Jett Lawrence to miss SMX Playoffs

Jett Lawrence will miss all three rounds of the 2026 SuperMotocross Playoffs, undergoing follow-up surgery on the right ankle that has troubled him all year. Here’s the official press release from Honda:

American Honda confirmed today that Jett Lawrence will miss all three rounds of the upcoming SuperMotocross Playoffs, to address the severe pain that he continues to experience in his right ankle that was originally injured last December while training. He was able to compete in the full AMA Pro Motocross series. While he was extremely competitive—winning four rounds and finishing second to teammate Hunter Lawrence in the final standings—Jett fought through varying degrees of pain and discomfort throughout the entire series, but he experienced a renewed level of intense pain and instability when he aggravated the injury during the opening moto at Ironman Raceway.

Jett is scheduled to undergo surgery Wednesday, September 9, at the Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colorado. After speaking with the doctor, he felt it was best to address the pain and discomfort he’s experiencing in the ankle. Steadman Clinic specialists will continue to treat Lawrence as he recovers from this latest surgery.

“I’ve made the decision with my team to sit out the SMX series to get my ankle back to 100% for the longevity of my career,” Jett said. “I suffered through the summer and did everything I could to win the outdoor championship, but my ankle hasn’t felt right since the start of the season, and it’s even worse now after Ironman. I want to do everything I can to get back to being me. The most important thing is that I get back to being pain-free as I work towards next year. I appreciate the patience of my team, family and fans as I do everything I can to make that happen!”

The SuperMotocross Playoffs opener will take place September 12 in Columbus, Ohio, where Honda HRC Progressive will field newly crowned 450 AMA Pro Motocross Champion Hunter Lawrence in the premier class, along with Jo Shimoda and Chance Hymas in the support class. Hunter finished a close second to Jett last year in SMX, while Shimoda is the reigning 250 Champion.

“We’re sorry that Jett won’t be able to go for his fourth consecutive SMX Championship, but the entire team supports him in this decision,” said Brandon Wilson, Manager of Racing & Experiential at American Honda. “Although it would be great to see him battle for another SMX title, he has a long career ahead of him, and we’re in full support of doing what’s necessary to get back as close to 100% as possible. In the meantime, we look forward to taking on the SMX Playoffs with Hunter, Jo and Chance, all of whom should be very competitive.”