Forkner Takes a Fine Fifth to Kick Off Smx Postseason
Triumph Factory Racing overcame adverse weather and a shortened schedule as the 2025 SuperMotocross World Championship postseason fired into life at Charlotte's Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. Austin Forkner raced to a superb fifth place in the one moto format.
Forkner and his TF 250-X launched to a superb start in the 250SMX race – he held second for the first third of the stint. The #83 shone brightly and not just because of the fluorescent accents on his bike and gear. As the laps wore down, he settled into fifth place and was eager to chase a position on the overall podium in the final moto. Sadly, lightning in the area forced the event to be cancelled after just one race.
Jordon Smith faced a tricky day and was robbed of a chance to rebound in the second moto. Crashing in the first turn of the 250SMX race left him with plenty of work to do, but he handled that challenge well and climbed towards the top 10. Unfortunately, another mistake relegated him to 17th in the moto and overall classification.
The Dome at America's Center in St. Louis, Missouri, will host the second postseason race in just one week. The event will offer competitors double points, making it critical ahead of the SMX Finals in Las Vegas.
Austin Forkner
"I felt good as soon as practice started, despite deep ruts that made some people hesitant. I nailed the start in our only race, started second and then slowly dropped back to fifth. There was a lot of waiting around in the weather delay, but I'm happy to take fifth overall! It was a good and productive day. I'm keen to carry this momentum into my hometown race, St. Louis."
Jordon Smith
"It was a rough day for me. I had a decent jump in the first moto but slid out in the first turn, then I crashed again after charging all of the way to 12th. It's unfortunate that they cancelled the second moto: I was keen to rebound and secure a better overall result."
Jeremy Coker – General Manager, Triumph Racing America
"Today was a big step in the right direction for Austin. Taking a good start and running up front on a very tough track was awesome for him: he is starting to show his true talent and I am excited to see what's to come. Unfortunately for Jordon, he had a first-turn crash on a challenging track that was hard to pass on. We were all looking forward to the second moto for both guys to make improvements and ultimately it was cancelled due to extreme weather. We are excited for next weekend, as it is a track that both our guys will be very familiar with."
250SMX Results: 2025 SMX World Championship, Playoff 1 – Charlotte
1. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha)
2. Seth Hammaker (Kawasaki)
3. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki)
4. Jo Shimoda (Honda)
5. Austin Forkner (Triumph)
17. Jordon Smith (Triumph)
250SMX Standings: 2025 SMX World Championship, Playoff 1 – Charlotte
1. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 50pts
2. Jo Shimoda (Honda) 42pts
3. Seth Hammaker (Kawasaki) 34pts
4. Tom Vialle (KTM) 33pts
5. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) 29pts
6. Austin Forkner (Triumph) 25pts
12. Jordon Smith (Triumph) 18pts
