Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing secured a double podium finish in the 250SMX class at the opening round of the 2026 SMX World Championship post-season, with Daxton Bennick and Ryder DiFrancesco delivering impressive performances in treacherous conditions at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
Bennick claimed second overall after a breakthrough moto one victory, whilst DiFrancesco rounded out the podium in third, elevating himself to second in the championship standings with two rounds remaining.
Qualifying sessions for both 250SMX and 450SMX were cancelled due to inclement weather, with track crews working frantically to salvage the circuit for racing as rain hammered the region throughout the day.
Aboard his Husqvarna FC 250 Factory Edition, Bennick launched to a solid start in moto one, holding second position for the majority of the 15-lap race before seizing the lead on lap 12. He maintained the advantage to the chequered flag, claiming a popular first moto victory.
Another strong start in moto two saw Bennick run as high as second before settling for third, securing second overall on the day and moving to fourth in the championship standings.
“Man, I’ve got to be happy with today,” commented Bennick. “We had two solid motos, and yeah, I had it [the overall] with two laps to go, but Levi [Kitchen] was riding good. But wow, what a start to this thing, and a big thank you to the whole Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team for supporting me and believing in me. It was a good day!”
DiFrancesco took the green flag for race one in 13th position, charging through the field across all 15 laps to advance to an impressive third—making the decisive move for a podium finish on the final lap. Fourth position in race two was sufficient to secure third overall for the weekend.
“Consistency is crucial on a day like today,” said DiFrancesco. “We got off to a decent start [in moto two], and I just rode my laps. I want to win one of these things, but last year these guys were super-consistent, and that’s my goal for this year so we can show up at Missouri and have a shot at [the title].”
In the 450SMX class, Malcolm Stewart and RJ Hampshire faced challenging conditions aboard their Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Editions. Stewart finished sixth in moto one before a crash during the early stages of race two whilst running sixth saw him tumble down the order, ultimately finishing 11th overall.
“Mother Nature definitely threw a wrench in some things today!” reflected Stewart. “The first moto was great, ending up in P6, which was good, and then in moto two I ended up going down with another rider, but that happens in mud races.”
Hampshire worked his way to 10th in moto two after struggling in the opening race, with the result earning him 16th overall at Playoff 1.
The SMX World Championship post-season continues next weekend in Los Angeles, California, with double points on offer at the penultimate round.
Photo: Husqvarna Media
