While the 2026 SMX Final didn’t have close racing, the results delivered plenty of drama as the night played out. At the end, Jorge Prado was crowned the 2026 SuperMotocross World Champion after finishing in P2 to Haiden Deegan.
Prado provided much of the intrigue. He needed to finish in P3 overall or better at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri, to clinch the title. However, Prado’s uncharacteristically mediocre start left him in P5 at the end of Moto 1, leaving the door open for Deegan, Ken Roczen, Hunter Lawrence, and Cooper Webb to snatch the title with a win and another off-podium result for Prado in Moto 2.
Prado had other ideas, grabbing the Moto 2 holeshot and leading every lap. Prado was shadowed by Deegan the entire race, though Deegan was only able to get close enough for one pass attempt, which Prado foiled. After the race, Prado shared that he thought he had to win Moto 2 to win the championship. However, as the math played out, a P2 finish in Moto 2 would have won it for Prado.
2026 SMX Final winner Haiden Deegan.
Although the track was varied and looked spectacular, front-of-the-pack passes were rare. The top six riders in Moto 1 rode in formation from lap 3 to the end of the 17-lap race. In Moto 2, the top five riders were locked in place from lap 7 to the end; the top 10 was settled by lap 8.
Retiring AMA Champions Eli Tomac and Dylan Ferrandis had farewell nights to forget. Tomac’s 13-11 night put him in P12 overall, while Ferrandis went 22-8 for a P15 overall result, after his bike suffered a technical problem in the first moto.
Photograph and infographics courtesy of SMX League.
Deegan’s 1-2 night gave him the win, ahead of Prado (5-1) and Hunter Lawrence (3-3). Roczen’s 2-5 night left him in P4, ahead of Cooper Webb (4-4). RJ Hampshire checked in with a 6-6 ride for P6 overall.
Prado takes home a $1 million payout for winning the 2026 SMX World Championship, with Deegan pocketing $500,000 and Lawrence $250,000.
2026 SMX Final SuperMotocross World Championship Results, Thunder Ridge Nature Arena, Ridgedale, MO
In our first segment this episode Don Williams tries out his first e-clutch motorcycle: the new Honda CB750 Hornet. The Honda 750 is already an excellent motorcycle in its own right; it’s fast, and it handles beautifully. So, does adding the E-Clutch system to an already fabulous motorcycle really make any difference, or is this just an engineering exercise for the sake of it? Don Williams explains how the system works, and whether the E-Clutch is actually an upgrade.
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We’ve talked recently about the upcoming Biketoberfest in a few weeks time, and for sure it’s a great party and social event for motorcycle riders everywhere. But we don’t want to leave you with the impression that’s all it is. So Brian Bentley—born and raised in Daytona Beach—takes us through a sample itinerary of how you could spend your four days plus at Biketoberfest. Truth is, there are a ton of things to do in the October sunshine, and Brian’s example itinerary will give you a lot of ideas. And don’t forget: make sure you download the Biketoberfest mobile App from Apple or Google Play or visit www.biketoberfest.org.
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In our second segment this episode Arthur Coldwells chats with Tony Bracalente, founder of Ryder-Gear. Tony is a Navy veteran and was a nuclear engineer on submarines; he’s also a frequent track rider and racer. He founded Ryder-Gear as a result of his own track riding needs, and after friends kept asking him to help them out with what they needed, he eventually started the company. Tony’s interesting background and story-telling ability gives some insight into what it takes to improve motorcycle safety both on the track, and on the street.
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Here’s quick reminder to check out our monthly digital magazine. It’s filled with everything you want to read on motorcycling, including some things you’ve probably not seen elsewhere. It’s absolutely free and you will find it on the Apple App Store and of course on Google Play as well.
Don’t forget to leave us your comments on our social media—we’re on all the usual platforms at Ultimate Motorcycling. We love hearing your feedback… so good or bad, please let us know what you think. If there’s something you’d like us to cover, we’d love to hear those ideas too!
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