As for Haiden Deegan, he didn’t have his best stuff at Unadilla, but he’s obviously learned early in his career that patience can be a virtue, and when a race only gives you a podium finish but not a win, take that podium and move on from it. Hard to believe he’s still only 19.

Beyond those two, there’s been a lot of shuffling going on. Red Bull KTM’s Chase Sexton took Unadilla (and Budds Creek this weekend) off after his strange crash at Ironman. Things seem very frosty between him and KTM right now, and it seems like the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations can’t get here soon enough. After that, the rider and the team will part—he will go green, and orange will likely bring in Eli Tomac. Kawasaki may have two riders leaving, as Jason Anderson is already done for the season and will move on, and Jorge Prado may be heading for the exit as well—maybe even sooner rather than later. Weege will talk about that more below. Tom Vialle is also halfway out the door at KTM. He will not be riding for Team France at the MXoN and will likely be back in France riding red by the time his countrymen Romain Febvre, Maxime Renaux, and Mathis Valin are lining up at Ironman.

Conversely, it sounds like Jo Shimoda is staying at Honda HRC Progressive after all, and if these past couple of months are any indication, he will be the early favorite to win the 250 Pro Motocross title that Deegan will not be trying to defend again, as he will be on the 450 for good next May. And Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki is bringing back Garrett Marchbanks, which I believe is a great move. Marchbanks is the best rider in this class to have not won a 250 National. He could be formidable with better starts in 2026.

Dylan Ferrandis is back and riding well, and it sounds like he and Justin Barcia will both be riding red next year—the other red. The new one. And speaking of Ferrandis, he was part of a 10-rider international contingent that finished in the top 18 overall at the Unadilla 450 National. Australians Jett and Hunter went 1-2, and their MXoN teammate Kyle Webster was ninth, Switzerland’s Valentin Guillod was tenth, Spain’s Prado was 12th, Germany’s Ken Roczen 13th (a fine fifth in the first moto but a DNF the second), Venezuela’s Lorenzo Locurcio was 15th, France’s Benoit Paturel was 16th, and Romain Pape 18th.

We also got our first looks at some of the rookies at Unadilla, and most impressive was Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Caden Dudney, who went 7-13 for 11th overall. He was running in the top five in the second moto too before he tipped over and then lost his steam—the kid was sidelined for most of the spring and summer with back-to-back breaks in his arm. Check out Mitch Kendra’s post-race check in with Dudney if you missed it. Cole Davies, the rookie sensation in supercross, finally made his MX debut after breaking his arm at the Salt Lake City SX finale. The #100 did not have a very good day, but his 23-23 moto scores were nowhere near what he’s capable of. He will do much better this weekend.

There were also some unfortunate crashes at Unadilla that put some guys on the sidelines for the near future. Triumph’s Mikkel Haarup cracked his collarbone, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Michael Mosiman banged up his head and suffered a cut and a concussion in an ugly crash, and poor Jack Chambers broke his femur. Get well soon to all three of them.

Before I turn this over to Weege and the rest, back at the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch, a USA Today reporter named Josh Peter came to cover the youth and amateur motocross community. Josh has been following the sport since the passing earlier this year of Aidan Zingg at the Mammoth Mountain Classic. He stayed for several days and spoke to a lot of folks at the Ranch, including Ryan Villopoto, Carson Wood, the AMA’s Mike Burkeen, MX Sports’ Tim Cotter, vet rider Chris Canning (the man who hit the tree in his first moto on Tuesday), and more. Peter wanted to understand the people in the sport who know the dangers and risks involved. The title of Josh’s feature was straight to the point: “Danger, injury, and death are part of motocross sport, even for children.” It’s a very interesting and straightforward article. Read Josh Peter’s USA Today article here.

Josh said he hopes to have two or even three more articles from his time at the ranch, as he seemed impressed by the athletes and families that he met that week, as well as the whole motocross scene. Hopefully, we’ll see more from USA Today, and with brighter headlines…

Playoffs, Guaranteed (Weigandt)

Last week, I mentioned the swirling rumors that Jorge Prado’s crew is talking to KTM for 2026. KTM had a one-year 450 offer on the table for Tom Vialle, but Vialle is instead going back to the MXGP with Honda HRC. So, Jorge’s people asked KTM if he could get that deal. This, of course, would require Jorge getting out of his big-money Monster Energy Kawasaki deal, which still has two more years on it, but, hey, that relationship doesn’t appear to be going well, does it?

I think the Prado-to-KTM deal could be shifting from “if” to “when.” Unadilla was not good for the Prado/Kawasaki tandem. So, when could he debut on an orange bike? Well, some would see the upcoming SMX playoffs as a great spot, but that opens up an interesting conundrum about the playoff format. If Prado jumped on a KTM, Kawasaki couldn’t just hire a replacement for the playoffs because only the top 20 riders in points get guaranteed spots in those races! This is so different from what we’re used to, where riders can qualify for a gate just by being fast.

If Prado left, Monster Energy Kawasaki wouldn’t have anyone racing the playoffs at all (Jason Anderson is done for the season). I think this alone might keep Prado at Kawasaki a little longer. So, what’s next? An MXoN debut? Maybe Anaheim? Maybe he decides not to leave Kawasaki at all? We’ll see!

Pro Perspective (Jason Thomas)

The final Pro Motocross race of 2025 is upon us and prior to the SMX World Championship Playoffs, it would be met with a deep sigh of relief on Saturday evening. It’s simply a brief pause and regroup before a pivotal playoff push nowadays.

It’s still the ending of something and beginning of another, though. Champions will be crowned, and we will look to Concord, North Carolina, for the opener for the third installment of the playoff run. Some will be thinking about Budds Creek while others will be thinking about a weekend off. That’s how finale’s go. Everyone will be pondering the playoffs, though. The money and prestige at stake have taken hold and decisions are made solely based on September. Welcome to the new era. The SMX era.

Coty Schock, Mitchell Harrison, and Valentin Guillod are fighting for the final two direct qualifying positions in 450SMX...

Swedish MXGP (DC)

Just a quick note here to say that if you haven’t watched the Swedish MXGP from last weekend, with the crazy and dramatic ending of the second moto, make sure you do—it has to rank among the best races I’ve ever seen. Take a minute to watch rhe incredible closing moments of the race, starring privateer hero-turned-legend Isak Gifting, Romain Febvre, Jeffrey Herlings, and more. (And well done on the race call, Paul Malin!)

What We See and Don’t See on TV (Jason Weigandt) 

At the airport in Syracuse on Sunday morning, I saw Michael Mosiman hobbling through security. The poor guy was beat up. We knew a crash early in moto one ended his day, but I didn’t really know any details. And I didn’t ask him how he felt because I try to keep airport time private unless it’s obvious it’s okay to chat. These are not supposed to be open media sessions. (I did check in with Drew Adams for a minute. He was the fastest qualifier at Unadilla but was out of the top ten in both motos. As a first-time visitor to Unadilla, he told me he didn’t adapt to changing lines as the track developed.) I figured Michael would eventually update us all once he knew all the details. A few days after the race, that’s what he did, informing us of a mild concussion and a big cut above his eye. He looked worse than he probably was, which is honestly good news.

Also, a few days after the race, footage of his wild crash surfaced on YouTube and the socials. He high-sided and went flying. Once that footage went viral, I think some people started to wonder why it wasn’t shown on the TV broadcast on Saturday. Well, that’s because we didn’t have this footage! A lot of what you’re seeing on social media these days comes from fans on the fence line shooting on their phones. There’s no way for TV to even know that footage exists until hours or sometimes days after the race. Sometimes we actually do get and use that footage (with permission from the fan who shot it) if it’s a crash that maybe has a huge impact on a championship situation. For example, when Haiden Deegan went down in qualifying at RedBud, our TV cameras only caught a small bit of it in the upper corner of the shot (the cameras were focusing on another rider at the time; Haiden’s crash barely made it into the frame). I hit up as many of the trackside video media guys as I could, and luckily our own Tom Journet had actually shot the crash with a better view, so we used that on the broadcast. But that only happened because I happened to have Tom’s number so I could ask him! If a fan on the fence got the shot, well, there’s no way to ask.

Why weren’t the TV cameras shooting Mosiman early at Unadilla? Because the crash happened toward the back of the pack, and the cameras are following the leaders around the track, especially on the first lap when it’s still close.

In full transparency, I will tell you that if there’s a particularly devastating crash that could result in a major, serious injury, we will not show it on replay until we know the health status of the rider. That’s done out of respect for the athlete and their family. So, if a rider gets knocked out, for example, and is temporarily motionless, they often don’t show the crash until it’s known that the rider isn’t seriously or permanently hurt. For example, when Pierce Brown went down in the whoops in Tampa, I didn’t even know TV had a second replay angle of the crash. It wasn’t shown that night because, at first, there were serious fears of a major injury to Pierce. He returned to health and to the racetrack at Ironman, and that second replay angle was shown last week for the first time. There’s a fine line between showing what happened in the event and also protecting the rider and their family from a potentially tragic situation going viral.

Or, in the case of Mosiman, there’s a very large line between getting the shot and not getting the shot. When there are 40 riders on the track, you can’t guarantee you’ll get every angle of everyone.

Win/Championship Ads (DC)

The pages of Cycle News were a busy place this week for all things Jett and Jo. With his second 450 Pro Motocross Championship clinched early, Jett Lawrence got a pat on the back from Honda, Dunlop, and Yoshimura—the last of which included a bunch of Throttle Jockey decals, which must have made the Davis brothers smile over in Kokomo, Indiana. Jett also earned the cover of the weekly online magazine. And with his third win of the series, Jo Shimoda held off the title clinch for Haiden Deegan, at least for one more week and tomorrow's last round. And congrats to Lala Turner on her WMX win over Charli Cannon, which earned her the third spot on the Dunlop ad for the brand's clean sweep of Unadilla.

WMX (Sarah Whitmore) 

As the Women’s Motocross Championship (WMX) winds down, it is hard not to reflect on the series and how far it has come. Two years ago, WMX didn’t even exist in the States anymore, and if women wanted to make a living on a dirt bike, they had to ride off-road (because of this, there are some off-road girls who rip on a moto track). In 2024, the WMX series was held alongside select amateur nationals, getting very little attention. In 2025, WMX was welcomed back alongside the AMA Pro Motocross Championship with a very warm welcome.

Teams and sponsors are taking interest (thank you, TV time), and Christina Denney is doing what she does, working her butt off to help make the WMX a respectable series. It doesn’t hurt that these riders are flying; the Lachlan Turner vs. Charli Cannon battle at Unadilla had people on the edge of their seats.

There is so much buzz around the WMX right now that I dare say it is even surpassing the “glory days.” Okay, don’t roll your eyes yet; hear me out. I don’t call 2008-2013 the glory days because I was racing, but because that was the last time the WMX ran two motos on Saturdays alongside the men. For 11 years, the sport as a whole progressed and left the women behind. The glory days should never be 20 years ago. Society should always be pushing the boundaries of progression.

Maybe it's because WMX was gone for so long that it seems fresh and new, and the riders are very appreciative to have a series again. Social media definitely helps, as fans are able to easily voice their approval. The reasoning behind it really doesn’t matter; the glory days of women’s motocross are right now, and I am so excited to watch it grow and see these riders get the recognition they deserve.

This weekend, the WMX will run three motos: two for their regular schedule on Friday and then one moto on Saturday to make up for the moto that got rained out at Thunder Valley. Another opportunity to show the world what women can do on a bike. And another opportunity for fans to be wowed.

2026 Fox Gear Launch (Keefer)

We met up with the Fox guys and gals on Wednesday to go over the new Fox Racing 2026 lineup. We even got to see some embargoed sets of gear (which is a first for me), and of course, you already know I love gear, so seeing what is coming down the pipe (as well as riding in it) was icing on the cake. The 180, 350, and Flexair lines are available now over at foxracing.com. It's been a while since I have worn other gear, so getting to spend some time in the V3 helmet as well as the Instinct boots is great for me, just in case a question comes my way on how the Fox lineup fits and feels. Fox has always been one of the leaders in design and function, and with this 2026 lineup, their legacy continues. A couple of Fox's athletes were on hand, like Jorge Prado, Garrett Marchbanks, and even Enzo Temmerman, as well as my son Aden Keefer. Getting to see all of these guys ride together and play around was a nice change of pace from the daily moto grind that these athletes go through. Look for a full video of the day right here on our website!

Brand New Issue (DC)

As soon as Jeremy Martin crossed the finish line with a walkout win in the second moto at Spring Creek, we knew who was going on the next cover of Racer X Illustrated. With the help of Bee G Creations, which made the cool Looney Tunes-inspired butt patch for Jeremy's gear that day, we came up with a great photo from Adam Merrow and Align Media of J-Mart's holeshot that day, which started the feel-good moto of the summer. I texted the cover photo of both Jeremy and his big brother Alex—now partners in promoting races at their family's Spring Creek MX Park—to show them the cover, and they were stoked. The feature story inside the issue was written by Jason Weigandt, who called the action that day. Other features inside include the debut of the Ducati Desmo450 MX at RedBud and Spring Creek in the very capable hands of Antonio Cairoli, as well as Team USA Junior at the FIM Junior World Cup in France, and a ride-along with Josh Toth as he went from a GNCC to the Southwick National to a National Enduro, all within a span of a single week (and he won two of them). Look for the new issue in your mailbox or on newsstands now.

Hey, Watch It!

This Is Lawrence is in championship mode this week:

The Deegans are also getting close to championship mode;

Vital MX’s Lewis Phillips on some MXoN team news as well as some injury updates:

Caden Dudney chatted with Mitch Kendra after his impressive pro debut at Unadilla MX.

Matt Burkeen breaks down some Jett Lawrence moves at Unadilla:

Mitch Kendra’s sit-down interview with WMX racer Jamie Astudillo, where they talk about the WMX series, racing in Canada, feedback from the fans, and more.

2025 Budds Creek National Finale Weekend Preview & Injury Report

Roger De Coster's last go-around as Team USA manager:

Head-Scratching Headline/s of the Week 

“Scientists discover an ancient whale with a Pokémon face and a predator bite”—AP News

“Great white shark is seen near popular beaches in Maine, sparking a warning from police”—AP News

"Colombian parents name baby 'Chat Yipiti' after AI program"—UPI

"Toothpaste made with hair naturally repairs tooth enamel, scientists discover"—News Sky

"Alaska Man Gifted $22,000 Motorcycle by Russian Government After Viral Interview"—ABC News

“Georgia judge flubs verdict reading, tells defendant he is guilty”—NBC News

"Sheriff: Dozens charged after influencers broke into Kentucky Speedway, posted videos" -WLWT

“A 6'4" boy made the girls' volleyball team at an Illinois high school and now the coach has quit and girls are changing in the nurse's office”—Not the Bee

Random Notes

The SMX community lost an old friend this week when Humpy Wheeler, the longtime general manager and president of Charlotte Motor Speedway, passed away at the age of 86. Wheeler was instrumental in bringing supercross to the infield of the giant North Carolina Speedway in the late 1990s. The '96 race there was won by Jeremy McGrath, '97 by young Kevin Windham (who was riding the 125 West Region that season), and the muddy '98 race was the one and only 250 SX win for John Dowd. Wheeler was considered "the P.T Barnum of motorsports" and always tried to come up with innovative marketing ideas. SMX still visits Charlotte Motor Speedway, as the next-door Z-MAX Dragway has been the site of the opening round of the SMX Playoffs since 2023. Here is an article ESPN did on Wheeler.

And shout-out to Fredericktown Yamaha, Ian Riley and family, and the whole crew for celebrating 50 years as a Yamaha dealership! Congrats! Here is Ian Riley with Ryan Villopoto during Thursday night's celebration. The weekend started with a BluCru celebration in Fredericktown and will more than likely end with Haiden Deegan clinching the 250 Class title on Saturday at the Yamaha Budds Creek National (the OEM is the title sponsor of this weekend's event).