This week in US Powersports racing.
Jett Lawrence Wins SMX World Championship Playoff 1 in Truncated Postseason Opener
Haiden Deegan Captures 250SMX Class Victory and Extends Title Points Lead
| Team Honda HRC Progressive’s Jett Lawrence kicked off the postseason with a victory at Playoff 1 of the 2025 SMX World Championship™. The two-moto format of the postseason was interrupted by lightening near the zMAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Both classes scored their overall results based solely on their first moto finishes due to the second motos being called because of continued lightening in the area and diminishing daylight. Jett Lawrence, the defending two-time SMX World Champion and recently-crowned 2025 AMA Pro Motocross Champion, led from start to finish in the single 20-mintue plus one lap 450SMX Class moto. The SMX Next class, comprised of up-and-coming amateur athletes, completed their qualifying earlier in the day and were ready to compete in their one-moto format. Due to the event being called early, the young racers will now line up according to their Concord qualifying results – on Friday, September 12th in St. Louis at The Dome at America’s Center. The class will then compete on Saturday in St. Louis as planned for the SMX Next World Championship race. |
 zMAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway kicked off the postseason racing for the third time since the SMX World Championship was launched in 2023. |
| Earning second place overall at Charlotte was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton; he gained 22 points toward the ultimate championship title after coming in seeded in sixth position. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac recovered from a late-race crash while running in second position to nab the final spot on the podium. In the 250SMX Class, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan benefitted from his strong drive to win; he pushed for the moto victory, not then knowing it would pay full event points after the second motos being called. |
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| First place 450SMX Class “It’s getting to the point where it’s just close to the limit, because right now you can’t really push the track at all. It can catch you really quickly if you compress the suspension too hard, and [if you] clip those ruts, especially. So, you’re just trying to play it smart and run the risk versus reward [balance]. So [I was] just really trying to get a flow and keep my laps as consistent as possible.” – Jett Lawrence, following Moto 1. |
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| Second place 450SMX Class “It’s funny, I thought I had the Holeshot, and I just blew the first turn. Jett got underneath me, and I was probably 4th or 5th behind Ken [Roczen] and just had to work my way up. Eli went down, which gave me a gift, but I felt pretty good actually. I felt like I was gelling with the track. I’m not gonna lie, it’s probably one of the sketchiest tracks I’ve ever ridden, just with the kickers and all these weird things, and the dirt is so soft. So, I was trying to not be conservative, but try and be safe as well. Jett rode awesome. I reeled him in a little bit, but he’s pretty smart, and we were gauging each other. So, good moto, and [I’ll] try and get another good start, try and hold it this time, and see what we can do.” – Chase Sexton, after the moto, when riders expected a second moto later in the day. |
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| Third place 450SMX Class “I’m not sure if it was [too much] acceleration or if it was the front end that tucked there; either way I was maybe a little impatient. I moved out [to a different line] after that, I should have been using the cushion. Try to live and learn. Overall, felt really good… The back motocross section is something like I’ve never seen. It’s fun, it’s technical, but at the same time it is gnarly.” – Eli Tomac, asked about what caused his tip-over in the race. In 250SMX Class racing, two-time SMX World Champion in the class Haiden Deegan recovered from a poor start to start the post-season with a dominating win. Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker nabbed the holeshot and pulled a huge gap on the field. Hammaker gave up the top spot with two laps remaining but held off Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen at the end. Due to a cross-flag penalty, Kitchen was docked one position and was awarded fourth place in the moto. Team Honda HRC Progressive’s Jo Shimoda, who crashed early during a pass attempt for the lead, recovered brilliantly from outside the top ten to take the final podium spot. |
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| First place 250SMX Class “If they want to send us in the mud, that’s cool. Either way, we’re chillin’. I’m a racer, we’ll figure it out. I mean, I’ve heard a lot of people complaining about the track today, which I think is BS because we’re professional athletes and I think you got to figure it out. So, no problem with the track and if we gotta race, we gotta race, and if we don’t then I’ll take the dub. I’m not gonna say it was an easy dub, because it was a hard race.” – Haiden Deegan, interviewed during the weather delay. SMX World Championship Playoff 2 will deliver more racing excitement next Saturday, September 13th, at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, MO. The city has hosted 26 Monster Energy AMA Supercross events but this will be the first postseason event at the venue that is renowned by racers for its excellent dirt. The intensity ratchets up with a double points payout in St. Louis, which is followed by the triple-payout Final on Saturday, September 20th when the Championship returns to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. When the dust settles on the season, the 450SMX Champion will receive a one-million-dollar payout, and the 250SMX World Champion will take home a $500,000 title win payout. Every event in the SMX World Championship gives race fans incredible access to the athletes and the race team paddock. For fans looking for the ultimate race experience, nothing tops a SMX World Championship postseason race. General admission tickets, camping & travel packages, and VIP-level access opportunities are available now for the final two races of the series. Please go to supermotocross.com for more information. Each SMX League event is available live and on-demand on Peacock, including live qualifying and pre-race coverage. Racing coverage can also be found on NBC, and USA Network. Live coverage in English and Spanish is available domestically on Telemundo Deportes YouTube, X or Facebook. International fans can watch live and on-demand, in English, Spanish, and French language through the SuperMotocross Video Pass (supermotocross.tv), currently 80% off. For information on ticket sales, race results, video highlights, points standings, and airtimes please go to supermotocross.com. |
Top-five score for RJ Hampshire in Charlotte SMX Playoff opener
Equipped with the Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition, Hampshire set the seventh-fastest qualifying time on what was a high-speed layout at zMAX Dragway, before a rapid climb through the pack in the first race saw him take a convincing fifth-place result.
Major storms then rolled into the Charlotte area directly after the conclusion of the opening premier class moto, which drew an early end to the day’s proceedings due to a lengthy lightning delay. Those Moto 1 results then determined for the overall in the first of three post-season events, with Hampshire elevating himself to P7 in the standings as a result.
“Charlotte was pretty good, I just felt as though I kept growing every time I hit the track,”commented Hampshire.“We were just steadily building, and today was even better than yesterday. The moto was solid, too. I didn’t get a great start, but I stuck to my game plan and clicked off consistent laps to earn a top-five – I’m stoked! That was the goal coming in, so I’m happy to be leaving here with a fifth place and looking forward to St Louis next weekend.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing teammate Malcolm Stewart withdrew from racing at SMX Playoff 1 due to an incident on Friday that resulted in lower back pain, keeping him out of the remainder of the weekend. With a week in between rounds, the 32-year-old is aiming to lineup for Playoff 2 in St. Louis next weekend.
Next Race: September 13 – St. Louis, Missouri
Results 450SMX Class – SMX Playoff 11. Jett Lawrence (Honda)2. Chase Sexton (KTM)3. Eli Tomac (Yamaha)5. RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing)10. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) Standings 450SMX Class 2025 after 1 of 3 rounds1. Jett Lawrence, 47 points2. Chase Sexton, 383. Justin Cooper, 367. RJ Hampshire, 299. Justin Barcia, 25
- Malcolm Stewart, 20
- Aaron Plessinger, 14
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Korie Steede powers to fourth GNCC victory of 2025 at Buckwheat 100
Fresh from claiming a record-equaling sixth 6DAYS victory with the U.S. Women’s World Trophy (WTT) team, Steede and her Husqvarna FC 250 were once again a formidable combination in the GNCC competition, as she charged to a decisive holeshot.
After leading for the first two laps, a bottleneck in one of the sections sent her down the order to fourth, although an inspired climb forward from there saw the 24-year-old claw her way back to the top and earn her fourth WXC Class win this year.
With her win at Round 10 – directly following the annual summer break – Steede has closed the gap atop the WXC standings to 13 points with only three rounds remaining in the season.
“I started strong with the holeshot and led the first two laps until a bottleneck cost me some time and dropped me to fourth,”reflected Steede“That just fueled the fire! I put my head down, kept charging, and clawed my way back to the front. I’m pumped to snag another win and already looking forward to the next round.”
Former GNCC Champion DeLong maintained a front-running pace onboard his Husqvarna FX 350 at the Buckwheat 100, factoring in the mix throughout the entire three-hour duration to claim what was a well-earned P3 result in the XC1 Open Pro Class. He was also just outside the podium overall in fourth position.
“Revitalized is for sure the word I’d use after the summer break,”commented DeLong.“I wasn’t in a great place during the opening stages of the year, for some reason, I was down and not myself. I took a break and managed to find that fire again – it’s been a while since I have been as disappointed as I have been, so this feels really good. Being in the mix and up front felt really good, and this is a big step in the right direction.”
XC1 Open Pro Class Results1. Jordan Ashburn, GASGAS2. Liam Draper, Yamaha3. Craig DeLong, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing4. Ben Kelley, KTM
WXC Class Results1. Korie Steede, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing2. Brandy Richards, KTM3. Danielle McDonald, Yamaha
STRONG RESULTS FOR RYDER DIFRANCESCO AND JUSTIN BARCIA AT SMX PLAYOFF 1
Equipped with the GASGAS MC 250F Factory Edition, talented 20-year-old DiFrancesco qualified ninth and went on to claim an impressive P6 result in Moto 1 on what was an ultra-challenging race track at zMAX Dragway in North Carolina.
Due to severe weather and thunderstorms in the region, delays meant that the second motos were ultimately canceled, which saw Ryder D complete his race weekend with sixth overall.
Ryder DiFrancesco: “Charlotte was a good weekend overall! Every time I hit the track, I was on the board, which was my goal in practice. My start in Moto 1 wasn’t that bad, but I got shuffled back in the first couple of laps, then made a strong charge forward all the way to sixth. Bummed we only got to race one moto today, but I am looking forward to these next two rounds.”
For the ever-competitive Barcia, he would power his GASGAS MC 450F Factory Edition machine into 10th position by race’s end in Moto 1, seeing the New York native earn a solid top 10 to commence the SMX season. Both riders are positioned ninth in the SMX standings with two post-season rounds remaining.
Justin Barcia: “They were some super-tricky conditions out here – in SMX, they throw a lot of stuff at you with the spongey dirt, big jumps, and the motocross sections, so I really found it hard to get comfortable. I had a few close calls, that’s for sure, but we made it out of here, so that’s a positive. I’m fired up for next weekend in St. Louis, a little more Supercross style, and we’ll try to post a strong result!”
CHASE SEXTON AND RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING EARN CHARLOTTE SMX PLAYOFF PODIUM
Sexton powered his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to the fastest time in combined qualifying while working his way back into racing after a stint on the sidelines, before charging to a hard-fought P2 finish in Moto 1 as he surged forward through the field.
With lightning emerging directly following the first 450SMX race, teams and riders were then placed in a holding pattern waiting for the weather to pass, however, it didn’t materialize as the event was eventually called altogether.
As a result, Sexton’s Moto 1 score is where he would finish overall in the first of three post-season rounds, with the next event taking place at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, Missouri, next weekend. He has also climbed to second in the overall SMX standings.
Chase Sexton:”Round one of the Playoffs here in Charlotte was a good day. I qualified first, then finished second in Moto 1 after getting a really good start – I just went too wide and had to come back from fifth or so. I had a good flow, even if the track was really sketchy today, so I’m happy to be leaving healthy. We go into the next race nine points down, and we have double and triple points upcoming. It’s time to shine and have some good upcoming weekends.”
In 250SMX, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle qualified eighth fastest onboard his KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, navigating the ultra-technical zMAX Dragway layout to earn P7 in Moto 1 after making a strong start. Without contesting a second moto, the two-time MX2 world champion and reigning 250SX East title-holder collected seventh overall for the day.
Tom Vialle:“We couldn’t ride the second moto here in Charlotte because of the weather, which is unfortunate. I had a great start in Moto 1, and I think I was in fourth, but I was struggling a little bit with getting comfortable on the track – it was really deep all weekend on both Friday and Saturday. I finished seventh and that was the result for today, as they canceled the second moto. We’ll get back to training and be ready for next weekend and then the Final, which will be very important with all the points on the line.”
250SMX teammate Julien Beaumer endured a more difficult day at SMX Playoff 1, recording the 11th fastest time in the opening 250SMX qualifying session on his KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, before an incident in the second timed session ended his weekend early. The 19-year-old was transported to hospital, where it was confirmed that he sustained a burst fracture of his L3 vertebra and has since undergone surgery to stabilize the injury.
BUCKWHEAT 100 VICTORY SEES GRANT DAVIS RECLAIM GNCC SERIES POINTS LEAD
FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers standout Grant Davis has returned to the top step of the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series podium at The Buckwheat 100 in Newburg, West Virginia, reclaiming the points lead overall, while also extending his advantage atop the XC2 250 Pro Class. In addition, teammates Gus Riordan (XC2) and Brandy Richards (WXC) both achieved podium finishes at Round 10.
GRAND NATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY SERIES – ROUND 10 The KTM contingent arrived READY TO RACE at the 10th round of the season following the annual summer break, with defending XC2 250 Pro Class Champion Davis setting his sights on the top position onboard his KTM 250 XC-F. A fast start was followed by an early fall, which saw the 29-year-old put in a serious charge throughout the race’s three-hour duration, climbing all the way back for not only his seventh XC2 250 Pro Class win of 2025, but third overall victory of the year.
Grant Davis: “I was chasing a good start today, I got one, and then I was too pumped up about it and went down in turn three! That wasn’t a great way to begin, and making passes here was so hard, so I made it difficult on myself coming back through. I made a pass for the lead on the final lap, and then I managed to pull away a little bit, so I’m pumped to come away with the overall win. I wanted that win today – I’m comfortable on my bike right now and ready to bring it at the next race.”
XC2 250 Pro Class teammate Riordan continued his successful run of podium form on Sunday, posting third place in class equipped with his KTM 250 XC-F. The Buckwheat 100 result signifies his eighth class podium finish of the season, which was a well-earned result after battling hard throughout the the Buckwheat 100.
Gus Riordan: “I took a little too long to make some passes today, which meant that I used a lot of energy in doing so, but third place is a pretty good day for me. A difference in lineup with XC2 taking off first had its pros and cons, but it mixes it up a little bit. It was a good points day, and I’m ready to come out swinging for the final three!”
FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Ben Kelley entered Round 10 with the points lead overall and in the XC1 Open Pro Class, with the former GNCC number one racing to fourth position in class on Sunday, piloting the KTM 350 XC-F. Despite lacking some comfort on the difficult Buckwheat 100 circuit, Kelley made the most of a tough day and added a valuable haul of championship points towards his tally with three events left to contest this season. He is second overall – eight points behind Davis – and continues to lead XC1, now with a 60-point advantage in class.
Ben Kelley: “It’s good to come back from the summer break after taking some time to refresh and regroup. Buckwheat was pretty good – I ripped the start, which was awesome, and then yeah, it’s a tough track to feel comfortable on. It was one of those days where I struggled a little bit, but I gave it all I had today and was able to score some good points, which are going to be crucial over the last three rounds.”
After spending the last few months on the sidelines recovering from injury, FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers’ Brandy Richards returned to GNCC racing at the Buckwheat 100 fresh from leading the U.S. Women’s World Trophy Team to their record-equaling sixth victory at the 6DAYS in Italy. Richards and her KTM 250 XC-F were in podium form on Sunday, as she powered to a strong P2 overall in the WXC Class, which will form positive foundations to build upon in the coming rounds.
Brandy Richards: “It was a great day of racing! I had a fourth-place start but stayed in the mix, swapping places throughout the race. I’m happy to end up with a second for my return to GNCC racing, and looking forward to building over the last three events for 2025.”
Tomac Kicks Off SMX Playoffs with Podium Finish
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac strengthened his position in the SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs with a third-place finish in Moto 1. Severe thunderstorms arrived after that moto, forcing officials to cancel the second races due to lightning in the area, making Moto 1 results the final overall classification for SMX Playoff 1 in Concord, North Carolina. His teammates overcame adversity with Cooper Webb finishing seventh in his first race back from injury and Justin Cooper fighting his way back to 11th after a crash at the start of the moto.
Coming in as the seventh seed in the 450SMX Championship after missing most of the supercross season with injury, Tomac had a strong start to the weekend and qualified third. In Moto 1, he slotted into second after the split-lane start met and continued to push, running a good pace to stay within reach of the leader. With four laps to go, he unfortunately had a tip-over but quickly rejoined in third and rode on to secure the podium position. Tomac’s efforts moved him up to fourth in 450SMX standings, 12 points from the top spot.
In his first race back since his knee surgery, Webb was seventh in qualifying and then got a great start to the first moto in fifth. Although he dropped back to seventh in the first two laps, he continued to run a strong pace to maintain the position and finish seventh. It was a valuable points-scoring round for the 2025 450SX Champion, who heads to the second round of the playoffs sixth in the standings and 14 points behind the leader.
Cooper had a strong start to the weekend and was third in Friday’s practice sessions, but ultimately qualified sixth in Saturday’s sessions. The 450SMX red-plate holder unfortunately found himself on the ground after the start of Moto 1 and lost some time after being stuck under the bike. He rejoined at the back of the field thirty seconds from the leader, but put in a determined ride in the tricky conditions. Despite the setback, he fought his way back to 11th with two laps to go, salvaging valuable points to sit third in the championship, 11 points from the top spot.
The three-round SMX Finals continue next weekend with a double points-paying round for Playoff 2 at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, Missouri, on September 13.
Rich Simmons – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team Manager
“With the quick turnaround from motocross to SMX, I thought the race went fairly well for us. The track conditions were very difficult, so finding a setup that worked well and was safe was important, and the team did a great job of that. Eli had a great race going until he lost the front, but I’m happy to see that speed out of him. Webb had a quiet type of race, but coming back from a knee surgery, he looked good and will continue to build momentum. I was bummed for Justin going down in the first turn when a tough block was kicked out in front of him, and then getting stuck under his bike. So coming through the field to 11th was a good recovery. It was not the result we were hoping for, but we have two more rounds to make up some points.”
Eli Tomac – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #3
“It was a good first moto. Of course, my tipover was unfortunate, but up until then, I had the holeshot on my side of the start on the split lane and then came out second on that second or third turn. I was riding really well. I was right there just behind Jett (Lawrence), and like I said, unfortunately I had a little fall, but I was able to get up quickly and stay in a podium position. So, that was good. It was a very tough track. This was one of the most interesting tracks I’ve ever ridden, and it was a true combination of conditions – with crazy deep motocross ruts, and we had to go back inside the stadium there and still get through those supercross rhythms. It was also one of the tougher dirt conditions that I’ve ever ridden in because of the way it was so soft and spongy. We’ll get out of here in third and try to do better next week.”
Cooper Webb – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #2
“Overall, it was an up and down day. We came in here a little bit underprepared from the knee injury, and I think it showed a little bit with our speed not being quite where we wanted it to be. But we turned it around in the race and got a great start and finished seventh, which I think was about where I was today. Yeah, it was a weird day not racing the second moto, but we’ll take it. We know what we need to work on. I think next weekend’s race being more Supercrossy will really suit our style. I’m looking forward to bouncing back next week a little bit more prepared with another week under our belt.”
Justin Cooper – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #32
“It was not the greatest of days and was a tough weekend all the way around. The track was definitely tough. I got a good start, but I just got pushed wide, went off the track, and went down. I got stuck under the bike and got burned a little bit. We only had one moto today, so that was unfortunate, but that’s racing. This was the one make-a-mistake round, with the single points. We’ll start looking forward to next weekend.”
AMA Announces Extension with AX Promotions as AMA Arenacross National Championship Promoter
The American Motorcyclist Association announces an extension with AX Promotions for the company to promote the AMA Arenacross National Championship Series in 2026 and beyond.
“AMA Arenacross has returned to its former glory over the past three years, and much of that is due to the hard work and ingenuity of our promoting partner,” said AMA Deputy Director of Racing Mike Burkeen. “We believe AX Promotions is the right organization to continue that success, and we appreciate their continued commitment to take the series to new levels, developing and growing the discipline.”
Arenacross is motocross racing on tight indoor tracks in front of an arena full of fans. The AMA Arenacross National Championship Series showcases the best Arenacross racers in the country, and also fields multiple amateur classes based on skills, age and displacement.
“We are thrilled to be back with the AMA as the promoter for AMA Arenacross,” said AX Promotions Managing Director Shawn Smith. “At AX Promotions, we’re pumped to fuel the momentum of the prestigious National Championship, showcasing the best of both the premier division and amateur classes. Our commitment is to drive unparalleled growth and deliver electrifying experiences for riders and fans in this iconic championship series.”
According to Smith, for the 2026 season the series will return to key venues like Daytona Beach, but the schedule will also include some new and exciting venues that will be announced soon.
For more information about AMA Arenacross, visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com/motocross-arenacross/ or arenacrossusa.com/.
