2026 SMX Next – Motocross Scouting Moto Combine Kicks Off at RedBud
The first gathering of the summer for the sport's most elite amateur prospects will take place on the eve of the RedBud National.
A month into the Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, the summer component of the Monster Energy SMX World Championship, the time has arrived for the top prospects in amateur motocross to come together for the first gathering of the SMX Next – Motocross Scouting Moto Combine, scheduled to commence this Friday, July 3, from Michigan’s legendary RedBud MX. The Combine will take place on the eve of the 53rd running of the 5.11 RedBud National and will kick off the weekend festivities for this year’s race as part of America’s 250th Anniversary celebration.
The SMX Next initiative combines two summer Scouting Moto Combines, at RedBud and Ironman, with the five races that comprise SMX Next – Supercross during the winter and spring. The season will culminate with the SMX Next World All-Stars, which will take place during the Monster Energy SMX World ChampionshipTM Playoffs. This year-long collaboration under the SMX League cultivates the development of the top A & B class prospects in amateur motocross, providing a defined path to the prestigious professional level of SMX.
“SMX Next is a proven development program that continues to foster young talent through one-of-a-kind exposure opportunities alongside the sport’s premier professional championships. It is rare in the world of motorsports to find such a meticulous, hands-on initiative to nurture the next generation of athletes, let alone serve as the catalyst for a new breed of exciting young racers brimming with potential,” said Jim Perry, Program Director for the Scouting Moto Combine. “From multi-time champions like Haiden Deegan to rising stars like Cole Davies, SMX Next has served as the proving ground for the future stars of the sport. The Scouting Moto Combines take the program a step further through one-on-one mentorship from Rider Coaches, which has included the likes of AMA Hall of Famers like Broc Glover, Chad Reed, and Kevin Windham. We’re excited to welcome the first group of prospects this summer on what will be a memorable weekend at RedBud.”
The group of invited prospects for the RedBud Combine was determined through a collaborative effort with several of the SMX World Championship’s competing manufacturers in Honda, Husqvarna, Kawasaki, KTM, Suzuki, Triumph, and Yamaha. The athlete roster features a diverse collection of young racers, many of whom have amassed an impressive résumé filled with success at the American Motocross Majors, a collective of the top amateur events in the country, and the Grand Championship that is the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship from Loretta Lynn’s Ranch. Some have even gained professional experience by making select starts in the Pro Motocross Championship, in accordance with the rulebook. The RedBud athletes will receive guidance and mentorship from a celebrated group of Rider Coaches, as AMA Hall of Famers Broc Glover and Kevin Windham will be joined by former international pros Michael Byrne, of Australia, and Gareth Swanepoel, of South Africa. In addition to coaching, Combine participants will receive classroom-style education sessions on other aspects of the sport such as health, fitness, nutrition, and media engagement from leaders in the industry.
Friday’s Combine will be highlighted by a pair of 25 Minute + 1 Lap motos on the famed RedBud layout, where a winner and overall podium will be determined. Additionally, all 25 prospects will be included in the fanfare of Saturday’s National, with a special 10-minute practice session on the fully prepped track that will lead up to opening ceremonies.
SMX Next – Motocross // RedBud Combine Lineup:
#10 Wyatt Thurman / Burleson, Texas / KTM
#14 Kane Bollasina / Fenton, Missouri / Yamaha
#15 Thor Powell / Jacksonville, Florida / GASGAS
#20 Kayd Kingsford / Middle Arm, NSW, Australia / Honda
#23 Landon Gibson / Peachtree City, Georgia / Husqvarna
#24 Owen Covell / Plymouth, Massachusetts / Yamaha
#27 Vincent Wey / Murrieta, California / Kawasaki
#29 McKayden Fitch / Elbert, Colorado / Yamaha
#34 Grant McDonald / Fountain Hills, Arizona / KTM
#41 Brandon Eade / Temecula, California / KTM
#46 Luke Fauser / Midland, Pennsylvania / KTM
#48 Trinnytie Batchelor / Mountain Home, Idaho / Kawasaki
#49 Brennon Harrison / Jacksonville, Florida / Husqvarna
#50 Chace Lawton / Clermont, Florida / Kawasaki
#57 Jesson Turner / Lockesburg, Arkansas / Yamaha
#95 William P. Canaguier III / Marysville, Pennsylvania / Kawasaki
#105 Franklin Bowsher / Cornelius, Oregon / Yamaha
#177 Kade Johnson / Hideaway, Texas / Kawasaki
#188 Cade Bradley / Kingman, Arizona / Honda
#247 Tegan Kortenbach / Wolf Creek, Alberta, Canada / KTM
#260 Carson Wood / Zephyrhills, Florida / Yamaha
#373 Gavin Betts / Clifton Park, New York / Kawasaki
#404 Riley Busse / New Berlin, Wisconsin / Yamaha
#444 Wyatt Duff / Lexington, Kentucky / Kawasaki
#883 Blake Thomas / Queensland, Australia / Honda
This group will look to add their names to the ever-growing list of graduates from SMX Next that are making a significant impact at the professional level, led by the program’s most successful alum in two-time SMX World Champion and Pro Motocross 250SMX Class Champion Haiden Deegan. The talented collection of SMX Next alumni also includes Honda HRC Progressive’s Chance Hymas, Phoenix Racing Honda’s Aden Keefer and Gavin Towers, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Daxton Bennick, Casey Cochran, and Ryder DiFrancesco, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Drew Adams and Enzo Temmerman, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Julien Beaumer, Triumph Factory Racing’s Deacon Denno, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cole Davies, Caden Dudney, Landen Gordon, and Kayden Minear, and Toyota Redlands BarX Yamaha’s Parker Ross and Lux Turner. At the most recent stop of the Pro Motocross Championship at High Point, 29 of the 42 riders in the 250SMX Class (69%) had competed in at least one Scouting Moto Combine.