# Bass Pro Shops Revs Up 2A Heartland with Monster Energy SMX World Championship at Thunder Ridge
In a powerhouse move blending outdoor retail royalty with high-octane offroad racing, Bass Pro Shops has inked a multi-year partnership with the SMX League, transforming Thunder Ridge at Big Cedar Lodge—its sprawling Branson, Missouri paradise—into the epicenter of the 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship Final on September 26. This isn’t just any dirt-flinging spectacle; it’s the global showdown pitting elite motocross and supercross stars against each other in a brutal fusion format, drawing top talent from around the world. For Bass Pro Shops, famed for its massive Cabela’s-integrated empire stocked with AR-15s, hunting rifles, and every 2A essential imaginable, this marks their bold debut into powersports racing. Picture this: Johnny Morris’s outdoor utopia, already a mecca for bass boats and blackpowder hunts, now hosting two-wheeled warriors tearing up custom tracks amid Ozark vistas—talk about elevating the family-friendly adrenaline rush.
What’s the 2A angle here? Bass Pro Shops isn’t just selling hooks and triggers; they’re culturally cementing themselves as the unapologetic heartbeat of red America, where Second Amendment rights thrive alongside family camping trips and high-speed heroism. By anchoring this championship in Missouri’s gun-loving heartland—Thunder Ridge sits just miles from Branson’s pro-2A strongholds—this partnership amplifies Bass Pro’s pro-freedom ethos, drawing massive crowds of hunters, shooters, and patriots who’ll flood the shops pre- and post-race, wallets open for optics, suppressors, and trail bikes. It’s savvy business: SMX’s young, thrill-seeking demo overlaps perfectly with 2A enthusiasts who view offroading as the motorized cousin to backwoods hog hunts. Critics might whine about corporate overreach, but this is organic synergy—reinforcing Bass Pro’s resistance to woke boycotts (remember their Glocks-for-kids displays?) while spotlighting venues where concealed carry is as common as cooler beer.
The implications for the 2A community are throttle-wide open: expect ripple effects like boosted sponsorships for shooting sports, youth intro events blending racing with range days, and a louder megaphone against anti-gun narratives in motorsports. As urban elites push electric mandates and track bans, Bass Pro’s play keeps raw American grit alive, proving free markets and freedoms fuel the fun. Mark your calendars, 2A fam—Thunder Ridge 2026 isn’t just a race; it’s a victory lap for the rights we defend. Who’s packing heat for the pits?
