This week in US Powersports racing.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Craig DeLong wins the Mason-Dixon GNCC
Ryder LeBlond claims second to open 2026 AMA EnduroCross campaign in Las Vegas
Grand National Cross Country Series – Round 11
Round 11 of the 2026 GNCC Series was designated as a non-points-paying event due to this year’s FIM Enduro of Nations (6DAYS) in Grândola, Portugal, where Korie Steede will represent the United States on October 12-17.
With reigning WXC Class Champion and current points-leader Steede absent from the Pennsylvania round, it was up to DeLong to fly the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna flag in his home race aboard the Husqvarna FX 350.
The former GNCC Champion would do just that, completing the opening lap at Mathews Farm first in class and holding that position over the remaining five laps to claim his first victory of the season with a total time of 2:44:40.099.
“It was a good day,”reflected DeLong.“I was able to get a good start and ride my own race, and started to get away from the rest of the group there for a little bit. Jhak [Walker] then ran me down, and we battled for most of the race – he was riding well. We were fortunate with his pit strategy, but it feels good to get another win. It’s been too long, so hopefully we keep it rolling and can mix it up in the next one.”
Steede maintains her lead in the WXC Class after 11 rounds, while DeLong sits fifth in the XC1 standings as the Ironman GNCC takes place from October 23-25.
Open Pro Class Results1. Craig DeLong, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing2. Mike Witkowski, Honda3. Josh Strang, Beta4. Ben Kelley, KTM
AMA EnduroCross Championship – Round 1
The opening round of the 2026 AMA EnduroCross Championship on Saturday night marked a strong season-opener for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Ryder LeBlond, with 3-1-2 results across the three EX Pro Class races securing him P2 overall in Las Vegas, Nevada.
LeBlond powered his Husqvarna FX 350 to the third-fastest qualifying time in the Hot Lap session, familiarizing himself with the technical terrain inside Orleans Arena before the gates dropped on the main program.
A fast start and third-place finish in Race 1 saw LeBlond begin his campaign in convincing fashion, before achieving a well-earned victory in Race 2 to put himself firmly in contention for the overall.
In the end, a second-place result in Race 3 was enough to secure P2 on the EX Pro Class podium overall, giving the 24-year-old a solid points haul as he begins his 2026 championship. “We finished up in second for Round 1 – meaning it was a good day!”commented LeBlond.“I did everything I wanted, except for getting the win. I went into the final race in a winner-take-all battle after I was inside the top-three in the Hot Lap and had good results throughout the weekend, and overall it’s a big step in the right direction. We’ll aim for the win in the next one!”
EX Pro Class Results1. Jonny Walker, Triumph2. Ryder LeBlond, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing3. Cooper Abbott, Kawasaki4. Trystan Hart, KTM
National Grand Prix Championship – Round 8
Off the back of a competitive NGPC season to date, Mateo Oliveira was looking to continue his consistent run of form at the Viewfinders MC Desert Classic Grand Prix in Ridgecrest, California.
Having continued to build with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team between rounds, Oliveira was motivated to make his mark this weekend.
Starting the race in second place, he maintained position inside the top-three for the following three laps, highlighting his podium potential aboard the Husqvarna FE 450.
However, Oliveira was ultimately credited with fourth place in class after illness impacted his performance over the closing laps. Following eight rounds, he sits fourth in the Pro Class standings with five podium finishes to his credit this season.
“The race started okay, but didn’t end the way that we planned this weekend,”Oliveira said.”We were in the fight for the podium and fell short, so we will take the time to feel better and come out swinging at the next one.”
The 2026 National Grand Prix Championship Series now heads into Round 9 in Taft, California, for the Honolulu Hills Grand Prix.
Pro Class Results
- Justin Hoeft, Kawasaki
- Colton Aeck, Honda
- Giacomo Redondi, Kawasaki
- Mateo Oliveira, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
FMF KTM FACTORY RACING’S TRYSTAN HART FOURTH IN AMA ENDUROCROSS SEASON-OPENER
KTM Offroad Update
AMA ENDUROCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND 1
Two-time AMA EnduroCross Champion Trystan Hart opened his 2026 EX Pro Class campaign with a fourth-place finish in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday night, which saw the FMF KTM Factory Racing rider bank consistent points exiting Round 1.
The course layout inside Orleans Arena proved comfortable from the outset for Hart and his KTM 350 XC-F, with the Canadian setting the fastest lap-time in the Hot Lap session at 42.219s.
Hart then converted that speed into the opening EX Pro Class race of the evening when he earned a convincing second-place finish to start the night, before posting a measured P3 result in Race 2.
A chaotic final race in Nevada saw Hart race to an eighth-place finish after being caught up in an incident on the start straight, prompting an impressive comeback ride as his 2-3-8 scorecard earned him fourth overall on the night.
Round 2 of the 2026 AMA EnduroCross Championship takes place inside the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa, Idaho, on October 17.
Trystan Hart:“Sometimes you’re the nail, and sometimes you’re the hammer – tonight, I was the nail! I felt like I had a moto win in me, but we ended up fourth overall, which is my lowest finish in four years. We’ll come out swinging at the next one!”
EX Pro Class Results
- Jonny Walker, Triumph
- Ryder LeBlond, Husqvarna
- Cooper Abbott, Kawasaki
- Trystan Hart, FMF KTM Factory Racing
GRAND NATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY SERIES – ROUND 11
With the FIM Enduro of Nations (6DAYS) taking place in Grândola, Portugal, from October 12-17 – featuring FMF KTM Factory Racing GNCC contenders Johnny Girroir, Grant Davis, Jason Tino and Brandy Richards on the U.S. team – organizers decided to make the Mason-Dixon GNCC a non-points-paying round, allowing riders to represent the United States without having to compromise their title chances.
With Girroir, Davis, Tino and Richards all selected to represent the United States, defending XC1 Open Pro Class Champion Ben Kelley was FMF KTM Factory Racing’s sole rider competing in Pennsylvania, equipped with the KTM 350 XC-F FACTORY EDITION.
The 30-year-old completed the opening lap of the race in fifth position, pressing on over the remaining five laps at the technical Mathews Farm venue. He ultimately took the checkered flag in eighth place in class for the weekend.
Kelley is currently positioned fourth in the GNCC standings and sitting 30 points from the lead heading into the Ironman GNCC from October 23-25.
Ben Kelley:“I had a mid-pack start going into the woods, and tried to make my way forward, but was not overly comfortable here at Mason-Dixon. I pitted at the beginning of Lap 4 in eighth and tried to make another push, but it just wasn’t to be today. Thank you to the FMF KTM Factory Racing Team – we will come back stronger for the next one.”
Both Tino and Richards remain firmly in the thick of the title fight in their respective divisions, with Tino third in the XC2 250 Pro category, while Richards is tied at the top of WXC. Davis sits seventh in XC1 after claiming victory at The John Penton GNCC last month.
Open Pro Class Results
- Craig DeLong, Husqvarna
- Michael Witkowski, Honda
- Josh Strang, Beta
- Ben Kelley, FMF KTM Factory Racing
Gaige Herrera Wins ALL-REVZILLA/MOTUL/VANCE & HINES Suzuki Rematch in St. Louis
For the second race in a row, two RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki teammates faced off in the Pro Stock Motorcycle final round, but this time Gaige Herrera came out on top, racing his Gen 3 Suzuki Hayabusa to his third victory of the season at the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, IL, on Sunday.
Race Highlights
Gaige Herrera qualified first, won his third race of the season and cut his deficit in the Countdown to the Championship standings in half
Richard Gadson qualified seventh, advanced to the final round and held onto a 32-point lead in the Countdown
Under clear blue skies, the crisp fall weather in St. Louis produced some of the quickest runs in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class this season. Gaige Herrera qualified number one on Saturday with a 6.644-second/202.76 mph pass, his best qualifying run and the quickest in the class so far this season, just .017 second off his own 6.627-second national record, set in Dallas in 2023.
The two-time world champion kicked off Sunday’s elimination rounds with another pass in the 6.60s, running 6.693 seconds at 201.49 mph in round one against Malcom Phillips Jr. (6.912 seconds/193.38 mph), then went low-ET of the second round with a 6.703-second/201.01 mph pass on a bye run.
In the semis, Herrera faced off against Ryan Oehler (6.765 seconds/198.41 mph), prevailing with a 6.710-second/200.62 mph run to advance to his 37th career final round and fifth this season.
Gaige Herrera earned his third Pro Stock Motorcycle victory of the season at the NHRA Midwest Nationals in St. Louis.
Facing teammate Richard Gadson in a rematch of last weekend’s final round, Herrera avenged a red-light foul in Rockingham by outgunning Gadson (6.763 seconds/200.08 mph) with a 6.710-second/200.98 mph run to claim his third victory of the season and 31st of his career. In their four head-to-head final-round matchups this season, Herrera and Gadson are now on level terms with two wins each.
Herrera’s victory, his fourth straight in St. Louis, cut his deficit to Gadson in half, to 32 points, with three rounds remaining in the season and sets up a championship battle likely to run all the way to the finale in Pomona.
“The track was really good all weekend and Andrew (Hines, my crew chief) had my bike on rails, going 1.01 seconds in the 60-foot, which is unreal. NHRA did a phenomenal job giving us an awesome track surface to race on. It was a great weekend, especially points-wise. I got an extra 20 on Richard, but between the two of us, we spread the gap on the rest of the field,” Herrera said. “My gameplan for the rest of the season is just to keep going from A to B on every pass, have fun with it and see how it plays out. Richard and I bring out the best in each other. It’s going to be a dog fight until the end, just under our own tent.”
A week after beating Herrera to win his third race of the season, Countdown leader and reigning world champion Richard Gadson qualified seventh with a 6.729-second/202.06 mph pass on Saturday.
In round one, Gadson defeated Chase Van Sant (6.850 seconds/196.93 mph) with a 6.755-second/200.14 mph run. In round two, Gadson scored a win with major championship implications by knocking off rival Matt Smith (6.930 seconds/167.84 mph), the number two qualifier, with a 6.760-second/199.58 mph run that dropped Smith to fourth in the overall championship standings, 113 points behind.
In the semi-final round, Gadson defeated John Hall (6.854 seconds/194.46 mph) with a 6.764-second/199.94 mph run to advance to his seventh final-round appearance of the season.
Gadson left first against Herrera in the final, but his 6.763-second/200.08 mph run wasn’t quick enough to stay ahead, coming up short by .041 second at the finish line.
Thanks to Herrera’s large haul of qualifying bonus points plus the race win, Gadson’s lead in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs was halved to 32 points, but he extended his advantage over third-placed John Hall to 105 points.
Richard Gadson reached his seventh final round of the season and retained the Pro Stock Motorcycle points lead in St. Louis.
“After qualifying, I’d be lying if I said I felt great about that matchup against Matt in round two.
That’s the kind of round that when you look back at the end of the year, whether you were on the winning or losing side, you remember, ‘I got that one or I let that one slip away.’ Today, I got that one and I really needed it,” Gadson said. “No matter what the odds or the circumstances are, we’re turning on win lights. We’re fighters and we’re going to keep on fighting. Championships come down to stuff like that.”
RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki crew chief Andrew Hines said the cool fall weather and sticky track surface allowed the team’s Hayabusas to launch swiftly off the starting line, producing the quick 60-foot times early in the run that help generate quicker elapsed times farther down the track, especially for Herrera’s machine.
“Both riders are doing a really good job. Everything went like clockwork for Gaige this weekend. Richard had to run through the buzz-saw side of the ladder today, but he got through three tough opponents, knocked other people out of the points and ended up with runner-up points. If we can keep going to finals together with both bikes, that keeps everyone else from earning the points they need to catch us,” Hines said. “We just need to find a little more performance for Richard’s motorcycle. It’s a matter of a hundredth here or there and turning it into the same numbers at the finish line that Gaige is running.”
At the halfway point of the Countdown, Gadson and Herrera
sit first and second in the championship standings with 2,380 and 2,348 points, respectively, as three races remain in the season.
The RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines team returns to action October 16-18 for round four of the Countdown to the Championship at the Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex in Ennis, TX.
For the latest Suzuki team news, race reports, and information visit SuzukiCycles.com/Racing/Drag-Racing
Justin Barcia Joins Suzuki and Pipes Motorsports Group for 2027
Suzuki Motor USA and Pipes Motorsports Group are excited to announce that Justin Barcia will race the 2027 SuperMotocross season aboard the Suzuki RM-Z450. Known for his aggressive racing style and championship-caliber speed, Barcia brings veteran experience to the reigning 2026 Supercross Championship-winning team.
A fan favorite throughout his professional career, Barcia brings years of premier-class experience, multiple race victories and a proven track record of competing at the highest level of SuperMotocross competition, further strengthening Suzuki and Pipes Motorsports Group’s championship aspirations for 2027.
“I’m thrilled to be joining a championship winning team like Pipes Motorsports Group and a proven bike like the Suzuki RM-Z450 for the upcoming season,” said Barcia. “This is a fresh start for me, and I couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead. Dustin, the team, and everyone involved have built a top tier program, and I’m ready to put in the work this offseason, give it my all and deliver results. Can’t wait to see what we can accomplish together.”
“We are really excited to have Justin join the team for the 2027 season,” added Dustin Pipes, Team Principal at Pipes Motorsports Group. “I’ve always been a fan of the effort he puts into every moto and the competitor he is on the racetrack. He will fit in well with the team and I look forward to working with him.”
Barcia joins Suzuki and Pipes Motorsports Group as the organization looks to build on the momentum of its championship-winning 2026 campaign. His experience, race-winning pedigree and competitive drive make him a natural fit for the RM-Z450 program heading into the 2027 SuperMotocross season.
“We all know Justin Barcia is a fast and tough competitor in the SuperMotocross Championship,” said Chris Wheeler, Motorsports Manager of Suzuki Motor USA. “His experience, racecraft and determination make him an excellent fit for our RM-Z450 platform. We believe Justin has the talent to showcase the strengths of the RM-Z450 at the highest level, and we’re excited to welcome him to the Suzuki family as we begin this next chapter together.”
The agreement is for the 2027 season and includes a mutual option for both parties to extend the relationship through the 2028 season.
Barcia will make his Suzuki race debut aboard the RM-Z450 at the opening round of the 2027 SuperMotocross World Championship on January 9 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. Fans can follow the action throughout the season via live broadcast and streaming coverage, with race schedules, championship standings and event updates available at SuperMotocross.com.
For the latest team updates, news, and race insights, visit SuzukiCycles.com/Racing/Motocross or pipesmotorsportsgroup.com..
