2026 PRO MOTOCROSS POINT STANDINGS (AFTER ROUND 3 OF 11)

The points picture continues to take shape after Thunder Valley, and both classes had plenty of storylines throughout the day. In the 450 class, Jett Lawrence was once again the rider to beat, grabbing both moto wins and going 1-1 for the overall. Lucas Coenen made a huge statement in his U.S. Pro Motocross appearance, finishing second in both motos and proving right away that he could run with the best of the 450 class. Hunter Lawrence had the speed to battle up front, but mistakes in both motos kept him from challenging for the win, while Garrett Marchbanks, Jorge Prado and Haiden Deegan all put themselves inside the top six overall.

In the 250 class, Jo Shimoda came away with the overall win after a strong and consistent day, going 3-2 in the motos. Levi Kitchen won the opening moto and still finished second overall, even after having to charge back through the pack in Moto 2. Nicholas Romano put together one of his strongest rides of the season to land third overall, while Sacha Coenen made a big impression by winning the second moto after a rough first moto. The 250 class continues to be unpredictable, with Hammaker, Kitchen, Shimoda, Beaumer, Davies and now Coenen all adding to the early-season battle.

2026 THUNDER VALLEY NATIONAL // FULL COVERAGE

250 POINT STANDINGS: THUNDER VALLEY

Cole Davies showed a lot of speed, but a high-speed crash sent him back away from the overall.

Seth Hammaker will lose the points lead after a tough crash in moto two.

Nick Romano had an impressive ride, finishing third overall.

450 POINT STANDINGS: THUNDER VALLEY

The moment is now in Jett Lawrence’s favor.

Jorge Prado was better this weekend not dealing with any bike issues.

Hunter Lawrence gave up the points lead to his brother but is still within striking distance.

2026 THUNDER VALLEY NATIONAL // FULL COVERAGE

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250 OVERALL RESULTS // 2026 THUNDER VALLEY NATIONAL

The 250 class heads into the motos at Thunder Valley with plenty of storylines building after qualifying. Seth Hammaker still holds the red plate after a strong start to the season, but the front of the class continues to get tighter every weekend. Cole Davies put himself in a strong position by topping the overall qualifying times, while Sacha Coenen immediately became one of the biggest stories of the morning. The MXGP rider from Belgium came over for a one-off race and wasted no time showing speed, ending up second overall in qualifying and proving he can run with the top U.S. riders.

Julien Beaumer, Hammaker and Levi Kitchen rounded out the top five, giving the 250 class a stacked group heading into the first moto. Riders like Michael Mosiman, Chance Hymas, Lux Turner and Jo Shimoda also showed pace throughout the morning, making this one of the more unpredictable classes of the day. Thunder Valley is already rough, rutted and demanding, and with the elevation playing a factor, race pace will be much different than putting in one fast lap. Now the question is who can carry that qualifying speed into the motos and stay strong all the way to the finish.

2026 THUNDER VALLEY NATIONAL // FULL COVERAGE

250 OVERALL RESULTS

Jo Shimoda will take the overall on the day by finishing in second in moto two.

Sacha Coenen grabbed the holeshot and put himself out front early, with Nick Romano and Ryder DiFrancesco slotting in behind him. Behind the lead group, Levi Kitchen and Seth Hammaker both went down in the first turn, forcing two of the main contenders to begin charging back through the pack from the opening lap.

Romano was in a strong position early, and with the way the points were shaping up, he was sitting in a spot that could have put him in the mix for the overall. But as the race started to unfold, the pressure began to build. DiFrancesco made his way around Romano, and shortly after, Cole Davies and Jo Shimoda began closing in as well. Davies was able to make the pass into third, but he went down almost immediately after, handing the position back and keeping Romano alive in the battle.

From there, Shimoda became the rider Romano had to worry about. If Shimoda could make the pass, the overall picture would change again. The two battled back and forth for several laps, with Romano doing everything he could to hold the position, but Shimoda eventually found his way by. Meanwhile, Kitchen never gave up after his first-turn crash and worked his way all the way back to eighth heading into the final lap.

Up front, though, the race belonged to Sacha Coenen. After grabbing the holeshot, he controlled the moto from start to finish and capped off a strong ride by leading every lap.

Nick Romano was very impressive today and so far the most consistent Pro Circuit rider.

Ryder DiFrancesco showed real speed in moto two, finishing in third.

250 RACE RESULTS MOTO 1

Seth Hammaker led the race for 30 minutes but would lose the lead heading into the last lap.

Seth Hammaker grabbed the holeshot and put himself into the early lead, with Julien Beaumer slotting in right behind him. Nick Romano was also strong in the opening laps and quickly worked his way into third, with Levi Kitchen beginning to build momentum just behind the front group. Early on, it looked like Hammaker had the race under control, but the 250 class was already starting to shuffle behind him.

Jo Shimoda, who came into the moto as one of the favorites, had a crash in the opening laps and was forced to start making his way back through the pack. Sacha Coenen also went down early, which took away the momentum he had built from a strong qualifying effort. Both riders had plenty of work to do from that point forward, especially on a rough Thunder Valley track where passing was not going to come easy.

As the race continued, Romano found his rhythm and was able to make the move around Beaumer for second. Once there, he started to slightly close the gap on Hammaker up front. A few laps later, Kitchen began to turn up the pace as well, moving into third and putting himself in position to challenge for the lead as the moto started to unfold.

Late in the race, Kitchen made the pass on Romano and immediately set his sights on Hammaker. He made a few mistakes while trying to close the gap and lost some time, but he never backed off the charge. As they came toward the white flag, Kitchen was finally able to make the pass on Hammaker and take over the lead. From there, he held on to win the moto, putting together an impressive late-race push after having to work his way through the front group.

Julien Beaumer showed a lot of speed early in the moto but a few mistakes would push him back.

Levi Kitchen never gave up and was able to grab the moto win.

2026 THUNDER VALLEY NATIONAL // FULL COVERAGE

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450 OVERALL RESULTS // 2026 THUNDER VALLEY NATIONAL – PRESENTED BY FXR

Presented by FXR Racing:  The 450 class heads into the motos at Thunder Valley with plenty of attention on the front of the field. Hunter Lawrence made a late charge in the final qualifying session to grab the fastest time of the day, showing that he still has the speed to control the pace as racing gets underway. Lucas Coenen was one of the biggest storylines of the morning, as the MXGP rider from Belgium came over for a one-off race and put himself second overall in qualifying, ahead of names like Jett Lawrence, Haiden Deegan, and Jorge Prado.

Jett Lawrence showed speed early in the day and looked comfortable leading laps in practice, while Haiden Deegan was also right in the mix throughout both sessions. Jorge Prado rounded out the top five, giving the 450 class a strong international presence at the front of the field. With Thunder Valley’s elevation, long uphills, and rough conditions, the real test now comes in the motos, where fitness, starts, and race pace will decide who can carry that qualifying speed all the way to the finish.

2026 THUNDER VALLEY NATIONAL // FULL COVERAGE

450 OVERALL RACE RESULTS

Jett Lawrence went 1-1 on the day and took home the win and the points lead.

Just like in the first moto, Jett Lawrence grabbed the holeshot and put himself out front early, with Hunter Lawrence slotting in behind him. However, Hunter’s race took a turn on the opening lap when he went down, dropping him into the middle of the pack and forcing him to start working his way back toward the front.

Lucas Coenen started around the fifth position but wasted no time moving forward. The MXGP rider quickly worked his way into second, and once he got there, the pace between him and Jett began to pull the top two away from the rest of the field. Behind them, Haiden Deegan was able to move into third and settle into a podium position as the race started to take shape.

Out front, Jett Lawrence slowly built a lead over Coenen and managed the gap for the majority of the moto. Coenen kept him honest, but Jett had enough control to keep the race in his favor as the laps wound down. The main excitement came late in the moto when Hunter Lawrence, after charging back through the pack, caught Deegan for third.

The battle between Hunter and Deegan brought the race to life in the closing laps. Hunter made an aggressive move on Deegan with two laps to go and took over the final podium spot, but after all the work it took to get there, Hunter would go down again and hand the position right back. At the finish, Jett Lawrence took the Moto 2 win, Lucas Coenen finished second, and Haiden Deegan rounded out the top three.

Tough luck for Hunter Lawrence, who went down twice in the second moto. He would still go 4-4 on the day.

Best result thus far for Garrett Marchbanks, who took a third in moto one and a sixth in moto two.

450 RACE RESULTS MOTO 1

Haiden Deegan rode unbelievably in the opening laps of the race, but many mistakes and two crashes would move him back to fourth.

Jett Lawrence grabbed the holeshot and put himself out front early, with Cooper Webb slotting into second and Hunter Lawrence right behind him. It did not take long for Hunter to make his move, as he worked his way around Webb within the opening turns and immediately began applying pressure to Jett for the lead. The Lawrence brothers quickly set the pace up front, but they were not alone for long.

Within the first few laps, Haiden Deegan had entered the picture and looked like one of the fastest riders on the track. He was charging hard and closing in on the lead group, but the pace also came with a few big mistakes. Deegan was visibly pushing the limit, nearly over-riding the track in a few sections as he tried to make up time. Behind him, Lucas Coenen had moved himself into fourth, but by that point, the lead three had already opened a bit of a gap.

A few laps later, Deegan’s mistakes caught up with him. He would go down twice in the same lap, and while neither crash appeared to be major, it cost him the position to Coenen and took away the momentum he had built early in the moto. From there, Deegan dropped off the pace, while Coenen settled into third and continued to put together a strong ride in his U.S. Pro Motocross debut.

Up front, Hunter continued to pressure Jett and kept him honest throughout the moto. There were moments where it looked like Hunter might be able to close enough to attempt a pass, but Jett had just enough in reserve to answer every time. In the final laps, Hunter would go down, which allowed Lucas Coenen to move into second before the finish. Jett Lawrence went on to take the Moto 1 win, with Coenen finishing second in an impressive first 450 moto appearance and Hunter Lawrence remounting to finish third.

After the moto, penalties were handed out for cutting the track at the top of the hill. Haiden Deegan was docked seven positions, while Hunter Lawrence was docked two positions, reshuffling the final Moto 1 results.

Jett Lawrence would brave the storm of riders and grab another win.

Hunter Lawrence would go down in the final laps of the race. 

2026 THUNDER VALLEY NATIONAL // FULL COVERAGE

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250 OVERALL QUALIFYING RESULTS // 2026 THUNDER VALLEY NATIONAL

The 250 class heads into Thunder Valley with Seth Hammaker still holding the red plate after a strong start to the season. Levi Kitchen put himself back on top with the overall win at Hangtown, while riders like Julien Beaumer, Jo Shimoda, Cole Davies, and Chance Hymas continue to keep the front of the class tight. The 250 division has already shown how quickly things can change from moto to moto, making qualifying even more important as the riders look for a good gate pick. This weekend adds another storyline as MXGP rider Sacha Coenen joins the field, giving everyone a chance to see how his speed stacks up against the U.S. riders. With Thunder Valley’s elevation, long climbs and rough conditions, the class is set for another tough test.

2026 THUNDER VALLEY NATIONAL // FULL COVERAGE

250 QUALIFYING RESULTS SESSION 2 GROUP A

Cole Davies is the fastest for qualifying.

The times began to drop again in the second 250 qualifying session, and once again, Sacha Coenen was the rider to watch. Just like in the first session, Coenen jumped to the top early and showed that his speed was no fluke. Cole Davies and Julien Beaumer followed close behind in second and third, giving the session a similar look to what we saw earlier in the day.

Michael Mosiman also picked up the pace in the second session, moving himself up into fourth, while Lux Turner continued to show early-season speed by putting himself inside the top six. Up front, the times were tight, but Coenen’s performance stood out the most. For him to come over for a one-off race and immediately put himself ahead of the full-time U.S. riders was impressive.

The big question now is whether Coenen can carry that same pace into race conditions. Qualifying speed is one thing, but Thunder Valley’s elevation, rough track and long motos will be the real test this afternoon. On the last lap, Cole Davies actually took away the top time and will finish as the fastest qualifier.

Julien Beaumer put himself up front as well, which he has been consistently.

Levi Kitchen was a little off the pace but it does not determine his racing results.

250 QUALIFYING RESULTS SESSION 1 GROUP A

Levi Kitchen (47) and Seth Hammaker (10) prepare for battle.

As the 250 class rolled onto the track, the times started coming in quickly, and it was MXGP rider Sacha Coenen who jumped to the top of the board early. Coenen came into the weekend as one of the big storylines, and he wasted no time showing speed in his first session at Thunder Valley. As the session continued, the track began to change quickly, with deep ruts forming and the conditions becoming more technical with each lap.

Cole Davies, Ryder DiFrancesco and Julien Beaumer eventually took control of the top three spots as the pace continued to pick up. Davies looked strong as the session progressed, while DiFrancesco and Beaumer also found fast laps as the track started to get rougher. Coenen would slide back in the order for a portion of the session, but his time was still impressive, as he remained ahead of riders like Levi Kitchen and Jo Shimoda.

Then, in the final laps, Coenen put in one more charge and jumped back to the top of the board, finishing the session as the fastest qualifier. With how quickly the track was breaking down, this first qualifying session may end up playing a big role in the overall qualifying order. Thunder Valley is already becoming deep, rough and challenging, and by the time the second session rolls around, the riders could be dealing with a much tougher track.

Cole Davies was fastest in the first qualifying session.

Jo Shimoda seemed to struggle finding a smooth lap.

2026 THUNDER VALLEY NATIONAL // FULL COVERAGE

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450 OVERALL QUALIFYING RESULTS // 2026 THUNDER VALLEY NATIONAL – PRESENTED BY FXR

Presented by FXR Racing:  The 450 class heads into Thunder Valley with plenty of attention on the front of the field. Hunter Lawrence has carried strong momentum early in the season, while Jett Lawrence, Jorge Prado, Cooper Webb, Chase Sexton and the rest of the class will be looking to make a statement as the series continues. This weekend also brings an added storyline, as MXGP rider Lucas Coenen makes the trip over from Belgium to line up in the 450 class and see how he stacks up against the U.S. field. Thunder Valley is always a demanding track with its elevation, long uphills and rough conditions, making qualifying even more important as riders try to put themselves in a good position before the motos.

2026 THUNDER VALLEY NATIONAL // FULL COVERAGE

450 QUALIFYING RESULTS SESSION 2 GROUP A

Cooper Webb improved his positioning in the second session.

In the second session, Jett Lawrence was quick to put himself out front early, giving himself a clear track and clean air in the opening laps. Haiden Deegan tucked in behind him to start the session, but Jett would eventually let him go by as the riders began searching for fast lines around the Thunder Valley circuit.

Hunter Lawrence took a different approach early on, spending some time in the mechanics area and not appearing to be in any major rush to get back on track. The times in the second session were slightly slower at first, with the lead group hovering around a second off the fastest pace from earlier in the day. Within the session itself, Deegan held the top spot, followed by Lucas Coenen and Jett Lawrence, as the track continued to get rougher and more technical.

But just when it looked like the first-session times might hold, Hunter Lawrence put in a charge in the final two minutes and grabbed the fastest time of the day. Lucas Coenen and Haiden Deegan also improved their times late in the session, showing that the front group still had more to give even as the track broke down. With Hunter, Jett, Deegan, and Coenen all showing speed, things are starting to shape up for what should be an exciting afternoon of motos at Thunder Valley.

Jett Lawrence was quick once again and bettered his time but was still the third fastest.

Haiden Deegan was within the same second as the leaders, sitting in fourth.

450 QUALIFYING RESULTS SESSION 1 GROUP A

Jett Lawrence was fastest once again in the first session.

As the session got underway, Hunter Lawrence was the first rider to set a fast time, but as the laps continued, Jett Lawrence quickly took over the top spot. For a while, the order remained Jett Lawrence, Hunter Lawrence and Haiden Deegan, with the three riders controlling the front of the board. Around the halfway point, Deegan moved into second and started knocking on the door of Jett’s time, but Hunter responded and took the position back shortly after.

Newcomer Lucas Coenen spent most of the session sitting fifth, right behind Garrett Marchbanks, before putting in a quicker lap near the end and moving himself up behind Deegan. With no time left on the clock, Jorge Prado was able to sneak in a fast lap of his own and take the position away. When the session wrapped up, the top four were Jett Lawrence, Hunter Lawrence, Haiden Deegan and Jorge Prado.

Jorge Prado built up momentum through the session.

Haiden Deegan sits third fastest, just fractions of a second off Hunter Lawrence.

2026 THUNDER VALLEY NATIONAL // FULL COVERAGE

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2016 THUNDER VALLEY 250 RESULTS
1. Joey Savatgy (Kaw)…2-1
2. Jeremy Martin (Yam)…1-3
3. Alex Martin (Yam)…8-2
4. Zach Osborne (Hus)….4-6
5. Cooper Webb (Yam)….3-8
6. Martin Davalos (Hus)…7-5
7. Jordon Smith (Hon)…5-12
8. Shane McElrath (KTM…12-7
9. Austin Forkner (Kaw)…17-4
10. Mitchell Harrison (Yam)…11-11
11. Aaron Plessinger (Yam)…14-10
12. R.J. Hampshire (Hon)…10-14
13. Arnaud Tonus (Kaw)…18-9
14. Adam Cianciarulo (Kaw)…6-38
15. Colt Nichols (Yam)…15-13

The top six from the 2016 Thunder Valley 450 class are missing in action in 2026—most notably 2026 AMA 450 Supercross Champion Ken Roczen (94).

2016 THUNDER VALLEY 450 RESULTS
1. Ken Roczen (Suz)…1-1
2. Ryan Dungey (KTM)…2-4
3. Eli Tomac (Kaw)…5-2
4. Cole Seely (Hon)… 6-3
5. Trey Canard (Hon)…3-6
6. Josh Grant (Kaw)….4-7
7. Justin Barcia (Yam)…11-8
8. Matt Bisceglia (Suz)…10-10
9. Christophe Pourcel (Hus)…8-12
10. Justin Bogle (Hon)…7-13
11. Broc Tickle (Suz)…14-9
12. Fredrik Noren (Hon)…12-11
13. Justin Brayton (KTM…9-14
14. Marvin Musquin (KTM)…37-5
15. Benny Bloss (KTM)…13-15

The post TEN YEARS AGO TODAY: 2016 THUNDER VALLEY 250/450 NATIONAL appeared first on Motocross Action Magazine.

MXA Fantasy Apple app download: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mxa-fantasy-league/id6473468112
MXA Fantasy Android app download: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mxa.fantasyleague&pcampaignid=web_share

The Grand Prize for this year is a brand new Stark Varg 1.2 model, and to win it, all you have to do is enter your picks and play the MXA Fantasy League app all season long to be entered into the random drawing to score a brand new electric dirt bike at the end of the season.

The Stark will be randomly selected after the Las Vegas SMX Finale from a list of names of the people who were consistent and diligent enough to enter their picks on time for every race, all season long.The Giant Bicycles Trance X2 mountain bike will go to the player who has the most points at the end of the 31-round 2026 SuperMotocross season.

As usual, the MXA Fantasy League app is free to download and free to play. In addition to the Stark Varg, we will still be rewarding the top finishing players with weekly prizes, and with a brand new Giant Bicycles Trance X2 Mountain Bike, going to the player with the most points at the end of the 31-race season. Find your flow on the mountain with the Giant Trance X2 (the one we’re giving away is Metallic Black, as pictured). This bike has adjustable geometry, the option to change rear wheel size, and it comes with a new 140mm Maestro rear suspension setup. This versatile trail bike is ready to conquer single-track with confidence and control, and it is perfect for cross-training for motocross.

The post THUNDER VALLEY NATIONAL – FASTHEADS IS TAKING OVER MXA FANTASY LEAGUE appeared first on Motocross Action Magazine.

By John Basher

The latest generation Yamaha YZ250 two-stroke–that is to say 2006 through 2016–is one of the greatest motocross bikes ever made. Don’t take that statement with a grain of salt. There are a bevy of excellent bikes that have wheeled across showroom floors since motocross’ infancy. Typically once or twice in a generation there’s a bike that transcends time and technology. For the list of those bikes, scroll to the bottom after reading this marvelous piece of journalism. Yet for every engineering marvel, there are ten duds. Whether caused by lack of R&D funds, a loss in translation between engineers and the brand’s test riders, general complacency, or by trying to be too futuristic (Cannondale, anyone?), quite a few bikes fail. Appeal is one thing, but results on the track are another. I’m not talking about some high-paid superstar of the sport winning races and cashing checks, either. Do you honestly think that Ken Roczen is riding a production Suzuki RM-Z450 or Tim Gajser is breaking the sound barrier in Europe on a stock YZ450450? If you believe that, then I have some oceanfront property in Arizona we’d like to sell you.

“IT’S TRUE THAT YAMAHA FACED LIMITED COMPETITION, BUT IT WASN’T THEIR FAULT. INSTEAD, THEY’RE GUILTY OF RESTING ON THEIR LAURELS BY HITTING THE ‘COPY’ BUTTON ON THE XEROX BLUEPRINT MACHINE. CAN YOU BLAME THEM, THOUGH? CONSUMERS WERE SHOUTING, ‘GIVE ME FOUR-STROKES, OR GIVE ME DEATH!’”

Back to my point. The latest generation Yamaha YZ250 is one of the greatest bikes ever made. Sure, the all-new KTMs and Husqvarnas are show-stopper and I’m thinking about trading my first born for one of those radically cool two-strokers (just kidding, honey!). However, the YZ250 is the quintessential 250cc two-stroke. Others likely have surpassed the rather archaic Yamaha, but that in no way detracts from its appeal. Maybe KTM/Husqvarna will supersede the YZ250 in the coming year, but it’s too early to make that call. Over the past decade, the YZ250 has been the 250 two-stroke upon which all others have been measured. By now skeptics will point to the fact that Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki abandoned the two-stroke market faster than a boom town went bust. It’s true that Yamaha faced limited competition, but it wasn’t their fault. Instead, they’re guilty of resting on their laurels by hitting the ‘Copy’ button on the Xerox blueprint machine. Can you blame them, though? Consumers were shouting, “Give me four-strokes, or give me death!” Sure, it’s not as impactful as what Patrick Henry said 250 years ago, but you get the idea. Consumers swayed the tide of motorcycle development and two-strokes were no longer the in thing. They practically died on the vine.

You should know by now that MXA doesn’t leave well enough alone. We’re a group of tinkerers–a consortium of Tim “The Tool Man” Taylors. While we don’t grunt like wild boars and hammer holes through walls, we embark on unending searches for better performance. Take Dennis Stapleton’s 2015 Yamaha YZ250 as an example. See the list of modifications below.

1. Engine. Stapleton liked the broad power of the YZ250, so he (mostly) left well enough alone. He added a Boyesen RAD valve, Boyesen Power X-Wing, DR.D pipe and NS-4 silencer. These are smart modifications for weekend warriors and amateur-level racers.

2. Suspension. It’s hard to dislike the Kayaba SSS suspension. However, in stock trim the suspension wasn’t set up specifically for our Test Editor. Dennis had Factory Connection dialed in the valving and slapped on a slightly stiffer spring rate. Plus, a 1.5mm-longer Ride Engineering link arm stiffened up the initial part of the shock stroke.

3. Triple clamps. Dennis Stapleton loads the shock like a pogo stick, so he’s not overly concerned with triple clamp offset. That didn’t stop him from slapping on a set of Ride Engineering 22mm offset triple clamps, complete with a Showa HPSD steering stabilizer. He liked the pairing, as it tuned up the handling.

4. Power and handling are great, but if you want to cut down your lap times then brake deeper into the corners. With inferior brakes, like the old YZ250 front brake set up, stopping can be a trying–if not scary–experience. That’s why Dennis opted for a Braking W-Flo 270mm oversize rotor. He used the stock brake pads. Note, nearly every MXA test rider prefers the performance and feel at the lever of stock pads.

5. Faster USA outfitted Stapleton’s 2015 YZ250 with a set of USA-made wheels. They’re strong enough to handle a ride around “Case City” and look incredible.

6. Upon seeing Dennis Stapleton’s YZ250, a few of our friends tried stealing the aluminum gas cap insert. In an ode to old factory bikes (and some current ones, too), Stapleton had Bionix in Northern California fabricate an aluminum insert and cap. The gas cap sat flush with the gas tank. It was far and away the most trick part on the bike.

7. A plethora of companies came to Stapleton’s aid in finishing up the bike. Red Label designed the graphics; Mika bars and blue grips tied things together; Works Connection hard parts were scattered throughout; a pleated Moto Seat cover and blue CV4 radiator hoses spruced things up even more.

Dennis Stapleton had this to say about his project bike build, “I did what any motocrosser with a fairly large budget and a 2015 Yamaha YZ250 would do. I made logical choices based on past experiences and invested in components that actually made a difference. These are real-world fixes for the YZ250, and, fortunately, most of them don’t cost an arm and a leg. The only indulgences I made were in the Faster USA wheels and Bionix-fabricated gas tank. While the factory-like parts didn’t lower my lap times, they did make me feel faster–and that counts for something.”

BEST BIKES OF THE PAST 34 YEARS: CLICK HERE

The post ONE MAN’S COOL MACHINE: STAPO’S YAMAHA YZ250 TWO-STROKE PROJECT BIKE appeared first on Motocross Action Magazine.

CATCH UP ON THE LATEST VIDEOS: CAN THE COENEN BROTHERS BEAT THE LAWRENCES?

Just in case you haven’t had time to scour the internet for your weekly fill of motocross and Supercross videos, the MXA wrecking crew has done the work for you. We start things off with a Lawrence video as Jett dominates the field at last weekend’s Hangtown National. From there, we check out some regional prep, along with riding videos of the Coenen brothers as they get ready to line up this weekend at Thunder Valley. We then look back at some intense Loretta Lynn’s battles from 2025 as the 85 class goes head-to-head. And to finish it off, we added some footage from California, where the beach towns are getting hit with some sizeable swell. Because why not?

JETT DOMINATES!! | HANGTOWN 2026

FINAL REGIONAL PREP + PC KAWI AND THE COENEN BROTHERS AT PALA

YOU HAVE TO WATCH THIS CRAZY SUPERMINI RACE!! WIDE OPEN FOR 20 MINUTES AT LORETTA LYNN’S

THE WEDGE SWELL OF THE DECADE JUN 10, 2026 RAW FOOTAGE

The post CATCH UP ON THE LATEST VIDEOS: CAN THE COENEN BROTHERS BEAT THE LAWRENCES? appeared first on Motocross Action Magazine.

FACTORY VS. PRIVATEER LIFE: 2026 HANGTOWN NATIONAL

This Week in MXA, presented by O’Neal, is all about the differences between a factory rider, and a privateer. The Mosiman brothers have a unique ability to share the two very different perspectives of Pro Motocross racing. Michael Mosiman from the standpoint of a factory Star Racing Yamaha rider, and Josh Mosiman from the standpoint of a longtime privateer (and current editor for MXA). This video, filmed by Trevor Nelson and Blake Keith, follows the brothers through a day of racing at Hangtown, and highlights the differences in support that goes into a factory rider and a privateer.

WATCH MORE THIS WEEK IN MXA VIDEOS

The post THE HIDDEN REALITY OF PRO MOTOCROSS (FACTORY VS. PRIVATEER LIFE) appeared first on Motocross Action Magazine.

Jody (63) with arch-rival and long-time friend Lars Larsson (38) playing tag at Glen Helen.

BY JODY WEISEL

I didn’t set out to become a motocross racer. It wasn’t my top priority. Actually, it wasn’t anyone’s top priority back in the mid-1960s, because motocross didn’t exist. If you wanted to race motorcycles where I lived in Texas, you could only choose between dirt track, enduro, trials or road race. Although I ended up as a road racer, that also wasn’t my top priority. I had been bitten by the motorcycle racing bug, and my top priority was going fast, hanging it all out and working on high-tech machinery, whether it was on dirt or pavement.

When I look back on that era’s speed, derring-do and the high-tech machinery with today’s eyes, it all seems so quaint and simple. But it wasn’t. If a bike cost $850 back then, that would be the equivalent of $7000 today. I eked 20 horsepower from my E.C. Birt-tuned 125 road racer with a total-loss ignition, no flywheel, serious porting, dimpled pistons and bronze bushing in place of the top end rod bearing. I didn’t need more than 20 horses, because that was already more than my competition had. Looking back, it seems so antiquated, but it wasn’t. It was dead serious.

Dirt track was the easiest path to motorcycle stardom, because every hick town in America in the 1960s had a dirt track, usually used for jalopy races, demolition derbies and Joie Chitwood thrill shows. It was all very much like “Tell Laura I Love Her,” which was a very popular song about dirt-track stock car racing. It was sung by Ray Peterson, who came from my small Denton, Texas, hometown, and was full of tragic lyrics. The lyrics went:

“The crowd roared as they started the race. ’Round the track they drove at a deadly pace. No one knows what happened that day, how his car overturned in flames. But, as they pulled him from the twisted wreck, with his dying breath, they heard him say, ‘Tell Laura I love her.’”

My girlfriend knew all the words to “Tell Laura I Love Her” and played the 45 endlessly, and she was suddenly very interested in dirt track racing. She never had any interest in anything I did before dirt track, but I think she visualized herself as Laura. It wasn’t lost on me that her fantasy ended in my death. Worse yet, I was a terrible dirt track racer. I hit the wall in every heat race and never made it to the main. I couldn’t slide the rear wheel of my bike to save my life—if you didn’t count sliding on my butt into the wall. I improved the more I raced, but only to the point where I was going faster when I hit the wall. I knew that I needed to switch sports and girlfriends before I had a “Tell Laura I Love Her” moment,

My friends rode enduros, so I joined them, but I got easily bored with the idea of time-keeping and began getting to every checkpoint early with the ultimate goal of getting to the final checkpoint before the course workers got there. Next, I bought a trials bike (before I ever entered a trials). I sold it the week after I entered a trials. That sport made no sense, and I didn’t like having to wear that silly hat. If a sport isn’t dangerous enough to require a helmet, it isn’t really a risk sport.Jody at the Austin Aqua Fest Road Race on His E.C. Birt-built Hodaka road racer.

My dirt track buddies were going to a road race, and they said I should try it since I could use my dirt track leathers and there weren’t any walls. I had a used 1963 Bultaco Metralla street bike and entered the 250 Production class. I loved road racing instantly. Amusingly, Metralla, when translated from Spanish, means “shrapnel,” which was very apropos for a Spanish transmission. It didn’t take long for me to have a fleet of road race bikes for both production and Grand Prix classes. I focused on 100 GP, 125 GP and 250 GP classes. I got Hodaka’s Daytona road race bike from Majors Distributing for the 100s, had E.C. Birt build me a 140cc Hodaka for the 200 class and bought Bubba Byars twin-cylinder Suzuki T200 for the 250s.

I loved road racing, but you could only road race six times a year in Texas. There were races at the Austin Aquafest, Fort Hood Army base, Greater Southwest International Airport, Tulsa drag strip, Dallas Motor Speedway and Green Valley Raceway. I went back and forth between road race and this new thing called “motocross.”

If I switched to motocross, I could race four times a month. After my first motocross at Forest Glades (near Corpus Christi), I was hooked. I still dabbled in road racing, famously ramming Freddy Spencer at the Austin Aquafest when he bogged his Yamaha TA125 from his front-row starting spot. It didn’t take long before I considered myself to be a motocross racer only.

Strangely, I never had a “Tell Laura I Love Her” moment in motocross, thanks to getting a new girlfriend named Lovely Louella.

The post BEST OF JODY’S BOX: AVOIDING THE “TELL LAURA I LOVE HER” MOMENT appeared first on Motocross Action Magazine.

The MXA wrecking crew is a passionate group of die-hard racers. We eat, sleep and breathe motocross. It’s the reason why we get up in the morning. Testing anything with two wheels and an engine is a thrill, be it space age, future tech or an old jalopy. One of the perks of wearing a fluorescent orange helmet is getting to throw a leg over factory bikes. MXA gets a lot of those opportunities, but the easiest way to get to ride a factory rider’s works bike is when the racer of record gets hurt. With the rider sidelined, so is the bike. And since the bike is just sitting in the race shop, it makes sense to give it to MXA to get some extra love for the team’s sponsors. 

Cooper Webb tore several ligaments in his ankle during practice at the 2015 Las Vegas Supercross. He rebounded by finishing third in the opening moto at the Hangtown National opener. Unfortunately, he smashed the cartilage on the top of his talus in his bad ankle during the second moto and had to skip several rounds. The day after Hangtown, MXA’s office phone lit up; it was the Yamaha brass asking if we’d be interested in test riding Cooper Webb’s Star Racing Yamaha YZ250F National bike. We jumped at the chance, figuring that if Cooper couldn’t ride the bike then we might as well knock the dust off of it. Here’s what we learned.  

YAMAHA BRASS ASKED IF WE’D BE INTERESTED IN TEST RIDING COOPER WEBB’S
STAR RACING YAMALUBE YAMAHA YZ250F NATIONAL BIKE.

WHAT FACTORY PARTS ARE ON WEBB’S YZ250F? Star Racing is Yamaha’s official 250 race team. The relationship yields considerable benefits for both sides. Yamaha gets a contingent of hot-shot racers flying the blue flag, while Star Racing receives monetary compensation, a parts budget and factory support. It’s a win-win-win for a race program that has fought valiantly to reach the pinnacle of the sport, which they have done with remarkable success in the last year. Since 2014 the Star Racing team has captured the 250 National crown with Jeremy Martin and this year’s 250 West Supercross title with Cooper Webb. 

Cooper Webb’s YZ250F isn’t comprised entirely of Yamaha works parts. Why not? (1) Works parts are expensive to manufacture due to their extensive development, intricate manufacturing processes, low production runs and expensive material costs. (2) Thanks to the AMA production rule, true-to-life works bikes have been defunct since 1985. Not only that, but the rules are stricter in the 250 class. (3) There are a bevy of aftermarket companies aligned with Star Racing that are willing and able to create the parts that the team desires. 

Having said that, Webb’s YZ250F does come with a few trick components that are unavailable to the public. The billet-aluminum hubs are from Japan. They are slightly heavier than stock but infinitely stronger. The spokes and spoke nipples are also factory parts. Star Racing was mum about the engine internals, although they admitted that a few of the parts in the bottom end are special. Finally, the plastic gas tank is direct from Japan. The plastic is thinner, and it holds an additional 1-1/2 liters over a standard tank. The layman wouldn’t recognize the difference between a standard tank and the factory part. That’s the creative beauty of Yamaha’s works parts. The blue crew wants their race bikes to look as stock as possible. Yamaha hopes the consumer will relate a Star Racing YZ250F to a production YZ250F sitting on the showroom floor. It’s a proven marketing strategy.  

WHAT’S THE MOST UNIQUE PART ON COOPER’S BIKE? It’s not fair to pick a single part on a bike so refined that it is the epitome of YZ250F perfection. Below is a list of things that caught our attention.

(1) Front brake. This is the Frankenstein of front brakes. Star Racing discovered that mating different brake parts together yielded the best performance for Cooper Webb. While we don’t want to make Yamaha mad, we can say that Webb’s front master cylinder comes off a 2004 model bike that rhymes with “Shmonda.” The caliper is from a 10-year-old Yamaha. A stock brake line (with the plastic sheathing cut off) and standard brake pads, along with a 270mm Braking Batfly rotor, complete the package.  

(2) Forks. The Star Racing team uses Kayaba’s Factory Kit forks with Kashima-coated outer tubes and DLC-coated inners. Beefy 32mm anodized cartridge rods handle the abuse of National tracks, and the whole system is a PSF (Pneumatic Spring Fork) air-fork design. Webb prefers the stock fork lugs, because he discovered during testing that the stockers offer slightly more flex than the wider KYB lugs. 

(3) Shock. The KYB Integral adjuster shock is a mechanical marvel. The triple adjuster unit offers the possibility to adjust the low- and high-speed compression damping separately, as well as low- and high-speed rebound. Low-speed compression (silver dial), high-speed compression (blue) and high-speed rebound (red) are found on the dial at the top of the shock, while low-speed rebound adjustment is done at the bottom of the shock. 

(4) Radiators. The rigors of motocross are not kind to paper-thin aluminum radiators. That’s why Star Racing re-welds the stock radiators at every seam with backing braces for strength. A 1.8 high-pressure radiator cap prevents coolant boil-over. Such modifications aren’t unusual for a National race bike. What sets the Star Racing team apart is how they shave down the frame where the radiators mount to draw the radiators in 5mm on each side. It narrows up the cockpit, particularly where Webb’s knees rest while in a seated position.   

THE FACTORY 4.1 WRAP-AROUND EXHAUST, REPLETE WITH THE
MEGABOMB HEADER, IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR COOPER WEBB.
THAT’S JUST ONE OF THE PERKS OF BEING ON THE STAR RACING TEAM.  

WHAT ARE WEBB’S BIKE SETUP PREFERENCES? At 5-foot-7, Cooper Webb is slightly below average in terms of height for a racer, though in no way does his stature hinder his performance. He proved as much every time he blitzes the whoops and blows away the competition. The beauty of modern machinery is that a bike like the YZ250F can be custom-tailored to the rider. Cooper’s mechanic, Eric Gass, cuts 10mm off the subframe to lower the rear end. The Raptor titanium footpegs are 5mm taller, while the Pro Taper Carmichael-bend handlebars are low, sweeping and rolled back. In Supercross Cooper preferred the same handlebar bend, only Gass cuts 5mm off each end. The positioning of the ProTaper medium-compound half-waffle grips is also unique. The clutch-side waffle is set in the standard position, while the throttle-side grip is rolled forward. The reasoning? When Cooper re-grips the throttle, the waffle will be in the right spot. He also runs his custom-made ARC levers very low.    

WHAT ARE THE SERVICE INTERVALS ON WEBB’S BIKE? Every few hours Eric Gass routinely round-files parts that would last years for most riders. Need proof? Every 10 hours the titanium shock linkage bolts, engine cases, as well as the linkage and swingarm bearings are replaced. Gass tears down Webb’s engine after every National (the team would go through the engine every two rounds in Supercross), and replaces anything that is out of spec and/or beyond the normal service interval. Having said that, it’s possible for the frame, swingarm and subframe to last the duration of an entire year. These parts are only replaced if they get tweaked during a massive crash. 

WHO BUILDS WEBB’S YZ250F ENGINE? The Star Racing powerplant is a melding of aftermarket and factory components. It’s understandable that Gass was tight-lipped about the intimate details of Webb’s engine given that the powerplant is the bread and butter of any race bike. However, it was easy to notice the GYTR cylinder head. As Yamaha’s official aftermarket entity, GYTR has extensive knowledge on all things YZ250F. GYTR also took care of the valve train and porting, a sturdy ignition cover that holds more oil, and a clutch basket. Note that the internal clutch hub, pressure plate, clutch plates and fibers are stock, while Webb prefers to run YZ450F clutch springs. A GET ignition allows the team to tune the engine and customize the power from track to track. Cooper generally doesn’t deviate from his chosen map setting, but there are options available. CWI trues and balances the cranks, while Xceldyne titanium valves are installed. Star Racing feeds VP Racing MR-Pro 6 fuel into the fire-breathing engine. To combat a rampant problem with late-model YZ250Fs, the team made a spark-plug cap holder that ensures the cap doesn’t dislodge from the spark plug. 

We can’t overlook the transmission, which uses the stock gear ratios, even though the transmission is far from stock. A special treatment process is done to the gears, not only for durability but also to promote lubrication. Webb sticks with a 13/47 final drivetrain, with the rear axle set far back in the swingarm for better stability. FMF works closely with the team to develop exhaust systems that meet the demands of their riders. The Factory 4.1 wrap-around exhaust, replete with the MegaBomb header, is specifically designed for Cooper Webb. That’s just one of the perks of being on the Star Racing team.    

WHAT PERFORMANCE MODS WERE MADE TO WEBB’S BIKE THAT YOU CAN MAKE TO YOUR YZ250F? Yamaha YZ250F owners should rejoice, because while Webb’s bike is graced with a handful of unobtainable parts, the vast majority of what makes Cooper’s steed run are available. Better yet, some of the modifications are free. Eric Gass removes the backfire screen from the air-filter cage to promote quicker throttle response. It’s also easy to move the rear axle back in the swingarm, though you’ll probably need a longer chain. A GET customizable ignition might be too expensive and complex for most riders, but Yamaha makes an intuitive Power Tuner that does wonders for power delivery. While we don’t recommend shaving down the YZ250F frame to move  the radiators in, a high-pressure radiator cap is a smart idea. 

If preventing a costly DNF is important to you, as it is to Star Racing, then we suggest calling up LightSpeed at (714) 990-5767. The carbon fiber specialists outfit Webb’s YZ250F with a skid plate that protects the cases, water pump and ignition cover. Plus, it blocks rocks from getting lodged behind the rear brake pedal. Gass also installs a LightSpeed carbon fiber chain guide in place of the stock aluminum guide. Carbon fiber is much better at taking a blow and returning to shape, whereas aluminum has a tendency to bend and could derail the chain.    

HIS LOSS WAS OUR GAIN, BECAUSE WE ENJOYED EVERY MINUTE ON WEBB’S STAR RACING YZ250F. WE WISH HE WOULD HAVE BEEN OUT THERE FROM THE BEGINNING.

HOW FAST IS COOPER WEBB’S STAR RACING YZ250F? To be honest, at first our test riders weren’t overly impressed with the power under the YZ250F’s hood. Sure, it had a nice powerband, but that’s like meeting a girl and automatically putting her in the friendship zone. However, after a short 30-minute courtship, we were in love with Cooper’s engine. How could we have a change of heart? The race engine, which had been buttoned up by Eric Gass the night before our test, needed time to break in. We also needed time to figure out the bike’s personality traits. The 140-pound Cooper Webb, blessed with an unwavering throttle hand, can roar around the track with a 13/47 gearing combination on his YZ250F. We summoned the courage of a dozen racers and bottled that enthusiasm into one ride bound for glory. The results were outstanding. There wasn’t a copious amount of over-rev, but instead unbridled power from the midrange on up to where mountain lions roam. 

WHAT WAS OUR FAVORITE ASPECT OF RIDING WEBB’S YZ250F? Slow, fast, young and old admired how planted Cooper Webb’s bike felt around the track. Regardless of the type of corners, jumps or roughness of a certain section of real estate, the YZ250F tracked with ease and shot straight as an arrow. The connection between the stout front brake to the front wheel and the ground was impeccable. Oftentimes we put on a St. Christopher necklace before testing a pro racer’s bike due to stiff suspension and a relentless powerband. However, Webb’s Star Racing YZ250F was like Baby Bear’s porridge. A sterling engine combined with halfway plush Kayaba suspension, and handling that was second to none for a thrill ride that left the MXA test riders gushing about the experience for days afterwards. Yes, it was that good.   

WHAT DO WE REALLY THINK? It’s too bad that Cooper Webb was laid up at the beginning of the AMA 250 Nationals and couldn’t vie for the 250 National Championship. However, his loss was our gain, because we enjoyed every minute on Webb’s Star Racing YZ250F. We wish he would have been out there from the beginning.

The post MXA RETRO TEST: WE RIDE COOPER WEBB’S 2015 STAR RACING YAMAHA YZ250F appeared first on Motocross Action Magazine.

2026 THUNDER VALLEY NATIONAL PRE-RACE REPORT: INJURED LIST, TV SCHEDULE & MORE

Round three of the 2026 Pro Motocross series heads to Thunder Valley, and this weekend brings a little extra attention with two MXGP riders making the trip over from Belgium. Sacha Coenen will line up in the 250 class, while his brother Lucas Coenen will jump into the 450 class, giving both riders a chance to see how they stack up against the best in the U.S. series. Jett Lawrence comes into the weekend carrying momentum in the 450 class, while the 250 class has already shown how competitive it will be early in the season. Thunder Valley is always a demanding track with its elevation and rough conditions, making it another big test as the championship continues to take shape.

2026 THUNDER VALLEY NATIONAL // FULL COVERAGE

2026 THUNDER VALLEY NATIONAL: RACE DAY SCHEDULE

Seth Hammaker remains the points leader coming into the third round of the 2026 Pro motocross series at Thunder Valley.

2026 FOX RACEWAY NATIONAL: INJURY REPORT

ELI TOMAC – PARTIAL MUSCLE TEAR IN NECK

Eli Tomac will sit out the upcoming rounds of the 2026 AMA Pro Motocross Championship while recovering from injuries sustained at last weekend’s Fox Raceway National.

A timeline for Tomac’s return to racing during the current SMX World Championship season – including Pro Motocross – has yet to be determined. Further information on his status will be released once it becomes available.

Eli Tomac: “I’m really bummed to get injured early on at the opening round. Since the end of last year, when I first threw my leg over the KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, I said I couldn’t wait to ride this thing outdoors because the engine package is unreal, and I felt it would be a lot of fun racing motocross on it. It’s just a shame that a racing incident early on in Moto 1 has really put a dampener on my outdoors season right now, but I will follow my doctor’s orders and rest up with every intention of getting back out there sometime this season.”

JUSTIN COOPER – CONCUSSION

Justin Cooper was involved in an incident when he came together with Mikkel Haarup on the lead lap of the second moto in Hangtown. As a result, Justin was knocked out for quite some time and will sit out the upcoming weeks due to a concussion.

DAXTON BENNICK – BANGED UP

Daxton Bennick was involved in the crash at the start of the Hangtown National and will sit out this weekend at Thunder Valley to recover. 

NATE THRASHER – NOT SPECIFIED

Nate Thrasher was caught in the first turn pileup last weekend at Hangtown. He stated he was not seriously injured in the crash but was beaten up and has decided to sit out this weekend at Thunder Valley.

Nate Thrasher said: “I’m bummed to share I will be sitting out Thunder Valley. I was unfortunately caught up in the first turn crash last weekend. Thankfully nothing serious, just all around beat up and have a hematoma the size of a watermelon on my bum. Going to reset and come back swinging soon”

CAMERON MCADOO – HAND

Cameron McAdoo suffered a hand fracture prior to the opening round at Fox Raceway.

Cameron stated on Instagram: “I have been pretty quiet here the last couple weeks working to get myself back healthy after my crash in Salt Lake. Unfortunately, I will not make the start of the Motocross series. I ended up with a small fracture in my hand, which was missed on the initial x-ray. After two weeks of therapy on a “sprained wrist” with little progress I went back in for more scans where they found that there was a fracture. I couldn’t be more bummed as I was very excited to make the start of outdoors this year after missing the last few years. I am doing everything in my power to get fully healthy and back out there ASAP. As always, thank you everyone for your support.”

PIERCE BROWN – COLLARBONE/WRIST

Pierce Brown was injured during the Supercross season, and we thought he would make it back to race the first round of motocross, but he still remains out until further notice.

COTY SCHOCK – WRIST

Coty Schock injured his wrist while practicing the week before Hangtown and, as of now, will miss Thunder Valley. The team confirmed that nothing is broken, but his recovery will be evaluated on a week-to-week basis.

JALEK SWOLL – ACHILLES TENDON

Jalek Swoll, unfortunately, injured his leg during qualifying at the Birmingham Supercross. It is unclear when he will return.

JASON ANDERSON – MEDICAL & FAMILY ISSUES

Pipes Motorsports Group announced that rider Jason Anderson will be stepping away from motocross competition for an indefinite period to address personal, family, and ongoing medical matters. This decision was made jointly by Jason and his management team in coordination with the organization. Though Jason Anderson was seen testing at Lake Elsinore MX Park.

2026 THUNDER VALLEY NATIONAL: TV SCHEDULE

The Peacock Premium streaming service costs $10.99 per month, and it provides LIVE coverage of the daytime qualifying sessions at each Round and live coverage of each Supercross race. International Supercross fans can now watch LIVE using the SuperMotocross Video Pass streaming service (Supermotocross.tv) for a one-year subscription.

THUNDER VALLEY motocross RACE DAY LIVE – 9:00 a.m. (Pacific), 11:00 a.m. (Central) 12:00 p.m. (Eastern) – Peacock

THUNDER VALLEY motocross GATE DROP – 12:00 p.m. (Pacific), 2:00 p.m. (Central), 3:00 p.m. (Eastern) – Peacock

 

2026 THUNDER VALLEY NATIONAL: TRACK MAP

Thunder Valley remains relatively the same. The track is over a mile high, so the altitude does affect the performance of the bikes. The track itself also goes through major elevation changes as it is built into a hillside.

MXA FANTASY LEAGUE: WIN A STARK VARG, GIANT BICYCLES MOUNTAIN BIKE & MORE

MXA Fantasy Apple app download: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mxa-fantasy-league/id6473468112
MXA Fantasy Android app download: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mxa.fantasyleague&pcampaignid=web_share

Many have asked, and it’s back, the MXA Fantasy League is live for its third season in 2026, and this time we have new prizes and new ways to earn them! The Grand Prize for this year is a brand new Stark Varg 1.2 model, and to win it, all you have to do is enter your picks and play the MXA Fantasy League app all season long to be entered into the random drawing to score a brand new electric dirt bike at the end of the season.

We are proud to have our own app, built in-house by MXA’s Justin Lee. We love the camaraderie that is created amongst family and friends who play it, and we believe in it so much that we decided to throw some extra motivation into the pot for 2026. This Grand Prize will be randomly selected after the Las Vegas SMX Finale from a list of names of the people who were consistent and diligent enough to enter their picks on time for every race, all season long.

The Giant Bicycles Trance X2 mountain bike will go to the player who has the most points at the end of the 31-round 2026 SuperMotocross season.

As usual, the MXA Fantasy League app is free to download and free to play. In addition to the Stark Varg, we will still be rewarding the top finishing players with weekly prizes, and with a brand new Giant Bicycles Trance X2 Mountain Bike, going to the player with the most points at the end of the 31-race season. Find your flow on the mountain with the Giant Trance X2 (the one we’re giving away is Metallic Black, as pictured). This bike has adjustable geometry, the option to change rear wheel size, and it comes with a new 140mm Maestro rear suspension setup. This versatile trail bike is ready to conquer single-track with confidence and control, and it is perfect for cross-training for motocross.

THIS WEEKEND AT THUNDER VALLEY

250 POINT STANDINGS AFTER HANGTOWN

Levi Kitchen gets the job done and takes the win at Hangtown.

The post 2026 THUNDER VALLEY NATIONAL PRE-RACE REPORT: INJURED LIST, TV SCHEDULE & MORE appeared first on Motocross Action Magazine.

June 12…Rolf Dieffenbach 1951
June 12…Randy Hawkins

June 13…Tommy Searle 1990
June 13…Dick Mann 1934
June 14…Keith Johnson 1982
June 14…Nick Evennou

June 14…Darian  Sanayei 1996
June 14…Jeff Gibson 1982

June 14…Jimmy Button 1973

June 15…Mark Blackwell 1953

June 15…Julien Lieber 1994
June 15…Willy Browning

June 16…Grant Langston 1982
June 16…Greg Berg

June 16…Jimmy Albertson 1988

June 17…Arnaud Tonus 1991

Jeff Stanton, Damon Bradshaw and Jeff Ward at the 1990 MXDN—which they won.
June 18…Jeff Stanton 1968

June 18…Nick Wey 1980

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The post THIS WEEK’S BIRTHDAY BOYS: JEFF STANTON (58), TOMMY SEARLE (36) & GRANT LANGSTON (44) appeared first on Motocross Action Magazine.

#WHIPITWEDNESDAY

Rider: Daxton Bennick

Daxton Bennick has been one of the top riders coming through the amateur ranks for the last few years. He first made a name for himself on KTM’s Orange Brigade program before making the move over to Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing. Once he got to Star, Bennick finished off his amateur career strong, winning the 2023 Open Pro Sport title at Loretta Lynn’s with perfect 1-1-1 moto scores and earning the Nicky Hayden AMA Motocross Horizon Award. He then jumped into the pro ranks with Star Yamaha and showed speed right away, including Supercross Futures wins, fast qualifying times outdoors, and a podium in his rookie 250 Supercross season. Now Bennick has made the move to Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing for 2026, which gives him a fresh start on the FC 250. It is also a bit of a return to familiar ground, as he is back under the KTM Group umbrella after starting part of his amateur career there.

JETT LAWRENCE RETURNS TO THE TOP

Jett Lawrence returns to the top of the podium once again at Hangtown.

HAIDEN DEEGAN’S FIRST 450 PODIUM

Haiden Deegan went 3-3 for third overall this past weekend, which marks his first 450 podium in only his second race.

LEVI KITCHEN FINALLY GRABS ANOTHER OVERALL

Levi Kitchen won the 250 overall at Hangtown with 2-2 moto scores.

Levi Kitchen was able to grab another overall win at Hangtown, and it came at a good time after being away from the top step for a bit. Kitchen has always had the speed, but in the 250 class, starts and consistency can make or break the day. At Hangtown, he did not win either moto, but he put together the best overall result with a 2-2 score, which was enough to take the win. It was not a flashy day where he checked out and dominated, but it was the kind of ride that wins championships. After Seth Hammaker won the opener at Fox Raceway, Kitchen answered back at Hangtown and reminded everyone that he is still one of the main guys in the 250 class. The win also helped keep him right in the fight early in the season, and it showed that even when he is not winning motos, he can still put himself in position to win the overall.

MXA PHOTO TRIVIA

Who is this rider? The answer can be found at the bottom of this article.

HOW MUCH DOES IT REALLY COST TO RACE A PRO MOTOCROSS NATIONAL? (PALA 2026)

MINI TEST RIDER BARELY SURVIVED MAMMOTH MOTOCROSS

With Mammoth Motocross right around the corner, we check out the mini wrecking crew as they tear it up.

 

ENZO TEMMERMAN INTERVIEW: THE NEXT STEP FOR TEAM GREEN’S STANDOUT

Many of us were doing double-takes at Hangtown when we saw Enzo Temmerman on media day. Enzo, wearing number 92 in Fox Racing gear, riding a Kawasaki, and as tall as he is, was the spitting image of Adam Cianciarulo back in the day. Enzo was making his 2026 pro debut on his Team Green amateur bike. Enzo was having a great 2025 season, as he won the coveted Horizon Award at Loretta Lynn’s, winning five out of six motos. Along with finishing up his amateur career, Temmerman raced SMX Next, winning the Ironman finale, and dipped his toes into AMA Pro Motocross at Fox Raceway, Hangtown, and Washougal. Later, Enzo would have a broken femur that actually re-broke again, delaying his 2026 plans. At Hangtown 2026, Temmerman finished thirteenth. Enzo surpassed expectations and may be on a Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki at Lakewood.

 

BY JIM KIMBALL

 

ENZO, FIRST OF ALL, YOUR HANGTOWN DEBUT WAS NOTEWORTHY IN THAT YOU ARE TALL, WEARING #92, AND ON A KAWASAKI, WHICH WAS VERY REMINISCENT OF ADAM CIANCIARULO. For sure, and that was cool. Representing Adam out there, with the same number on the green bike. I am also a little bit on the taller side, just like him, so it is cool.

 

LAST YEAR, YOU WERE DESTINED FOR SOME REALLY BIG THINGS, AND OBVIOUSLY YOU ACCOMPLISHED A LOT OF BIG THINGS. YOU DID WELL IN SMX FUTURES AND DOMINATED AT LORETTA LYNN’S. WITH ALL YOUR SUCCESS LAST YEAR, WHAT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR YEAR?Winning at Loretta’s. It was overall a cool week. It was great, I swept almost everything and won two titles. I got the Horizon Award, which was cool. I had a lot of other good races too last summer. Last year was a really good year.

 

Enzo finished in thirteenth overall at Hangtown with 10-17 moto scores.

 

WHAT WAS IT LIKE DOING THE SMX FUTURES AND MOTO COMBINE? SMX Next was good, as I got quite a few podiums. As far as the Moto Combines, RedBud was not the best, but at Ironman, I was able to get the overall win, so that was nice.

 

DID THAT GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO FEEL OUT SUPERCROSS VERSUS MOTOCROSS? DID YOU PREFER ONE OVER THE OTHER? Yes, it gave me good opportunities for both. You don’t really race Supercross growing up, so SMX Next is a cool opportunity to get out there and get a feel for the Supercross tracks. I am more of an outdoor guy, but I also enjoy riding Supercross.

 

NOW, YOU HAD SUCH A STRONG SEASON, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, YOU HAD A BAD FEMUR BREAK?After the last SMX round that I did, I had surgery on my leg. I had not crashed for that one, but surgery required like a three-month recovery. Then once I recovered from that one, I had a crash in January and broke the same leg. And that was another three-month recovery. I have had a lot of time off since then.

 

Coming back from a serious injury during the Supercross season, it seems as if he’s regained his speed.

 

THAT HAD TO BE UNFORTUNATE, BECAUSE YOU WERE DOING SO WELL AND ON A STREAK. For sure, it was a crucial time. I just started winning in the amateurs, and it would have been a good time to step up to the pros. But then I got hurt, and I got set back for a little while, but we made it back, and we are here at Hangtown racing pro again, so it is all good.

 

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A TEAM GREEN RIDER? About five years now.

 

IT IS NATURAL TO ASSUME YOU COULD MOVE TO THE PRO CIRCUIT SIDE PROFESSIONALLY AND POSSIBLY FILL IN FOR INJURED CAMERON MCADOO. Definitely. Pro Circuit is where I want to be. It is a work in progress now. They are working on getting me out there, but for this weekend, I will still be on my Team Green bike.

 

DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE MAYBE ON A TRIAL FOR THE PRO CIRCUIT TEAM WHEN YOU ARE DOING THE RACING THIS YEAR? Yeah, for sure, a little bit because, you know, depending on how I do kind of affects if they take me up or not, so definitely it is a little bit like a trial ride this weekend and we will see what we can do. They need to sign some amateur kids, and I am one of them, and I really want to make that move up to Pro Circuit.

 

Likely to move to the Pro Circuit team for upcoming nationals in the place of Cameron McAdoo who is out with injury.

 

HOW MANY NATIONALS ARE YOU DOING AFTER THIS ONE? I am hoping the rest of the season, but we have to make sure that today goes well.

 

ARE YOU COMPLETELY DONE WITH FUTURES AND SMX NEXT? Yes, I am all done. I did three Nationals last year, so this is my fourth one ever, and that will boot me out of the amateur ranks.

 

HOW DID THE NATIONALS GO LAST SUMMER? Last year was pretty good. You know, my first pro race out at Pala, I got 18th overall, so that was not bad, and at Washougal, I got 13th overall, so we made a little progress last year and I am excited for what I can do today.

 

Big things are to come from Temmerman during the 2026 motocross season.

 

ENZO, ANY FINAL THOUGHTS ABOUT YOUR 2026 PRO DEBUT AT HANGTOWN? I had solid motos, but ideally wanted top-ten finishes in both motos. I accomplished that in Moto One but fell early on in Moto Two. I finished that moto in seventeenth, and took thirteenth overall. I’m proud of my riding and hope to keep improving, be at every round, and keep progressing!

 

Click here to view our most recent Instagram post.

 

CLUBMX YAMAHA THANKS CHAD REED FOLLOWING

ClubMX Yamaha announced today that Hall of Fame motocross legend Chad Reed has officially fulfilled his commitments with the organization following the completion of the 2026 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship season.

 

Reed joined ClubMX Yamaha ahead of the 2026 season in a consulting and support role designed to bring an experienced perspective to the race team and organization throughout the Supercross campaign. During his time with the team, Reed worked alongside riders, staff, and management while contributing insight drawn from one of the most accomplished careers in the history of the sport. From race-day preparation and rider development to overall team operations and professionalism, Reed’s presence served as an affirmation that ClubMX Yamaha continues moving in the right direction as one of the sport’s fastest-growing programs.

The agreement between Reed and ClubMX Yamaha was always intended to conclude at the end of the Supercross season, allowing him to transition into supporting his children and their racing careers throughout the summer months. Team owner Brandon Haas expressed appreciation for Reed’s time with the organization and the perspective he brought to the program.

 

“We’re extremely grateful to Chad for the time and energy he invested into ClubMX this Supercross season,” said Haas. “When someone with his level of experience and accomplishments spends time around your program and confirms that you’re doing the right things, that means a lot. Chad was great to work with, incredibly professional, and genuinely supportive of what we’re building here.”

Haas continued:

“This was not about reinventing who we are as a team. It was about bringing in someone who has competed at the very highest level of the sport to offer perspective, guidance, and reassurance that our processes, structure, and direction continue to move forward at a high level. We appreciate everything Chad contributed and continues to contribute with us, and we fully support him as he shifts his focus toward helping his children pursue their own racing careers this summer. It is nice that he lives on the property and is available to bounce questions and ideas off of as needed.” ClubMX Yamaha now turns its attention toward the upcoming motocross season while continuing to build upon the momentum and growth established throughout the 2026 Supercross campaign.

 

ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING’S RJ HAMPSHIRE RACES TO P6 AT HANGTOWN

RJ Hampshire and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing delivered a solid sixth-place finish in Round 2 of the Pro Motocross Championship at Hangtown on Saturday, with the result elevating him to fourth in the 450MX standings.

 

Equipped with his Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition, Hampshire posted the sixth-fastest qualifying time during the morning sessions at the Northern Californian venue, before achieving a hard-fought fifth-place finish in Moto 1 after a spirited charge forward.

The 30-year-old started outside the top 10 in Moto 2, although again he was unrelenting in his climb through the pack as he completed the race in sixth place, with his combined score earning him sixth overall, and sees him ranked P4 in the standings after two rounds.

“It was another solid weekend at Hangtown,” commented Hampshire. “I was around that top-five for most of the day again – my second moto start was a little better, but still, I need to start further toward the front. I was battling all day long, ate a lot of roost, but it’s a solid start to the season with four good motos. I’m looking forward to Colorado next weekend and then heading east, because I think we have a lot more still to give.”

TWO-STROKE SPOTLIGHT: THE 2004 CR250 WE BUILT TO KILL THE FOUR-STROKE

Pro Circuit built MXA  the most powerful CR250 we had ever ridden. However, only the gifted could tame it. 

The MXA wrecking crew is old enough to remember the good old days, when Honda built 250cc two-strokes to die for. Those glory days delivered American motocrossers Honda CR250s that had engines that weren’t so much about peak horsepower as incredibly usable powerbands. In the good old days everyone wanted a Honda CR250–at least the engine. Unfortunately, the Showa suspension of the era defined the phrase “mid-stroke harshness” and the handling went downhill after 1993. But, we still get misty thinking about the old-school Honda powerbands. Unfortunately, we get misty when thinking about the late model Honda powerbands, but this mist is caused by actual tears. Paradoxically, as the CR250 engine got worse (put the blame on the case-reed design), the suspension and handling got better (after abortive starts with the first- and second-generation aluminum frames). The 2004 Honda CR250 is a terrific rolling chassis; durable, reliable, accurate and well suspended. What an amazing turn around. Honda went from great engines and bad handling to bad engines and great handling. Who would have thunk it?

THE 2004 CR250 WAS THE LARGEST SELLING TWO-STROKE MOTOCROSS BIKE IN THE WORLD. THAT USED TO MEAN SOMETHING, BUT THAT WAS BEFORE THE 800-POUND GORILLA OF FOUR-STROKES ROARED OUT OF THE JUNGLE.

In 2004 the CR250 was the largest selling two-stroke motocross bike in the world. That used to mean something, but that was before the 800-pound gorilla of four-strokes roared out of the jungle. Being the best selling two-stroke doesn’t mean much when Honda sold four times as many CRFs as CRs. Four-stroke sales caused a decline in two-stroke sales for every manufacturer. It is just that the CR250 had more sales to lose that some other brands–CR250 sales were down more than 50 percent from 2002 to 2004.

Pro Circuit spent the farm trying to turn our 2004 CR250 into a silk purse. They ported it, piped it, milled it, Moto Tassinari’ed it, Hinson’ed it, VP C-12’ed and Renthal’ed it.

Back in 2004, what the MXA wrecking crew wanted to find out, and Honda and Pro Circuit were willing to help us discover, was whether people abandoned the CR250 because of the engine deficiencies or because it wasn’t a four-stroke.

THE TEST REGIME WAS SIMPLE, WE WOULD PUT PRO CIRCUIT’S CR250 UP AGAINST THE TWO BEST BIKES IN THE 250 CLASS. THE RESULTS WOULD TELL US WHY LOCAL RACERS WERE ABANDONING THE CR250.

So how did we find the answer? That was the easy part. Honda kindly dropped a brand spanking new 2004 CR250 off at Pro Circuit and told them to do everything they could to make it the best it could be. When Pro Circuit finished the project, the MXA wrecking crew rolled into the shop and swept the revitalized CR250 out to the race track for a month of hardcore testing (side-by-side with a 2004 Suzuki RM250 and a 2004 Honda CRF450. Why were the RM250 and CRF450 going along? The Suzuki won virtually every 250 Two-Stroke Shootout in 2004 and the Honda CRF450 won every 450 Four-Stroke Shootout. The test regime was simple, we would put Pro Circuit’s CR250 up against the two best bikes in the 250 class. The results would tell us why local racers were abandoning the CR250.

THE END RESULT? IT WAS FAST. VERY FAST. VERY POTENT. VERY AGGRESSIVE. BUT, IT STILL RAN LIKE A CR250. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT HAD A TENDENCY TO GO “WAAH-WAAH-WAAH” BELOW 5000 RPM.

We have to give credit where credit was due. Pro Circuit spent the farm trying to turn our 2004 CR250 into a silk purse. They ported it, piped it, milled it, Moto Tassinari’ed it, Hinson’ed it, VP C-12’ed and Renthal’ed it. The end result? It was fast. Very fast. Very potent. Very aggressive. But, it still ran like a CR250. What does that mean? The prototypical 2004 CR250 lacks low-end power. Not only is it weak off the bottom, but it has a tendency to go “waah-waah-waah” whenever the power falls below 5000 rpm. Until you hit five grand and flick the clutch, the CR250 just lays down. On the plus side, above the break-even point, the power kicks in like an Army mule and the bike tries to wheelie over backwards. For Pros, it was a very rewarding experience. Not relaxing. Not easy to use. Not fun, but blazing fast. If you were fast enough to keep the CR250 percolating it was the fastest thing on two wheels. But, any depreciation in skills or fitness resulted in the “waahs” catching you off guard.

The CR250’s tremendous power potential was ruined by its lack of bottom. It is not a two-stroke thing. The 2004 Suzuki RM250 ran cleanly off the bottom, required no clutching whatsoever and produced a solid, surging and potent midrange. Equally obvious is that the 2004 Honda CRF450 ran from the crack of the throttle all the way to 11,200 rpm.

THE ENGINE DIDN’T HAVE ANY BOTTOM END, AND ONCE YOU ACCEPTED THAT FACT, YOU COULD GET ON WITH YOUR WORK. YOU DON’T MAKE LEMONADE WITH ORANGES—YOU MAKE ORANGE JUICE!

Pro Circuit made the best of what was available. The engine didn’t have any bottom end, and once you accepted that fact, you could get on with your work. You don’t make lemonade with oranges–you make orange juice! Pro Circuit gave the CR250 more gusto…much more. Yes Virginia, it did run like a hyper-active 125, but when it came on and you could stay on–it was a rocket.

If you own a CR250, we heartily endorse Pro Circuit’s mods. They can’t give you bottom end, but they can give you more mid and top than you’ll ever want.

Pro Circuit wasn’t content to just do our engine. Bones Bacon gave the suspension a complete tune up and we’d have to say we were impressed. Over the years we’ve had lots of experience working with Bones, and we have often accused him of making his settings for Pro-level riders only — he must have been listening to us, because he nailed the Honda CR250 fork and shock.

CLASSIC MXA PHOTO

Tim Ferry riding at Glen Helen in 1998. It’s funny, the number 22 almost makes him look like Chad Reed.

 

MXA Photo Trivia Answer: Jeff Emig was one of the top riders of the 1990s and built a career that put him among the best of his era. Known as “Fro,” Emig had the speed outdoors and in Supercross, winning four AMA national championships along with the 1996 FIM World Supercross title. His biggest season came in 1997 when he won both the AMA 250 Supercross Championship and the AMA 250 National Motocross Championship, putting himself at the top of the sport. He was also a six-time member of Team USA at the Motocross des Nations and was known for his starts, aggressive riding style, and battles with Jeremy McGrath. Emig finished his career with 37 AMA national wins and was later inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2004.

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