Mikkel Haarup Secures Top Five Finish

Mikkel Haarup of the 5.11 Triumph Factory Racing team concluded a historic outing at Budds Creek for the penultimate round of the 2026 AMA Pro Motocross Championship today, where he put the TF 450-X into the 450MX's top five for the first time and captured a career-best finish of fifth in the second moto.

Haarup started the tenth round with some immediate success: he secured seventh in timed qualifying, his second-best result of the year, and had momentum behind him for moto one. A tough start, which saw him relegated to 16th, threatened to hamper him, but he made an immediate impression and was inside of the top 10 by the conclusion of the first lap. Consistent laps from there helped him secure eighth at the chequered flag, marking his best moto score since round six.

Haarup's second moto was even more impressive. Starting in fifth, he moved into third almost instantly and held that position for five laps. The number 31 lost two spots as the moto wore on but held a comfortable fifth place to the finish line. The result marked a career-best score for both him and Triumph's TF 450-X, not only in a moto but also the overall classification. An 8-5 scorecard put him in a historic fifth overall.

Jordon Smith's first moto ended abruptly with a rare issue, then a mistake hindered his score in the second moto. A difficult start on the one-lined track put him in a tricky position, yet he moved from the cusp of the top 20 into the top 15 before a minor error dropped him back once more. Smith was eventually classified in 17th in the moto and 19th overall.

Deacon Denno was much improved after his return last week but was ruled out of the penultimate round after a crash in the first moto. Sadly, he was as high as tenth before he went down. Further information will be published on his condition in due course.

The conclusion of the 5.11 Triumph Factory Racing team's third AMA Pro Motocross Championship awaits now. The finale, held at Ironman Raceway in Indiana, will be held on Saturday, August 29.

Mikkel Haarup:

"The day was great! It was solid from timed qualification. I had a decent start in moto one and rode a solid moto. I went for more in the second moto and had more intensity to start with. We also made some positive changes to the bike. I got my first top five, so I'm really happy and want to thank everyone involved with this program."

Jordon Smith:

"It was pretty rough. I was looking forward to a mud race! I went down on lap one of the moto and then we had a little issue. I had the outside gate pick for moto two, but we came back pretty well. We'll work hard to rebound at the finale."

Jeremy Coker – General Manager, Triumph Racing America:

"Today was really the definition of an up-and-down day in racing. With Deacon, unfortunately, the conditions in moto one were extremely difficult. Another rider crossed over in front of him, which forced him into a mud pile and resulted in him re-injuring his collarbone. It's incredibly unfortunate because it was completely out of his control, and more importantly, I felt like we were starting to see Deacon riding like himself again today. Our focus now is getting him healthy, giving him the time he needs, and then starting with a blank canvas heading into next year so we can get him back where we know he belongs. With Jordon, I think as a team we didn’t find an optimum setting for him to feel his best today. We also had an unfortunate issue in moto one that didn't help our day. We'll get back to work, understand exactly where we need to improve, and pull together as a team to give him what he needs to end the year with a strong result. I always say you are only as good as your last race, so our goal is to make sure Jordon's next race is the one that shows what he and this team are capable of. The highlight of the day was definitely Mikkel. We have been pushing hard to break into that top five, and today he delivered with fifth overall. He rode phenomenally and showed the speed, consistency and fight that we know he has. That's a big step forward for Mikkel and for the entire team. Racing gives you highs and lows, sometimes all in the same day. We'll enjoy the progress we made with Mikkel, learn from where we fell short, get Deacon healthy and keep pushing forward. That's what this team does."

450MX Results: 2026 Pro Motocross, Round 10 – Budds Creek

1. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 1-1

2. Jorge Prado (KTM) 3-3

3. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 2-4

4. Jett Lawrence (Honda) 5-2

5. Mikkel Haarup (Triumph) 8-5

19. Jordon Smith (Triumph) 39-17

450MX Standings: 2026 Pro Motocross, Round 10 – Budds Creek

1. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 442pts

2. Jett Lawrence (Honda) 441pts

3. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 376pts

4. Jorge Prado (KTM) 351pts

5. RJ Hampshire (Husqvarna) 308pts

9. Mikkel Haarup (Triumph) 220pts

11. Jordon Smith (Triumph) 170pts