As for Jett and Haiden, bad starts did them both in, but even had they started at the front, #96 and #26 were on it all day long. It was obvious to all that Jett's foot is bothering him (he said afterward it felt like ‘Sh*t’), and also that Deegan still has a learning curve on the 450, despite all of his success as a 250 rider. Both should be more in the lead mix tomorrow.

The 250 class saw someone other than a Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rider win for just the second time in 18 races this year, and it was the same guy who beat them at the Daytona Supercross! Seth Hammaker earned his first Pro Motocross win ever and became only the third rider from Pennsylvania to ever win an outdoor national. The other two? Tony DiStefano and Broc Hepler (and no, multi-time 125 SX winner Branden Jesseman never won an outdoor national). The next fastest guys were also non-Star riders, as his teammate Levi Kitchen won the first moto and Red Bull KTM's Julien Beaumer was solid in his first race of the season (Mitch Kendra will have more on that below).

And speaking of MX history, tomorrow's race will effectively mark the 50th anniversary of the transformative 1976 Hangtown Motocross Classic, which was the race where Bob "Hurricane" Hannah announced his arrival on the Pro Motocross circuit. In a shocking upset, Hannah put it to Team Honda's Marty Smith, the dominant 125 rider in America to that point in time, even coming from dead last to first in one of the motos. The race was at the old Placerville circuit that hosted Hangtown, and it marked the beginning of a whole new era, as the brash and versatile Hannah would take over in both motocross and supercross. Our friend Michael "FTE" Stusiak was there in 1976 with his camera to record the historic day, and we've invited him for tomorrow to document the Hangtown Classic 50 years later.

Bonus: Besides all of the live streaming on Peacock, Hangtown will have a one-hour next-day broadcast on Sunday on NBC from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern.

There's lots going on out here for everyone, with the first WMX moto and press day, plus all of the usual Friday activities and meetings, so let me turn this over to the guys...

Hunter (Matthes)

We had Hunter Lawrence on the PulpMX Show Monday night after his dominating day at Fox Raceway, and one of the things he talked about was how he and his brother are not going to be doing the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations in October, nor the Paris SX and AUS-X Open in November, or anything this off-season. They've done all of them the last two years, and it's definitely understandable from their end. I would never judge someone for skipping the MXoN; it's a lot of work, no real money (the riders usually end up spending money out of their pockets), and it does add to the calendar.

The other off-season SXs are less pressure and stress for sure, but they also take 5-6 days out of your off-season each time. And with 31 events already on the calendar, that all counts. Hunter mentioned the Honda HRC Progressive team as well, as they don't do this all on their own; the crew works just as hard, away from their families, etc.

Plus, and I think this might be the biggest variable, the 2027 CRF450R is all-new, and yes, they've ridden it, but everyone at HRC is going to be wide-open getting this bike better, getting the parts made they need, and more.

LIVE SHOW (Matthes)

Tonight, not far from the Hangtown track, there's a bar called the El Dorado Grill, and myself, JT, and Weege will be hosting a live show there. It's free to attend, get there early to get a seat, and thanks to PCP Motorsport, Works Connection, GUTS Racing, and others for making it happen. Let's talk some Hangtown, make fun of Weege, and more!

Some Interesting Result Lines (DC)

Lots of cool little tidbits in the results from round one of the second half of 2026, so I thought we would devote a section to some of them here...

Fox Raceway was the third-ever Pro Motocross national for both Caden Dudney and Cole Davies, who finished second and third overall in the 250 class. In Dudney's case, his three career overall finishes are now 11-14-2; for Davies, his stat line reads 26-7-3. And for comparison's sake, in his first three outdoor nationals—and like Dudney and Davies, it was a couple races at the end of one season, and then the following year's opener—Haiden Deegan's line reads 31-13-2.

And Dudney's 6-4 moto scores for second overall were interesting in their own right, as he was not even on the podium in either moto! The 34 points he scored for second overall is one of the lowest for a runner-up we ever remember seeing. As a matter of fact, three riders tied in points for second in the 250 class with 34 each: Dudney (6-4), Davies (3-8), and Levi Kitchen (1-13). And two riders were one point behind with 33: Julien Beaumer (11-2) and Jo Shimoda (4-7).

And remember this: Dudney might just become the last 16-year-old to reach an SMX podium. The minimum age is now 17 years old, but Caden was grandfathered in last year when he turned pro after Loretta Lynn's. And if you remember, next year the age moves up to 18 years old.

Off-road star Dante Oliveria of the FMF/KTM Factory Racing team entered the 450 class and was a very competitive 19-15 for 16th overall. He also won the FMF Hard-Charger Award for going from something like 38th to 15th.

The Fox Raceway event marked the first Pro Motocross race for Triumph as a 450 class participant. Danish rider Mikkel Haarup went 10-14 for 11th overall while teammate Jordon Smith went 15-23 for 20th overall.

And get this: there were 10 brands in the 450 class: Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha, KTM, Husqvarna, GasGas, Ducati, Triumph, Beta.

A few photos by our own Mitch Kendra from the opener.

Big Day for #13 (Mitch Kendra)

It was 266 days between races for Julien Beaumer, who last raced on September 6, 2025, when he injured his back during a qualifying crash at the SMX Playoff 1 round in North Carolina last fall. Beaumer holeshot the second moto and led the first six laps before finishing second to race (and overall) winner Seth Hammaker. It was Beaumer's best moto finish to date and his fourth top-five finish in Pro Motocross.

He is also the first SMX rider to line up as #13 since Colt Nichols did so in 2020. Pretty impressive stuff from the Arizona native!

The last time #13 graced a podium in a Pro Motocross moto was back at the 250 2016 Washougal National, when KTM rider Jessy Nelson finished third in the second moto.

PRO PERSPECTIVE (Thomas)

Hangtown, I would argue, has undergone one of the biggest makeovers in the history of Pro Motocross. The track in the '90s and early 2000s didn't give much reason for praise. It was rock hard, dusty, and blue-grooved. Adding water made it worse, and the second moto was a muddy, slippery mess in the opening laps. It needed better soil, plain and simple, and that's what it got. Over the last 15 years or more, the Dirt Diggers have brought in varying types of soil to add depth, texture, and traction. It's been a huge win, and all riders should be grateful (even if too young to know the difference).

As for what this means for round two, it gives us a glimpse into what's to come. Hangtown is a much better barometer than the opening round, in my opinion. Pala is a strange beast, and many riders just want to get through it without ruining their summer. Hangtown is easier to feel comfortable on, and with higher temps, we also get to gauge who's in shape and who's got work to do. All in all, I trust what my eyes tell me more at this round than I do at round one. Maybe that's overthinking it; maybe it's prudent. It's just how I choose to evaluate what's to come.

Given that, watch for who has big variance this weekend. Does the 250 class look a lot different at round two? Many riders spend countless hours on Pala's track, which can skew what the true picture might end up being. Can the Ducatis bounce back and give more of what's expected? Nothing is certain; the picture is still taking shape. I always have more questions than answers after round one, and this year is no different. Hangtown will bring things more into focus, and I will start to trust what my eyes are telling me.

WMX Opener (Sarah Whitmore)

The Women’s Motocross (WMX) Championship powered by Synchrony, kicks off this weekend at Hangtown. It has been nine-and-a-half months since these riders last lined up at a Pro Motocross national at the series finale at Budds Creek Motocross Park, where Lala Turner wrapped up her second straight championship. Pretty impressive for just 19 years old. Turner has been training down at ClubMX, and rumors are she has stepped up her game, and speed, even more since last season.

Turner’s biggest competition may be Charli Cannon who has been staying in the USA fulltime (or almost fulltime as she is still competing in the Australian Women’s Championship and flying home for those races) and has been training hard at MTF. Charli came into the series last year having had surgery on her finger the week before round one and showed true grit to battle through the pain. It will be very interesting to see if a healthy Charli can put an end to Lala’s win streak.

Of course, the championship won’t be just between those two, as Makayla Nielsen, who won the opening round last year at Fox Raceway, will also be in the mix. As well as Kyleigh Stallings, who won two rounds in 2024 and is on a new team at Storm Lake Honda. Another Australian Champion, Taylah McCutcheon is going to be joining the series, and youngster Mayla Herrick will be joining the series at round three after she turns 17. Not to mention many more who will be lining up for 2026.

The women will race one moto on Friday and their second moto on Saturday, which will be aired live on Peacock, so fans don’t have to miss out on any of the racing action. WMX was an exciting addition (or re-addition) to the Pro Motocross series last year and should be even better this year.

From Latvia with Love (DC)

The FIM Motocross World Championship (MXGP) runs for the third week in a row, this time in Kegums, Latvia. And for the first time in the history of MXGP, a pair of brothers lead the two classes at the same time. Belgium's Lucas and Sacha Coenen, who are set to make their AMA Pro Motocross debuts next week at the Thunder Valley National, are now leading the MXGP and MX2 divisions, respectively. The FIM Motocross World Championship goes back to the 1950s, and while there have been some very fast brothers racing at the same time—Christophe and Sebastien Pourcel come to mind, and the Geboers brothers before them—no set of brothers have ever led in points at the same time.

Last weekend in Germany, Lucas Coenen went 1-1, while Jeffrey Herlings suffered a first-moto DNF. The 19-year-old is now 31 points ahead in the standings. In MX2, Sacha went 1-2 for second overall, but he was later penalized five points for a yellow flag violation. He now leads defending #1 Simon Langenfelder, his Red Bull KTM teammate, by three points. The winner of the German MX2 GP was French Kawasaki rider Mathis Valin, which made last weekend the best of the year for the Kawasaki KX250, with Valin winning on the FIM circuit and Hammaker on the AMA circuit.

The Coenens are leaving directly from Latvia to the USA, where they will get ready for the Thunder Valley race. In something of an homage to earlier Belgian legend and current KTM North America Director of Racing Roger De Coster, Lucas will wear #104—he normally wears #5 in MXGP—and Sacha will wear #109 (he's #19 over there).

By the way, we apparently came very close to having the current FIM Women's Motocross World Motocross Champion joining the WMX series today. Dutch rider Lotte Van Drunen has gotten off to a very rocky title defense, with a couple of big crashes in the first two rounds in France and Germany. Last weekend in Teutschenthal, she had a scary crash when another rider crossed in front of her in the air off of a big jump. Van Drunen is 44 points behind Spanish rider Daniela Guillen, who has won three of the first four motos aboard her GasGas. Lotte looked into the idea of joining the later-starting WMX here in the USA as a contingency plan to salvage a title in 2026, but Yamaha in Europe is said to have asked her to stick with her contract and continue representing them in MXGP.

Summer Up North (Mitch Kendra)

The Triple Crown Series kicks off this weekend with the first round of Canada's motocross championship taking place at Wild Rose MX in Calgary, Alberta. The eight-round series brings exciting battles and heated rivalries every year, and this year we expect more of the same. Last year, Kawasaki-mounted Phil Nicoletti took the 450 title over Tanner Ward and Jess Pettis—and we hear Nicoletti might be racing at least one race this summer in order to run his #1 plate! Nicoletti is focused on his #RoadToLorettas journey, but come on, if you can run the #1 plate at least once, you do so!

Other names to watch up north will be top amateur riders Ryder Malinoski, Kade Johnson, and Vincent Wey, who will be competing in the full series in order to get professional gate drops. Plus, add in former champions and big-time rivals Pettis and Dylan Wright, 2025 250 Champion Preston Kilroy, 450 rookie Ryder McNabb, Harri Kullas (Red Bull KTM Canada), Snowcross (snowmobile) champion Crayden Dillon, and more; it will be a fun series to follow. Two-time Canadian WMX Champion Jamie Astudillo will be competing as part of the Priority MX GasGas team, while also competing in the USA WMX rounds when possible. Long story short, there will be a bunch of storylines to follow throughout this championship! You can watch the action through Fox Sports and Ryde TV.

Kawasaki's New 327cc Two Stroke (Keefer)

Two-stroke Tuesday hit different this week as Kawasaki finally revealed their 2027 KX327 and KX327X two-strokes. After over one year of hanging this two-stroke announcement over the pre-mixed diehards, the green team finally announced the new big-bore two-stroke. Although admittedly not a two-stroke guy, it is awesome to see Kawasaki developing a new two-stroke. Even though those same pre-mixed diehards will be complaining about the $9,000.00 price tag, it's awesome that other two-wheeled enthusiasts have another two-stroke choice to make. This isn't your typical grab a two-stroke engine and plop it into a KX250F or 450F frame; this is an actual new-from-the-ground-up undertaking from the Japanese manufacturer. It has been over 20 years since Kawasaki developed a 250cc or over two-stroke engine.

The new KX327/KX327X fuel-injected liquid-cooled two-stroke has:

Electric Start
Nissin Hydraulic Clutch
Power Modes
Six-Speed Transmission
Smartphone Connectivity Via RIDEOLOGY THE APP KX2*
Lightweight Aluminum Perimeter Frame
Factory-Style KYB Suspension and Nissin Brakes
Adjustable Ergonomics
Athletic Styling with Slim Ergonomic Bodywork
Essential Cross-Country Equipment (KX327X Model)

The 2027 KX327 and KX327X will be available later this year (around October) but you might want to get a down payment in ASAP at your local Kawasaki dealer because these will surely be selling quickly. Look for more info coming here to Racer X as well as keeferinctesting.com.

Weege Show Wednesday: Inside Info on Two-Stroke Kawasaki 2027 KX327

2027 Yamaha YZ250F (Keefer)

This Week's Win Ads (DC)

With SX and MXGP, it was a busy week of racing around the dirt bike world. Here's a shortcut to see the big winners, according to the win ads in cyclenews.com.

Hey, Watch It!

Lachlan Turner's 2026 Yamaha YZ250F WMX Race Machine

All-New 2027 Honda CRF450R: Inside Look

Cooper Webb Round 1: "Fighting Through the Pack."

Hayden's first 450 Pro Motocross is the subject of The Deegans:

James Stewart's top moment from the Fox Raceway opener:

WMX 2026 Season Preview Show

Bella is getting a preview of the Hangtown Motocross Classic!
The best motocross riders in the world are making their way to Placerville to compete in a race with a whole lot of girl power as well. Bella Kunde is ready to ride this morning!

Head-Scratching Headline/s of the Week 

"MXGP AND GERMANY|SIGN 10-YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION, SECURING THE MXGP OF GERMANY UNTIL 2038"

Press release title from Infront Moto Racing (promoters of MXGP)

"A court just decided how much foot movement counts as ‘pedaling’ an e-bike"—Electrek

"Whatever It Takes: Texas Softball Player Eats Ladybugs Anytime She Sees One For Good Luck"—Barstool Sports

"Oregon family discovers man living in their crawl space for months"—WGAL

“Google wants to release up to 32 million ‘good’ mosquitoes in California and Florida”—KTLA

"Inside MAGA's gay motorcycle war"—The Bulwark

Random Notes

Check out our friend Shane Doughty's Dope Moto Parents clothing line:

Dope Moto Parents

Some photos by Deb Tamietti.

On May 24, Thibault Bénistant sustained a life-changing injury during the French Grand Prix.A multiple Grand Prix winner, Thibault has built an outstanding motocross career through talent, determination, and dedication to the sport he loves. At such a young age, he still had so much more to achieve on and off the track.

Today, Thibault and his family are facing an uncertain future and the many challenges that come with a serious injury. While it is still too early to fully understand what lies ahead, one thing is certain: the road to recovery will be long, demanding, and costly.

As Thibault begins this new chapter, your support can make a meaningful difference. Donations will help provide the resources and assistance he needs as he works to rebuild his life and focus on his recovery.

If you would like to support Thibault and his family during this difficult time, please consider making a donation through his Road 2 Recovery page. Every contribution, no matter the size, will help provide vital support on the journey ahead.

And we unfortunately have to bid farewell to a couple of great vintage moto men who passed last weekend, Jimmy Stokes and Harold Gooch. Stokes was a member of the Western PAMX community and was a huge vintage participant, wearing authentic gear and riding bikes that looked like they came right off the showroom floor—in the late 1970s! Sadly, he suffered a heart attack while at a race in Pennsylvania and did not survive. Gooch was a longtime benefactor of all things vintage in the Midwest. He had been in hospice care when he passed. Godspeed, Jimmy Stokes and Harold Gooch.