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Columbus SMX Gallery | Mud, ruts and Deegan’s breakthrough

Rain, ruts and a breakthrough victory: revisit the opening 2026 SuperMotocross Playoff at Columbus through Stephen Hopkins’ photography.

by Motorcycle News

September 15, 2026

in AMA MX, Motorcycle Gallery, Supercross

2026 SuperMotocross Championship

SMX Playoff 1 – Columbus

Images by Stephen Hopkins

Rain dramatically changed the scene at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, turning the opening 2026 SuperMotocross Playoff into a muddy afternoon of deep ruts, heavy roost and costly mistakes.

Haiden Deegan mastered the conditions to sweep both 450SMX motos and claim his first premier-class overall victory, while Levi Kitchen secured the 250SMX overall with a pair of second-place finishes. Jorge Prado left Ohio with the 450 championship lead, but Australians Hunter Lawrence and Kayden Minear endured difficult afternoons, both finishing 15th overall in their respective classes.

Browse Stephen Hopkins’ photographs from the Columbus opener below. For the stories behind the images, see our full Columbus SMX report, race results and championship standings.

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main2-41-Start

Jorge Prado, Aaron Plessinger and Shane McElrath charge through flying mud at the start of 450SMX Race One at Columbus. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main1-13-Start

Cole Davies jumps beneath the finish gantry as the chequered flag waves for his 250SMX Race Two victory at Columbus. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main2-99-Davies-Flag

Freshly prepared banked corner on the Columbus SMX track, with grooming marks and empty yellow grandstands. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_PRERAIN-2

Levi Kitchen stands between Daxton Bennick and Ryder DiFrancesco as all three raise their trophies on the Columbus podium. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main2-109-Podium

Levi Kitchen gives a thumbs-up in muddy racewear, wearing a Kawasaki cap with green goggles around his neck. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main2-103-Kitchen

Close-up of Cole Davies without his helmet after Race Two at Columbus, with damp hair and mud still on his neck. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main2-102-Davies

Daxton Bennick leans his mud-covered Husqvarna through a rutted corner during the closing stages of Race Two at Columbus. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main2-94-Bennick

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main2-84-ADAMS

Jo Shimoda kneels beside his fallen Honda in deep mud as Cole Davies' number 37 Yamaha passes at the upper left. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main2-77-Shimoda

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main2-76-Davies

Levi Kitchen flies high above the Columbus track on his mud-covered Kawasaki, with packed grandstands behind. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main2-69-KITCHEN

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main2-68-McAdoo

Daxton Bennick jumps his mud-covered number 58 Husqvarna in front of the Columbus grandstands during Race Two. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main2-63-Bennick

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main2-58-Davies

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main2-56-HYMAS

Levi Kitchen, number 47, steers his Kawasaki through deep mud with one boot extended during the second Columbus moto. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main2-51-Kitchen

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main2-48-Hymas

Cole Davies, Daxton Bennick, Max Vohland and Jo Shimoda lead a tightly packed group away at the second Columbus 250SMX start. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main2-38-Start

Jorge Prado raises his third-place trophy above his head on the Columbus SMX podium. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main2-87-Prado-Trophy

Ken Roczen, Haiden Deegan and Jorge Prado raise their trophies on the Columbus 450 overall podium. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main2-85-Podium

Cooper Webb speaks to a television interviewer with mud on his jersey and goggles around his neck. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main2-84-Webb

Ken Roczen in Suzuki race gear and a Red Bull cap, with his goggles around his neck after racing. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main2-83-Roczen

Haiden Deegan smiles during his post-race interview, wearing a Yamaha cap and mud-covered race gear. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main2-80-Deegan-Interview

Haiden Deegan celebrated a 17.182-second victory in race two, completing a dominant 1-1 sweep for his first premier-class overall win. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main2-69-Deegan-Win

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main2-62-Tomac-Craig

It was not all plain sailing for Roczen but still a great score - Image by Stephen Hopkins — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main2-49-ROCZEN

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main2-40-Deegan

Cooper Webb lifts his Yamaha over a muddy rise with his left leg extended during 450 race two. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main2-35-Webb

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main2-30-Tomac-Smith

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main2-27-Deegan

Hunter Lawrence guides his number 96 Honda through deep mud and ruts during the second 450 moto. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main2-25-Hunter-Lawrence

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main2-23-TOMAC

Mud-covered R.J. Hampshire jumps his Husqvarna through the rhythm section with two riders following. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main2-22-HAMPSHIRE

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main2-21-Plessinger

Ken Roczen follows Haiden Deegan through a muddy rhythm section during the second 450 moto at Columbus. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main2-14-Deegan-Roczen

Jordon Smith, Mikkel Haarup and Dylan Ferrandis ride through flying mud among the 450 pack at Columbus. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main2-10-Start

Haiden Deegan, Jorge Prado and Cornelius Tøndel accelerate away from the opening corner in 450 race two. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main2-8-Start

Haiden Deegan leads the muddy 450 start at Columbus, with Jorge Prado and Cornelius Tøndel close behind. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main2-5-Start

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main1-72-Deegan

Haiden Deegan rides beneath the finish gantry and chequered flag to win the muddy opening 450SMX moto at Columbus. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main1-68-Deegan-Finish

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main1-55-Haarup

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main1-50-Deegan

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main1-43-Deegan

Rear view of Joey Savatgy, Eli Tomac and Jorge Prado riding close together through deep mud at Columbus. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main1-40-Prado-Tomac-Savatgy

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main1-39-Barcia

Ken Roczen follows Hunter Lawrence through the mud, but their Race One results told very different stories: second for Roczen and 21st for Lawrence after repeated trouble. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main1-32-Hunter-Lawrence-Roczen

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main1-29-Tomac

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main1-26-Deegan

Haiden Deegan leans his number 38 Yamaha through a deeply rutted muddy corner during 450SMX Race One at Columbus. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main1-23-Deegan

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main1-21

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main1-20-Savatgy

Jorge Prado led early after claiming the holeshot, before Haiden Deegan and Ken Roczen moved ahead. The KTM rider finished third. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_450_main1-16-Prado

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main1-52-Bennick-Flag

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main1-50-Vohland

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main1-46-Bennick

Cole Davies looks down at his stopped Yamaha as a white plume rises beside the bike on a muddy jump at Columbus. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main1-43-Davies-Smoking

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main1-36_KITCHEN

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main1-35-McAdoo

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main1-33_VOHLAND

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main1-31-Kitchen

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main1-30-KITCHEN

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main1-26-Davies

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main1-23-Kitchen

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main1-21-Davies

2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main1-18-Adams

Nicholas Romano tumbles head-first beside a track marker as his mud-covered Kawasaki tips almost vertically above him. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main1-17-Romano

Rear view of Caden Dudney, number 82, riding his Yamaha through a muddy rut during 250SMX Race One at Columbus. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main1-12-Dudney

Cole Davies throws mud from his rear tyre through a Columbus corner, with Levi Kitchen and the pack behind. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main1-5-Davies-Lead

Cole Davies grabbed the holeshot in the opening 250SMX moto, securing clear track as the chasing pack took a covering of Columbus mud. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_250_main1-3-Davies-Lead

Standing water covers a broad section of the Columbus SMX track, with track markers lining the flooded edges. — Rain-5

Stadium screen above the SMX finish line displaying a severe-weather warning and instructions to seek shelter. — Rain-1

Freshly groomed jumps in the Columbus SMX rhythm section, with machinery tracks visible across the dirt. — 2026-SuperMotocross_Columbus_Round1_PRERAIN-7

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