Triumph Motorcycles is excited to officially expand its off-road racing programme by contesting the 450 division of the 2026 SuperMotocross World Championship. With Triumph Factory Racing’s Austin Forkner competing aboard the TF 450-X from round one this weekend in Anaheim, California, the stage is set for the next chapter of Triumph’s racing legacy to begin.
Originally scheduled to race his familiar, main event-winning TF 250-X in the upcoming 250SX East division, Forkner tested the TF 450-X during the off-season and immediately felt comfortable aboard the larger-capacity machine. With the team’s 450 racer, Jordon Smith, still recovering from shoulder surgery, Austin was the perfect choice to step up and represent the brand in the premier class until Smith returns later in the year.
During recent months, Triumph Factory Racing’s Stilez Robertson has fully embraced his new role as team test rider, taking over from Ivan Tedesco, and has been influential in refining the TF 450-X for the tight confines of AMA Supercross. Drawing on his experience developing factory-level race bikes, his dedication and long hours of testing have provided both Forkner and Smith with a solid platform to compete upon. This weekend’s Supercross event is another historic moment for Triumph, marking the first time that the TF 450-X will be contested by the Triumph Factory Racing team.
Also competing in the 450 class at Anaheim on Triumph machinery is British racer Dylan Woodcock, who will line up for the opening rounds of the series as part of the UK-based Dirt Store Triumph Racing team.
In February, the 250SX East series gets underway with Jalek Swoll set to compete aboard the TF 250-X. Now entering his third season with Triumph Factory Racing, Swoll is focused on delivering a strong indoor campaign. It is expected Smith will return to action in February, with the trio of riders joined by Mikkel Haarup for the Pro Motocross season later in the year.
Austin Forkner
“Yeah, I’m super excited to be making my 450 debut. It’s been a long time coming, and I’m excited to get out there. Testing and everything have gone well, but you never really know until you get on the track for the first race. So yeah, get on the track, see where we stack up, see how the bike is, see where I am, and go from there.”
Jeremy Coker – General Manager, Triumph Racing America
“It’s very exciting for us to be racing the TF 450-X at Anaheim. The team has worked countless hours to prepare, and we’re really happy with the outcome. Austin and the bike have been a great match, and the preparation has gone extremely well. You never truly know where you stand until the gate drops, but we’ve done everything we can to be at our best. From here, we’ll take it week by week and focus on building on our results at each round.”
Ian Kimber – Head of Global Racing Programmes, Triumph Motorcycles
“This weekend marks another historic moment in our racing journey, as our 450 lines up for the first time with a factory team. This is the culmination of our off-road projects, where we’ve brought an entirely new line-up of bikes to the off-road market. I’m super excited to see Austin make the step to the 450 class. He had a solid year on the 250 last year, and everyone saw the improvements through the season as his confidence grew. Having seen some of his 450 practice riding, we know he’s feeling good on the bike, and it’s a proud moment to be going to Anaheim with the TF 450-X. We also look forward to Jordon making a full recovery and being able to race the premier class of AMA Supercross later in the year. The field is really competitive, and we know that we still have a lot to learn, but our approach is to go step-by-step, gather as much information as we can from each event in race conditions, and continue to make progress throughout the season.”
