With multiple riders eligible to win titles in both classes, the stage was set for an epic night of racing for the SMX World Championship Final at Thunder Ridge. And, as usual, after the dust settled we were left with plenty of questions. Luckily we’ve got former pro and NBC on-track analyst, Jason Thomas, to shed some light on the questions the results didn’t answer.
This was the sport’s first visit to Thunder Ridge in Missouri. How was the facility in general, and how was the dirt and layout for racing?
The venue is top tier. In fact, it might end up being the best venue the sport has ever visited. It has that much potential. The dirt was great overall, but as with any first year event, there was learning along the way. The track could have used more passing opportunities and the dirt got slippery in the final races. Some of that traction loss was due to the rain but also some was due to a tight schedule with both WMX and KJSC racing happening. The review period is going to be insightful and improvements for year two will be impactful.
Rain came down for the second motos. How much of a difference did it make in the soil and how riders could attack?
It made more of a difference for the 250s, as they were getting the brunt of it, as well as acting as the clean up crew mid-moto. It was visibly evident that they were sliding all over the place and having to be very careful as the track changed mid-race. The 450’s didn’t have much of that to contend with on a precipitation front, they more had to deal with a hard base showing up in some areas of the track. The “shiny” spots of the track were incredibly slick and required finesse. Being aggressive in the right places but respecting the devolving traction in others was the name of the game.
There are always lappers to contend with, and that was true on Saturday too. But with the track being substantially longer than the previous two races, did it make lappers less of an issue?
The lappers, specifically Vince Friese, need to be addressed. He was completely oblivious to the battle going on and that’s not acceptable. The track was one-lined which makes it much more important to be aware of, and accommodating to, the situation. He did neither. I was a lapper at this level for a very long time so this is very much in my lane. He needs to do better in this aspect.
Charli Cannon nearly zapped Lachlan Turner for the lead on the final lap, but a small mistake in a rhythm lane gave Turner all the room she needed to get the win. How should Cannon have handled that final section differently?
Charli rode really well and I don’t think it was so much the final mistake that cost her. The pass on her by Mayla Herrick was much more impactful. She opened up the inside before the big triple, which allowed Mayla to draw a hard, aggressive line at the apex. That caught Charli off guard and almost caused a crash. She miraculously saved it but it cost her a ton of time as she went off track. Had she avoided that drama early, I don’t think Turner would have gotten the same opportunity up front. That’s what Charli was so frustrated with on the podium, too. To be fair to Charli, that triple required a big run and she was more worried about getting that right than protecting the inside. This same pass happened in the 250 class many times for the same reasons.
Levi Kitchen chose to line up on the inside, and clearly it ended up being the right choice. But given how tough of a go he’s had of it with his starts lately, how much of a gamble was this choice? Were you surprised he made this decision?
It was a big gamble. I was shocked that he did it. The reasoning was solid, he had a “harder” line to the first corner, as they didn’t till that very inside as deeply. Still, any mistake or poor jump and your fate is the same as Julien Beaumer’s in race two—stuck on the inside and pinched. He nailed it though, and it was the catalyst for everything that came after. It’s hard to consolidate an entire night into one moment but that would be it for me.
Landen Gordon has been ripping lately, and he ended up third overall on Saturday. Have you noticed anything different about him lately? And what made him so fast at Thunder Ridge?
The improvements over the course of 2026 have been nothing short of phenomenal. Coming into the professional portion of his season, I was unsure of how this would go. I didn’t see enough “flash” to be sure of his success. To his credit, though, he’s gotten better and better and better. His starts are solid, which sets him up for success and he has improved his sprint speed bigly. These opportunities have to be capitalized upon. Getting a shot on that factory Yamaha is one that can’t be fumbled. He is making the most of it and for such a nice kid, you love to see it.
Saturday marked the end of two of our sports greats’ careers—Eli Tomac and Dylan Ferrandis. Did you notice anything different about the way they went through the daily racing routine? Did anything interesting stick out to you from either one?
It was much as I expected based on my own humble experience. My final Pro Motocross race was Lake Elsinore in 2012. I was far beyond my best form and even a good day for me would have been lackluster on a big picture scale. Still, I vividly remember having nothing to offer on an intensity level. There was too much emotion and reflection in my mind to focus on the job at hand. I was going through the motions in every way. That’s much what I saw from Ferrandis and Tomac in correlation to what their best effort could be. Every convo all week and all day are about your career and what this all means. There are celebrations and interviews and constant reminders that this is it. None of that is productive for intensity or focus on the job at hand. It’s just part of the deal.
Jorge Prado was a fifth in the first moto, but was much better in the second moto, which he won. What was the difference?
The start is such a massive part of Prado’s repertoire. He’s one of the best starters in the sport’s history. That sounds grandiose but it’s factual. He knows what to do from the front but has always had less success coming through the pack. Saturday was no different. Add in a track that’s tough to pass or make up significant time and all of those themes are heightened. The biggest thing for me was him handling the pressure in moto two. He never faltered, not once.
Haiden Deegan aimed for Prado and pulled the trigger in the second moto, but somehow completely missed him. Did he just have bad aim, or did Prado anticipate the move and take evasive action?
A few things here should be mentioned. First, Haiden didn’t go for the kill. He didn’t put his front wheel into the frame of Prado, that would indicate an intention to knock him down. He went for an aggressive block pass that could have also resulted in a crash but it was nowhere near what he is capable of. Prado also made a tiny mistake and also likely felt Deegan dive inside. Had Deegan went for the most aggressive move possible, Prado would have gotten tagged, full stop. There would be no avoiding that. Deegan going for a move that could work, and also be overlooked on a penalty basis, was the goal. That’s a tough move to execute perfectly. It’s the correct approach in this scenario but with the level of difficulty required, it’s not a shock that it didn’t work. Knocking Prado down with hard contact, but that resulting in a penalty that then hands the title to someone else, doesn’t work. There was a very narrow window for success here.
