All told, I’ve been to Switzerland four different times, for four very different races. In 2002 it was for the THQ World Supercross in Geneva that was won by Yamaha’s David Vuillemin and would be Jeremy McGrath’s first of two races on the Hot Wheels KTM. In ’94 I was at the Motocross of Nations at Roggenburg, where Team USA’s 13-year winning streak was ended by the Paul Malin-led British team, and Greg Albertyn hit a deer crossing the track while leading! Before that I was at the ‘92 250 Grand Prix at Payerne when all kinds of Americans were racing the series: Trampas Parker, Micky Dymond, Bob Moore, Bader Manneh, and the late Donny Schmit and the late Mike Healey…

And then way back in 1986 I actually raced in Switzerland, at the Zurich Hardcross, which was basically a supercross in a bicycle velodrome, with wooden jumps and railroad ties for whoops. Craziest setting I ever raced in, but so glad for the memories…

Now we’re here for the Infront and FIM organizer meetings, the big awards ceremony tomorrow night, and hopefully some discussions on future MXoNs and other possible joint projects in the U.S. No actual race this time around, but the whole trip is all about racing. The AMA’s President Rob Dingman is supposed to be here—the FIM is actually located here—and AMA Director of Racing Mike Pelletier as well, so there should be some excellent bench racing as well, starting with the welcome dinner at the hotel restaurant and lobby bar.

And our social media friend Josh Gagnon (@AlwaysBelieve331) has his annual countdown up and running; here are this week's entries, as Anaheim is now 36 days away. Look for Josh's page on Instagram and give him a follow...

Deano Down Under (Mitch Kendra)

Kinda lost in all the racing down under in Australia is Dean Wilson's SX1 title. He rode well throughout the championship, despite the death of his mother right in the middle of it. But Wilson pushed through that win to win and was able to claim the title. It was largely overlooked due to the WSX on the opposite coast, as we have covered, and all of their big wild card names (Eli Tomac, Haiden Deegan, Cooper Webb, and Ken Roczen) racing on the same night but 1,000 miles away. Congrats to Wilson, who clarified on Facebook too that he is NOT retired but instead he retired from racing full-time AMA Supercross and Motocross. It would not be shocking to see the #15 lineup behind the gates around the world again in 2026. 

250 Deegs (Jason Weigandt)

Now, a moment of truth for Haiden Deegan, who this week hopped back on a 250 after several weeks of 450SX riding and two WSX races on the bigger bike. The plan, all along, was for Haiden to race 250SX this year and then make his full-time 450 debut in 2026 Pro Motocross. Can Haiden really ride a 450 for over a month and then hop back on a 250 and still have fun? That’s the big question.

I talked to Haiden’s father Brian on Tuesday to ask this question and also get an update on how the two 450 races went. He said overall everyone was happy with how it went, Argentina was tough because Haiden was really new to the bike, but he was much better in Australia (which anyone watching could see). Also, these international races always include downtime where the riders hang out together, and that gave Haiden a chance to actually talk to the 450 veterans in a low-pressure environment. Brian thinks that was a good ice breaker. The racing part was somewhat impacted by FIM-regulated fuel, and they could never get Haiden’s bike to run right. They don’t want to make excuses, though, as probably every rider was dealing with something. Either way, it was solid.

Brian explained that there was never a plan to race 450 in 2026 AMA Supercross at any point. Not Anaheim 1, not during the break when 250SX East runs, nothing. Haiden will race 250SX West, and then use the East weeks to start testing and riding a 450 on motocross tracks.

Then I asked: what if Haiden absolutely hates riding a 250 now? Brian said he’ll be riding one this week. He thinks it’s a very, very slim chance that anything will change, and the plan is still 250. So that’s the story as of now. Wait until May, it appears.

OI OI OI (Matthes)

I'm all out of wack with sleeping and what day it is. I got back from Australia Monday evening and I'm trying to catch up. Fun little three weeks with Paris SX, Melbourne SX, and then the WSX round in Gold Coast. The GC WSX was really good racing; they had all the regulars there and then Eli Tomac and Haiden Deegan. The Triple Crown-style format they use is also pretty exciting. We had three or four guys going at it for a few laps. I know Tomac's race wasn't very good, but I wouldn't put too much into that. We don't have a surface that is that slick in the AMA series and I think although he's ridden a paddle tire before at races like the SMX Playoff race in Texas, this might have been even more slick than that with a fine layer of gravel on top of the clay. Roczen's great, Deegs isn't ready for 450SX yet, as Weege mentioned, Savatgy is solid, but the biggest question mark I have is Christian Craig. Like, is he back?

Craig's ride in the third main was great but in the second main, an eight-lapper, he came from a first turn crash all the way to fourth or fifth before tipping over in the last turn when he hit Austin Politelli's rear tire. That tip over cost him the overall win. He looked way better on the Quad Lock Honda than he ever did on the Husqvarna or Yamaha in AMA SX. The big whoops helped him out (and we all know they won't be an advantage much in AMA) but man, he just looked spicy. He's been through a lot for sure, he's a good dude and do I expect him to catch and pass Tomac in, say, San Diego SX in a little over a month? No, I don't but if he could just get inside the top ten a bunch, that would be a huge win for him and the team. 

SMX Next (DC)

Get those resumes and riding videos together. The SMX Next program returns on Monster Energy Supercross in 2026, and then later in the season to Pro Motocross as well. For '26 the program will allow select amateurs from both A and B classes. 

The biggest change for 2026 is mandatory chest and back protection. According to the supplemental rules, "Approved chest and back protection are mandatory. The protector may be worn under or over the jersey, and it should cover the sternum anterior ribs, posterior ribs, and spine from T1 toT12."

Win Ads (DC)

There were slim pickings in the Race Wins Advertising Department at Cycle News this week. Only one made it into this week's issues, courtesy of Suzuki. Their "Winner of Oz" was a crafty take on Ken Roczen's win at the WSX in Australia.

Here at home the two biggest race was the 54th Annual THOR Mini O's. I imagine we will see some ads next week from the likes of Dunlop, Yamaha, Kawasaki, etc. The event did get some excellent coverage thanks for regular contributor Cody Darr, who snapped his first-ever Cycle News cover with a cool shot of standout A and Pro Sport rider Kaden Johnson of Kawasaki Team Green. He also scored a bunch of spreads, including three Captured shots. Nice work, Cody! Look for more of Darr's stuff in the next issues of Racer X Magazine. 

Motocross Memories (DC)

Both myself and Scott Wallenberg belong to a group of friends and fellow moto enthusiasts who get Photos of the Day from true MX historian named Claude. Each day we receive a dozen old photos and/or advertisements from way, way back. Last week he sent one that included this Tom Rapp photo.

A few days later there was a follow-up email from another friend on this email chain, former 500 Pro Motocross Champion-turned-factory team manager-turned-motorcycle business consultant Mark Blackwell:

Jerry Robin's New Role with FXR

Check out Jerry Robin's new job, working with FXR in their amateur moto division. 

Honda CRF300F Intro

Simon Cudby was with the Honda crew down at the epic Chocolate Mountain Ranch near San Diego, California this week for the intro of the new 2026 Honda CRF300F trail bike. On hand to talk about the new bike were Honda off-road legend Johnny Campbell and SLR Honda's Mikayla Nielsen. From Honda:

Mini O’s SX 2025 (Taylor Miller)

I spent a week at the THOR Mini O’s racing the supercross portion, with a goal of finishing inside the top ten in the women’s class. I’m proud to say I achieved it, wrapping up the week with a ninth overall. As a veteran WMX rider, sharing the gate with some of the fastest young women in the world, including Lotte Van Drunen and many rising talents, reminded me exactly why I love this sport. I also had the chance to line up with Jason Lawrence in the 30+ class, which made the experience even more special. Being one of the only moms on the gate makes me incredibly proud, and I hope my journey inspires the next generation of racers, including my son Taysom, to chase their goals with everything they’ve got.

Hey, Watch It! 

Carson Brown vs. Every Bike We Could Find | Backyard Tour Stop 2

Carson Wood’s vlog from THOR Mini O’s

Weege Show Wednesday: Double Aussie, Tomac Bad, Craig Good, Deegan 450 Plans And More

Racing Is Fun Again | Shane McElrath Supercross Vlog

Head-Scratching Headline/s of the Week 

“Do Lions Have Accents? Study Shows Big Cats From Different African Regions Roar In Distinct ‘Dialects’”—Study Finds

“56% Of Dog Owners Believe Their Beloved Pup Is Their Soulmate”—Study Finds

"How sex with Neanderthals changed us forever"—BBC News

“Time for a Thanksgiving 'fart walk.' Here's how it can help you.”—USA Today

Sylvain Guintoli to Compete in London Marathon in Leathers”—Cycle News

“Naked woman arrested after resisting, punching firefighter trying to cover her up”—Local 12 News

"Raccoon goes on drunken rampage in Virginia liquor store and passes out on bathroom floor" –AP

“Disney superfan looks to break record with 15,000 rides on Radiator Springs Racers”—ABC 7 News

Random Notes

The 14th Annual Big Air Kids Fair will take place at Loma Linda University Children's Hospital on Wednesday, January 22, just ahead of Anaheim 2. Former SoCal hotshoe Steve Bauer organizes the show every year as a way to put a smile on the faces of the young patients and their families. He reached out to his old friend Curt Evans, the cartoon artist from Down/Up Designs, and came up with this cool flyer that features three of the riders who will be putting on the show, Axell Hodges, Twitch and Keith Sayers.