayed perfect in EMX250 and Ricardo Bauer took the EMX125 round. It was a weekend that exposed how quickly momentum can swing when conditions deteriorate, and it ensured the championship arrives in Sardegna with more questions than answers.

Simon Längenfelder

In MXGP, the early pattern of the season is that no rider has yet managed to fully impose himself across every type of circuit. Lucas Coenen still leads the standings on 136 points after Switzerland, but Vialle is now only seven behind on 129 and Jeffrey Herlings sits a further five adrift on 124.

Maxime Renaux and Tim Gajser are still well within range after both left Frauenfeld with podium-level pace at different stages of the weekend. That leaves Sardegna looking less like a conventional round four and more like a chance for one of the leading contenders to establish some authority before the championship deepens into its European run.

Riola Sardo should also start to sort the specialists from the all-rounders. Vialle was superb in the Swiss mud and already looks remarkably comfortable in the premier class, but Sardegna asks a very different question.

Jeffrey Herlings

Herlings, by contrast, heads to a circuit he mastered last year, and if there is one rider the deep sand traditionally flatters it is him. Coenen still carries the red plate, yet his Switzerland weekend was a reminder that outright speed alone is not always enough once races become messy. Sardegna therefore feels like a circuit that could either steady the MXGP order or scramble it again.

Guillem Farres

MX2 arrives with a slightly clearer championship picture, but not a settled one. Längenfelder’s disciplined Swiss weekend pushed him back to the top of the standings on 149 points, ahead of Guillem Farres on 127 and Sacha Coenen on 124, with Camden McLellan and Liam Everts both on 121. What Switzerland underlined was that Längenfelder is not necessarily the class’s most explosive rider every time out, but he is increasingly the one most able to keep a weekend together. That matters in a division where the pace is tight, mistakes are frequent and the order can turn quickly.

Sardegna now gives the rest of the MX2 field a different avenue of attack. Farres comes in encouraged by his speed and second overall in Switzerland, Everts is grinding out strong scores despite still nursing an ankle issue, and Sacha Coenen remains the rider most likely to unsettle the class when conditions reward aggression and commitment. McLellan, meanwhile, needs a response after Switzerland disrupted what had been a strong start to the season. On paper, Riola’s deep sand ought to produce another reshuffle, but Längenfelder’s advantage at present is that he no longer looks dependent on one style of circuit to keep scoring heavily.

Jake Cannon

EMX250 heads to Sardegna with one rider very clearly setting the tone. Garcia has won four races from four to open the season and leads the championship on 100 points, with Australian Jake Cannon next on 73. Switzerland reinforced both parts of that equation: Garcia was again the benchmark, but Cannon once more showed he is a genuine title threat by salvaging another podium weekend as he builds momentum far from home. Liam Owens also emerged from the mud with one of his strongest performances of the year. Garcia himself noted after Frauenfeld that he enjoys racing in the sand, so Sardegna hardly looks like a venue likely to interrupt his momentum unless somebody can put him under pressure early.

EMX125 may be the support class carrying the most immediate volatility into Riola. Bauer’s Swiss overall tightened the standings considerably, but Moritz Ernecker still holds the red plate on 81 points, just five ahead of Bauer on 76, with Liam Bruneau on 65 and Sleny Goyer on 64. Switzerland showed how quickly fortunes can change in this class, and Sardegna’s sand will test technique and patience just as much as outright speed. With such a narrow gap at the top, it would not take much for the order to change again this weekend.

So far, that has been the defining trait of the 2026 season. Argentina, Andalucia and Switzerland have each rewarded slightly different strengths, and Sardegna now brings yet another reset. For MXGP, it is a chance to see whether Vialle’s surge can continue, whether Coenen can respond with the red plate under pressure, and whether Herlings can turn the sand into his strongest statement yet. In MX2, Längenfelder arrives with the points lead, but not with enough margin to relax. And in EMX250 and EMX125, the support classes head to Riola with title races that already feel as though they could run deep into the year.

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MX65 Futures returns to Australian ProMX in 2026

KTM Group Australia is turning up the throttle for the third year running as the MX65 Futures class returns to the 2026 Australian ProMX Championship – bigger, bolder, and more exhilarating than ever.

MX65 Futures return

Justin Maxwell – KTM Group Australia MD

“We are incredibly excited to feature the MX65 Futures alongside the Australian ProMX Championship for a third-consecutive year in 2026. Every champion starts with spark and our MX65 Futures is a perfect platform to experience motocross on the national stage. These young riders are the heartbeat of our sport’s future and we can’t wait to see them get behind the gates at all three events!”

Registrations open approximately one month before each round via the official Australian ProMX website:
www.auspromx.com.au.

This year, KTM, Husqvarna Motorcycles, and GASGAS once again join forces to champion the sport’s next generation, giving young riders an unmissable opportunity to showcase their talent on the national stage.

MX65 Futures return

The MX65 Futures class will feature three adrenaline-charged ProMX championship rounds, including Gillman on May 10, Appin on June 14, and concluding at the season-finale Queensland Moto Park (QMP) on August 1-2.

Open to competitors on any brand of 65cc motocross machine, the MX65 Futures program delivers an elevated, factory-inspired racing experience designed to fuel ambition and sharpen competitive edge.

Each round will crown its own winner, with the 2026 MX65 Futures Champion decided in an epic showdown at Queensland Moto Park.

Riders will be immersed in a professional-level environment, including guided track walks, exclusive interactions with the KTM Racing Team and Raceline Husqvarna TDUB Racing Team, and an official MX65 Futures goodie bag, creating memories and momentum that will help elevate them to the next stage of their racing journey.

MX65 Futures return

Beyond this unique on- and off-track experience, the MX65 Futures initiative provides a rare pathway for young athletes to prepare for the 2026 KTM Australian Junior Motocross Championship (AJMX), set for later this year in Shepparton, Victoria, from September 28 to October 3.

Don’t forget to register:
www.auspromx.com.au.

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Leo Joyon joins Triumph’s Factory Enduro efforts

Triumph Factory Racing returns to the FIM EnduroGP World Championship in 2026 with Jeremy Sydow leading the team’s Enduro1 campaign aboard the TF 250-E, joined by rising French talent Leo Joyon in the Junior category, with Mikael Persson currently sidelined with injury.

Leo Joyon

Stepping up to the factory team for 2026 is 22-year-old French rider Leo Joyon, who will compete in the Junior class aboard the TF 250-E. Joyon makes the move from the Fast Eddy Triumph team following a standout season in which he won the Junior1 World Cup, finished third in the Junior World Championship, and secured the French Enduro overall and Enduro2 national titles.

Leo Joyon

“I’m really happy to be joining the factory team this season. It’s a privilege to have Triumph place their trust in me, and I’m fully committed to giving my all. I can’t wait to get started. The approach hasn’t changed, I’ve been training hard since the start of winter to be ready, and the goal is to build on last year’s results as best as possible. I’m also looking forward to racing alongside Jeremy. We know each other well and get on great, so I’m confident we’ll work well together. The transition into the team has been seamless, and I’m excited to race a factory bike for the first time. I’ll focus on making the most of the opportunity and progressing throughout the season.”

Leo Joyon

Germany’s Jeremy Sydow brings significant experience in the Enduro1 class. Having secured consecutive top-five Enduro1 championship results in both 2024 and 2025, Sydow has established himself as one of the most consistent riders in the class. Now racing the TF 250-E for the first time, he will look to build on that momentum and push for even stronger results with Triumph Factory Racing.

Jeremy Sydow

“My goal for the season is to fight for the podium in E1 at every round and ideally place inside the top five in the overall EnduroGP standings. I’ve had a strong winter of preparation, both physically at home and testing with the team in Portugal, so I feel like we’re heading into the new season in a really good position. It’s an exciting new challenge for me with a new team, a new bike, and returning to a four-stroke machine, but I felt comfortable with the bike straight away and I’m looking forward to what we can achieve together this year.”

Jeremy Sydow

Mikael Persson, who was set to enter his second year with the team, will unfortunately be unable to start the EnduroGP championship, having sustained a pre-season injury. Following a successful surgery on three fractures in his neck, the Swede has begun his recovery and is working hard towards a return to full fitness.

Mikael Persson

“It’s really disappointing to not be starting the season as we were looking forward to building on everything we have learned from last year. Unfortunately, I had a heavy crash in the pre-season, which ended up fracturing my T6 and T7 vertebrae. It was a compression injury, so I had to have surgery to stabilise everything, including putting in some titanium discs. I’m a couple of weeks on from the operation now and just focused on recovery. I’ve still got to wear a neck brace for a bit longer, but after that I can start easing back into training, getting on the push bike and building things up step by step. I’m sure the time will fly by. So for now, it’s about staying as fit as I can and taking it one step at a time, but I’m already determined to get back to full fitness.”

Alongside the factory squad, several Triumph teams will also contest the 2026 EnduroGP season. Triumph Italia Racing returns with Morgan Lesiardo in the Enduro1 class aboard the TF 250-E, after the Italian secured Triumph’s first Enduro1 victory at the 2025 GP of Italy, as well as claiming the overall win at the 6DAYS with Team Italy.

The team will also field junior riders Luca Colorio, Francisco Leite, and Roland Liszka. Johansson MPE continues its programme with Samuli Puhakainen, Arvid Modin and Will Dennett, who impressed on his EnduroGP debut last season by claiming a Junior1 podium at the season finale and will now contest his first full Junior campaign.

Paul Edmondson – Triumph Factory Racing Enduro Team Manager

“It’s been a big effort from everyone over the off-season – the riders, mechanics and the whole team – and that work has put us in a really strong position heading into the year. We are devastated for Mikael, but he is in good hands and we’ll support him throughout his recovery, making sure he takes things step by step. The most important thing is that he comes back fully fit and ready when the time is right. In the meantime, it’s a great opportunity for Leo, one of our junior riders, to step up. He showed strong form last season when he finished third in the Junior championship, and with the support and experience we have within the team, we’re confident he can continue to develop and make the most of this chance. As a team, everything is in place for the season ahead – we’re well prepared, and the focus remains on progressing in EnduroGP while supporting our riders across their national championships too.”

The 2026 FIM EnduroGP World Championship begins with the GP of Italy in Custonaci, Sicily, from April 10–12, before heading to Spain in May and Finland later that month.

The series continues with back-to-back rounds in Portugal during June, followed by the GP of France in July for Leo’s home round.

The championship then concludes with round seven at the GP of Wales in Rhayader on August 7–9, which will serve as a home round for Triumph as the season reaches its finale.

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2026 AMA SX Round 12 – St. Louis Wrap

See the full results here:
Roczen wins again as Deegan seals West title in St. Louis

Round 12 of the 2026 AMA Supercross Championship at St. Louis delivered a pivotal night in both classes, with Ken Roczen going back-to-back in the 450SX class while Haiden Deegan sealed a second straight Western Divisional 250 crown in the East/West Showdown.

Run under the St. Jude Love Moto Stop Cancer banner at The Dome at America’s Centre, the Missouri stop combined a meaningful cause with one of the roughest and most technical race surfaces riders have faced this season.

The special liveries and fundraising focus gave the event extra weight, but once the gate dropped, the racing quickly became about survival, rhythm and late-race composure. Across both classes, riders repeatedly described the track as brutal, gnarly and constantly changing, with lines deteriorating sharply as the night wore on.

The 250 class now has one title settled and one still building toward a tense finish. Deegan has locked down the West, Davies strengthened his hand in the East, and Hammaker’s consistency means he is still well and truly in the fight. Bennick remains close enough to matter, while Kitchen, Romano and DiFrancesco each showed flashes of speed that could influence the remaining rounds.

2026 AMA Supercross Championship
Round 12 – St. Louis, Missouri – Haiden Deegan 250 West Champion

In 450SX, however, St. Louis may yet be remembered as the round where the title fight truly became a three-rider contest. Lawrence and Tomac are now tied, Roczen is just five points back, and Prado’s continued improvement adds another rider capable of disrupting podium and points outcomes over the final five races.

2026 AMA Supercross Championship
Round 12 – St. Louis, Missouri – Haiden Deegan 250 West Champion

Next stop is Nashville on April 11, where the 250SX East championship resumes and the 450SX title fight rolls on with almost no margin left for error.

450

Hunter Lawrence launched to the holeshot and initially controlled the front of the race with Jorge Prado and Roczen right behind him. Prado briefly took a turn at the front, Lawrence responded, and the early laps unfolded as a tight three-rider fight. Roczen then inserted himself decisively into the battle, first moving past Prado and then forcing his way into the lead ahead of Lawrence. Once he was clear, Roczen controlled the race.

2026 AMA Supercross Championship
Round 12 – St. Louis, Missouri

Behind him, the podium battle remained active. Prado looked increasingly comfortable near the front again and at one point appeared capable of fighting for a first 450SX podium, but as the circuit broke down, Justin Cooper and Lawrence both worked their way by.

Roczen, however, was gone. The German won by 13.2 seconds over Cooper, with Lawrence rebounding from a difficult previous round to finish third to leave Missouri tied on top of the points table with Tomac.

Roczen’s second straight victory pulled him to within five points of the championship lead with five rounds remaining.

For Roczen and Suzuki, it was the sort of ride that changes the complexion of a championship. Back-to-back wins are one thing; doing it at this stage of the year, while both Lawrence and Tomac are trying to manage pressure and points, is something else again.

Justin Cooper’s ride to second place was the Yamaha man’s standout performance of the season thus far. His timing on the difficult track looked perfect, and if anyone might have been able to run with Roczen if the cards fell his way from the start, it was Cooper on Saturday night.

Hunter Lawrence rode a race of controlled aggression, pushing at times, then having a few small stumbles, which saw the Australian also ride with a healthy dose of caution on a night when it could have all gone badly quite easily. Third place was his pace on the night.

Prado’s fourth-place finish was also one of the more significant rides of the night. The Spaniard qualified strongly, ran near the front from the outset and even briefly led. In the end, he missed the podium, but a fourth-place finish marked another step forward in adapting to full-time AMA Supercross and was arguably his most convincing 450SX ride in terms of front-running presence on a deteriorating indoor track.

Tomac’s night, by contrast, was about damage limitation. Carrying the red plate into the round, he qualified seventh, finished fifth in his heat and then never truly featured in the main after starting outside the leading battle. Sixth place kept him level at the top of the standings, but it was Lawrence and Roczen who left St. Louis with the stronger momentum. Tomac never looked comfortable on the track at any point and looked to be playing the survival game where he couldn’t be out of there soon enough.

Malcolm Stewart rounded out a solid evening for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna. After qualifying third and finishing third in his heat, he carried top-10 pace through a very demanding main event to finish eighth, another steady result as he continues to piece together a stronger second half of the season.

450 Main Results

Ken Roczen – P1

“I honestly still can’t believe it. That track was absolutely brutal and on top of that, it was just extremely busy. It was a brutal Main Event. Even when I had that gap, you just don’t want to make any silly mistakes that allow them to get closer and make it tight at the end. I just can’t believe I pulled off this back-to-back win. I just never stop believing. We’ve got the ball rolling. We’re going to hunker down and keep hammering.”

Ken Roczen

Justin Cooper – P2

“Three fourth places in-a-row has been a little bit frustrating, so it’s nice to get back on the box here. I think it was the toughest [race] of the year. It was challenging all day, but our setup worked. There was a little bit of cat and mouse in the beginning with Hunter [Lawrence] and Jorge [Prado], and I didn’t do myself any favors there. I couldn’t see Kenny [once into second] but I feel like my pace was really good and we brought it home.”

Justin Cooper

Hunter Lawrence – P3

“I’m pretty happy. My wrist is still really sore from the crash last weekend so I’m happy to still be in the fight. This track was so freaking gnarly and probably the worst conditions for having a sore wrist. We got in and out in one piece and got the red plate back; or sharing it. How good is this title fight narrowing down to the end? I’m looking forward to this.

Hunter Lawrence

Jorge Prado – P4

“St. Louis was a very good day for me and I saw a lot of improvements. Qualifying was really good to be P5 overall entering the night show, and then I had a solid Heat Race, also. We didn’t have the best start, but my flow was good, and I felt fast at the end. I was able to brake late off the start in the Main Event as I lined up a little more outside, which helped me a lot, and we were P2 out of the first corner. It was a hectic couple of laps from there with a lot of passes – I even got in the lead at one stage – and it was nice to be up there and showing my wheel. I lost some rhythm when we hit lapped riders and the track went away a lot – the sections I was doing in the first 10 minutes were completely different from what I was doing in the last 10 minutes, which was gnarly. We finished P4 and I think we can be very happy with that as a team.”

Jorge Prado

Eli Tomac – P6

“It was a tougher day for us at St. Louis, but the good thing is that we didn’t lose too many points and we are still tied for the lead. I’m looking forward to the last five races, and doing what we can to get back up on top.”

Eli Tomac

Malcolm Stewart – P8

“Normally, St. Louis dirt is really good, but it felt like this year was one of the hardest visits here that I have had in my whole career,” said Stewart. “This was super-tough, so overall I’m happy to make it out safe, and now we can look forward to next weekend. I felt great here all day, but the track broke down a lot after the Heat Race, which made for a long night – I’m pumped to take this thing on to Nashville.”

Garrett Marchbanks – P9

“The day was really solid. I would say this has been one of my best days yet in the 450 Class. I qualified eighth in the first session and eighth in the second session. The heat race was pretty hectic, but I was able to stay on two wheels through the first turn and came out in sixth place at the end of it. Going into the main event, I felt really good. I put in some good laps in the beginning and was running seventh for quite a while, when I hit around 15 minutes in, I kind of lost my flow, had some mistakes, and missed my rhythm through the rhythm section after the start turn quite a few times. That really hurt me with Joey [Savatgy] and Malcom [Stewart] catching me. Once they got around me, I kind of put my head down and just pushed through until the end. Once we were about two laps to go, I made a little push, but didn’t quite have it, and ended the night in ninth.

Chase Sexton – DNF

“I had a bit of an up and down day here in St. Louis. My speed was good in qualifying. I was pushing for fastest qualifier, but just wasn’t able to get there. In the heat race, I had some issues off the start. I got run in on by a few guys, which caused me to go down. I just pushed until the race was over to get up to third for a better gate pick in the main event. I still didn’t get the start I was looking for in the main event and had some mistakes that set me back. I ultimately had to pull off the track early because I was pretty banged up after my crash and was unable to finish the race.”

450 Championship Points

250 East West Showdown

The second East/West Showdown of the season had genuine championship implications before it even began. Deegan arrived in St. Louis with the chance to wrap up the Western Divisional title, and he did it in commanding fashion.

2026 AMA Supercross Championship
Round 12 – St. Louis, Missouri

Cole Davies grabbed the holeshot and controlled the early laps for Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing, with Seth Hammaker and Nick Romano prominent near the front and Deegan initially a little further back. That did not last long. Deegan moved quickly into second, reeled Davies in, then took over at the front with a decisive pass a little past mid-race. Once clear, he simply rode away, eventually winning by 15.6 seconds in what the official race recap described as his most dominant victory of the season. The result, combined with Max Anstie finishing 15th, was enough to clinch Deegan’s second successive Western Divisional championship.

2026 AMA Supercross Championship
Round 12 – St. Louis, Missouri

Davies’ second place was still highly valuable. While he could not stay with Deegan once the Western points leader came through, the runner-up finish strengthened his hold on the Eastern Divisional standings, extending his margin over Hammaker to 11 points with four races remaining. Hammaker, meanwhile, limited the damage with another measured ride to third, stretching his podium streak to five rounds and keeping himself firmly in the title conversation.

2026 AMA Supercross Championship
Round 12 – St. Louis, Missouri

From the Pro Circuit Kawasaki side, Hammaker was once again the team spearhead. He had shown his pace early, topped the East qualifying charts and ran strongly all night before banking the final podium spot in the Showdown. Levi Kitchen, returning to race action, qualified well and showed enough pace to move toward podium contention in the main before a late mistake left him seventh. Nick Romano also produced one of his better rides of recent weeks. After a difficult qualifying session, he recovered well in the heat, started the main strongly and even ran second in the opening stages before fading to ninth late in the race.

Cole Davies and Haiden Deegan

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna also emerged with encouraging results in the 250 ranks. Ryder DiFrancesco put together a strong charge from 10th on the opening lap to fifth at the flag, a ride that keeps him firmly in the battle for a top-three finish in the West. Daxton Bennick’s night was more complicated. An incident in his heat race forced him through the LCQ, which he won, before he fought forward to sixth in the main. Given the circumstances, it was a valuable salvage job that moved him to third in the East standings heading to Nashville.

In broader terms, the St. Louis Showdown told two stories at once. The first was Deegan’s authority over the Western field, now converted into another title. The second was that the Eastern championship remains very much alive, with Davies holding the advantage but Hammaker and Bennick still in range as the series enters its closing run.

250 East West Showdown Results

Haiden Deegan – P1

“I’m so grateful. This 250 career has been insane. As a kid, I wanted to win one championship, that’s every kid’s dream. This is number six. We’re going to keep digging. I ain’t done yet. I’m not done ticking [championships] off, and we’re coming to the 450 Class swinging.”

2026 AMA Supercross Championship
Round 12 – St. Louis, Missouri – Haiden Deegan 250 West Champion

Cole Davies – P2

“I’m happy with tonight. That track was gnarly. I just rode it home. I’m happy I gained points [in the Eastern Divisional Championship], because there was no need to push it in those conditions. Congrats to Haiden [Deegan].”

Cole Davies

Seth Hammaker – P3

“We’re getting into the final stretch here, so it’s time to take a few more risks and really go after it. I try to be smart and consistent, but I know I’ve got the speed to run up front. Tonight was a tough, demanding track, probably one of the gnarliest we’ve had, so I’m glad to come away with another podium. We’ve got a few races left, and I’m ready to keep pushing. Big thanks to my whole team, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki, my family, and everyone behind me. We’ll keep building.”

Seth Hammaker

Ryder DiFrancesco – P5

“I didn’t actually feel super-comfortable starting the day in St. Louis. ”Then, I got better throughout the day – my second qualifying session was improved, and the Heat Race progressed better as it went on. In the Main Event, I didn’t get the best start in 10th, but fought my way to fifth while feeling pretty good out there in the challenging conditions. If we start up front and have some clean air, I think we’ll do well, so I’m looking forward to both Denver and Salt Lake.”

Levi Kitchen – P7

“It wasn’t a bad night, but it’s not where I want to be. I didn’t get the starts I needed, which made it tough right away, and my back was still bothering me, so it was hard to really push the way I wanted to as the race went on. I felt like the speed was there in spots, but I just didn’t put myself in a good position early enough. There are some positives to take, but I know I’ve got to be better. We’ll use this time to get my body feeling right, keep working with the team, and come back ready for next round.”

Levi Kitchen

Nicholas Romano – P9

“It wasn’t the best start to the day in qualifying, but I felt like I made good progress as the night went on,” said Romano. “The heat race was solid, and in the main, I was able to get up front early and run with those guys. I just need a little more at the end of the race, but from where we were a few weeks ago, it’s a big step forward. I know the speed is there, so we’ll keep working and building with the team.”

250 West Championship Points – Top 10

250 East Championship Points – Top 10

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