The 2026 Boost Mobile AUSX Supercross Championship is set to commence this weekend in Townsville, signalling the opening round of the new season. An increased level of intrigue surrounds the series this year, as MotoOnline lists our top 10 narratives to watch for entering the first of five rounds.

Image: Octopi Media.

1. Open season for the SX1 championship:
With 2025 AUSX SX1 champion Dean Wilson sustaining a broken shoulder in a recent practice crash, the door is now wide-open for a different champion to emerge. His Honda Racing teammates Christian Craig and Joey Savatgy – the latter being the 2024 champion – take centre stage, alongside the ever-competitive Luke Clout and last year’s runner-up Cedric Soubeyras. Savatgy’s preparation is also in question, with the 2024 champion himself under an injury cloud after declaring he was ‘not anywhere near ready’ to contend at Los Angeles’ second SMX Playoff just two weeks ago. And then there is this whole TLD Ducati rumour for 2027 in the US, so have plans in fact changed altogether? We’ll see.

2. Ryder Kingsford to defend SX2 crown:
The number one plate should be on Ryder Kingsford’s CRF250R this weekend in Townsville after he claimed a well-earned championship in last year’s series. It’s also understood, however, that Kingsford broke his collarbone in recent weeks and may not be fit to even line up.

3. AUSX vs the Australian Supercross Championship:
This one is a little strange, and it’ll be a challenging one to follow throughout the season. The AUSX Supercross Townsville opener is not sanctioned by Motorcycling Australia (MA) and, therefore, will not form part of the Australian Supercross Championship. That means two championships will unfold simultaneously this season – the AUSX Supercross Championship, which begins in Townsville, and the Australian Supercross Championship, which gets underway in New Zealand. Adding another layer to the equation, Monster Energy CDR Yamaha and the full KTM Racing Team roster will not contest Townsville, instead joining the Australian Supercross Championship when it officially begins in New Zealand. Have you got all of that?

Image: Supplied.

4. KTM Racing Team and Clout reunite:
The always fast Luke Clout will reunite with KTM Racing Team, having last competed with the outfit in 2018. He’s something of a wildcard when it comes to AUSX, because you know he has the talent to win at any given moment, although consistency has often proven to be his Achilles heel, with costly points losses at previous rounds hurting his overall series position – such as at Sydney’s third round last year. If he can put it all together, he’ll be a force to be reckoned with, but regardless, he’s certain to be at the front of the field at various points.

5. Anstie and McAdoo bolster SX2 field in Townsville:
As is the case with AUSX each year, the series does a great job of attracting top-tier international talent, and this includes Max Anstie, who’ll ride for MXRP Yamaha in Townsville, alongside Honda Racing’s Cameron McAdoo, who has been announced for the full five-round schedule. The conversation around international versus domestic opportunities comes up often, but having both Anstie and McAdoo on the grid is a great opportunity for our local talent to benchmark themselves against some of the world’s best supercross riders. And don’t count out Lux Turner (Monster Energy Yamalube Yamaha) after his standout showing last season.

6. Consistency counts in rapid-fire championship:
It’s a fast-paced championship, the AUSX series, and as a result, consistency is a must for title success. There isn’t much room for throwaway rounds, which means it’s up to the riders to piece together five solid rounds – free of any major mistakes – if they’re to mount a genuine championship run. We saw it with both Lux Turner and Luke Clout last year as examples – blistering speed at individual rounds doesn’t mean a great deal if you can’t link the entire series together.

Image: Supplied.

7. SX2 title redemption for Turner:
Speaking of Turner, the capable young American was really on a roll across the first three rounds last year, claiming victory at all three and certainly looking like the title favourite. That was until it all came undone during practice at the AUSX Open, where he sustained a fractured wrist that ended his 2025 campaign. He’ll be back for redemption this year, again lining up for the Monster Energy Yamalube Yamaha team, with a heightened focus, no doubt, on making it through all five rounds and taking home that number one plate.

8. Soubeyras makes Penrite Racing Empire Kawasaki debut:
French supercross journeyman Cedric Soubeyras goes green for 2026! He was something of a wildcard last year, with Honda Racing drafting him into the line-up alongside Dean Wilson. Needless to say, he delivered, and with Wilson out, Soubeyras now becomes the favourite on paper based on last year’s results – something that has to make the Tyson Cherry-led Penrite Kawasaki Racing team quietly confident. Will he be just as strong aboard the KX450? Time will tell.

9. International talent to play a role throughout 2026 season:
We’ll see cameos from 450SX champion Ken Roczen, 250SX East and 250MX champion Cole Davies, and 2025 250SMX champion Jo Shimoda across select rounds this year, with each undoubtedly capable of influencing the championship points. This is another trademark of the AUSX series in attracting this level of talent, and for fans, it’ll be epic to witness such greatness. As for the riders, well, that will depend on what influence they have on your championship – they can either be your best friend or your enemy, depending on where they stack up.

10. Sweeping contender list aims for the podium:
So many names remain on the AUSX contender list, including last year’s third-place finisher in SX1, Hayden Mellross. He has additional support from the newly introduced Wood Motorsport team, which he must be thrilled about, alongside Queensland talent Tiger Wood in SX2. The Joe Rascal Racing Ducati outfit will also field Matt Moss and Dylan Wills, meaning you can expect to see the Desmo450 MX at the pointy-end of the field, too. Kayd Kingsford will move up to the SX2 class, while this year’s national motocross MX2 champion Alex Larwood will also chase an additional title once he arrives back from MXoN (as will Team Australia’s Jed Beaton and Aaron Tanti). And don’t forget about those Stark’s either – they’re set to enter their factory World Supercross Championship (WSX) team into the AUSX series.