Larwood survives QMP scare as Draper and Turner seal ProMX titles

2026 Australian ProMX Championship
Round Eight – Conondale, QLD

The 2026 Penrite ProMX Championship reached its conclusion at Queensland Moto Park, where Alex Larwood, Hayden Draper, Lachlan Turner, Ryder Madafiglio, Luke Weaver and Robbie Marshall joined MX1 champion Jed Beaton among Australia’s newly crowned national champions.

Beaton had already secured the premier-class crown at the previous round at Conondale, but there was still plenty to settle at QMP. Aaron Tanti and Kyle Webster arrived tied for second in MX1, Larwood faced a genuine final-race challenge from Kayd Kingsford in MX2, while the minor championship positions in MX3 and MXW remained remarkably tight.

The finale also produced an unusual run of clean sweeps. Kayd Kingsford won both MX2 motos, Seth Morrow doubled in MX3, Turner remained unbeaten in MXW, Joe Thurlby swept MX65 Futures, and Weaver and Marshall each won both races in their respective veterans’ divisions. MX1 was the only category covered here to split its race victories, with Nathan Crawford and Tanti sharing the spoils.

Kawasaki MX1

With the championship already secured, Jed Beaton began the final round by topping the MX1 Superpole session in 1m47.456s. Levi Rogers was only 0.274s slower, with Kyle Webster another three-thousandths behind in third.

Nathan Crawford controlled the opening moto from the outset. The Honda rider claimed the holeshot, led every lap and recorded the only sub-1m50s race lap with a 1m49.926s on lap three. Aaron Tanti remained second throughout and finished 2.260 seconds behind, while Webster and Beaton circulated in third and fourth for the full 15 laps.

Ryan Alexanderson claimed the second-moto holeshot, but Tanti was already in front by the first timing point and never surrendered the lead. Crawford initially held second before Webster moved past on lap three, only for Crawford to reclaim the position on lap six. Beaton then displaced Webster from third one lap later.

Tanti crossed the line 2.004 seconds ahead of Crawford, with Beaton another 1.263 seconds behind. Tanti’s 2-1 and Crawford’s 1-2 scorecards left them tied on 47 points, with Tanti awarded the round victory through his stronger final-moto result. Beaton similarly secured third overall on countback after he and Webster both finished the weekend on 38 points.

The result confirmed Tanti as championship runner-up, nine points ahead of Webster, and completed Yamaha’s first premier-class championship 1-2 since Jay Marmont and Josh Coppins achieved the feat in 2011. After winning the final two rounds, Tanti described the last moto at QMP as probably his best ride of the season.

Beaton said the weekend had been less about making another statement and more about safely completing the domestic season before returning to his wider international racing program. Crawford’s QMP performance completed an impressive final two rounds with Honda and carried him to fourth in the championship.

The finale also marked the end of Todd Waters’ two-decade professional career. Waters rebounded from a difficult opening moto to finish 10th in Moto 2, placing 15th overall and retaining fifth in the championship.

“Today was bigger than that – it was the end of an era,” Waters said after crossing the finish line for the final time. The former Australian champion, MXGP racer and Raceline Husqvarna TDUB team owner ended the season on 210 points.

Zac Watson completed his first campaign with the KTM Racing Team in sixth overall at QMP and sixth in the championship. A first-turn fall left him at the back of the second-moto field, but he recovered to eighth after finishing sixth in the opener.

MX1 Race One

MX1 Race Two

MX1 Pole Shootout

MX1 Round Points

MX1 Championship Standings

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Pirelli MX2

The MX2 championship produced the greatest tension of the QMP finale. Alex Larwood arrived with the advantage, but teammate Kayd Kingsford did everything possible to take the title fight to the final chequered flag.

Dylan Walsh claimed the opening-moto holeshot and led the first 11 laps, while Larwood moved into second on lap two and remained there through the opening two-thirds of the race. Kingsford, meanwhile, was only eighth at the end of lap one and steadily worked his way through the leading group.

Larwood’s title appeared close to being secured until a heavy crash on lap 11 damaged his motorcycle and dropped him to 12th. Kingsford had reached second by that stage and took the lead from Walsh on lap 12 before winning by 4.795 seconds. Reid Taylor finished third, while Ryder Kingsford recorded the fastest lap of the race on his way to fifth.

That result pushed the championship into the final moto. Kayd Kingsford then claimed the holeshot and led all 15 laps, setting the fastest lap and winning by 18.466 seconds. Larwood climbed from fifth on the opening lap to third by lap eight and second by lap 10, maintaining that position to the finish.

The runner-up result was enough for Larwood to secure his first Australian MX2 Championship by seven points, 337 to 330.

“I definitely didn’t make it easy on myself,” Larwood said. “To finally win this championship means everything.”

The title followed five years of setbacks and perseverance for Larwood, including significant shoulder injuries and a broken ankle. He now heads to the United States to contest the final three rounds of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship.

Kingsford’s perfect 50-point QMP weekend capped an outstanding rookie season in the professional ranks. He finished runner-up after continually closing the championship margin during the second half of the year.

Taylor’s consistent 3-3 results earned him second overall at QMP, while Walsh’s 2-5 card secured third at the round and third in the final championship. Walsh had led more laps than any other rider in the opening moto before Kingsford’s late charge.

Byron Dennis entered Sunday after setting the Saturday qualifying pace, but crashes in both races left him with 8-9 results and ninth overall. He nevertheless completed the championship directly behind Walsh in fourth, with Ryder Kingsford fifth and Noah Ferguson sixth.

MX2 Race One

MX2 Race Two

MX2 Round Points

MX2 Championship Standings

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Maxxis MX3

Hayden Draper secured the MX3 Championship in the opening moto, but the race victories again belonged to a rampant Seth Morrow.

Jack Ellingham claimed the Moto 1 holeshot and led the opening three laps before Riley Burgess moved into first on lap four. Burgess remained there until lap nine, when Morrow completed his charge from fourth and took over at the front.

Morrow led the final three laps and defeated Burgess by just 1.728 seconds, with Hayden Downie third. Draper finished fourth, which was sufficient to secure the championship after his main challenger, Heath Fisher, placed 11th.

Ellingham again claimed the second-moto holeshot, but Morrow was ahead by the first timing point and led all 12 laps. Burgess followed him home 9.855 seconds behind, while Seth Thomas moved into third during the closing stages ahead of Jobe Dunne and Jackson Fuller.

The double completed a run of six consecutive moto victories for Morrow. His late-season charge began with a breakthrough double at Traralgon, continued at Conondale and concluded with another perfect weekend at QMP.

Burgess’ 2-2 card secured second overall, with Downie third on 34 points. Thomas, Dunne and Draper each scored 33 points, with their second-moto results determining fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.

The final championship order behind Draper was extraordinarily close. Burgess finished second on 275 points, Morrow surged to third on 273 and Fisher slipped to fourth on 271 – only four points covering all three riders.

Draper’s 303-point championship added the Australian MX3 crown to the New Zealand title he had already secured earlier in 2026. In his first full Australian campaign, the Yamaha rider said unfamiliar circuits, conditions and competition had made it a major learning season.

“There are lots of riders who can win races,” Draper said. “I’m stoked I was able to stay pretty solid through most of the rounds and win it before the last race.”

Fuller completed the QMP weekend in seventh overall and finished fifth in the championship, while Downie, Dunne and Thomas filled positions six through eight in the final standings.

MX3 Race One

MX3 Race Two

MX3 Round Points

MX3 Championship Standings

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EziLift MXW

Lachlan Turner completed a perfect Australian season at Queensland Moto Park, winning both motos to finish the four-round MXW campaign with the maximum possible 200 points.

Taylah McCutcheon claimed the opening-moto holeshot, but Charli Cannon moved into the lead on lap two before Turner took control one lap later. Turner remained in front for the rest of the race and defeated Cannon by 3.390 seconds, with McCutcheon third.

McCutcheon again collected the holeshot in Moto 2, although Cannon led at the first timing point and remained at the front through lap four. Turner closed onto the defending champion before taking the lead on lap five as Cannon lost time in a fall.

Turner set the fastest lap of the weekend at 1m57.437s and won by 5.290 seconds. Cannon recovered to finish second, with McCutcheon third for the second time.

Turner won all eight motos contested during the 2026 MXW season. She also became the first American to win an Australian motocross championship since PJ Larsen claimed the Pro Lites crown in 2010.

“It’s been a dream come true,” Turner said. “Everyone here has been so nice to me and my family, and the team have been the best.”

The 19-year-old now returns to the United States to complete her domestic racing season before coming back to Australia for the Darwin Grand Prix.

Behind Turner, the battle for championship runner-up went to the final moto. Cannon’s 2-2 results allowed her to recover four points on McCutcheon, but McCutcheon retained second in the standings by just two points, 156 to 154.

Emma Milesevic completed the championship in fourth ahead of Darci Whalley and Madi Simpson, with only seven points covering those three positions.

EziLift MXW Race One

EziLift MXW Race Two

EziLift MXW Round Points

EziLift MXW Championship Standings

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KTM Group MX65 Futures

Joe Thurlby swept the two MX65 Futures motos at QMP, but Ryder Madafiglio’s pair of third-place finishes secured the three-round championship.

Archie Blanchette claimed the opening holeshot before Hudson Francis took over and led the first four laps. Thurlby remained close throughout and moved into first on lap five, holding the position to win by 4.204 seconds.

Madafiglio recorded the fastest lap of the moto on lap five and finished third ahead of Levii Bitic, Stella Harding and Flynn Burgess.

Thurlby made the second encounter more straightforward by taking the holeshot and leading all six laps. Bitic remained second throughout, while Madafiglio displaced Ollie Cale from third on the final lap.

Francis finished fourth, only 0.747 seconds behind Madafiglio, after setting the fastest lap of the race. The first four riders were covered by just 9.221 seconds at the finish.

Thurlby’s perfect 50-point weekend placed him clear at the top of the round classification, while Bitic, Madafiglio and Francis each finished on 40 points. Their final-moto results determined the order between them.

Madafiglio completed the championship on 134 points, nine ahead of Francis and 12 clear of Thurlby. Ollie Cale was fourth on 103 points, with Stella Harding fifth on 85.

KTM Group MX65 Futures Round Points

KTM Group MX65 Futures Championship Points

Veterans

MXV 30–39 and 40-Plus

Luke Weaver and Robbie Marshall completed perfect weekends in the two veterans’ championship divisions, each winning both races and collecting the maximum 50 points.

The opening 30–39 race ended in unusual circumstances. Weaver had led from lap two through lap eight before an error by an official affected the final lap. The classification was subsequently reset to the lap-eight order, awarding Weaver the victory ahead of Mitchell Budd and Raymond Cole.

There was no such complication in Moto 2. Weaver led every lap and defeated Budd by 13.945 seconds. Trent Loder moved into third late in the race on the Stark Varg, finishing ahead of Cole and Callum Wastell.

Weaver’s 1-1 result earned him the Australian 30–39 Championship after he had finished runner-up in 2025. Budd completed the event six points behind, with Cole third and Loder fourth. Loder’s 5-3 results also delivered a championship podium finish in the second race for the electric Stark.

Marshall was equally convincing in the 40-plus division. He won the opening race by 32.063 seconds over Ashley Erbacher, with Barry Surawski third and Steven Powell fourth.

Marshall again set the class pace in Moto 2 and finished 27.097 seconds ahead of Powell. Erbacher was third, followed by Surawski and Todd Williams.

The sweep delivered Marshall his first Australian championship after a career that included considerable success in national supercross competition during the early and mid-2000s. Erbacher finished second in the final classification on 42 points, Powell was third on 40 and Surawski fourth on 38.

MXV 30–39 Round and Final Championship Points

MXV 40-Plus Round and Final Championship Points

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 2026 Australian ProMX Championship Calendar

• Round 1 – March 21-22, Wonthaggi, Victoria
• Round 2 – April 19, Canberra, ACT
• Round 3 – May 10, Gillman, South Australia
• Round 4 – May 24, Toowoomba, Queensland
• Round 5 – June 14, Appin, NSW
• Round 6 – July 12, Traralgon, Victoria
• Round 7 – July 26, Conondale, Queensland
• Round 8 – August 1-2, Queensland Moto Park, Queensland