It was a wild night at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, and the 2026 SMX Playoff 2 results put Jorge Prado on top. Prado not only won with a 2-2 scorecard, but he also left the stadium with a 16-point cushion heading into the SMX World Championship Final next Saturday at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri.
Prado grabbed the holeshot and led Moto 1 until lap 12 of 25, when a surging Ken Roczen passed him, coming off a 2-2 performance at Playoff 1. Haiden Deegan took over P3 on lap 2, and held it until the end of the race. Hunter Lawrence, who was uncompetitive in the Playoff 1 mud bog, turned a P8 Moto 1 start into a P4 finish, taking the spot from Eli Tomac on lap 12. Cooper Webb later passed Tomac for P5.
Moto 2 was full of fireworks, though none of them involved Lawrence. Lawrence grabbed the holeshot, and Prado got by. Lawrence took the lead back on lap 2 and never looked back. Behind Lawrence, carnage unfolded mid-moto.
On lap 12, Prado went down in the sand while running in P2, and was passed by Roczen and Deegan. A lap later, Deegan passed Roczen for P2, and the following lap Prado passed Roczen, dropping Roczen to P4. Had the race ended at that point, Deegan would be leading the SMX Championship Series by two points.
Disaster struck for Deegan on lap 20, as Deegan fell. Prado passed Deegan, and Deegan collided with Roczen as he rejoined the race. Deegan quickly knocked down Webb in a P4 battle, and then passed Roczen for P3. Deegan found himself in the unenviable position of going 3-3, yet finishing in P4 overall. Roczen finished the evening 1-4 for P3 overall, and Webb was P5 overall, going 5-5. After the race, Webb expressed his displeasure with Deegan’s pass.
After the Moto 2 chaos, Prado was the big winner at Dignity Health Sports Park. Despite not winning a moto, Prado was the overall winner and only needs a P3 or better to earn the SMX World Championship title next Saturday. Should Prado fail to finish in the top three, Lawrence, Deegan, Roczen, or Webb will win the championship if any of them win.
The racing starts at 6 p.m. local time (CDT) at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri, 10 miles south of Branson and less than two miles north of the Arkansas border.
2026 SMX Playoff 2 SuperMotocross World Championship Results, Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, CA
Jorge Prado, 2-2; KTM
Hunter Lawrence, 4-1; Honda
Ken Roczen, 1-4; Suzuki
Haiden Deegan, 3-3; Yamaha
Cooper Webb, 5-5; Yamaha
RJ Hampshire, 9-6; Husqvarna
Garrett Marchbanks, 10-8; Kawasaki
Malcolm Stewart, 7-11; Husqvarna
Eli Tomac, 6-12; KTM
Jordon Smith, 14-7; Triumph
Aaron Plessinger, 8-13; KTM
Dylan Ferrandis, 13-9; Ducati
Justin Hill, 12-10; KTM
Christian Craig, 11-14; Honda
Benny Bloss, 15-16; Beta
Shane McElrath, 16-17; Beta
Vince Friese, 17-18; Kawasaki
Colt Nichols, DNS-15; Suzuki
Freddie Noren, 19-19; Yamaha
Mitchell Harrison, 18-20; Kawasaki
Mikkel Haarup, 20-21; Triumph
Joey Savatgy, 21-DNS; Honda
Grant Harlan, DNS-22; KTM
Justin Barcia, 22-DNS; Ducati
2026 SMX 450 Playoff Standings (after 2 of 3 rounds)
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.
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