450 Storylines: High Point Recap
HUNTER LAWRENCE: (1st; 1-1) Earned his third career 450SMX victory in Pro MX, the 41st athlete to accomplish that feat. His 31st career SMX League* victory places him alone in 25th all-time, only 1 win behind Haiden Deegan, Mike LaRocco, & Mike Kiedrowski for 22nd. The elder Lawrence trails brother Jett in the championship by 2 points. Hunter is the sixth-winningest athlete in Honda’s SMX League history, trailing only Jeremy McGrath (71), Jett (68), Carmichael (51), Rick Johnson (49), & Jeff Stanton (37).
JETT LAWRENCE: (2nd; 2-2)Was beaten for just the fifth time in 31 career 450SMX starts in Pro MX, earning his 29th podium, good for 18th all-time. He holds the red plate by a slim margin over his brother, but both enjoy a comfortable gap on Deegan in third place. With 91 career SMX League podiums, Jett could move up as high as 19th on the all-time list by season’s end.
HAIDEN DEEGAN: (3rd; 4-3)Impressed with the second 450SMX podium of his maiden premier class campaign and holds a 22-point lead over Jorge Prado for third in the standings. He ties Aaron Plessinger for 43rd on the all-time SMX League podiums list. Deegan also became the 62nd athlete in SMX League history to earn 70 top 5 finishes in his career. The polarizing rider charted a similar path during his 2023 rookie year as a pro, averaging a fourth-place finish at the first 4 rounds before scoring his first victory at RedBud.
NOTES: Jorge Prado (4th; 3-5): Scored his fifth 450SMX podium in Pro MX in his 15th start as well as the 9th podium in 35 career SMX League starts.
Aaron Plessinger (5th; 6-4): Earned his first top 5 of the 2026 SMX League season and 29th of his 450SMX career in Pro MX, which places him inside the top 30 all-time.
Triumph’s Mikkel Haarup (7th; 8-8) & Jordon Smith (9th; 9-13): Continue to raise the bar for the British marque with the first dual top 10 in brand history. Both earned the best finish of their rookie seasons in the premier class, including Smith’s first top 10 in Pro MX. Brett Heidorn (26th; 25-22) / Conner Mowry (36th; 34-30) / Bradley Esper (37th; 33-31) / Robbie Thomas (38th; 32-33) / Mikey Corcoran (39th; 35-34) / Karter Delong (40th; 36-35): This large contingent of athletes made their 450SMX Pro MX & SMX League debuts at High Point.
450 Class: RedBud Facts
- HISTORY LESSON: The first 450SMX race at RedBud was on April 28, 1974, when Bultaco’s Kenny Zahrt dominated both motos. Eventual champ Gary Jones settled for second overall aboard his Can-Am. Rich Thorwaldson (6th, Suzuki) and Bob Grossi (10th, Husqvarna) rode for the only other active OEMs in the top 16.
- 50+ SEASONS OF HISTORY: RedBud held 450SMX rounds in 1974, 1977-1980, 1983-1985, & 1989-current. The 2026 event will be the 47th premier class round held at RedBud, including 2 rounds in 2020. The defunct 500cc division was a mainstay from 1974-1988 and when including all 3 classes there have been 105 rounds of Pro MX at RedBud.
- RC AT RB: After sweeping RedBud in 250SMX in 1998 & 1999, Ricky Carmichael went 2-3 for second overall during his 2000 rookie season in 450SMX, losing to Sebastian Tortelli who swept the event. Tortelli’s 1-1 effort, alongside the first moto of 2007 won by James Stewart, stand as the only times the “GOAT” was beaten in a moto at RedBud. RC swept from 2001-2006 before Stewart’s moto win, but RC took control of the second moto to score his seventh straight win at the venue. It was the second-to-last race of his storied career.
- CHAMPIONSHIP %: The 450SMX winner at RedBud has won the title 27 times in 46 seasons (59%) and 7 of the last 8 years, including Jett Lawrence in 2025. RedBud has never hosted the opener in 450SMX or 250SMX, but did serve as the season opener for 2 seasons of 500cc competition (1986 & 1988).
250 Storylines: High Point Recap
COLE DAVIES: (1st; 1-1)Became the 96th different 250SMX winner in Pro MX history and the 24th for Yamaha. He made his sixth 250SMX start in Pro MX and earned his second podium. It was his ninth career SMX League* victory in only 28 starts (32%). Davies is now fourth in the point standings, only 7 points out of the lead.
JULIEN BEAUMER: (2nd; 2-2) Enjoyed the best Pro MX outing of his career, equaling his career best finish from Hangtown, but with improved 2-2 finishes versus his previous 4-3 effort. It was his 25th 250SMX start in Pro MX and his sixth top 5 finish. Beaumer is in the thick of the championship battle despite being the lone winless rider in the top 5. He sits third, just 2 points out of the lead.
JO SHIMODA: (3rd; 3-4)Becomes the 53rd athlete in SMX League history to score 50 career podiums with his 29th podium in Pro MX. He’s tied with Adam Cianciarulo & Mike Brown for 52nd all-time. Shimoda is only 1 podium behind Brown and Erik Kehoe for 10th on the all-time 250SMX podiums list in Pro MX. He moved up to second in the point standings, only 1 point behind leader Levi Kitchen, who finished fourth overall.
NOTES: Levi Kitchen (4th; 6-5): Made his 50th career Pro MX start, but more importantly was able to hold onto the red plate despite a tough day finishing off the podium in both motos for the first time this season.
Kayden Minear (5th; 10-3): Landed the first top 5 finish in Pro MX of his young career to go along with the top 5 he scored at the Denver SX.
Vincent Wey (21st; 22-18) / Kade Johnson (23rd; 27-19): Former SMX Next winners and Team Green teammates made their SMX League debuts at High Point. Both riders scored the first professional points of their budding careers.Luke Fauser (33rd; 33-30) / Brayden Ehlermann (37th; 34-33): Additional SMX Next athletes who also made their SMX League debuts at High Point.
250 Class: RedBud Facts
- HISTORY LESSON: The first 250SMX race at RedBud was on May 23, 1976, as the lone class competing. Yamaha’s Bob Hannah came from behind in both motos to sweep, usurping Honda’s reigning AMA National Champion Marty Smith. Hannah went on to capture the 1976 title.
- 48th VISIT: The 250SMX division didn’t return to RedBud until 1981, when Mark Barnett swept back-to-back seasons for Suzuki. RedBud has been ran on Independence Day weekend dating back to 1981 and hasn’t missed since. The 2026 event will be the 48th 250SMX round at the historic venue.
- CHAMPIONSHIP %: The winner of 250SMX at RedBud has won the title 26 times in 47 seasons (55%). Currently, there is an active 8 season streak where the eventual champion has failed to win at RedBud. Haiden Deegan extended the streak with his win during Hunter Lawrence’s 2023 title run, while Hymas & Shimoda returned the favor for Honda during Deegan’s ‘24-‘25 title campaigns. The last 250SMX athlete to win both RedBud and the title was Aaron Plessinger in 2018.
- REDBUD MOMENTS: 15 minutes after Hannah completed his 1976 RedBud sweep, his factory Yamaha was impounded by a Mickey Boone claim. Both athletes drew a number to gain ownership of the steed and Hannah scored another “win” by pulling a 47 compared to Boone’s 42… In the early ‘90s, RedBud officials met with Mike LaRocco to replicate a massive triple step-up jump from his nearby practice track. LaRocco became the first to clear his famous namesake jump and did so on a 125cc… In 2002, 16-year-old James Stewart scored the overall win, famously clearing LaRocco’s Leap throughout, especially in a last to second charge in the first moto… In 2008, Ryan Dungey became a fan favorite while battling for the lead at RedBud. On the last lap, his Suzuki lost power before LaRocco’s Leap and Dungey famously pushed his bike to the top of the hill, tossing his gear into the stands… 2024 saw one of the more intense and fastest side-by-side battles in RedBud’s 250SMX history, as Ty Masterpool edged Haiden Deegan by a wheel. Chance Hymas won Moto 2 to score his first career victory. Honda went back-to-back with Shimoda’s sweep last season.
WMX Storylines: High Point Recap
CHARLI CANNON: (1st; 5-1) Broke through with her first U.S. victory after 6 straight runner-up finishes dating back to last season. It came with the first Moto 2 win of her career. She is only 9 points behind the championship lead heading into the midseason break. The WMX returns at Unadilla August, where Cannon scored a moto victory and runner-up finish last season.
Lachlan Turner: (2nd; 3-2) Looked to have another victory in hand before crashing with 2 laps remaining. It was her first loss since the 2025 opener at Pala where she finished runner-up to Mikayla Nielsen. It also signified just the third time in 15 career starts where Turner failed to win a moto. She holds the red plate entering the midseason break.
LOTTE VAN DRUNEN: (3rd; 2-4) The reigning World Champion scored her first U.S. podium in her second WMX start. She will return to her ongoing title defense in MXGP with an eye on coming back for the WMX stretch run.
MAYLA HERRICK: (9th; 1-29) On her 17th birthday Herrick celebrated her WMX eligibility by winning her first ever professional moto. Unfortunately, her weekend ended with a visit to the hospital following a crash to begin Moto 2 that resulted in a red flag. Fortunately, she avoided any broken bones and is on the mend from a concussion. She’ll contest the Women’s class and Schoolboy 2 at Loretta Lynn’s before returning to the WMX for the final 3 rounds.
