Moto Wrap Weekly – SMX Fireworks – MXGP – Rally – Trials + more…

Moto News Weekly Wrap
September 22, 2026

What’s New:

• Webb vows to stop Deegan winning SMX title
• Lawrence hits back as Prado strengthens SMX lead
• Minear climbs to fourth as Beaumer wins 250SMX
• Johnson secures SMX Next title as Malinoski wins
• Farres delivers first motocross world title for Triumph
• Herlings finishes with 16 consecutive moto wins
• Dennis leads Australian charge at Darwin
• Guillen claims maiden WMX crown with Darwin double
• Billy Bolt to miss Roof of Africa after knee surgery
• Sanders takes slender title lead into Rallye du Maroc
• Riordan claims fifth XC2 GNCC win
• Dean Wilson breaks shoulder in practice crash
• MA clarifies medical flag rule for motocross and supercross
• Marcelli denies Bou a perfect season of overall wins
• Farré survives tense finale to claim Trial2 crown
• Abellan seals back-to-back TrialGP Women titles
• Montserrat Junque turns deficit into Trial2 Women title
• Townsville streets to host free AUSX Holeshot Challenge
• Dutch deny Britain in dramatic Long Track of Nations final
• 2026 Racing Calendars
• 2027 Racing Calendars

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Webb vows to stop Deegan winning SMX title

Cooper Webb has vowed to prevent teammate Haiden Deegan from winning the SuperMotocross title after their clash at the second Playoff in Los Angeles. Deegan had fallen in the sand and become involved in contact with Ken Roczen before attacking Webb up the inside at the end of a rhythm lane, sending his fellow Star Racing Yamaha rider down.

Webb accused Deegan of having “no respect for anybody else”, pointing out that the pair are teammates, training partners and friends. His warning ahead of the triple-points finale was unequivocal.

Cooper Webb

“I got one more race with this team and I’ll make hell sure he don’t win this thing, that’s for sure.”

Deegan admitted riding Webb “a little dirty” and apologised, but defended his desperation to secure every position in the three-round championship. He also referred to Roczen as “some goon” while describing their earlier contact. Deegan finished fourth overall with 3-3, ahead of Webb’s 5-5, leaving them separated by only four championship points heading to Missouri.

Full Los Angeles SMX report, rider reactions and results

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Lawrence hits back as Prado strengthens SMX lead

Hunter Lawrence responded to his difficult opening SMX Playoff with a dominant second-moto victory in Los Angeles, finishing almost 15 seconds clear of Jorge Prado. The Australian’s 4-1 scorecard earned second overall, with his stronger second moto breaking the tie with Ken Roczen’s 1-4.

Hunter Lawrence

“On the start in the first moto, I got tangled up and hit from behind and pushed into Coop [Cooper Webb]. I was fortunate to not go down, and I reevaluated to get back to the highest position possible. I was just chipping away, but I wasn’t able to take out 15 seconds or whatever. In the second moto, I was just focusing on myself, hitting my marks. I saw who was in the train behind me, and then when it was like three minutes left, I was like, ‘Okay, it’s just [Jorge] Prado.’ I wasn’t aware of the points and stuff—I just wanted to have a better race than the first one. It’s been a long year, with a lot of wear and tear on the body; me and Cooper [Webb] are the only guys that have done every single race. Championship drain is a real thing, but I’m doing what I can during the week to make sure I’m ready when I show up.”

Prado’s 2-2 consistency secured the round victory despite heavy landings and a sand crash in moto two. The Spaniard recovered to second and strengthened his championship lead, while Roczen attributed his late fade to a lack of racing over the summer.

Prado heads to the September 26 finale at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Missouri on 92 points, 16 ahead of Lawrence and Haiden Deegan.

Jorge Prado

“Well, we just keep improving! My jump out of the gate [in Moto 2] was good, I was right there with Hunter [Lawrence] and made an aggressive pass for the lead in the third corner. I then cased the quad and thought I was going over the bars, but the bike saved me – then cased it again three laps later! But man, I knew this race was going to be hard. We were all ripping. I rode it home safely after putting in a charge following my crash, but this is incredible. We’re in contention for the title – let’s get it at the last round.”

Roczen has 74 and Cooper Webb 72, leaving the leading five covered by 20 points. With triple points awarding 75 to the overall winner, the title remains very much in play.

Ken Roczen

“I’m honestly really happy with my racing today. We were actually able to do some really awesome racing in that first one. Got the moto win after some good battles. Even in the second one I was fighting pretty hard, but I just ran out of gas a little bit. This was really our first blowout, as in a really intense race. Last week in the mud didn’t really count in that way. It was difficult in its own way. I’m happy. It’s tough coming back after a few months. I feel like my intensity is pretty good in the first one. It’s just not quite enough to bring it home for two motos, but I think I will get there pretty quickly. You can’t just buy this intensity. You have to be out there racing and get better in that environment, and that’s what we are doing. I can’t fast-forward time, but I sure will work on myself and show up better every weekend.”

Minear climbs to fourth as Beaumer wins 250SMX

Kayden Minear climbed to fourth in the 250SMX championship after finishing fifth overall at the Los Angeles Playoff. The Australian’s 5-8 results banked 34 points on a double-points afternoon, lifting him to 57 ahead of the triple-points finale.

Julien Beaumer claimed both holeshots and converted a 1-3 scorecard into the overall win. Ryder DiFrancesco recovered from being caught up in Cole Davies’ second-moto crash to finish fifth in that race, securing second overall with 2-5.

Levi Kitchen bounced back from seventh in the opener to win moto two after a last-minute front-wheel change, taking third overall ahead of Jo Shimoda and Minear. Davies’ speed again went unrewarded: a first-moto crash restricted him to fourth, before a second-moto retirement left him 14th overall and seventh in the standings.

Kitchen leads on 87 points, just three ahead of DiFrancesco. Beaumer is third on 71, while Minear sits one point ahead of both Shimoda and Daxton Bennick. Davies trails Kitchen by 34 points with one round remaining.

Johnson secures SMX Next title as Malinoski wins

Kade Johnson secured the two-round SMX Next championship with second place in the Los Angeles decider. The Kawasaki rider backed up his Columbus victory with a runner-up finish behind ClubMX Yamaha’s Ryder Malinoski, ending the series on 69 points, 11 clear of Malinoski.

Malinoski won the 11-lap race by 3.939 seconds, with Kane Bollasina completing the podium ahead of Darren Pine and Landon Gibson. Gibson finished third in the championship on 52 points, while Bollasina and Wyatt Thurman ended level on 50.

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Farres delivers first motocross world title for Triumph

Guillem Farres secured Triumph’s first FIM motocross world championship at Darwin, wrapping up the MX2 title with second place behind team-mate Camden McLellan in the opening moto. Triumph became the first British manufacturer to win a motocross world title since Jeff Smith’s BSA success in 1965.

McLellan went on to win the Australian Grand Prix with 1-2 results, ahead of Liam Everts and Janis Reisulis. Farres finished fourth overall and ended the championship 36 points clear of McLellan, completing a Triumph one-two in the riders’ standings.

The manufacturer also secured the constructors’ crown in only its third MX2 season, with its riders winning 11 of the 19 Grands Prix. Farres now steps up to MXGP with Triumph for 2027, while McLellan remains in MX2.

Herlings finishes with 16 consecutive moto wins

Jeffrey Herlings completed his first MXGP season with Honda HRC PETRONAS by sweeping both motos at Hidden Valley, extending his winning streak to 16 Sunday races and eight consecutive Grand Prix doubles.

Already crowned world champion for the sixth time, the Dutchman finished 2026 with 13 GP victories and 22 moto wins. Darwin delivered his 125th career Grand Prix victory and his first in Australia.

Romain Febvre finished second in both races, with Tom Vialle completing the overall podium ahead of Andrea Adamo. Herlings ended the championship 168 points clear of Febvre, who marked his final Grand Prix with Kawasaki after seven years together. The Frenchman will still race the Kawasaki at the Motocross of Nations.

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Dennis leads Australian charge at Darwin

Byron Dennis produced a career-best MX2 Grand Prix moto finish with sixth in the opening race at Darwin, then backed it up with eighth in race two to claim seventh overall. His 32 points across qualifying and Sunday’s motos lifted him to 21st in the final championship standings.

Deacon Paice finished 11th overall in MX2, followed by Riley Burgess in 12th and Thomas O’Neill in 14th. In MXGP, Levi Rogers led the Australian contingent with 12-11 results for 11th overall, while Ryley Fitzpatrick finished 13th, Cooper Holroyd 14th and Rhys Budd 15th.

Emma Milesevic was the highest-placed Australian in WMX, taking tenth overall ahead of Madi Simpson in 11th and Darci Whalley in 12th. Sienna Giudice and Samantha Macarthur finished 15th and 16th respectively.

Guillen claims maiden WMX crown with Darwin double

Daniela Guillen sealed her first WMX world championship with two race wins at Hidden Valley, turning a six-point advantage over Kiara Fontanesi into a final winning margin of 24 points.

The GASGAS rider won Saturday’s opening moto ahead of Lotte van Drunen and Courtney Duncan, then chased down Lachlan Turner to win Sunday’s decider. Fontanesi’s title hopes faded after an opening-lap fall in race two, which she finished seventh.

Van Drunen took second overall and championship bronze, while Duncan completed the Darwin podium with 3-4 results. The New Zealander ended her comeback season fourth in the standings, ten points behind van Drunen, having returned from illness and a lengthy absence from racing.

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Billy Bolt to miss Roof of Africa after knee surgery

Billy Bolt will sit out this week’s Roof of Africa in Lesotho after undergoing knee surgery last week. The Husqvarna Factory Racing rider has withdrawn from round six of the 2026 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship on medical advice to focus on his recovery.

Bolt sits fifth in the championship after returning to competition in August. His condition will be reassessed ahead of Sea to Sky in Turkey on October 8-10, with his participation yet to be confirmed.

Although frustrated to miss another race, Bolt says he will avoid rushing his return as he aims to finish the season on a positive note.

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Sanders takes slender title lead into Rallye du Maroc

Daniel Sanders will head to Morocco with just three points separating him from Tosha Schareina as the World Rally-Raid Championship heads towards a tightly contested finish. The fourth round, Rallye OLA Energy du Maroc, runs between Agadir and Zagora from September 28 to October 3.

Back-to-back RallyGP victories have put the reigning Australian world champion on top, but Schareina remains within striking distance, while Sanders’ Red Bull KTM team-mate and Dakar winner Luciano Benavides is only six points off the lead.

There is recent history to add some spice to the contest. Sanders beat Schareina to victory in Morocco in 2024 before the Honda rider turned the tables last year. Benavides finished on the podium in 2024, while Ricky Brabec did likewise in 2025, giving all four leading championship contenders strong recent form at the event.

Edgar Canet completes KTM’s factory line-up alongside Sanders and Benavides, while Monster Energy Honda HRC fields Schareina, Brabec and Adrien Van Beveren. KTM also holds a narrow advantage in the manufacturers’ championship, leading Honda by 131 points to 126.

Ignacio Cornejo represents Hero in RallyGP, while the entry list also includes Sherco riders Bradley Cox and Lorenzo Santolino.

For Brabec, the event carries added significance. The American has announced that Dakar 2027 will be his final motorcycle race, making this his last planned Rallye du Maroc appearance on two wheels.

Fellow American Skyler Howes faces a fresh challenge. The 2022 Morocco winner is set to spearhead Chinese manufacturer ZX Moto’s rally-raid debut, according to the event preview, although his motorcycle remains listed as TBC on the September 18 entry list. ZX Moto is also represented in Rally2 by the returning Tobias Ebster, entered with the ZXMOTO Joyride Factory Rally Team.

The Rally2 title fight is similarly close. Honda’s Martim Ventura leads on 69 points, four ahead of Dakar class winner Toni Mulec on the BAS World KTM, with Preston Campbell on 52. Hero’s Michael Docherty will be looking to rebound after crashing on his debut for the manufacturer in Argentina; he finished second in Rally2 in Morocco last year behind Canet.

Sanders is not the only Australian on the motorcycle entry list. David Brock is entered in Rally2 on a KTM 450 Rally Factory Replica with Joyride Race Service, carrying number 102.

In Rally3, just one point separates Murun Purevdorj and Alan Eduardo. The amended entry list features 130 motorcycles across the three classes: 10 in RallyGP, 110 in Rally2 and 10 in Rally3.

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Riordan claims fifth XC2 win as Davis tops muddy John Penton GNCC

Angus Riordan claimed his fifth XC2 250 Pro victory of the season and fourth outright at a rain-soaked John Penton GNCC in Millfield, Ohio, as the championship resumed after its summer break on September 20.

The Australian led the XC2 charge for Phoenix Racing Honda at round ten, finishing ahead of all but three riders in the afternoon field. Beta’s Jhak Walker took second in class, with Husqvarna-mounted Gavin Simon completing the XC2 podium.

Outright honours went to FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Grant Davis, who led from start to finish to secure his second overall win of 2026. Rain left the course littered with deep ruts and slippery hills, but Davis mastered the conditions ahead of Steward Baylor, who worked his way through the field on his Kawasaki to claim second.

Grant Davis

“I felt amazing today! On Lap 1, I already knew that I’d be up there by the end of the moto, and when I started to open a gap, I calmed down and just rode my own race. I slowed it down a little bit for consistency, but I am pumped. I’m back – I’ve been putting in hard work over the break, and it showed here today.”

Phoenix Racing Honda’s Jordan Ashburn completed the overall podium and retained the championship lead. He now holds 187 points to Baylor’s 179, with Liam Draper third on 166 after finishing eighth in Ohio. Riordan sits sixth outright in the standings on 117 points.

Ben Kelley recovered to fifth overall ahead of Kailub Russell, while Michael Witkowski won his battle with Draper for seventh. Grant Baylor and Josh Toth completed the top ten.

In WXC, Danielle McDonald took the holeshot on her AmPro Yamaha and ran third on the opening lap before finishing fifth in class. Korie Steede claimed the WXC victory for Husqvarna and third overall in the morning race, ahead of Brandy Richards and Ellie Winland in the women’s class.

Brandy Richards

“We finished up P2 here at Round 10, which started with a decent start, although the vision was tough out there. We charged forward, and I really did my best just not to get stuck and lose a bunch of time. Second was solid given the conditions, and puts us in a nice position in the championship.”

Three rounds remain, with the series next heading to Mount Morris, Pennsylvania, for the Mason-Dixon GNCC on October 2-4.

John Penton GNCC Overall Results

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Dean Wilson breaks shoulder in practice crash

Dean Wilson has suffered a broken shoulder in a heavy practice crash, casting doubt over his upcoming supercross commitments, including his plans to race in Australia.

Wilson reported that his chain derailed after he tripled onto a tabletop, pitching him violently over the handlebars with just a lap and a half remaining in his session. Fellow racer Derek Drake drove him to hospital.

Dean Wilson

“Broken shoulder & I have to say I’m lucky that’s all I did. Big shout to my boy Derek Drake for driving me to hospital. I see a specialist Friday for a time frame.

“Gutted as I felt like I was in a good spot & sitting 2nd in FIM World Supercross Championship & was looking forward to AUSX SUPERCROSS. But we will see how it goes.”

The injury leaves Wilson facing an uncertain recovery period while holding second in the World Supercross standings, according to his update. His specialist appointment on Friday is expected to provide a clearer indication of his return timeframe, with no withdrawal from either championship confirmed in the post.

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MA clarifies medical flag rule for motocross and supercross

Motorcycling Australia has revised its waved medical flag rule for motocross and supercross, effective immediately under Information Bulletin #2086.

The revised wording states that no jump is to be attempted from the point displaying the white flag with a red cross, replacing the requirement for wheels to remain on the ground at all times. MA acknowledges that some obstacle shapes can cause wheels to leave the ground even when negotiated slowly.

Riders must still proceed with extreme caution at a very slow speed, remain able to stop immediately and must not overtake other competitors.

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Marcelli denies Bou a perfect season of overall wins

Gabriel Marcelli saved his best for the final day of the 2026 TrialGP World Championship, beating Repsol Honda team-mate Toni Bou to Sunday’s overall victory at Pobladura de las Regueras and snatching second in the championship from Jaime Busto.

Bou had already secured his 20th consecutive outdoor world title, but arrived at the last day of the Spanish finale having won every day’s overall classification this season. Marcelli ended that run with the second overall TrialGP victory of his career.

The battle for championship silver swung across both days. Marcelli started the weekend seven points behind Busto, then finished second in both Saturday races as his rival placed fourth twice. That turned the deficit into a one-point advantage heading into Sunday.

Bou won both Saturday races with 11 marks lost in each. Marcelli finished the opener on 20, just one ahead of Harry Hemingway, before taking second in Race Two on 15. Miquel Gelabert brought Honda’s RTL Electric home third in that race on 18.

Sunday brought a different winner. Marcelli edged ahead of Bou through the river sections in Race One and held on to win with 14 marks, three fewer than the champion. Hemingway again finished third, ahead of Busto and Miquel Gelabert.

Marcelli then led the second race into the final section, having lost only one mark. A last-section dab brought him level with Bou on two, with Bou winning the race on the tie-break. Marcelli nevertheless secured the day’s overall honours and the championship runner-up position.

Busto beat Hemingway on a tie-break for third in the concluding race and finished the championship third, behind the two Repsol Honda riders. Matteo Grattarola ended the season fourth.

For Bou, the result closed an extraordinary campaign that took his combined indoor and outdoor world championship tally to 40.

Toni Bou

“For me, it’s been an especially emotional year having reached 40 world titles, so now it’s time to enjoy everything we’ve achieved.”

Bou, Marcelli and Busto will now join forces for Spain at the Trial des Nations in Arteixo on September 26-27.

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Abellan seals back-to-back TrialGP Women titles

Berta Abellan retained the TrialGP Women world championship in Spain, answering a late challenge from Andrea Sofia Rabino with victory in the final race of the season.

The Scorpa rider began the Pobladura de las Regueras finale 11 points ahead of her Italian rival. A commanding Saturday opener, completed for just two marks lost, stretched that advantage to 20 as Rabino finished fifth.

Rabino hit back to win Saturday’s second race, while Alice Minta edged Abellan on a tie-break for second. That left Abellan with a 15-point cushion heading into Sunday.

The title fight tightened again in Sunday’s opener. Abellan and Rabino were level on one mark after six sections, but a five on section seven proved costly for the defending champion. Rabino won with six marks to Abellan’s eight, trimming the championship gap to 12 points.

Abellan responded when it mattered. She completed the final race for just two marks, while Rabino’s five on section four undermined her remaining title hopes.

Minta finished that race second on six marks, ahead of Alessia Bacchetta on 13 and Rabino on 14. The result also settled a close contest for championship bronze, with Minta holding off Bacchetta to join Abellan and Rabino in the final top three.

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Farré survives tense finale to claim Trial2 crown

Arnau Farré endured his toughest day of the season at the Spanish TrialGP finale, but the Sherco rider’s championship cushion proved just large enough to secure the Trial2 title by five points over George Hemingway.

Farré had strengthened his position on Saturday, winning the opening race ahead of Billy Green and Alex Canales. Hemingway finished fifth before recovering to win Race Two from Canales and Farré, leaving the Spaniard 17 points clear overnight.

That margin came under pressure on Sunday as Farré finished tenth in both races, losing 17 marks each time and placing ninth overall for the day.

Hemingway had an opportunity to make a much bigger dent in the lead in the opener, but a five two sections from the finish dropped him to fifth. Jack Dance took victory on ten marks, ahead of Benoit Bincaz and Green, who both finished on 11.

The championship gap was down to 12 points before the last race, but Hemingway could only manage fourth after losing four marks across the final three sections. Farré had survived the scare to claim his first world title.

Canales won the final race with just four marks lost to secure championship bronze. Green took second on a tie-break from Dance, whose first and third placings earned him Sunday’s overall victory.

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Montserrat Junque turns deficit into Trial2 Women title

Abril Montserrat Junque overturned a five-point championship deficit across the Spanish finale to claim the Trial2 Women crown, while Petra Budinova swept all four races on her first appearance of the season.

Britain’s Matilda Arbon arrived at Pobladura de las Regueras leading the series, but sixth and seventh in Saturday’s races proved costly. Montserrat Junque finished third and second to move eight points clear with two races remaining.

The Beta rider then did enough on Sunday, finishing fifth in the opener and fourth in the final race to secure the championship.

Budinova was the weekend’s dominant rider. Having won both Saturday races, the Czech competitor took Sunday’s opener on six marks, ahead of Queralt Fontdevila on eight and Daniela Hernando on 11.

Budinova completed her sweep with eight marks in the final race. Hernando and Arbon both finished on ten, with Hernando taking second on the tie-break.

That order also mattered in the championship, where Hernando won the tie-break for silver ahead of Arbon. Just eight points separated champion Montserrat Junque from the two riders tied behind her.

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Honda RTL Electric finishes debut TrialGP season fifth

Miquel Gelabert secured fifth in the 2026 TrialGP World Championship aboard Honda’s RTL Electric, completing the project’s first season in the premier class despite a crash interrupting his final race in Spain.

The Honda Montesa rider provided another glimpse of the electric machine’s potential on Saturday at Pobladura de las Regueras. After finishing fifth in the opening race, he challenged for second in Race Two before a five in the final section left him third on 18 marks.

That gave Gelabert fourth overall for the day and his fifth third-place race result of the season, following two in Italy and one apiece in France and the Netherlands.

Sunday started with fifth in Race One on 28 marks. Gelabert then crashed on section five of the second race and was unable to continue, collecting five-mark penalties for the remaining sections. He was classified seventh in the race and sixth overall for the day.

Those individual race top-three finishes have yet to translate into a day’s overall podium, but fifth in the championship gives Honda a solid platform after a season spent developing the RTL Electric in world championship competition.

Miquel Gelabert

“I know the result will come sooner or later because the project keeps moving forward and we are becoming increasingly competitive.”

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Chad Reed back behind the gates for Townsville Holeshot Challenge

Chad Reed will put the helmet back on in Townsville on Friday, October 2, with the famous #22 confirmed for the inaugural AUSX Holeshot Challenge on Palmer Street.

The two-time AMA Supercross Champion will take on fellow Supercross riders in a head-to-head sprint from the start gates, giving fans a chance to see Reed back on the bike as part of the free AUSX Street Party.

Reed has also been named Townsville Ambassador for the 2026 AUSX season opener at Queensland Country Bank Stadium on Saturday, October 3. His involvement across the weekend will include autograph sessions, live Q&As, fan appearances and broadcast duties.

With 44 premier-class AMA Supercross victories to his name, Reed should have a few tricks up his sleeve when the gates drop. His confirmed riding appearance is Friday’s Holeshot Challenge, while Saturday will see him continue his ambassador duties around the championship opener.

Chad Reed

“I’m looking forward to getting back on the bike for the Holeshot Challenge, having a bit of fun and getting amongst the fans on Palmer Street. Then Saturday it’s all about seeing the 2026 AUSX season kick off in style at Queensland Country Bank Stadium. It should be a huge weekend for Supercross in Townsville.”

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Dutch deny Britain in dramatic Long Track of Nations final

The Netherlands reclaimed the FIM Long Track of Nations crown on home soil at Roden, edging defending champions Great Britain 8-7 in a dramatic final after a technical problem ended Chris Harris’ race.

Dave Meijerink, Romano Hummel, Mika Meijer and William Kruit delivered the Netherlands’ fourth title, repeating the country’s 2023 success at the same venue. The Dutch quartet was unchanged from the team that finished second to Britain last year.

Britain had looked the team to beat through the heats. Reigning individual world champion Zach Wajtknecht joined captain Harris, James Shanes and Jake Mulford, with Shanes and Mulford brought into the line-up following an injury to 2025 team member Andrew Appleton.

The British riders swept the top three positions in each of their first four outings, beating Finland, France, Denmark and Norway with maximum scores. They finished the qualifying programme with 65 points from a possible 72, ahead of the Netherlands on 59.

There had already been a warning from the hosts, however. Meijerink and Hummel finished first and third in their heat against Britain to secure an 8-7 victory and end the defending champions’ perfect run.

The final initially appeared to be swinging Britain’s way. Meijerink led, but Harris, Wajtknecht and Shanes occupied the next three positions, putting the British team in the stronger combined position.

That changed at the end of lap two when Harris, who was challenging for the lead, abruptly slowed and pulled out with a technical issue.

Wajtknecht and Shanes held second and third, but Meijerink’s victory, backed by fourth for Hummel and fifth for Meijer, gave the Netherlands the deciding eight points and left Britain with silver.

France secured bronze through Anthony Chauffour, Noah Urda and Tino Bouin. Their heat victories over Denmark, Finland, Germany and Norway ensured a place on the podium before the Dutch and British teams lined up for the title decider.

Ten-time winners Germany missed the medals despite a strong individual showing from Lukas Fienhage, who won his first five heats before Wajtknecht finally beat him in the last qualifying block.

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Townsville streets to host free AUSX Holeshot Challenge

Townsville’s Palmer Street will become a purpose-built dirt racing strip on Friday, October 2, as the AUSX Street Party brings the build-up to the championship opener into the city.

Inspired by the Nashville Holeshot Challenge, the format is simple: two riders, two gates and a sprint to the line, with each contest over in seconds. Championship riders and local personalities are set to take part in what organisers describe as Australia’s first Supercross street takeover and Holeshot Challenge.

The free event runs from 3 pm to 6.30 pm at Palmer Street and the Brewery Carpark in South Townsville, with no ticket required. Alongside the Holeshot Challenge, fans can check out factory team trucks, meet riders, collect autographs and enjoy live entertainment, activities and local food offerings.

Adam Bailey – AUSX Supercross CEO

“We’ve seen how successful the Holeshot Challenge concept has been internationally, particularly in Nashville, and we wanted to create our own Australian version that brings fans even closer to the sport.”

The following night, Saturday, October 3, Queensland Country Bank Stadium hosts the opening round of the 2026 Boost Mobile AUSX Supercross Championship presented by Monster Energy. The stadium programme will also feature a full-scale Freestyle Kings LIVE show, with organisers expecting a crowd of 20,000.

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2026 Racing Schedule