Words and images courtesy of AEO Powersports – Images by Michael Lindsay VitalMX
The 2026 AMA Pro Motocross Championship has officially come to a close at Ironman Raceway, bringing an end to a season that will go down as the most successful in AEO Powersports KTM Racing history.
While the team entered the final round a rider down following a wrist injury sustained by Carson Mumford at Budds Creek, the AEO Powersports KTM Racing team can look back on the 2026 season with tremendous pride. From the riders to the mechanics, management, and entire team behind the scenes, the dedication and effort throughout the season produced the best results the team has achieved since its inception.
Throughout the 2026 Supercross and Pro Motocross seasons, AEO Powersports KTM Racing collected 11 total top-10 finishes: six in Motocross and five in Supercross. Mumford also delivered two impressive fourth-place overall finishes during the season, while making AEO Powersports history at Unadilla by putting the team on the podium in the opening moto for the first time.
With Mumford sidelined and recovering from the wrist injury that will require surgery, Avery Long carried the team banner into the final round at Ironman.
Moto 1
Long got his final round off to a strong start, launching out of the gate and coming through the first turn around fifth place. The strong start put him in an excellent position early in the moto, and he came across the opening lap in eighth.
Avery remained inside the top 10 for much of the first half of the race, showing strong pace and consistency. He eventually dropped back to 10th around Lap 12 and continued to fight to maintain his position. Despite a late-race push from the field, Long held on to finish 11th.
Moto 2
The second moto proved to be a tougher battle for Long. Unable to replicate his strong first-moto start, Avery came across the holeshot line in 21st before immediately beginning his charge forward.
He moved up to 15th by the opening lap and continued to make progress. By Lap 3, Long had recorded his fastest lap of the moto while advancing into 12th. He battled between 12th and 15th for the remainder of the race before ultimately crossing the checkered flag in 15th.
The 11-15 moto scores gave Long a 13th-place overall finish at the final round of the 2026 Pro Motocross Championship.
Although Avery was unable to gain ground in the overall SMX points standings, he finished just outside the top 20 and remains focused on securing his position and qualifying for the three-round SuperMotocross playoff series.
Looking Ahead to SMX
With the Pro Motocross season now complete, the AEO Powersports KTM Racing team will quickly shift its focus toward the SuperMotocross Championship. With only a short break between the two series, the team will use the coming days to regroup, prepare, and ensure everything is ready for the SMX rounds.
For Mumford, the focus is now on recovery. Following his wrist injury at Budds Creek, Carson will undergo surgery and begin the road back to racing. While his 2026 season ended earlier than anyone hoped, the progress he made this year — including two fourth-place overall finishes and AEO Powersports’ historic first moto podium at Unadilla — provided plenty of momentum.
Carson will now put his full focus into recovery with his sights set firmly on 2027, where he plans to return to the gate and pick up right where he left off: fighting for podiums.
As the team closes the book on the 2026 Pro Motocross season, AEO Powersports KTM Racing would like to thank its riders, crew, partners, sponsors, and fans for their continued support throughout the year.
The results achieved in 2026 are a reflection of the commitment of the entire team — and with SuperMotocross still ahead, the season isn’t over yet.
Results
Carson Mumford
Moto Results: N/A | N/A
Overall: N/A
MX Points Standing: 7th
SMX Points: 9th
Avery Long
Moto Results: 11th | 15th
Overall: 13th
MX Points Standing: 20th
SMX Points: 25th
