Haarup Hangs with Top Five at Hangtown

A productive week of preparation in California served 5.11 Triumph Factory Racing well at the second round of the 2026 AMA Pro Motocross series at Hangtown, with top ten results and improvements across the board.

Mikkel Haarup, one week on from leading in the TF 450-X's debut, proved how capable his steed is once more, starting 450MX moto one inside of the top five and chasing a gaggle of former champions. Holding fifth for half the race, he eventually crossed the finish in seventh – a significant improvement on his best from one week ago – and turned attention to moto two.

Haarup initially started the second moto in the top five but a red flag forced a full race restart. The second attempt was less effective, as he rounded turn one in the lower half of the top 20. Nonetheless, he pushed through on a tricky circuit and crossed the finish line in 12th. A 7-12 scorecard left him in ninth overall and helped elevate him to tenth in the championship.

Jordon Smith, who welcomed his second child into the world earlier this week, left Hangtown with some progress made. A handful of mistakes on the first lap of moto one left him with work to do, but he persevered to capture the final point via 21st place. The second moto was the highlight of his day. Starting on the cusp of the top ten, he was classified in 14th securing 18th as his overall final rank.

Encouraged by his pace in his professional motocross debut, Deacon Denno showed more potential in his second appearance. Denno was chasing a position inside the top ten in moto one when he made a small mistake and fell to 17th. He took the chequered flag in 16th, but he was focused on achieving much more in moto two. It was in that race that he showed his true potential aboard the TF 250-X: he took the holeshot and led early before battling in the top three for half the race. With valuable knowledge and confidence acquired, he took tenth at the finish line and secured 12th overall.

Austin Forkner was one of 250MX's most active riders in the first moto; a tricky start left him with a significant amount of work to do to secure his first points of the term. Undeterred and motivated to switch the narrative, he charged from outside of the top 30 positions to 18th at the chequered flag for four valuable points. A hard fall in turn one of the second moto forced him to make a rare pit stop (facilitated by the prompt team personnel). Already minutes behind the competition, he refused to quit but was not rewarded with points. '33' was classified in 22nd overall.

Gage Linville continued his adaption to the 5.11 Triumph Factory Racing program and edged closer to the points; he passed four riders on his way to 27th in moto one but missed out by just two spots in the last moto. A superb start in that stint helped him gain even more race knowledge.

5.11 Triumph Factory Racing will face the altitude next, as an appointment in Colorado awaits. Thunder Valley on the outskirts of Denver (dubbed the Mile High City) will host the third round of AMA Pro Motocross on June 13.

Mikkel Haarup

"I had solid starts all day, except for after the restart. My intensity was better this week – I was able to stay up front longer in moto one. I had a bad start in moto two but enjoyed myself as I cut through the field on the TF 450-X for the first time. It was a solid step forward today."

Jordon Smith

"It was a rollercoaster of a day. I didn't ride at all this week with the baby coming, so I felt rusty to start the day. I had a rough first moto but made positive changes for the second moto – I rode a lot better there. It was positive, at the end of the day, and we'll put in the work this week."

Deacon Denno

"Hangtown was good. I made some big gains! Qualifying 15th was a massive step in the right direction for me, then running 11th in moto one before a fall was positive. I came out firing with a holeshot in moto two – I was so stoked to put my TF 250-X out front. It was just a solid day. I learnt so much."

Austin Forkner

"I got tangled with some guys in the second turn in moto one – I was almost last! I rode pretty well and came through the pack, so I was happy with that. In the second moto, I was in the first turn pile-up and broke my front fender. It was flopping all over and hitting my helmet, so I had to pull in and get it cut off. Riding with no front fender is actually pretty weird and messed with me visually. I just did what I could in that moto."

Gage Linville

"Today was definitely a better weekend for me, despite not being near where I should be. We made progress throughout the day and will take that into Colorado."

Jeremy Coker – General Manager, Triumph Racing America

"I'm very proud of this team and all of the crew members. We all stayed in California this week and worked very hard to improve both the set up on the bikes and giving more seat time for the riders. Jordon didn’t ride and went home for the birth of his baby - huge congratulations to him and Katie on the arrival of Winston. For the guys who were able to stay and test, the progress showed in their results. Mikkel was able to put in two great starts and showed his true speed in ninth overall. Jordon struggled in moto one, so we made some changes for him and he got 14th in moto two – that is good for him. Deacon had a great day. He would have had two top ten finishes, but unfortunately a small crash in moto one cost him. His holeshot in moto two was awesome and the experience he gained is priceless. He learned a lot and we'll help him stay up there moving forward. Gage showed improvement today running mid-pack and gaining experience. Unfortunately for Austin, the bad luck continues. His speed is there and it shows when he's on the bike. By no means are we happy with these results, but I'm happy with the progress. We still have a lot of work to do and I promise I will push this team to its true potential."

450MX Results: 2026 Pro Motocross, Round 2 – Hangtown

1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) 1-1

2. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 2-2

3. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 3-3

4. Dylan Ferrandis (Ducati) 4-6

5. Garrett Marchbanks (Kawasaki) 6-5

9. Mikkel Haarup (Triumph) 7-12

18. Jordon Smith (Triumph) 21-14

450MX Standings: 2026 Pro Motocross, Round 2 – Hangtown

1. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 94pts

2. Jett Lawrence (Honda) 88pts

3. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 75pts

4. R.J. Hampshire (Husqvarna) 63pts

5. Chase Sexton (Kawasaki) 61pts

10. Mikkel Haarup (Triumph) 45pts

20. Jordon Smith (Triumph) 16pts

250MX Results: 2026 Pro Motocross, Round 2 – Hangtown

1. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) 2-2

2. Julien Beaumer (KTM) 4-3

3. Seth Hammaker (Kawasaki) 1-9

4. Cole Davies (Yamaha) 11-1

5. Jo Shimoda (Kawasaki) 3-6

12. Deacon Denno (Triumph) 16-10

22. Austin Forkner (Triumph) 18-26

28. Gage Linville (Triumph) 27-23

250MX Standings: 2026 Pro Motocross, Round 2 – Hangtown

1. Seth Hammaker (Kawasaki) 85pts

2. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) 78pts

3. Julien Beaumer (KTM) 71pts

4. Cole Davies (Yamaha) 70pts

5. Jo Shimoda (Honda) 69pts

15. Deacon Denno (Triumph) 24pts

27. Austin Forkner (Triumph) 4pts