Motocross
What is the SuperMotocross World Championship? The Ultimate SMX Guide
Learn the SuperMotocross (SMX) playoff format, 2026 schedule, and points system. Discover how riders qualify for the world’s ultimate off-road title.
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If you're wondering what SuperMotocross is, it's a postseason championship that combines the best riders from AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross into a single playoff series.
01
Why SMX exists: The evolution of American Motocross
For Jett Lawrence, Hunter Lawrence, Eli Tomac and others, it’s the culmination of nine months of work and the potential prestige of forever being known as a world champion. The SuperMotocross World Championship is the only motorcycle racing series that guarantees the champion isn’t crowned until the finale; the $1 million prize awarded at the end of 31 rounds is enticing enough to spark interest in riders from around the globe to come to America and try to win one of the longest motorsports racing series in the world. Here's how the SuperMotocross World Championship works.
Jett Lawrence secured another SMX title at the 2025 World Championship
© Garth Milan / Red Bull Content Pool
Hunter Lawrence battles at the 2025 SMX World Championship
© Garth Milan / Red Bull Content Pool
02
The season flow map: From January to the Finals
The SuperMotocross World Championship is a 31-round series but three championships are up for grabs. Here’s how they break down.
Three Championships. One League
- AMA Supercross runs 17 rounds in sports stadiums from January through early May). Total available points: 425
- AMA Pro Motocross runs 11 rounds at historic MX parks around the country from late May to late August. Total available points: 550
- The SuperMotocross World Championship is a three round playoff in September. Points are reset but Playoff #2 pays double points and Playoff #3 (the Finals) pay triple points.
03
The playoff engine: How qualification works
In the SuperMotocross format, the AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross races serve as the ‘regular season’ and riders must compete in enough of those events to qualify into the three-round Playoff. Here’s how riders can get into the post-season:
- Finish top 20 in combined points at the end of 29 rounds.
- Any rider who wins a regular season round gets an automatic Playoff spot.
- Riders ranked 21-30 may compete in a brief Wildcard race at each Playoff round. The top two finishing riders earn a spot in the 22-rider lineup.
04
SMX points & scenarios: Who wins?
SMX crowns the ultimate off-road motorcycle world champion
© Garth Milan / Red Bull Content Pool
Jett Lawrence has never been the #1 seed, yet he’s a three-time SuperMotocross World Champion. How? He’s leveraged the escalating points structure of the Playoffs to his advantage. Because the points payout doubles between Playoff 1 and 2 and triples for the finale, a rider who enters the season as the #6 seed is still in the fight headed into the 31st and final round.
At the end of 29 rounds, the points reset; the rider who tops the accumulated points at the end of the regular season is the #1 seed and starts the Playoffs with 25 points. Second place is awarded 22 points, third gets 20, and it descends all the way to 1 point.
- Playoff 1: Points are same as seeding (aka single) points. 25 points to winner.
- Playoff 2: The points double. 50 points to the winner and 21st place earns 2 points.
- World Final: The points triple. The winner earns 75 points, and 21st place gets 3 points.
05
2026 SuperMotocross schedule & venues
The 31-round SuperMotocross schedule visits 30 unique cities (Anaheim appears twice), 30 unique venues and travels to 17 unique states.
The 2026 AMA Supercross Schedule
The 2026 AMA Supercross season has ended. The AMA Supercross Championship 17-round regular season ran from January 10 through May 9, 2026.
The 2026 AMA Motocross Schedule
Date
Location
Venue
May 30
Pala, CA
Fox Raceway
June 6
Rancho Cordova, CA
Prairie City SVRA
June 13
Lakewood, CO
Thunder Valley Motocross Park
June 20
Mt, Morris, PA
High Point Raceway
July 4
Buchanan, MI
RedBud MX
July 11
Southwick, MA
The Wick 338
July 18
Millville, MN
Spring Creek MX Park
July 25
Washougal, WA
Washougal MX Park
August 15
New Berlin, NY
Unadilla MX
August 22
Mechanicsville, MD
Budds Creek Motocross Park
August 20 - NATIONAL FINALS
Crawfordsville, IN
Ironman Raceway
Find full event details here.
The 2026 SuperMotocross Playoff Schedule
Event name
Date
Location
Venue
SMX Playoff 1
September 12
Columbus, Ohio
Historic Crew Stadium
SMX Playoff 2
September 19
Los Angeles, CA
Dignity Health Sports Park
World Chamionship Final
September 26
Ridgedale, MO
Thunder Ridge Nature Arena
06
SMX riders to watch: The 2026 title contenders
- 450 Champ: Jett Lawrence (Honda HRC Progressive) is the defending SuperMotocross World Champion in the 450 class. In fact, he’s won the title three times (2023-2025). If he wants to repeat as champion in 2026, he’ll have to overcome his older brother, Hunter, who has consistently been among the strongest SMX contenders and is regularly positioned near the top of the standings heading into the Playoffs.
- Another big obstacle is Haiden Deegan, the two-time 250 SuperMotocross World Champion, who who will make his post-season debut in the 450 class.
- 250 Champ: Jo Shimoda (Honda HRC Progressive) beat Haiden Deegan in the 2025 for the 250cc SuperMotocross World Championship, his first title as a professional. Shimoda is the first race winner AMA Supercross and Motocross and was leading the 2026 Pro Motocross points when he broke his collarbone. He’s expected to compete in Playoffs in Sept.
The Hybrid specialists
Eli Tomac at SMX World Championships Round 18
© Garth Milan / Red Bull Content Pool
Eli Tomac (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) finished 3rd overall in the 450 SuperMotocross World Championships in both 2024 and 2025. He’s still looking for his first Playoff win but he’s been so close with five top three finishes in his six starts. At 33, Tomac is the most experienced veteran in the series and he’s top three for most wins in the league all-time.
Hunter Lawrence (Honda HRC Progressive) has two consecutive runner-up finishes in the 450 SuperMotocross World Championships (2024 and 2025). Both title fights came down to the final moto where he was bested by his younger brother Jett. In 2026, Hunter comes in as the #1 seed so he will have a slight advantage over the field.
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