Will Kick Start Kenny Hang'em Up?

Ken Roczen faces perhaps the toughest decision of his career

Ken Roczen still doesn't know if he'll continue in 2027. He doesn't lack a motorcycle or competitiveness. The real question now is: Does he want to commit to everything that a full season demands again?

In a conversation with Jonny Hopper before the SMX final, Roczen spoke unusually openly about precisely this question. Retirement wasn't a thought that had only arisen in recent weeks. The topic had been with him for years. There had been repeated periods when he struggled with himself and didn't feel well. Then the thought of quitting became something very real.

And yet he continued. For another year. And another.

Roczen understands why the discussion about his future might seem sudden from the outside. Internally, however, the matter has been on his mind for considerably longer.

2026 hasn't exactly made the decision any easier.

Because Roczen achieved something very important to him at a particularly crucial stage in his career: a title. He describes a moment from recent years when he was talking to his wife about how it would feel to become champion again.

At the time, this goal seemed far away to him. "I thought: If I could wake up tomorrow, it would all be over and I had this title, then I would probably be done. I've worked so long for this."

He now holds this title.

Roczen says that a huge weight has been lifted from his shoulders. Actually, this could be the perfect time to stop. At the same time, however, there's still Ken Roczen the racing driver.

And he apparently can't just carry on a little bit.

A few races? Not a real option for Roczen.

From the outside, a reduced program sounds quite appealing. A few select Supercross races, perhaps individual starts, and otherwise significantly less strain.

Roczen doesn't think much of it.

"Either I go all the way or not at all."

He says he would prepare just as intensively for one or two races as for a full season. Simply showing up and participating doesn't meet his standards.

This also explains why the decision is so difficult for him. Anyone who reduces Roczen's statements to just the question of whether he's still fast enough misses the crucial point.

He knows what another year means.

It's not about 17 Saturdays of Supercross or individual race weekends. The decision for 2027 involves months of preparation, testing, training, travel, and the constant ambition to be at the front. Roczen himself says he's currently struggling with this long-term commitment.

"Once you decide to do it, you're in for months and months. It's not just about a weekend, two races, or a few events."

Therefore, he wanted to compete in the three SMX races before making a decision. But even just before the final, the answer is apparently still pending. Roczen says he's currently taking it one day at a time and only wants to commit when he's absolutely sure.

Suzuki is also waiting

Roczen can't postpone the decision indefinitely, though. He knows that himself.

Because his decision doesn't just affect him. HEP Suzuki also has to plan for 2027. The rider, budget, testing program, and preparation for the new season all depend on whether the number 1 will be on the Suzuki again.

Roczen himself addresses this very point. "I know this question is real because the team needs to plan. I need to have a plan too, somehow. And honestly, I've been avoiding this question."

That doesn't sound like a driver who has already mentally quit and is just looking for the right moment to announce it.

But it also doesn't sound like someone who's already decided to be back at the gate in January. And perhaps that's precisely the difference.

It's not the speed that matters.

When a driver is nearing the end of his career, the question of whether he's still fast enough is often raised. With Roczen, that doesn't seem to be the main issue at the moment.

He continues to drive at a level where he can compete with the best. What seems far more important is whether he is prepared to dedicate his entire life to motorsport once again.

He doesn't do things halfway.

This also makes the often-mentioned option of a farewell year with a reduced program difficult. A little Supercross, a few selected races, and otherwise a gradual winding-down – Roczen practically rules out precisely this model in his statements.

Either do it properly one more time, or that's it.

After the SMX final, one argument that Roczen had been able to use to postpone the decision has also disappeared. He wanted to ride these three races and then see how it felt.

Now he has driven her.

So it's not just Suzuki waiting for his answer. Roczen himself has to decide whether the 2026 title was the end of an extraordinary career – or the reason to bring the number 1 back to the starting gate next year.

Prado on Deegan’s take-out attempt – “against that type of racing”

A defiant Jorge Prado says while he knows Haiden Deegan likes to ride aggressively, he won’t be able to push the top 450 riders around like the 250 class, with Prado managing to slip Deegan’s contact attempt and re-take the lead on his way to clinching the SMX title. 

Prado said: “My mentality was just going for the win. I didn’t have another option in my head. I knew if I got the win, I was sure I was winning this title because of my results, not because maybe of other riders. So I went for it in sprint for 20 minutes plus one. Sprint all the way. I couldn’t go faster than that and that’s a reality. I was doing my 100%. 

“I was fast in some areas, but he was getting me in others. So I couldn’t make that comfy, let’s say, three second gap where I know he’s not going to go straight into me. We got into some lappers, he got closer and I knew on that 180 triple 180, there was a chance there because I was leaving a lot of space in the inside. But I know the good thing is that normally when you leave a lot of space is because you’re on the main line. And if you hit your main line, good.

“You have a little gap. Normally, you’re fine. Well, with the lapper, he didn’t move. Obviously, the same guy always. And I wanted to go to the inside, then I moved to the outside and he pretty much hit and I think, Haiden, he opened up the corner and went straight into me. He just didn’t even turn. I mean, that’s not even a racing running. But by each other, I knew it could happen. That’s why Nick Connor, I really brake hard. And I could feel he was almost getting my front wheel. Like I could feel it. And for some reason, wasn’t enough to make me tip over. And I was like, okay, now I really need to go for it. So I knew in the sand I was making some time. So I was making sure as well that I was hitting that sand section fast.

“I don’t like those games of making block passes. That’s not the type of racing I race. He likes that. Maybe in the lower categories, he could play with the other kids, but not with me. So when you race with that mentality, normally you end up bad.. When you race clean, you have a lot of things in your favor.

“I’m against that type of racing. I’m not racing for the money like he is. I’m racing with passion and I’m racing because I love the sport, because I accomplished a lot of things in MXGP and I came over to the States and I prove to everyone that I can get world champion there as well. So I’m racing with passion and I think that’s what leads you to getting the number one.”

Deegan on coming so close to a title.

Haiden Deegan came close to winning his first 450 title at SMX but Jorge Prado held strong in the final moto leaving Deegan having to settle for the overall win and he knows what he has to work on for 2027.

Deegan also admitted he was in a full sprint for 20 minutes in a bid to beat Prado! “I damn near did everything I could because these guys are going so fast. We’re almost, it’s probably going as fast as you can on a dirt bike, so it was like every landing, every turn, you’re trying to just get it perfect, and towards the end, he made a couple of mistakes, and I was trying to pressure him as hard as I could but he hung on strong.

“After that first race, I was like, I have a chance to win this. We’ll see how the start goes. I know he’s usually pretty good at starts, ripped the start, and I mean, I took one shot, but again, not trying to do what I did last year, so, I’m going to try to ride it pretty clean, not make it too dangerous, and unfortunately, we ended up second, but fortunately, with this SMX series, you could still make some good money.

“To be honest, from start to finish, we were going at it the whole time. It was a sprint for 20 minutes. And I was just like, come on, fade a little, fade a little. He hung on. He really did. He made a couple of mistakes, but he hung on strong. So we sprinted that race 20 minutes. There was no pacing at all. I had one shot to try and make a pass and I took it and he was good. Squared it up. So props to him. But again, we are going at it for 20 minutes. There’s no pacing at all.”

“I feel like I made a lot of progression. Didn’t get to win an Outdoors, came into SMX, won two out of three. I mean, like I said, it doesn’t really matter now, but I didn’t biff it in that last round, we had the red plate. It’s like, progression’s going well. I’m stoked on it. I mean, yeah, it was just going uphill and we’ll have a good off season now. I mean, I’ll be able to work on the 450 for an off season, which last year I didn’t get out of the 250 and get ready for Supercross. So give me some more time to build. And now I could switch my training over, do some more strength training, get build up for this 450.”

“I think I just focused on me. I feel like in the past it’s worked, but it’s a lot of eyes everywhere. And it’s kind of just, I really need to get a team together, which I have done. I mean, as we can see, it’s helped a bunch. I want two out of these three SMX series, multiple fast laps, fast qualifiers. So for how quick we switched everything over, it’s worked well, but now a whole preseason with our group, it’s going to be good. 

“I had a lot of goals. I checked off a bunch. I actually checked off every single one besides, you know, I wrote one that was pretty big. I was like, we’ll see if we can get a championship. And we missed it barely, like barely. So I’m not going to get them all the time, but we did. We checked off a lot. I’m super proud of that. I think that’s a good thing for me. I got to give something to keep me driven and write that down and it keeps me hungry.”

“This 450 class, it’s literally every, but the top five is almost exactly the same. It just depends on that start and how hard you want to send it for the race. And you got to be fit too, because it comes down to the end. And as much as these guys don’t fade, like the 250 guys, you know, you get a little weak towards the end and you can kind of adapt to it and get them. But honestly, it’s just going to take a lot of pre-season work to get me dialled in so I can, you know, consistently try and beat these guys.”

Plessinger confirms he is leaving KTM and thanks them for the memories

Aaron Plessinger has written a message of thanks to KTM for their part in his career ahead of his anticipated move to Triumph that will close a successful chapter of his career with the Austrian manufacturer. 

AP said: “Time flies when you’re having fun. So many pictures/memories I left a lot out cause I can’t fit It but man where do I start, these guys took a chance on me and treated me like family from the start. For 5 years It was a damn good run. We had some ups and we definitely had some downs but overall we became such a good team/family and I can’t thank them enough for leading me to where I honestly never thought I could ever be. They made me believe in myself and accomplish a lot of my childhood dreams along the way.

“From my first win in the big dawg class to my best overall season to multiple Nations appearances, I’m forever grateful to this group. I’ve grown so much in this time and I’ll cherish the memories and friendships forever. So I would like to say THANK YOU ALL that were a part of this. As this chapter closes another one begins. Love all of you guys and I will see you soon but just looking a little different 😎 @ktmfactoryracing its not goodbye, its ill see you later ❤️”

ELI TOMAC | A LEGEND. ALWAYS

For 13 seasons, Eli Tomac and Alpinestars built more than a partnership. Together, we shared the pressure, the victories, the setbacks and the unforgettable moments that defined one of the greatest careers in Motocross and Supercross. From his rise to the top of the sport to championship battles and countless wins, Eli consistently pushed the limits of what was possible, earning a place among the sport’s most accomplished riders.

9 Championships. 8 Daytona SX wins. 57 450SX wins. 32 450MX wins. 113 career wins.

But beyond the numbers is a legacy built over 13 seasons. As Eli closes the chapter on his professional racing career, we look back at the moments, milestones and memories we were fortunate enough to share.

Thank you, Eli. A legend. Always.

Jorge Prado after 450 SMX title

Prado Hangs On!

The 2026 SuperMotocross World Championship came to a close at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri, with the final round delivering two very different championship battles. In the 250 class, Cole Davies capped off the season with a dominant 1-1 performance to take the overall victory, while Levi Kitchen rode smart and consistent with 2-2 finishes to secure the 250SMX World Championship. Landen Gordon completed the overall podium with 6-3 scores, while Julien Beaumer and Ryder DiFrancesco saw their title hopes fade after difficult second motos.

In the 450 class, Haiden Deegan took the overall victory with 1-2 moto scores after controlling the opening race and staying near the front in moto two. Jorge Prado, however, delivered when it mattered most. After finishing fifth in the opening moto, Prado grabbed the holeshot in moto two, held off the pressure behind him and took the win to secure the 2026 450SMX World Championship. Hunter Lawrence finished third overall with consistent 3-3 scores, while Ken Roczen went 2-5 for fourth and Cooper Webb rounded out the top five with 4-4 finishes. With triple points on the line and both championships coming down to the final motos of the season, Ridgedale provided a dramatic ending to the 2026 SMX playoffs.

Roger and MXdN

When we talk about the Motocross of Nations, we often talk about the great Belgian legend, Roger De Coster. De Coster was somebody who enjoyed success in the MXoN, winning in 1969, 1972, 1973, 1976, 1977 and 1979.

He also won a handful of Trophee des Nations in his career, 11 in fact, from 1969 to 1978, but maybe his biggest victories have come with Team USA. 23 times the American's have won the Chamberlain Trophy and De Coster was there on every single occasions.

We have to go all the way back to 1981 at the Lommel circuit in Belgium to remember the first time Team USA showed the Grand Prix riders that they were good enough to win a Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations (It was actually the Tropee des Nations). With Roger De Coster keen to send a team to Belgium, he selected his Honda factory team riders Johnny O’Mara, Danny Laporte, Chuck Sun, Donnie Hansen and David Bailey for the job.

With full support from Honda America, that young team arrived in Belgium early and it was a feeling of confidence that this young American line-up had enough to trouble the Belgian sand specialists.

“Our team went over early,” De Coster remembered. “We went to sand tracks and practiced and practiced and practiced. We initially had a lot of bike problems because we had no experience in the US riding on sand like that. But we worked through the whole thing, and by race-time we were ready.”

Although suffering mechanical issues, De Coster felt the Honda machines of the 1981 season were special and with some extra work could easily give his team some type of result to surprise the Grand Prix riders.

“We could see the potential in the Honda bikes and team members for those events. Our guys were not winning at the time though. Suzuki had Mark Barnett winning the 125 class and in supercross. And Kent Howerton on Suzuki was strong in the 250 class. Our team was Johnny O’Mara, Chuck Sun, Danny LaPorte and Donnie Hansen. Towards the end of the year, our results started to improve. We thought ‘We need to go to the Nations’.”

De Coster, being a Belgian legend in the sport didn’t feel comfortable bringing a team to beat his beloved Belgians, but a job is a job, and he went in 100% to bring the Chamberlain trophy back to America with his Honda team.

“I had problems with myself to a certain extent because it felt strange coming and representing the US. I had always tried to win as a rider for Belgium. In the Trophee des Nations, as a member of the Belgian team, I was part of the winning team ten years in a row. We also won six times in the open class (500cc – Motocross des Nations).”

“I like des Nations; I like the event a lot and I think it is one of the best events of the year. I like to help, but if they like somebody else to do it and they can do a better job, I am on board. I have been thinking about the format, I would like to see two motos 250 and two motos 450, and not them racing against each other. That would be better. It would cost a little bit more, because it would mean four riders, but I think it would be better, more balanced, I think the racing might be better. Now, the guy who has to ride the 250, it is no fun, because you know you will most likely have a poor start and the 450 roost, the whole thing.”

“It used to be (important to everyone), whoever you wished to go, they would be happy to go, and the team would be happy to go, but now, some of the riders are not interested, or the rider is interested, and the team isn’t interested. Oh, damn. It is hard to say, it is hard to say. I hope the people will get back on it and maybe something can be done long term. They seem to be a better cooperation from both sides, from the European side and the American side. So, maybe, down the road we can get it better again.”

Chance Hymas Out

What happens to Team USA now?

Chance Hymas has had to withdraw from Team USA for the second time in his career, as he overjumped a triple yesterday in practice and injured his wrist. He announced: “After further evaluation a CT scan showed small fractures in two wrist bones and it raised concern about an injured ligament between the bones.”

Hymas worked with his Honda HRC Progressive team and the AMA to make his next decision, and they all decided it would not be fair to Team USA to ride at possibly 60-70 % next weekend. “This decision is about giving Team USA the best possible chance at a great result,” said Hymas. “I know I wouldn’t be at 100%, and I don’t believe that would be fair to Coop, Levi, or the entire USA team.”

So who fills Hymas’ 450 slot? There’s sure to be some major scrambling and negotiating going on in the AMA truck this weekend.

Jeremy on the Mental Side!

Jeremy McGrath explores the mental side of elite sports with sports psychologist Michael Gervais

Physical training and speed on the bike are important, but how much of a difference can the mental aspect make at the highest level? In the latest episode of SMX All Access, Supercross legend Jeremy McGrath sits down with high-performance psychologist Dr. Michael Gervais to discuss training the mind.

Gervais focuses on the mental processes involved in performing under intense pressure. Together with McGrath, he discusses why mental training can be an important part of performing at the highest level.

The episode explores the psychological side of the sport and the importance of training the mind alongside all the physical and technical preparation. McGrath can draw on his own years of experience as a rider competing at the very highest level.

An interesting episode that is not just about motorcycles, bike setups and lap times, but instead focuses on what goes on underneath the helmet.