Hybrid Tracks?

Pop Shmoke
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Edited Date/Time 3/17/2026 4:52pm

So on the podcasts JT and Steve a few weeks ago were talking about how everyone acknowledges that the hybrid track idea had failed and thats why smx is going to a supercross style layout now and thats good because its nice to change things up with supercross at the end of mx before the off season. I can see where theyre coming from, but did you guys agree that the hybrid tracks sucked? I actually liked them a lot and thought the racing was good. 

I think it was more the venues that were the problem vs the tracks. The drag racing tracks and stuff werent as prestigious as nfl stadiums and didnt have the amenities so I can see that, and the lighting wasnt great in some cases, but purely looking at the tracks and racing I thought it was great. I thought they actually pulled off the hybrid tracks idea pretty well and they raced good. I didnt think there was a consensus that everyone hated them the way they were saying. What did you guys think? 

 

Poll

Did you like hybrid tracks for smx playoffs?

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NickoBrap
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3/17/2026 5:14pm

Some were good. Some were bad. The one in the collesium year 1 was the coolest one, but that was much more SX. 

6
Not hillbilly
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3/17/2026 5:43pm

The hybrid tracks made sense to me from an “SMX” perspective; ideally the tracks would lean more towards moto to help them be ready for MXoN. But I guess it’s hard to put full on moto in those venues.

30minmotos
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3/17/2026 5:48pm

I thought the early Atlanta speedway track was awesome. Whatever track masterpool holeshot and was shredding for a lap or two before deegan got him was cool too.


I don’t see how they failed🤷‍♂️

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side-pipe
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3/17/2026 6:46pm

That first ever round in Charlotte was awesome to watch the teams scramble to figure out settings. It would be good to keep the tracks secret until the track is built.  really makes it about who can adapt the fastest.  

7

The Shop

msp332
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3/17/2026 7:08pm

IMO Daytona is the definition of a hybrid track. I want more of that. Charlotte and Atlanta speedways were great too.

I want something bigger than a 200'x300' supercross track on a football field. 1:30 laptimes. Faster speeds, more technical turns with variety. Something right in between Anaheim and Millville.

We need Bristol with the fencing down - plenty of seats and floor space. It can be done.

6
aeffertz
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3/17/2026 7:08pm Edited Date/Time 3/17/2026 7:15pm

The first year the tracks were great but they keep getting worse and worse IMO. I think the finale this year has a lot of potential, though. I don’t know if they’ll ever be able to top the LA Coliseum round but that’s what every SMX round should strive to be. Everything else so far seems like a budget Supercross. 

6
3/17/2026 7:10pm

I generally through the layouts were cool. That said, it seemed like the dragstrip tracks had concrete walls everywhere that weren't really covered up. Seemed like those were dangerous af. 

2
yak651
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3/17/2026 7:19pm Edited Date/Time 3/17/2026 7:20pm

Have one moto track(at a track not currently on the national schedule), one sx track and then the last one for all the marbles is a hybrid track

Meister
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3/17/2026 7:34pm

They weren't "hybrid" enough. 

4
3/17/2026 8:39pm
yak651 wrote:
Have one moto track(at a track not currently on the national schedule), one sx track and then the last one for all the marbles is a...

Have one moto track(at a track not currently on the national schedule), one sx track and then the last one for all the marbles is a hybrid track

They need to figure out what the formula is to make hybrids have good racing. They’re either incredible or duds. The one at The Dome looked like a blast to ride but raced horrible

mxbmx
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3/17/2026 9:00pm
aeffertz wrote:
The first year the tracks were great but they keep getting worse and worse IMO. I think the finale this year has a lot of potential...

The first year the tracks were great but they keep getting worse and worse IMO. I think the finale this year has a lot of potential, though. I don’t know if they’ll ever be able to top the LA Coliseum round but that’s what every SMX round should strive to be. Everything else so far seems like a budget Supercross. 

Agreed. I really liked the 3 tracks the first year, they were for the most part "hybrid" and were genuinely exciting to see different layouts that has elements of both SX and MX. Everything since has been long SX without woops and a total let down

1
westeast
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3/17/2026 9:18pm

Anyone know what the riders think of them?  I like them.  Variety is the spice of life.  

BS12
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3/17/2026 9:19pm

Chicago was sick. Just add more lights. 

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Pop Shmoke
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3/18/2026 2:29am
aeffertz wrote:
The first year the tracks were great but they keep getting worse and worse IMO. I think the finale this year has a lot of potential...

The first year the tracks were great but they keep getting worse and worse IMO. I think the finale this year has a lot of potential, though. I don’t know if they’ll ever be able to top the LA Coliseum round but that’s what every SMX round should strive to be. Everything else so far seems like a budget Supercross. 

mxbmx wrote:
Agreed. I really liked the 3 tracks the first year, they were for the most part "hybrid" and were genuinely exciting to see different layouts that...

Agreed. I really liked the 3 tracks the first year, they were for the most part "hybrid" and were genuinely exciting to see different layouts that has elements of both SX and MX. Everything since has been long SX without woops and a total let down

Apparently thats the plan going fwd is just full on sx tracks without the whoops. If theyre going full sx just put whoops in. That being said Id like to see them keep the hybrid tracks. 

1
CPR
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3/18/2026 4:28am
side-pipe wrote:
That first ever round in Charlotte was awesome to watch the teams scramble to figure out settings. It would be good to keep the tracks secret...

That first ever round in Charlotte was awesome to watch the teams scramble to figure out settings. It would be good to keep the tracks secret until the track is built.  really makes it about who can adapt the fastest.  

That should be for SX too, don’t release the track maps at all.

1
gt80rider
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Boulder, CO US
3/18/2026 9:43am

Hybrid tracks make it impossible to set up suspension properly... then, they are only used 3 times a year... for some utterly bogus "world championship"... with no fim sanctioning nor any of the races being held outside merica, with nobody from outside the USA invited to compete... pure stupidity... 

3
3/18/2026 10:02am

As far as SMX layouts go I thought Chicagoland was the coolest the lighting was bad but everything else was cool imo 

2
3/18/2026 10:27am
gt80rider wrote:
Hybrid tracks make it impossible to set up suspension properly... then, they are only used 3 times a year... for some utterly bogus "world championship"... with...

Hybrid tracks make it impossible to set up suspension properly... then, they are only used 3 times a year... for some utterly bogus "world championship"... with no fim sanctioning nor any of the races being held outside merica, with nobody from outside the USA invited to compete... pure stupidity... 

I would argue winning SMX makes you more of a world champion the winning world supercross does FIM sanctioning means nothing it's more about where the talent is racing

1
Falcon
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Menifee, CA US
3/18/2026 11:14am

I like the tracks. With the "hybrid" mindset, the trackbuilders can incorporate more creative designs into the course. I like the sweeping turns and elevation changes they had at the final last year.

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