The 2026 Women’s Motocross Championship heads to Budds Creek Motocross Park this weekend with just two rounds remaining in what has become a gripping title fight between Lachlan Turner and Charli Cannon. The penultimate round of the series will feature unprecedented broadcast coverage, with both motos airing live across multiple platforms including a Saturday showcase on NBC.
Altus Motorsports bLUcRU Yamaha’s Lachlan Turner arrives at the Yamaha Racing Budds Creek National holding a 15-point championship advantage after reclaiming momentum with a dominant 1-1 performance at Unadilla. The victory marked Turner’s third win in four rounds, showcasing the form that has defined her 2026 campaign.
Quad Lock Honda’s Charli Cannon enters must-win territory as she looks to close the points gap with just four motos remaining. The Australian minimised the damage at Unadilla with a 2-2 finish, her third runner-up result of the summer, and showed encouraging late-race pace by closing to within 1.5 seconds of Turner in the final moto.
The key difference between the championship rivals has been Turner’s ability to make decisive moves on the opening lap, regardless of starting position. This has allowed her to control races from the front in the 12 Minute + 1 Lap format, whilst Cannon has often shown stronger pace once settled but struggled to overcome early deficits.
SLR Honda’s Mayla Herrick has emerged as the wildcard in the title fight. The 17-year-old has quickly established herself as the best starter in the field and already claimed her first moto victory. After securing her maiden overall podium at Unadilla, Herrick has proven to be a fast learner and could play a pivotal role in deciding the championship outcome.
The battle for third in the standings sees Dusty Rocks Yamaha’s Jordan Jarvis holding a slim four-point advantage over Partzilla Blaster Power PRMX Kawasaki’s Taylah McCutcheon. Jarvis, the most decorated rider in the field, has overcome an average starting position of 11.1 by passing an average of six riders per moto. McCutcheon, meanwhile, has been statistically the best starter in the championship and will look to leverage that strength over the final two rounds.
The field receives a boost with the return of Priority MX GASGAS’ Jamie Astudillo, who successfully defended her Canadian WMX Championship crown last weekend and brings championship-calibre experience to Budds Creek and Ironman.
Budds Creek’s challenging layout features sharp elevation changes, multiple off-camber corners, and some of the finest soil in American motocross. Turner won at the Maryland venue last season en route to claiming the WMX Championship, but faces a larger and deeper field this time around.
Friday’s opening moto will be broadcast live on the SuperMotocross YouTube Channel as part of SMX Friday Live Presented by Honda, beginning at 10:30 a.m. PT / 1:30 p.m. ET. Saturday’s second moto will air on NBC at 12:30 p.m. PT / 3:30 p.m. ET, providing millions of potential viewers access to the championship action.
Photo: MX Sports Pro Racing Media
