SMX Next Birmingham 2026: Learning, Adjusting, and Moving Forward

Birmingham was another important step for us in SMX Next. We brought Chace Lawton and Will Canaguier into Protective Stadium knowing we are still building as a team at this level. We are learning more every round about bike setup, race execution, and what it takes to be better from the first lap to the checkered flag.

The Birmingham SMX Next main was fast and technical, and both riders had to work through adversity in different ways. Chace put together a consistent main event ride after a tough qualifying day, and Will showed progress on comfort and speed before a crash changed his race.

Chace Lawton

Chace had a rough start to the day in qualifying with P17 in Q1 and P22 in Q2, so we knew the focus had to be on maximizing the main event. He got a decent launch in the main, started P11, and rode steady laps to finish P15.

That consistency was a positive, but we still need to improve early-race intensity and keep building better starts. The goal is to convert that mid-pack start into immediate forward momentum and put him in better position before the race settles in.

Will Canaguier

Will continued to settle in on supercross and showed a good step from Q1 P19 to Q2 P12. In the main, he started P12, but went down on lap 2 and lost ground, finishing P18.

Even with the result, there were important gains. This was only Will’s second SMX Next event, and he is still adapting to this style of track and pace. He came away with better comfort on his suspension setup, and that is a meaningful piece of progress we can keep building on.

SMX Next Main Event Results

Pos	Rider	Start	Finish	Best Lap	Avg Lap	Net Passes
1st	Vincent Wey	1	1	0:54.958	0:56.104	0
5th	Deacon Denno	9	5	0:55.840	0:56.864	+4
15th	Chace Lawton	11	15	0:58.261	0:59.496	-4
18th	Will Canaguier	12	18	0:58.330	1:01.194	-6

Full field lap data and race analytics are available on MotoPivot - Birmingham SMX Next Main Event.

SMX Next Birmingham Photos

Photo Credit: Align With Us

Closing

As a team, we are still new to SMX Next, and weekends like this are part of the process. We continue to learn what each rider needs in bike setup and where we need to improve in race craft. We are proud of both guys for battling through a demanding night, learning, and getting out healthy.

We will take what we learned in Birmingham and carry it into Spring-A-Ding for more amateur racing and more development.

Thanks to our sponsors for helping us keep building every weekend.

Links

Stay tuned for more race reports and team updates as Hunter Racing continues the 2026 SMX Next season.