Hunter Lawrence Makes Statement with Dominant Victory at Pro Motocross Opener from Fox Raceway

Seth Hammaker Breaks Through for Maiden 250SMX Class Win Outdoors

PALA, Calif. (May 30, 2026) – The second half of the Monster Energy SMX World Championship got underway from sunny Southern California for Round 18 of the 2026 campaign and the opening race of the 55th Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. The Pala Casino Spa & Golf Resort Fox Raceway National Presented by Fox Racing welcomed one of its largest crowds ever to witness one of the most anticipated starts to a season in history. The premier 450SMX Class saw a dominant performance from Honda HRC Progressive’s Hunter Lawrence, the recent Supercross runner-up, who put forth his most impressive outdoor performance to date with a dominant 1-1 effort. In the 250SMX Class, a wide-open field produced a new winner in Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker.

450SMX Class

Timed Qualifying

• The first Qualifying effort of the season saw Honda HRC Progressive’s Hunter Lawrence [#96] lead the way in each of the two sessions, topping the charts with a time of 2:16.832 in Qualifying 2, which placed him just over a half-second ahead of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado [#26] with a time of 2:17.461.

Last Chance Qualifier

• The Last Chance Qualifier was won by One11ink Yamaha’s Magnus Smith [#456]. The top four finishers transferred into the motos.
  1. Magnus Smith | #456 One11ink Yamaha
  2. Jack Chambers | #69 Partzilla Blaster PRMX Kawasaki
  3. Ryan Surratt | #502 JCR Honda
  4. Dayton Briggs | #734 Onsite Tire Racing Yamaha

Moto 1 [30 Minutes + 2 Laps]

• The opening premier class moto of the season got underway with 5.11 Triumph Factory Racing’s Mikkel Haarup [#31] leading the field to the holeshot in the summer 450SMX Class debut for the Dane and the British manufacturer. Hunter Lawrence slotted into second, with Prado in third. In his first start of the 2026 season, defending Pro Motocross Champion and SMX World Champion Jett Lawrence [#1] started well back in 16th place, which ended a 91 laps-led streak for the Australian at Fox Raceway. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan [#38], the two-time defending 250SMX Class champion making his premier class debut, started deep in the field in 19th.
• Hunter Lawrence wasted little time in making the move on Haarup for the lead, then Prado followed through into second shortly thereafter. Haarup continued to lose positions, as Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Chase Sexton [#4] moved into third and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper [#32] into fourth. Sexton then experienced misfortune and traded positions with Cooper.
• While the battle up front stabilized between Hunter Lawrence and Prado, all eyes focused on the charge through the field by both Jett Lawrence and Deegan, who soon found themselves next to one another and picked off riders, one-by-one, to move up well inside the top 10. Deegan briefly made the pass on Lawrence at one point, only to have the champ regain the position and eventually put some distance on his rookie rival.
• As the minutes wound down on the race clock, Hunter Lawrence extended his lead over Prado to nearly 10 seconds. Cooper tightened his grip on third after Sexton went down and dropped from fourth to seventh.
• Hunter Lawrence closed out an impressive opening moto performance by a margin of 8.7 seconds over Prado, who earned the best moto result of his career. Cooper finished third, while Jett Lawrence fought his way up to fourth and Deegan up to fifth.

Moto 2 [30 Minutes + 2 Laps]

• The final moto of the afternoon began with both Hunter Lawrence and Prado at the head of the pack, with Lawrence grabbing the holeshot. Prado then went on the attack and surged into the lead on the opening lap as Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger [#7] slotted into third. Jett Lawrence started 11th, while Deegan started 15th.
• Hunter Lawrence regrouped and on the ensuing lap repassed Prado in the same section of the track where the lead initially changed hands. Once he regained the lead, Lawrence stormed out to an advantage of more than five seconds.
• With better track position to begin the moto, Jett Lawrence made his presence felt quickly and climbed up into third before the halfway point. Deegan eventually made his way into fourth, but lost touch with the lead group.
• The top three settled in through the final stretch of the moto as Hunter Lawrence wrapped up a dominant afternoon by a margin of six seconds over Prado, with Jett Lawrence in third.

Overall

• In his most impressive performance since joining the premier class Hunter Lawrence completed his first ever 1-1 sweep to secure the second win of his career. It gave Honda its fourth straight victory at the track.
• Prado captured his first Pro Motocross podium with a runner-up effort on 2-2 finishes.
• Jett Lawrence showed grit in his first ever defeat at Fox Raceway, improving a total of 20 positions across the two motos to finish third overall (4-3).
• Hunter Lawrence has a six-point lead over Prado in the 450SMX Class standings, with Jett Lawrence 12 points back in third.

Results & Standings

450SMX Class Overall Results (Moto Finish // Points)

1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (1-1 // 50)
2. Jorge Prado, Lugo, Galicia, Spain, KTM (2-2 // 44)
3. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (4-3 // 38)
4. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (3-6 // 36)
5. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (5-4 // 35)
6. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Kawasaki (7-5 // 32)
7. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna (6-7 // 31)
8. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (8-9 // 27)
9. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Ducati (9-10 // 25)
10. Christian Craig, El Cajon, Calif., Honda (11-11 // 22)

450SMX Class Championship Standings (Race 1 of 11)

1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 50
2. Jorge Prado, Lugo, Galicia, Spain, KTM – 44
3. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 38
4. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 36
5. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 35
6. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Kawasaki – 32
7. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna – 31
8. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 27
9. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Ducati – 25
10. Christian Craig, El Cajon, Calif., Honda – 22

SMX World Championship Regular Season Standings (Round 18 of 28)

1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 396
2. Ken Roczen, Mattstedt, Germany, Suzuki – 349
3. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha – 333
4. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 309
5. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., KTM – 275
6. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Kawasaki – 269
7. Jorge Prado, Lugo, Galicia, Spain, KTM – 233
8. Malcolm Stewart, Haines City, Fla., Husqvarna – 214
9. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Ducati – 201
10. Joey Savatgy, Thomasville, Ga., Honda – 194

450SMX Class Overall Results

450SMX Class Box Score

Quotes

1st Place – Hunter Lawrence | #18 Honda HRC Progressive (1-1)
“I feel awesome. It was a great day. P1, a perfect day. On top [of the standings] in every session. I’m just fired up. I can’t really ask for anything more.”
 
2nd Place – Jorge Prado | #26 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (2-2)
“Hunter [Lawrence] had some better lines and pulled away. It was a consistent race all day and we were all running good. It feels good to be fighting on the boys and make it back on the podium. This is where I know I belong.”
 
3rd Place – Jett Lawrence | #1 Honda HRC Progressive (4-3)
“Motocross is a lot harder than I remember. I was just trying to figure it out today. I found out what arm pump was in the first moto. It wasn’t the best conditions for my foot, but I thought I rode great. I just didn’t get the starts today and need to work on that.”

450SMX Class Highlights

250SMX Class

Timed Qualifying

• The first Qualifying results of the summer were topped by Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen [#47], who paced each of the two sessions with a best time of 2:19.854 in Qualifying 2. Kitchen sat nearly two seconds clear of his Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki teammate Seth Hammaker [#10] with a time of 2:21.451.

Last Chance Qualifier

• Won by 5.11 Triumph Factory Racing’s Gage Linville [#74]. The top four finishers transferred into the motos.
  1. Gage Linville | #74 5.11 Triumph Factory Racing
  2. Russell Buccheri | #140 3D Racing KTM
  3. Dylan Cunha | #155 Americore SBR Husqvarna
  4. Gavin Betts | #373 MX6 Racing Kawasaki

Moto 1 [30 Minutes + 2 Laps]

• The first moto of the season began with Hammaker out front for the holeshot ahead of his Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki teammate Nick Romano [#141] and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rookie Caden Dudney [#82].
• Soon the fight up front turned into a Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki affair as Kitchen worked his way forward from an eighth place start and charged up into the top three. The Team Green trio then pulled away from the rest of the field.
• Kitchen’s forward progress continued, as he made his way around Romano then methodically and patiently chipped away at Hammaker’s lead. With about nine and a half minutes left on the race clock Hammaker briefly went off track, which allowed Kitchen to assume the lead and quickly move out to an advantage of more than five seconds.
• Behind the lead battle, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cole Davies [#37], the Eastern Divisional Supercross Champion, was on a forward march of his own. The New Zealander overcame a 10th-place start and climbed into podium contention, with an eventual pass on Romano for third.
• Out front, Kitchen was never challenged once he moved into the lead and took the first moto win of the season by a margin of 5.5 seconds over Hammaker. Davies finished third, followed by Honda HRC Progressive’s Jo Shimoda [#30] in fourth and Romano in fifth.

Moto 2 [30 Minutes + 2 Laps]

• The second moto kicked off with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Julien Beaumer [#13] leading the field to the holeshot ahead of Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Michael Mosiman [#23] and Hammaker. Kitchen found himself outside the top 10 in 15th and faced even more adversity following an opening lap incident with Mosiman and Hammaker that put the Yamaha rider on the ground and collected additional riders, including Kitchen. The Moto 1 winner resumed outside the top 30.
• The clear track proved advantageous for Beaumer, who sprinted out to a multi-second lead over Hammaker, as Dudney settled into third.
• As the moto approached the halfway point Hammaker closed in on Beaumer to initiate a battle for the lead. The Kawasaki rider wasted little time in making the move and took control of the race with a little more than 14 minutes remaining on the race clock.
• Hammaker and Beaumer pulled away from the rest of the field in the waning minutes of the moto as a late battle for third unfolded between Dudney and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Ryder DiFrancesco [#34], from which DiFrancesco made the pass with just over two minutes to go.
• While the fight up front calmed in the late stages of the moto, Kitchen continued to fight back from his early misfortune. The Kawasaki rider dug deep and worked his way past 24 riders to take over 13th place.
• Back out front, Hammaker broke through with the first moto win of his career by 4.8 seconds over Beaumer, with DiFrancesco in a distant third. The top four finishers in the final moto each earned the best moto result of their career.

Overall

• Still in the process of recovering from a torn trapezius suffered in a crash at the final race of the Supercross season, Hammaker’s maiden moto win capped off a career milestone with his first overall victory in his 33rd career start on the heels of a 2-1 effort.
• A wild afternoon for the rest of the field produced a three-way tie for second overall, as 16-year-old Dudney came out on top by virtue of the best second-moto finish, which resulted in his maiden podium result with a runner-up effort (6-4).
• Davies followed-up his title-winning Supercross season with a second-career podium result in third (3-8).
• Kitchen salvaged fourth overall (1-13) to minimize the damage of his challenging second moto.
• After a consistent afternoon, Hammaker already enjoys a double-digit points lead, with a 13-point edge over Dudney, Davies, and Kitchen. This is the first time Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki has held the points lead since Adam Cianciarulo’s championship-winning season in 2019.

Results & Standings

250SMX Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)

1. Seth Hammaker, Bainbridge, Pa., Kawasaki (2-1 // 47)
2. Caden Dudney, Des Moines, Iowa, Yamaha (6-4 // 34)
3. Cole Davies, Waitoki, New Zealand, Yamaha (3-8 // 34)
4. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki (1-13 // 34)
5. Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM (11-2 // 33)
6. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Honda (4-7 // 33)
7. Lux Turner, Gardnerville, Nev., Yamaha (8-6 // 30)
8. Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda (10-5 // 29)
9. Nick Romano, Bayside, N.Y., Kawasaki (5-11 // 28)
10. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Husqvarna (19-3 // 23)

250SMX Class Championship Standings (Race 1 of 11)

1. Seth Hammaker, Bainbridge, Pa., Kawasaki – 47
2. Caden Dudney, Des Moines, Iowa, Yamaha – 34
3. Cole Davies, Waitoki, New Zealand, Yamaha – 34
4. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki – 34
5. Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM – 33
6. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Honda – 33
7. Lux Turner, Gardnerville, Nev., Yamaha – 30
8. Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda – 29
9. Nick Romano, Bayside, N.Y., Kawasaki – 28
10. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Husqvarna – 23

SMX World Championship Regular Season Standings (Round 18 of 28)

1. Cole Davies, Waitoki, New Zealand, Yamaha – 265
2. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 233
3. Seth Hammaker, Bainbridge, Pa., Kawasaki – 227
4. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki – 211
5. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Husqvarna – 187
6. Daxton Bennick, Morganton, N.C., Husqvarna – 175
7. Max Anstie, Newbury, England, Yamaha – 168
8. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., Yamaha – 165
9. Nate Thrasher, Livingston, Tenn., Yamaha – 150
10. Coty Schock, Dover, Del., Yamaha – 146

250SMX Class Overall Results

250SMX Class Box Score

Quotes

1st Place – Seth Hammaker | #10 Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki (2-1)
“That’s probably the easiest it’s ever gonna feel [to get a win]. Those last few laps didn’t feel real. I felt great all day. What an unreal way to start the year, to get my first Pro Motocross win. It feels awesome. I’m speechless, but super thankful.”
 
2nd Place – Caden Dudney | #82 Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing (6-4)
“It was definitely tough to get on the podium, but I’ve got what it takes. I made it happen. It feels amazing to get my first podium.”
 
3rd Place – Cole Davies | #37 Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing (3-8)
“It was a tough day, but we’re here now. Gotta find our feet and go from here. It was a good start to the season, and we’ll learn from today and try to be better from here on out.”

250SMX Class Highlights

Post Race Press Conference – Fox Raceway National

The 2026 Pro Motocross Championship will continue next Saturday, June 6, with Round 19 of the SMX World Championship regular season from Northern California’s Prairie City SVRA. The Coker Pump Hangtown Motocross Classic will be shown live in its entirety on Peacock, beginning with Race Day Live at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET. Coverage of the motos begins at 1 p.m. PT / 4 p.m. ET.

For information about the Monster Energy SMX World Championship, please visit www.SuperMotocross.com and be sure to follow all of the new SMX social media channels for exclusive content and additional information on the latest news:

• Instagram: @supermotocross
• Facebook: @supermotocross
• X: @supermotocross
• YouTube: @supermotocross
• TikTok: @supermotocross

About the Monster Energy SMX World Championship:
The Monster Energy SMX World Championship™ is the premier off-road motorcycle racing series in the world that combines the technical precision of stadium racing with the all-out speed and endurance of outdoor racing. Created in 2022, the Monster Energy SMX World Championship Series combines the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and the AMA Pro Motocross Championship into a 28-round regular season that culminates with the season-ending SMX World Championship Playoffs.
Visit SuperMotocross.com for more information.

About Pro Motocross Championship:
The Pro Motocross Championship features the world’s fastest outdoor motocross racers, competing aboard homologated bikes from one of seven competing manufacturers on a collection of the roughest, toughest tracks on the planet. Racing takes place each Saturday afternoon, with competition divided into two classes: one for 250cc machines, and one for 450cc machines. MX Sports Pro Racing, the industry leader in off-road powersports event production, manages the Pro Motocross Championship. 
For more information, visit ProMotocross.com.

About Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship:
Monster Energy AMA Supercross is the most competitive and highest-profile off-road motorcycle racing championship on the planet. Founded in America and sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) since 1974. Over 17 weeks, Supercross attracts some of the largest and most impressive crowds inside the most recognizable and prestigious stadiums in North America to race in front of nearly one million live fans and broadcast to millions more worldwide.
For more information, visit SupercrossLIVE.com.

About MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.:
MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc., manages and produces the world’s premier motocross racing series – the Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. MX Sports Pro Racing is an industry leader in off-road powersport event production and management, its mission is to showcase the sport of professional motocross competition at events throughout the United States. Through its various racing properties, partnerships and affiliates, MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc., organizes events for thousands of action sports athletes each year and attracts millions of motorsports spectators.
Visit MXSportsProRacing.com for more information.

About Feld Motor Sports, Inc.:
Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting specialized arena and stadium-based motorsports entertainment. Properties include Monster Jam^®, Monster Energy AMA Supercross, and the Monster Energy SMX World Championship. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a subsidiary of Feld Entertainment, Inc.
Visit monsterjam.com, SupercrossLIVE.com, and feldentertainment.com for more information.