Appin Breakdown: Everything You Need to Know Before ProMX Round 5

The 2026 Penrite ProMX Championship hits its halfway mark this Sunday, June 14, when Round 5 rolls into the Macarthur Motorcycle Club’s Appin circuit, 75 kilometres south-west of Sydney. Four classes are on the bill — MX1, MX2, MX3 and the KTM Group MX65 Futures — and with title fights tightening everywhere except the front of MX1, here’s the full breakdown.

The track

Appin is a hard-pack, clay-based hillside circuit that tests riders from every angle — the off-camber turns in particular punish anyone riding lazy lines. Passing is at a premium, which puts a huge price on starts, and the natural amphitheatre gives spectators a view of nearly the whole track. The Macarthur region has long been a pipeline for Australian racing talent, and the venue hosted national championship racing well before the ProMX era.

Appin form matters: in its two previous ProMX visits, Aaron Tanti took MX1 honours in 2023, and Kyle Webster swept every session there in 2025 ahead of Jed Beaton. Ryder Kingsford (MX2) and Kayd Kingsford (MX3) also won at Appin last year — every one of those names is racing Sunday.

MX1: can anyone slow Beaton down?

Jed Beaton (Monster Energy CDR Yamaha) arrives with a 40-point lead and seven moto wins from eight. The man most likely to interrupt him is the man who owned Appin in 2025: two-time defending champion Kyle Webster, who comes in race-sharp after lining up at Round 1 of the AMA Pro Motocross in the United States. Aaron Tanti — the 2023 Appin winner — sits another nine points back in third.

The big news of the week: Dean Ferris will sit out the remainder of the championship with injuries from his Toowoomba first-turn crash. Penrite Racing Empire Kawasaki has drafted in MX2 regular Ryan Alexanderson as his replacement — a 450 chance the JPM 360 Kawasaki graduate has earned with consistent speed all year.

MX2: nine points, two teammates, no team orders

This is the title fight of the season. Alex Larwood leads Honda Racing Australia rookie teammate Kayd Kingsford by just nine points at halfway — and both are carrying injuries, Larwood a sore shoulder from Toowoomba, Kingsford a plated collarbone that hasn’t stopped him winning two of the last three rounds. Byron Dennis and Dylan Walsh keep KTM within striking distance; Walsh has five podiums without a win. Watch for local Seth Burchell (WBR Yamaha) as the home-track darkhorse in a 36-rider field racing two 25-minute-plus-one-lap motos.

MX3: Draper’s cushion, a stacked chase pack

Kiwi Hayden Draper (WBR Yamaha) holds a 35-point lead, but the battle for second is ferocious: Riley Burgess, Heath Fisher, Jackson Fuller and Toowoomba sweeper Hayden Downie are split by just 22 points. A 48-rider entry contests qualifying for 40 gates. Bonus storyline: Seth Thomas heads to the FIM Junior World Championship in Czechia next month for Team Australia.

MX65 Futures

The new junior class makes its second appearance, with Gillman winner Ryder Madafiglio (Husqvarna) leading the points. Madafiglio and Hudson Francis both head to the Junior Worlds in July.

When and how to watch

• Riders on track from 8:00am Sunday June 14
• 10:00am–12:25pm AEST: free livestream on the ProMX Facebook page and auspromx.com.au
• 1:00–4:00pm AEST: live on SBS Sport, SBS On Demand, Stan Sport and Sky Sport NZ
• Tickets at the gate or via Ticketebo; Macarthur Motorcycle Club, Brian Rd, Appin NSW

Moto Index will be trackside at Appin — full report and Race Index footage after the chequers.