Jeff Stanton Named Grand Marshal for RedBud National
NXTbets Pro | Published On: July 6, 2026
Jeff Stanton Honored
Jeff Stanton will serve as Grand Marshal for the 53rd RedBud National, a ceremonial role that brings the Michigan motocross great back to his home race. MX Sports Pro Racing, RedBud MX and the Ritchie Family announced the honor, giving one of the sport’s most decorated riders a spot at the center of a track that helped shape his career. Stanton grew up in Sherwood, Michigan, about 70 miles from RedBud MX, and his connection to the event runs deep. He made six 250cc starts at RedBud and finished on the overall podium every time, a rare record that underlines how well he matched the track’s demands. He also won at RedBud in 1989, one of the standout results in a career built on speed, consistency and championship form.
Stanton’s résumé reaches well beyond RedBud. He is a six-time SMX champion and was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2000. He won three straight Supercross and Pro Motocross 250cc titles in 1989, 1990 and 1992, a stretch that placed him among the top riders of his era. Stanton also earned multiple Motocross of Nations victories while representing Team USA, adding international success to his domestic title haul. He has 37 career SMX race wins, another marker of a career that stayed at a high level across multiple disciplines. His Grand Marshal role gives RedBud a familiar face with a long history at the venue and a record that still carries weight in Michigan motocross.
RedBud National Set
The 53rd RedBud National is set for RedBud MX in Michigan and stands as Round 22 of the 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship. It is also the fifth round of the summer Pro Motocross season, which keeps the event in a prominent spot on the schedule. RedBud has long been one of the sport’s defining stops, and this edition comes with added meaning. The event is being presented as part of the sport’s Independence Day celebration and America’s 250th anniversary, giving the race weekend a broader place in the calendar and in the sport’s history. That framing fits RedBud’s role as a major summer event, one that pulls together championship racing, patriotic pageantry and a track that has become closely tied to American motocross.
Stanton’s selection adds another layer to that setting. He is not just a former champion attached to the race in name. He is a Michigan rider with a home-state connection to the venue and a resume that includes repeated success on the same soil. His six podium finishes in six RedBud starts show a rare level of consistency at one of motocross’s most recognizable tracks. That history makes the Grand Marshal honor feel rooted in the event itself rather than layered on top of it. RedBud’s place in the SMX championship fight and its spot in the summer Pro Motocross run already give the race clear importance. Stanton’s return gives the weekend a personal connection to the series’ past as well as its present.
Peacock Coverage Details
Live coverage of the RedBud National will stream exclusively on Peacock, giving fans a single place to follow the action from start to finish. The day opens early, with on-track action set for 8 a.m. ET. Opening ceremonies follow at 12:15 p.m. ET, then the motos begin at 1 p.m. ET. That schedule sets a clear rhythm for the event and puts the spotlight on a full day at RedBud MX. The timing also fits the scale of the race, which brings together championship points, a holiday backdrop and a track with a strong connection to one of the sport’s best-known riders.
The race weekend places the spotlight on both the present and the past. RedBud remains a stop where the current field chases SMX points and Pro Motocross momentum, while Stanton’s presence recalls a career built on titles, wins and steady results at the same venue. The Grand Marshal honor ties those pieces together without taking the focus away from the racing. Fans will see a familiar name recognized before the motos begin, then the day moves into competition on a schedule that leaves little downtime once the gates open. Peacock carries the full show, from the first track activity through the start of the motos, as RedBud prepares for another major summer stop in Michigan.
