The second half of the Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, is set to kick off from the “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” where Minnesota’s legendary Spring Creek MX Park will host Round 24 of the 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship. The event’s 44th running will continue the track’s successful partnership with Canadian gear company FXR Racing, which will extend its title support of the FXR Spring Creek National Presented by Frescados Tortillas this Saturday, July 18.
“The first half of the Pro Motocross Championship has been exceptional, with an abundance of compelling storylines emerging through the first six races of the season. The fight atop the standings across both classes has gotten more dramatic with each gate drop, with the distance from first to second in each class sitting at a combined total of three points,” said Davey Coombs, President, MX Sports Pro Racing. “We knew we were in for a special season, but the action thus far has exceeded our expectations. Now, we head to one of our most dynamic venues at Minnesota’s Spring Creek MX Park, where the Martin family has painstakingly updated the property and racetrack for decades to make it one of the most anticipated races of the outdoor campaign. Since establishing a partnership with FXR, the Spring Creek National has enjoyed its most successful events over a history that spans more than 40 years and given the incredible racing we’ve witnessed thus far, this year’s 44th running could be the Martin’s biggest event to date.”
Spring Creek MX Park first joined the Pro Motocross Championship schedule during the 1983 season and has remained on the calendar every year since, for 44 consecutive years. The longest start straight in the sport gives way to a thrilling mix of technical sections like the infamous sand whoops, big air obstacles like Holy Schmidt, named after late Minnesota legend Donny Schmidt, and the ominous uphill and downhill challenge of Mount Martin, all of which combine to make Spring Creek not only one of the most demanding tracks in American motocross for racers, but also one of the most captivating venues for spectators. For the past four decades, the rural town of Millville has turned into the global epicenter of motocross for one weekend each summer, where its few hundred residents welcome tens of thousands of passionate race fans along with the most elite athletes and race teams on the planet.
Since 1988, the Martin family has called Spring Creek their home, residing just adjacent to the property. John and Greta Martin helped grow the track and National into the world-renowned event it is today and also fostered decorated racing careers for their sons, Alex and Jeremy, who are now ushering a second generation of family ownership. No moment exemplified the family legacy more than one of the sport’s most memorable finishes last summer, when Jeremy took the checkered flag at his home track in the final moto of his career. To add to the challenge facing racers this year, the infamous hillside centerpiece that bears the family’s name has been overhauled. Rather than challenging riders with the steepest and longest ascent and descent in the championship, Mount Martin has been transformed into a more technical section, bisected by a downhill s-turn that will split the descent into two parts, with the intent of adding even more passing opportunities.
Established in the province of Manitoba in 1996, FXR Racing was created to fill a much-needed void in high performance snowmobile gear. With founder Milt Reimer at the helm, FXR quickly became a leader in the snowmobile category and has continued to dramatically diversify its product offerings over the past three decades to become one of the most versatile apparel and accessory brands for outdoor enthusiasts across an array of interests. FXR’s ascension within the motocross industry has allowed it to become the choice of many athletes and race teams in the Pro Motocross Paddock, including the likes of Garrett Marchbanks and Malcolm Stewart, as well as Quad Lock Honda and 5.11 Triumph Factory Racing.
The first half of the summer has lived up to the highly anticipated billing that accompanied the start of the regular season’s second half just under two months ago. While an unfortunate level of attrition has impacted several of SMX’s biggest stars, their absence hasn’t dampened the gripping competition produced through the first six races.
In the 450SMX Class, a historic title fight has unfolded between siblings and teammates Hunter and Jett Lawrence. The Australian duo have traded wins, with three apiece, in addition to the points lead, as both continue their fight to seize control of the championship from one another. Last weekend at Southwick, both riders endured through late race miscues that gave up moto wins, with Hunter’s incident in the final moto proving to be more adverse as it ultimately cost him the points lead. With his third victory of the season, Jett equaled his brother’s win total and has possession of the red plate for the second time this summer, albeit by just a single point over Hunter. Spring Creek has been a strong track for both riders in the premier class, with Jett owning a pair of victories in his two career starts and Hunter amassing back-to-back runner-up finishes in his two starts. While they’ll once again come into the weekend as heavy favorites for the win, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan continues to make progress during his rookie campaign. While he’s yet to lead a lap this summer, the brash young star has tried to make the most of his opportunities to go bar-to-bar with the Lawrences and is learning every step of the way. It may be a matter of time before Deegan finds himself in the mix on a more consistent basis with his Australian counterparts. Additionally, the recent news of a return to action for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Eli Tomac has the racing community buzzing as the four-time champion will add even more intrigue to the fight for victory.
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