Well, we’re at race #31 of the SuperMotocross Championship, and it’s the last round. The 2026 SMX Final should be intriguing. While there’s a clear favorite for the title, picking the order of the top five will be a challenge. RMFantasySMX players will be salivating for the triple points, just as the riders will be on the hybrid MX/SX track at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri. So, it’s time to share our 2026 SMX Final fantasy picks.
Jorge Prado is the favorite to wear the SuperMotocross Championship crown on Saturday night. Prado enters the SMX Final with a 16-point lead, so he clinches the title with a P3 overall finish. Prado was P3 in the Ohio mud at Playoff 1 and won the overall last week in Playoff 2 in sunny Southern California at Dignity Health Sports Park. Probably Prado’s biggest obstacle will be Haiden Deegan. We all saw last year that Deegan is more than willing to ride dirty and attempt to blatantly take out a rider at the Final; he did in the 250SMX class to eventual champion Jo Shimoda. Prado’s head will be on a swivel if Deegan is nearby, though that doesn’t make Prado the favorite for the win in Missouri. I have Prado down as a solid P2 finisher.
Prado doesn’t have to win, but every other rider who wants the championship will need a victory to get it. Even more intriguing, if Prado has a major problem and finishes off the podium, any of the next four riders in the points standings — Hunter Lawrence, Haiden Deegan, Ken Roczen, and Cooper Webb — will clinch the title with a win. All four riders have a major interest in keeping Prado off the podium. The big question is what they are willing to do to make that happen.
Hunter Lawrence.
Hunter Lawrence’s comeback looks complete. Lawrence went 4-1 last Saturday in Carson, so his winning ways have returned. He will want to be in the best position possible if Prado falters, and that means taking the Final overall. I have Lawrence for the win in Missouri.
Jorge Prado.
Jorge Prado will want to play it safe, though not too safe. He needs a P3 or better to take home the $1 million SMX Championship paycheck, and a pair of 2s will win it with drama. Prado has shown the necessary speed to nail down P2 in each moto and overall, so don’t be surprised when he does it again on the expansive track south of Branson.
Ken Roczen.
The fight for the last podium spot at the SMX Final will be between Haiden Deegan and Ken Roczen. Roczen showed the field the way to the checkered flag in Moto 1 last Saturday, but couldn’t back it up in Moto 2, going 1-4. Deegan hit a glass ceiling of 3-3, not unlike his Pro Motocross results in his rookie year. If Deegan rides smart, he could take P3. If he doesn’t, and he has history, he could leave the track with a broken bone. In the battle of the Wise Old Head vs. the Hot Head, going with the wise choice is the safest option. So, it’s Roczen for P3 and Deegan looking disappointed off the podium in P4.
Haiden Deegan leads Cooper Webb.
After being taken out by Haiden Deegan in Carson, Cooper Webb vowed that Deegan would not win the SMX Championship. While Webb might want a say in the Final outcome, it’s unlikely he’ll get the chance. Webb hasn’t had Deegan’s speed, so Webb will need a strong start to get a chance to retaliate. Deegan can pass cleanly when it’s to his advantage, so don’t expect him to test Webb’s resolve. Webb is the fastest rider outside the quartet of Deegan, Lawrence, Prado, and Roczen, so look for Webb to take P5 without fireworks.
Cooper Webb.
We have four strong contenders for the P7 Wild Card: RJ Hampshire, Garrett Marchbanks, Malcolm Stewart, and the retiring Eli Tomac. Which one you see in P7 at the end of the night will depend heavily on starts. RJ Hampshire was the best of the group last week, so let’s put him in P6. Tomac will want to go out as strongly as he can, so I’m going to get sentimental and put him down as the Wild Card in P7. It won’t be the end of his storied career that he would like, but it’s the one Tomac is likely to get.
Eli Tomac.
Racing starts at 6 p.m. local time (CDT). Tune into Race Day Live for the SMX Final at noon from Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri. Racing starts at 6 p.m. local time (CDT). Tune into Race Day Live for the SMX Final at noon from Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri. In case you’re wondering, it will be a warm evening of racing, with only a slight chance of rain. Weather should not be an issue at the 2026 SuperMotocross Final.
2026 SMX Final Fantasy Picks
Hunter Lawrence
Jorge Prado
Ken Roczen
Haiden Deegan
Cooper Webb
Wild Card P7: Eli Tomac
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.
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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