Note: the following interview was done on Saturday morning ahead of the second round of the SMX Playoffs. Davies would finish fourth in the first moto then crash early in the second moto and DNF. His 4-22 finishes gave him 14th overall, and despite the hard crash and likely being out of contention for the 250SMX World Championship, we do expect him to line up this weekend and go for the overall win.
It’s race day morning at SMX Playoff 2 of the 2026 Monster Energy SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha mechanic Lachie Mills determinedly worked away at getting the #37 YZ250F Yamaha preferred for the first practice session of the event. Mills is the wrench for Cole Davies—the 2026 Monster Energy AMA Supercross 250SX East Division and 250 Class AMA Pro Motocross Champion and, arguably, best young racer in the world.
“I was working with him for a bit at GasGas in California,” explained Mills when asked how long he’d been working with Davies. “The whole time he has been with Star, I’ve been with him. As far as being the best young rider in the world right now? You’d like to think so. He’s got the European and the American side of it. I’d like to think he is one of the best in the world. He believes in himself. He’s always been a good rider. I’ve known him since he was on KTM 50s. I think he is just real precise in everything he does. He’s almost OCD, in a way. He’s real hard on himself, as well. He wants to be perfect. If he makes any mistake anywhere, he beats himself up about it, as well.”
Watching on as Mills attended to the YZ250F race bike, Davies weighed in on his second race season in the United States of America.
“Yeah, I mean I feel great,” nodded the athlete from Waitoki, New Zealand. “I’ve accomplished a lot this year. Obviously, to get two championships back-to-back in my second season as a pro is definitely a cool accomplishment. I only just turned 19 years old. It’s a cool accomplishment for me. You know I worked so hard to get where I’m at today. I’m proud of myself and proud of the team around me to achieve this. It’s just all the hard work me and my team put in. From the suspension guys to the engine guys to my mechanic Lachie, the team puts in such hard work to get me to where I am. Everything paying off is cool, but it’s just all the hard work we’re putting in.
“Yeah, this is kind of what I expected,” continued Davies. “This is where my expectations were. This is what I kind of thrive for. When I train at the practice track, the plan is to go out there and win. Every time I train for something, I have my goals and I try to tick off them goals. We set our goals and we chase them. We work hard to chase what we want and to make it happen. People can kind of say, ‘I want to do this or I want to do that,’ but it’s a whole different thing when you have to go out there and make it happen. It definitely takes a lot, but I feel like winners win.”
Davies lined up at the opening SMX Playoff 1 at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio and motored to mixed 22-1 moto scores for tenth overall in the 250SMX classification.
“I was definitely riding good,” explained Davies of his performance in the Midwest. “I was leading the first moto and then unfortunately I had my bike break with two or three laps to go. Got something stuck in the rear wheel and it locked up, but I was riding good until then. We regrouped for the second race and I had outside gate pick. I was able to get a good start and make it happen and won the second one. My riding was good, but it was frustrating weekend having that happen to me.”
Along the way, Davies has found a happy home with the Monster Energy Yamaha Star racing outfit.
“It has been great,” he smiled, looking around at all the Star Racing team members keeping things humming as practice neared. “I love this team. I love the people. Everyone is super helpful. It’s just a great place to be. I enjoy it here. Yeah, I can call it a family. And being in Florida with the team, it’s definitely a little bit like home for me than California. I don’t mind it here in California. Florida is definitely a little bit more like home. It’s hard being away from my family and friends, but this is the dream I work for and I strive for. I’ve dreamed this since I was a little kid. So, yeah, it’s all worth it. I’m looking to keep it going.”
Davies has explained in recent moto media that he is constantly trying to develop and evolve the mental and technique foundations of his racing and racecraft.
“Mentality is definitely a big thing,” he stated. “Keeping your mental game right is definitely important. With technique, I feel like I’ve got really good technique. It is something I’m continuously working on. It’s going good.”
Has Davies allowed himself to begin thinking about 2027 as of yet?
“I’m thinking about next year,” he offered, adamantly. “I’m excited for it. Hopefully, I can have another step up and do what I do best next year. I’m feeling good. I’m feeling confident. Just ready to keep it going.”
Does he ever keep his eyes on the FIM Motocross World Championship MXGP community and its racing travels?
“Honestly, not really,” he said. “I just focus on me. I don’t really watch too much other stuff. I watch some stuff, but no, I don’t really keep up to be honest.”
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Has Davies contemplated riding and racing the 450 in the near future?
“Yeah, I definitely feel good about the 450,” he said. “I feel like my riding style fits a 450 pretty well. I’m excited for it. I think 2028 is coming up quick, too. Yeah, I’ll be as ready as I can. When that time comes, I’ll be ready. I’m excited about it.”
And Davis has plenty he wants to achieve and marks he wants to hit along the way in his American moto journey.
“Win as much as I can,” he answered when asked what objectives he hopes and plans to achieve in the sport. “Obviously, break some records and be in the history books and then after that, maybe one day be a trainer or something. I quite like training and pushing people. I think one day that would be a pretty cool thing to be. I want to break records. I want to be in the history books. Yeah, just ticking off my goals and striving for what I do best. I’m ready to keep it coming.”
