“SMX Next continues to show it is one of the most successful and proven development initiatives in motorsports. While the exposure and opportunity to be a part of off-road motorcycle racing’s premier professional championships is vital to the on-track growth of these young athletes, the hands-on nature of the program also takes special care to provide awareness of the invaluable off-track intangibles that equally contribute to success at the professional level,” said Jim Perry, Program Director for the Scouting Moto Combine. “Our esteemed group of Rider Coaches play an integral role in the success of this program and in fostering the progression of these talented racers. They’ve learned to harness the potential of each prospect and give them the guidance and mentorship they need to perform at their best. It’s why we continue to see graduates of the SMX Next program achieving success in Monster Energy Supercross and the Pro Motocross Championship. It will be even more impactful for this weekend’s group of prospects to immerse themselves in the championship atmosphere surrounding Ironman Raceway."

The group of invited prospects for the Ironman Combine was determined through a collaborative effort with competing manufacturers from the SMX World Championship, including Honda, Husqvarna, Kawasaki, KTM, Suzuki, Triumph, and Yamaha. The lineup of athletes features a diverse collection of young racers, many of whom have achieved success at the American Motocross Majors and the recent Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship from Loretta Lynn’s Ranch that took place earlier this month. Several racers have even earned professional experience by making select starts during the Pro Motocross Championship, in accordance with the rulebook. The Ironman athletes will receive guidance and mentorship from a decorated group of Rider Coaches, led by AMA Hall of Famers Broc Glover and Kevin Windham in addition to celebrated international racers Michael Byrne, of Australia, and Gareth Swanepoel, of South Africa. In addition to coaching, Combine participants will receive classroom-style education sessions on other aspects of the sport such as health, fitness, nutrition, and media engagement from leaders in the industry.

Highlighting the group of invited prospects for the Ironman Combine, which will feature representation from three different countries, is this year’s Nicky Hayden AMA Motocross Horizon Award recipient Landon Gibson. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna rider has more SMX Next starts than anyone else in the field and is one week removed from his second Pro Motocross start at Budds Creek, where he finished just outside the top 10 with a 12th-place effort. He’ll be flanked by Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Carson Wood, who enjoyed a breakout performance at the RedBud Combine in July, outlasting Gibson to sweep the motos in Michigan and prevail with the victory. Wood too has several Pro Motocross starts under his belt this summer, as the budding rivals are set to renew their battle at Ironman. They’ll no doubt be joined by Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Kade Johnson, who rounded out the Combine podium at RedBud and will also bring Pro Motocross experience into Ironman.

Additional notables include newly crowned AMA National Champions in EBR Performance Yamaha’s Tanner Dorman and Team Husqvarna Amateur Racing’s Tristan Prueitt, who battled all week long at Loretta Lynn’s in the 250B and Schoolboy 2 divisions, ultimately splitting those championships between them. Dorman prevailed with the 250B title while Prueitt swept all motos en route to the Schoolboy 2 title.

Friday’s Combine will be highlighted by a pair of 25 Minute + 1 Lap motos on the dynamic Ironman layout, where an overall winner and podium will be determined. Additionally, all 25 prospects will be included in the fanfare of Saturday’s National, with a special 10-minute practice session on the fully prepped track that will lead up to opening ceremonies.

SMX Next - Motocross Provisional Entry List