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PIVOTAL PITTSBURGH VICTORY SEES TOM VIALLE REGAIN 250SX EAST RED PLATE

A pivotal victory in the 250SX East Main Event at Pittsburgh has resulted in Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle regaining the red plate with just a single round remaining in the division, on a night where Chase Sexton kept the pressure on in 450SX with a solid second-place finish to complete Round 15 of the 2025 AMA Supercross Championship.

The defending 250SX East Class Champion Vialle opened his Pittsburgh weekend by recording the fourth-fastest qualifying time despite crashing heavily in the afternoon, before rebounding and racing to a fourth-place finish in his Heat Race onboard the KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION.

An intense Main Event saw Vialle launch to a top-three start, before posting a calculated performance that saw the Frenchman strike for the lead during the latter stages of the race. From there, the number 1 would hold the lead and deliver a timely race win, now carrying a single-point series advantage into Salt Lake City.

Tom Vialle: "This race win was very important, I feel like I had to win [tonight] to have a chance at the championship in Salt Lake. I had a rough start to the day with a pretty big crash in practice, but overall, I got pretty lucky there. I felt great in the Main Event, the bike felt really good too, and after the start I knew that I had to make it happen tonight and thats what we did.”

Equipped with his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, 450SX title challenger Sexton powered his way to the fastest qualifying time, dialing in what was a challenging Acrisure Stadium circuit that tested the world’s best Supercross riders.

In his Heat Race, Sexton launched to a top-three start and made his way into P2 with teammate Aaron Plessinger heading the field at the front. On a slick surface, Sexton would post a measured performance to earn third place as the checkered flag flew.

An epic fight in the Main Event would see the number 4 stalk the leader for the duration of the race after a strong start, riding to the limit of what the track conditions would allow. Following an intense duel over the course of the encounter, Sexton delivered a P2 result and currently sits 12 points from the 450SX lead with two rounds to go.

Chase Sexton: "It was a tough track tonight, I knew the start was going to be key, and Cooper [Webb] got off to a good one. From there I really needed to be mindful of how hard I pushed as it was easy to lose the rear-end in these conditions. I felt like I rode well, just couldn’t get close enough to make a pass, but I didn’t want to override the track – finding that limit was tough. It’s disappointing to lose this race tonight, but it was a dogfight and I gave it everything I had.”

Teammate Plessinger enjoyed success in his 450SX Heat Race, surging to a second-place result after scoring the holeshot and leading early onboard his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION.

Later, in battling within the top-five throughout the Main Event, ‘The Cowboy’ would continue his impressive run of late-season form, crossing the finish line in fourth place to conclude his weekend in Pittsburgh. Plessinger is sixth in the standings following Round 15 of 17.

Aaron Plessinger: "Pittsburgh was a fun city and a very cool venue! It was a weird day for me. I felt really good in practice and then got off to an awesome start in the Heat Race. P2 in that one, which was pretty good, but it was a strange Main Event after getting off to an awesome start. On the first lap, I cased the big triple, and I think that threw me off a bit, took me a bit to get going. Around the halfway mark I came alive and managed to come back to fourth, so it's a cool feeling to not give up on myself and rebound mid-race – we'll take the speed into Denver and try to end this Supercross season with two more podiums!"

Next Race: May 3 – Denver, Colorado

Results 450SX Class – Pittsburgh
1. Cooper Webb (Yamaha)
2. Chase Sexton (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
3. Justin Cooper (Yamaha)
4. Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
5. Malcolm Stewart (Husqvarna)
13. Justin Hill (KTM)

Standings 450SX Class 2025 after 15 of 17 rounds
1. Cooper Webb, 325 points
2. Chase Sexton, 313
3. Ken Roczen, 271
5. Malcolm Stewart, 237
6. Aaron Plessinger, 222
7. Justin Barcia, 185
8. Justin Hill, 170

Results 250SX East Class – Pittsburgh
1. Tom Vialle (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
2. Nate Thrasher (Yamaha)
3. Maximus Vohland (Yamaha)
4. RJ Hampshire (Husqvarna)

Standings 250SX East Class 2025 after 9 of 10 rounds
1. Tom Vialle, 160
2. Seth Hammaker, 159
3. RJ Hampshire, 157

    KTM NEWS

    RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING'S JORGE PRADO CROWNED 2026 SMX WORLD CHAMPION

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    Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado has been crowned the 2026 SMX World Champion in Ridgedale, Missouri, tonight, following outstanding performances across the three-round post-season, underscored by an impressive regular season in AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross. Prado entered the season-finale holding the 450SMX Championship leader’s red plate, qualifying third around the high-speed Thunder Ridge Nature Arena course layout aboard his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION. After finishing fifth in Moto 1, a showdown in the second race saw Prado capture one of the most important holeshots of his career, putting forward 17 spectacular laps to claim the race victory and clinch the 2026 450SMX title in the process. The 25-year-old adds the premier class SMX World Championship to his impressive resume, which already includes two MXGP World Championships (2023, 2024) and a pair of MX2 World Championships (2018, 2019). Originally from Lugo, Spain, Prado relocated to the United States for the 2025 SuperMotocross World Championship season, reuniting with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing organization one year later to contest the 2026 series. A strong showing in AMA Supercross – made up of two podiums, a pair of 450SX fastest qualifiers and multiple Heat Race wins – was balanced by an impressive AMA Pro Motocross Championship campaign, where he finished fourth overall in 450MX. His outdoor season featured five podium appearances, highlighted by a 1-1 sweep at the Ironman finale. Those results saw Prado enter the SMX post-season as the number two seed, before taking over the points-lead courtesy of a third-place result at Playoff 1 in Columbus, and then extending his advantage with a victory at Dignity Health Sports Park at Playoff 2 last weekend. A 5-1 scorecard at the SMX World Championship Final secured second on the podium this weekend, enough to earn the 2026 450SMX title. Having captured this year’s 450SMX World Championship, Prado will use the upcoming off-season to further prepare for the 2027 season, having recently signed a multi-year contract extension with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing. Jorge Prado: “One year ago I wasn’t even racing in the SMX post-season, but the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team did an awesome job preparing me all winter long, every single week, and I also prepared myself the best I could to bounce back. That’s what champions do, right? They bounce back, so [I’m] super-happy about this title – it’s my first championship here in the States. I’m a four-time world champion for a reason, and I think I showed that in this last moto where it mattered the most!” In his final race as a professional following a highly-decorated career, the legendary Eli Tomac posted the seventh-fastest qualifying time around the expansive Ridgedale circuit, signaling his final chapter on board the KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION. Tomac finished 12th overall in Missouri, drawing a memorable end to a career that spanned nearly two decades. Eli Tomac: “It has sunk in – I was trying to have fun out there, but to be straight up, there were some stressful moments for me! What a ride it has been. I’ve gotten to literally live the dream, and it’s sure been a ride. I’m so thankful for everyone, and I’ve said this a million times, but I truly am grateful for the whole family of Supercross and Pro Motocross. Thank you to everyone.” ‘The Cowboy’ Aaron Plessinger was also on track for a strong weekend in Missouri, with the 30-year-old powering his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to seventh in Moto 1. He followed that with 15th in the final race of the year to finish 10th overall for both the round and in the 450SMX standings. Aaron Plessinger: "My first moto in Ridgedale went well, I made some good passes and finished up seventh. Then the second moto, I made a mistake off the start and ended up at the back, but didn't ride to my potential in that one. Either way, it was a really positive way to finish the season together, and congratulations the team!” Equipped with the KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, Julien Beaumer topped the 250SMX qualifying timesheets with a 1:15.001 lap-time, gearing up for the double-moto format as he too targeted championship success. The 20-year-old Arizona native battled hard throughout the opening race, racing for position inside the top-five before eventually securing fourth and carrying strong momentum into Moto 2. A tough start to the final outing had 'Juju' playing catch-up as rain began to fall, creating a slick surface for the 250SMX field to navigate. He climbed to ninth by race’s end, which was enough to record fourth position in the 250SMX series. Following nine months on the sidelines, Beaumer returned to competition at the Pro Motocross opener, delivering two round wins and second in the 250MX standings to enter the post-season as the fifth seed. He then won Playoff 2 in Los Angeles, highlighting what was an ultra-successful 2026 SMX campaign. He will now turn his attention to the FIM Motocross of Nations following a late call to represent Team USA in France next weekend. Julien Beaumer: "It was a tough day. It began really well with qualifying P1, and then I started around fourth or fifth in Moto 1 and stayed there the whole race. I got a terrible start in Moto 2 and was down in the first corner, but I rode really well from there – it was just a tough track to pass on. Overall, I'm proud of our efforts, and now we'll fly back to California and get ready for the Motocross of Nations!" Results 450SMX Class – SMX Final 1. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 2. Jorge Prado (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 3. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 6. RJ Hampshire (Husqvarna) 9. Malcolm Stewart (Husqvarna) 10. Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 12. Eli Tomac (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) Standings 450SMX Class 2026 1. Jorge Prado, 158 points 2. Haiden Deegan, 151 3. Hunter Lawrence, 136 7. RJ Hampshire, 99 9. Malcolm Stewart, 83 10. Aaron Plessinger, 80 11. Eli Tomac, 78 Results 250SMX Class – SMX Final 1. Cole Davies (Yamaha) 2. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) 3. Landen Gordon (Yamaha) 6. Julien Beaumer (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 7. Ryder DiFrancesco (Husqvarna) 8. Daxton Bennick (Husqvarna) Standings 250SMX Class 2026 1. Levi Kitchen, 153 points 2. Ryder DiFrancesco, 129 3. Cole Davies, 128 4. Julien Beaumer, 119 7. Daxton Bennick, 98

    DOUBLE VICTORY FOR RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING AT LOS ANGELES SMX PLAYOFF 2

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    SMX World Championship Playoff 2, staged at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles, saw Red Bull KTM Factory Racing claim an emphatic double victory, with Jorge Prado and Julien Beaumer standing atop the podium in the 450SMX and 250SMX classes, respectively. Entering Playoff 2 as the 450SMX points leader, red-plate holder Prado powered his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to P2 on the combined qualifying timesheets, before launching to the holeshot in Moto 1. In contention for the duration of the race, the four-time world champion ultimately claimed a hard-fought second position. Again starting inside the top-three in Moto 2, Prado held P2 for over half of the race before an untimely crash relegated him to fourth. Upon remounting and putting on an inspired charge forward, the Spaniard climbed back into P2, with his 2-2 scores earning him the overall victory as well as maintaining the red-plate – now 16 points clear of his closest competitor entering next weekend's SMX Final at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Missouri. Jorge Prado: “Well, we just keep improving! My jump out of the gate [in Moto 2] was good, I was right there with Hunter [Lawrence] and made an aggressive pass for the lead in the third corner. I then cased the quad and thought I was going over the bars, but the bike saved me – then cased it again three laps later! But man, I knew this race was going to be hard. We were all ripping. I rode it home safely after putting in a charge following my crash, but this is incredible. We’re in contention for the title – let's get it at the last round.” Equipped with the KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, Beaumer posted the fastest 250SMX qualifying time around the high-speed track layout, recording a 51.096 lap-time that put him almost half a second clear of the field to take confidence into the double-moto race format. After scoring the holeshot in Moto 1, the 20-year-old delivered a convincing wire-to-wire performance for victory to continue his momentum, before another holeshot in Moto 2 and a third-place finish secured the overall. As a result of this weekend's double-points round, Beaumer has climbed to third in the 250SMX standings, sitting just 16 points from the lead with triple points on offer at next weekend’s title-deciding finale. Julien Beaumer: “I saw Levi [Kitchen] and Jo [Shimoda] and knew they didn’t have the greatest of first motos, so I didn’t want to risk too much [in Moto 2], obviously. The track was pretty tricky, and the sun made things harder as well, but I’m happy to come out with the overall. I said I needed to win these last two rounds, so it’s a good start!” Also starting well in 450SMX Moto 1 was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Eli Tomac, battling for a podium spot on board his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION during the early stages. He would eventually claim sixth, while a 12th-place finish in Moto 2 earned him ninth overall. Sights now shift to next weekend's round, which will mark the conclusion of his decorated professional career. Eli Tomac: "I got a decent start in Moto 1 and I was somewhat in the mix before I lost two positions, but the riding was a lot better than the weekend before. In Moto 2, I was in a worse position off the start, and just didn't get a flow going. I was kind of happy with Moto 1 because it was an improvement, although I want to get a stronger result at my final race next weekend in Missouri." ‘The Cowboy’ Aaron Plessinger was also in action in Los Angeles, with the 30-year-old racing to a consistent P8 result in Moto 1. A 13th-place finish in Moto 2 saw Plessinger and his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION secure 11th overall for the second Playoff of the year. Aaron Plessinger: "I got a pretty good start in Moto 1 from the outside, and then started making passes to wind up in eighth place. Moto 2, I just didn't get off to the greatest start, having hugged the inside, and was pretty much last. I did what I could to make it back to 13th, but just didn't have it going in the second one. We made it out of LA in one piece, and now we'll look for a rebound in Missouri." Next Race: September 26 – Ridgedale, Missouri Results 450SMX Class – SMX Playoff 2 1. Jorge Prado (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 2. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 3. Ken Roczen (Suzuki) 6. RJ Hampshire (Husqvarna) 8. Malcolm Stewart (Husqvarna) 9. Eli Tomac (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 11. Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) Standings 450SMX Class 2026 after Playoff 2 1. Jorge Prado, 92 points 2. Haiden Deegan, 76 3. Hunter Lawrence, 76 8. RJ Hampshire, 51 9. Eli Tomac, 48 11. Aaron Plessinger, 44 12. Malcolm Stewart, 44 Results 250SMX Class – SMX Playoff 2 1. Julien Beaumer (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 2. Ryder DiFrancesco (Husqvarna) 3. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) 11. Daxton Bennick (Husqvarna) Standings 250SMX Class 2026 after Playoff 2 1. Levi Kitchen, 87 points 2. Ryder DiFrancesco, 84 3. Julien Beaumer, 71 5. Daxton Bennick, 56

    JORGE PRADO LEADS 450SMX STANDINGS AFTER COLUMBUS PLAYOFF PODIUM

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    A weather-affected opening race of the 2026 SMX World Championship Playoffs at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus saw Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado earn a hard-fought third position on the overall podium, with that result elevating him into the 450SMX points lead. Following a pair of dry on-track sessions during Friday practice, heavy rain in the region interrupted proceedings early on this morning, as the track crew worked tirelessly to prepare the circuit for the afternoon’s race schedule at SMX Playoff 1. When the gates dropped for 450SMX Moto 1, Prado powered his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to the holeshot, holding the lead through the opening moments of the race. The Spaniard prioritized consistency in the mud, successfully navigating the conditions to secure a third-place result. The four-time world champion executed another strong start in Moto 2, battling for the final podium position during the race, and eventually crossed the line in P4. That saw him claim third overall for the round, taking charge of the 450SMX red plate entering Los Angeles next weekend. Jorge Prado: "I mean, I really don’t know what to say! Like I said after Moto 1, my worst races came in the mud this year, and now I finish up here on the box, which is amazing for me. It’s a big improvement, so I am super-happy, and proud of my progress, and the work from the whole team – if you look back a year ago to where I am now, it’s a huge difference. Now we are leading the SMX series and I can’t be more happy than this." Also up front off the start of Moto 1, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger crashed soon afterward, but displayed strong pace aboard his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION as he fought his way through the field to 10th place. Sixth in Moto 2 marked a convincing outing for ‘The Cowboy’ in his home state of Ohio, taking seventh overall and climbing to eighth in the 450SMX standings. Aaron Plessinger: "I feel like Columbus was a pretty big missed opportunity for me, since we had lots of rain and lots of mud, which is usually my cup of tea. We got off to a really good start in Moto 1, but then Jorge [Prado] slid and kind of jumped into my wheel, but no blame on him – it was a racing incident. I ended up going down, and then it was a struggle from that point on, getting up to ninth and then going down again. Moto 2, I got off to a horrible start and went to the inside of turn one, which worked out, and then ended up battling Joey [Savatgy] for fifth pretty much the whole time. I just feel like I should've been better all around – there were a lot of moments that I should've capitalized on. We'll focus on Los Angeles now and look for a stronger round." The retiring Eli Tomac raced to 15-13 results in 450SMX across the shortened double-race format aboard his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION in SMX Playoff 1, with his sights now shifting toward next weekend’s second round of the post-season, where double points will be on offer. He's currently ninth in the championship, with only two race weekends remaining in his decorated career. Eli Tomac: "It was a long day in Columbus. The conditions were tough, and I had a hard time getting going today when it counted, but the positive is that we were able to salvage some points, and it was an enjoyable weekend outside of the weather today. I'm looking forward to LA next week and fighting back toward the front in these next two races coming up." Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 250SMX contender Julien Beaumer crashed out of a top-five position on the opening lap of Moto 1, before mounting a comeback ride in challenging conditions to finish 16th on his KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION. Another difficult outing in race two saw Beaumer finish 18th, placing him 10th in the standings heading into Playoff 2. Julien Beaumer: “It was a terrible day for me in the mud. We got a lot of rain – I felt great yesterday in the dry – but today was rough. It is what it is, we have double and triple points at the next two, so I need to execute across the next two rounds in what are hopefully some better conditions, and give myself a chance.” Next Race: September 19 – Los Angeles, California Results 450SMX Class – SMX Playoff 1 1. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 2. Ken Roczen (Suzuki) 3. Jorge Prado (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 7. Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 11. Malcolm Stewart (Husqvarna) 14. Eli Tomac (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 16. RJ Hampshire (Husqvarna) Standings 450SMX Class 2026 after Playoff 1 1. Jorge Prado, 42 points 2. Haiden Deegan, 40 3. Cooper Webb, 38 8. Aaron Plessinger, 22 9. Eli Tomac, 22 12. RJ Hampshire, 19 14. Malcolm Stewart, 16 Results 250SMX Class – SMX Playoff 1 1. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) 2. Daxton Bennick (Husqvarna) 3. Ryder DiFrancesco (Husqvarna) 18. Julien Beaumer (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) Standings 250SMX Class 2026 after Playoff 1 1. Levi Kitchen, 47 points 2. Ryder DiFrancesco, 42 3. Cole Davies, 37 4. Daxton Bennick, 34 10. Julien Beaumer, 21