A fighting runner-up in the 2026 250SX East Division Championship with a win at Daytona International Speedway and five additional podium scores along the way, Seth Hammaker has designs on taking the positive race results and momentum and applying it all to the 2026 AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Catching his breath and fine tuning his physical fitness for the Southern California opening round, Hammaker, who was seventh overall in the 2025 season of Pro Motocross, is looking for more this summer. On Monday the 25 year-old got us up to speed on the reality of his racing surroundings.
“I’ve been feeling pretty good,” offered Hammaker of his pre-Pala status. “I had to take about two weeks off the motorcycle after Salt Lake just because I tore my trapezius muscle. I have two days back on the bike now and I feel really good, so no issues there. No pain or anything. I’m just working on building the strength back up in my trapezius. It’s kind of on the back of the shoulder and runs up next to the scapula. It’s actually a big muscle. I was down there with Dr. G [Rey Gubernick] and we got the MRI and he wasn’t expecting it to be that torn. Yeah, it was a pretty good one. I’m healing up and we’re going to be just fine heading into the first round. We’ll build our way into this thing. Yeah, I’m looking for a good, solid outdoor season. Other than that, it’s been kind of nice to take a breather and enjoy some weekends off. Now we’re a week out and I’m feeling ready to get back into it and to have a fresh start to the Pro Motocross season.”
Looking back now, Seth Hammaker was pleased with his second place overall finish in the 2026 250SX East Division Championship.
“Yeah, I was pretty happy with it,” Hammaker. “I put everything I had out there each and every weekend and I came up short. I came up short two times now with back-to-back years with second place in the championship. Honestly, though, racing Cole Davies elevated my game and I learned so much. Moving forward I feel like I’ve gained so much experience from these last two supercross seasons. Just with that much more knowledge and experience and track time and another season under my belt, I feel like it’s going to just excel my performance and confidence to a new level. Obviously my goal was the championship and I came up just short. Overall, happy with the effort.”
Hammaker believes the 10-race stadium campaign provides him with an excellent shove into the great outdoors.
“Oh, 100-percent,” remarked Hammaker. “Yeah, that’s one thing that I’m kind of looking forward to and that’s continuing that momentum into outdoors. I want to just be a consistent podium guy outdoors and just log solid results. Not necessarily aim for the title this year, as I need to accomplish some other goals before I do that. If I start getting that competitive when we’re midway through the season, great. If not, we’ll just continue to stay on track with what the plan has been for me and the group around me that we set forth with this year. I’m looking forward to it.”
So if Hammaker is just trying to build himself into an outdoor title contender, longterm, what are some goals he needs to achieve this summer?
“This summer I’m just trying to achieve being near that podium. I want to be top five to the podium each and every weekend. If I can get one or two wins this outdoor season, that would be amazing. So those are kind of the goals that I have for myself and what we are looking forward to accomplish. Top three in the championship would be amazing for me. I’d like to go into SMX with some solid results.”
Hammaker placed seventh in the 2025 AMA Pro Motocross Championship and was a consistent top 10 moto finisher. His best finish was fourth overall, which he accomplished two times. All things considered, he was pleased with his performance and campaign he and the team had last outdoor season.
“Yeah, last year was okay,” said Hammaker. “I had some solid results. I was so close to getting some podium overalls. I had a couple podium moto finishes, but it never quite worked out on the overall side of things. I’m looking to do that early on this summer. I also want to be a little more consistent than last summer, as well. I had a few one-off races to where I would have some crashes or go down in the first corner and come from dead last. I’m just trying to be more consistent and keep a more level head through it all and just be a little bit more calm. I’m working on not overthinking things and letting instincts take over and I feel like that evolves into good things happening for you as a rider. You don’t want to think too much about what you’re doing. We train so hard and do this every day. I feel like we have all of this in the back of our brains and we know what to do. We’ve just got to kind of let it take over sometimes and not try and control every little thing. The mental side of things is huge in our sport. You’ve got to have a strong mindset and I feel like you can care too much at some point. I love the sport so much and I want to do so good, but sometimes that’s not the best for the brain.
“And things with the team have been great,” furthered Hammaker. “We’re working on more of the same and developing the bike. The team has been willing to listen and help me with getting more comfortable. Yeah, it is always good to be surrounded by Mitch Payton and the Pro Circuit team. I’ve enjoyed my time there, and we're working on my next contract right now and looking to extend my deal with them. We’re getting close to that, so hopefully we can continue our relationship and go after our goals together and get some championships.”
Next stop, Fox Raceway at Pala in Southern California, and the curtain-raising round of the 2026 AMA Pro Motocross Championship.
“Yes, Pala is pretty good,’ offered Hammaker of the sun-scorched circuit. “A lot of people don’t like the track, but I like riding there. I just kind of go in there and feel it out. It’s a little bit different every year. They kind of change up the layout, which is kind of cool. I feel comfortable there. Some of my best results have came from there. I look forward to going there every year. I’m pretty good with the west coast.”
The Pennsylvania native is very much looking forward to his favorite AMA Pro Motocross track on the AMA Pro circuit: High Point Raceway in Mount Morris, Pennsylvania. The fourth round of the series is set for Saturday, June 20, 2026.
“Oh yeah. Mount Morris and High Point. I can’t wait to get back home and get back to the family and friends and to also ride the track. That’s the one I look forward to the most and it is definitely my favorite track on the circuit. Something about that place with the rolling hills and the off camber turns and the ruts and the rollers through the corners. I’m looking forward to getting back there.”
