The 2026 South African National Motocross Championship has reached its final stretch, and Round 6 at Ridgeway MX Park in Bronkhorstspruit has done exactly what a penultimate round should do: turn up the pressure.
With just one round remaining, the championship picture remains wide open after a weekend of hard-fought racing across the classes.
Ridgeway provided the battleground, with riders pushing through the intensity of the penultimate showdown as every position became increasingly valuable.
MX1: Slade Smith Leads the Charge
In the premier MX1 class, Slade Smith took the top spot, finishing ahead of Yamaha teammate Jayden Proctor and Ethan Hoffman.
The MX1 top five was completed by Christian Berrington-Smith in fourth and Mark James Carty in fifth.
Further down the field, Scott Heygate, Johan Vogelesang and Maddy Malan also made their mark in a competitive class.
Smith’s result adds another major moment to a season that has increasingly become about consistency, pressure and surviving the final stretch.
MX2 Produces a Yamaha One-Two
The MX2 class delivered another strong showing from Yamaha, with Jayden Proctor claiming first place ahead of Slade Smith.
Trey Cox secured third, followed by Luke Grundy and Mark James Carty.
The top 10 was rounded out by Tristan Durow, Aiden Henley, Riley Rocher, Trent Valsecchi and Matthew Correia.
With Proctor and Smith appearing prominently across both MX1 and MX2, Round 6 underlined just how competitive the front of the national field has become.
More Than Just the Championship Classes
While the spotlight naturally falls on MX1 and MX2, Ridgeway’s results also highlighted the depth of the national motocross pipeline.
In MX3, Brandon Wheeler led Keegan du Plooy and Gregory Marnie Gildenhuys, while the MX3 Vets class saw Wheeler again take the top step ahead of Gildenhuys and Jonathan du Plooy.
The MX Ladies class delivered another strong showcase, with Mackenzie Bam taking first, followed by Kelly Beetge and Jessica Osner. Caitlin Parkes, Zoe Botha and Genevieve Edwards completed the listed results.
At High School level, Trent Valsecchi claimed the win ahead of Evan Frost and Riley Rocher.
The younger classes also provided plenty of evidence that the next generation is already making its presence felt.
The Future of SA Motocross Is Racing Now
The 85cc class was topped by Brody Bircher, with Rayden Woolls second and Aiden Retief third.
In 65cc, Trey Dean led Luan Jordaan and Joshua-Zion Naude, while Nate Small headed the 50cc field ahead of Gianno Ferreira and Garry Hamer.
These classes matter because national motocross is not only about the riders fighting for championships today. It is also about creating the competitive environment where tomorrow’s elite riders develop their speed, racecraft and confidence.
Ridgeway’s results showed that depth across the sport.
One Round Left. Nothing Is Settled.
The biggest takeaway from Round 6 is simple: the 2026 title fight is going down to the wire.
The penultimate round delivered the kind of close competition expected when a season reaches its decisive stage, but there was no shortage of action outside the headline classes either.
From experienced veterans to young riders chasing their next breakthrough, Ridgeway MX Park became another chapter in a national championship that has consistently demanded speed, resilience and precision.
Now the paddock turns toward the final round.
The championship may be approaching its conclusion, but after Bronkhorstspruit, the pressure has only increased.
One round remains. One final opportunity to make the difference.
