With Haiden Deegan vacating the 250 class, the question heading into round one of AMA Pro Motocross at Fox Raceway was who is going to be the next rider to step up and dominate the class? Well after a wild race, with moto scores all over the map, we may not be any closer to answering that question than we were beforehand.
First off, Fox Raceway might not be the best indicator of things to come, as there is no other track like it on the circuit. High speeds and a rough, slippery, rutted track puts riders out of their comfort zone, and some are just not willing to take the risk. m=knowing it is more important to make it to round two than impress at round one. Things could look completely different over the next few weeks.
Then there were the moto scores. With the exception of Seth Hammaker’s 2-1, no one else was able to log consistent results. Rookie Caden Dudney was able to grab an overall podium (second) without landing on the podium in either moto (6-4 moto scores). Cole Davies showed he has outdoor skills with a third in the first moto and then faded back to eighth in the second.
Levi Kitchen won the first moto in convincing fashion and then crashed in the second moto, only able to work his way up to 13th. Julien Beaumer had a similar day in reverse; he had a tip over in the first moto and was only able to make his way back to 11th but then led the second moto and finished an impressive second. Not bad for his first race since breaking his back at the first SMX Playoff last year. Then there's Ryder DiFrancesco, who also crashed early in the first moto (while with the leaders) and suffered a 19th. He fought back for third in moto two, giving him 19-3 finishes.
Seriously, take a look at these moto scores:
Fox Raceway (Pala) - 250
May 30, 2026| Rider | Hometown | Motos | Bike | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Seth Hammaker | Bainbridge, PA  | 2 - 1 | Kawasaki KX250 |
| 2 |  Caden Dudney | Des Moines, IA | 6 - 4 | Yamaha YZ250F |
| 3 |  Cole Davies | Waitoki, New Zealand  | 3 - 8 | Yamaha YZ250F |
| 4 |  Levi Kitchen | Washougal, WA | 1 - 13 | Kawasaki KX250 |
| 5 |  Julien Beaumer | Lake Havasu City, AZ | 11 - 2 | KTM 250 SX-F Factory Edition |
| 6 |  Jo Shimoda | Suzuka, Japan  | 4 - 7 | Honda CRF250R Works Edition |
| 7 |  Lux Turner | Gardnerville, NV | 8 - 6 | Yamaha YZ250F |
| 8 |  Chance Hymas | Pocatello, ID | 10 - 5 | Honda CRF250R Works Edition |
| 9 |  Nick Romano | Bayside, NY | 5 - 11 | Kawasaki KX250 |
| 10 |  Ryder DiFrancesco | Bakersfield, CA | 19 - 3 | Husqvarna FC 250 Factory Edition |
The 250 field this year is deep, and so far, there are no real standouts. That’s what makes it so difficult for a rider to come back into the top ten after a crash. Something that the likes of James Stewart, Jett Lawrence, and Haiden Deegan were able to do in the past. Heading into Fox Raceway only four 250 riders had ever won an overall outdoors, Levi Kitchen, Chance Hymas, Jo Shimoda and Austin Forkner. Forkner had a tough day, crashing out of moto one, then he could not even make it into points paying positions in moto two. This used to be unheard of for a factory guy, where a “bad day” would be finishing in the 8-12 range. But now, any little mistake and 5-10 riders are right there ready to capitalize.
The other two previous winners, Hymas and Shimoda, both coming back from injury, and both had horrendous starts and had to try to work their way forward. The starts made a huge difference for Hammaker, who pulled the first moto holeshot and was in the top four off the start in the second moto and moved to second before the end of the first lap. Other tracks on the circuit may be easier, and some harder, to pass on, but still with this current field, starts have never been so important.
It actually seems surprising that Fox Raceway was Hammaker’s first outdoor win, as his style is almost Mike Kiedrowski-esque, all grit and no flash. But up until this year he has been somewhat of an indoor specialist. Then there are other riders who have won in supercross but not in motocross like, Davies, Beaumer, Nate Thrasher, and Max Anstie (as well as Cameron McAdoo when he returns from injury). Truth is, this may not be the case of lacking a single standout, but instead too many great riders who could win given the right conditions.
Are we looking at a situation similar to the 2025 Monster Energy Supercross East Division Championship, where the final round came down to three riders (RJ Hampshire, Seth Hammaker and Tom Vialle) fighting for the championship? Of course it is too early to tell, but it is going to take near perfection for a rider to break away from this field and dominate this season.
