Cole Davies goes 2-1 at the technical Unadilla MX track and narrows his title chase, with championship leader Levi Kitchen, to a single point. Tauranga’s Brodie Connolly finds his form to put his Quad Lock Honda into the top 10 in both motos, passing Kitchen for fifth in the second moto.
Waitoki’s Cole Davies narrows in on the 250SMX Championship with a 2-1 at Unadilla, New Berlin, New York. Photo: SMX
Racing resumed this past weekend for the stretch run of the 11-race Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, which got underway at the legendary Unadilla MX, with the ninth race of the campaign and Round 26 of the 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship. Picture perfect weather conditions greeted riders at the ELF Lubricants Unadilla National, as did one of the largest crowds in the history of the event, which set the tone for an exciting and wild afternoon of racing that saw dramatic shifts in each title fight as Honda HRC Progressive’s Jett Lawrence #1 captured his fourth win of the season and reclaimed the 450SMX Class points lead along with it. In the 250SMX Class, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cole Davies also claimed his fourth win and moved within a single point of reclaiming the championship lead.
“This track was sketchy,” admitted Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cole Davies. “I had to get in my flow and step it up. Everyone was riding good, so it was up to me to make it happen like I did. It’s a tight championship now, so we’ll race to the end and hopefully pull it off.”
Waitoki’s Cole Davies shares the Unadilla podium with second placed Levi Kitchen (right) and Chance Hymas (left) in third overall at Unadilla, New Berlin, New York. Tauranga’s Brodie Connolly finished sixth overall with his 8-5 result. Photo: SMX
Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen #47 got his day off to a much-needed strong start with the fastest overall lap of 2:15.262 in qualifying. Davies, on the other hand, went down in a rutted section of the track, landing awkwardly on his right shoulder and casting a shadow over his day. Davies was lucky he wasn’t seriously injured and was able to continue into the races.
The first moto of the afternoon kicked off with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing machine of Casey Cochran #59 out front with the holeshot ahead of Honda HRC Progressive’s Chance Hymas #29 and Davies. Kitchen started a few positions back in seventh.
Cochran crashed out of the lead and the race on the opening lap, which forced Hymas to stop and avoid him, allowing Davies to move into the lead. Behind them, Quad Lock Honda’s Brodie Connolly #144 moved into third, with Kitchen giving pursuit from fourth.
Hymas then closed back in on Davies to initiate a battle for the lead. Kitchen, meanwhile, battled Connolly for third and made the pass. Kitchen then made inroads on the gap to Davies and Hymas as the fastest rider on the track. That pressure pushed Hymas back onto Davies, forming a three-rider battle at the front.
A small bobble by Hymas opened the door for Kitchen to make a quick move for second and set his sights on his championship rival. A few laps later, Kitchen took advantage of a bobble by Davies to capture the lead with a little more than 13 minutes to go. It marked the first time he sat at the front of the field since the third race of the season at Thunder Valley. Kitchen moved out to a lead of more than five seconds. Hymas challenged Davies for second and made the pass. However, he went down and gave up two positions, remounting in fourth. Davies moved back into second while Mumford slotted into third.
Kitchen managed his advantage the rest of the way and carried on to his third moto win of the season by 8.1 seconds over Davies, while Mumford equaled a career-best moto finish in third. Hymas was fourth, with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Ryder DiFrancesco #34 in fifth. Connolly crossed the line in eighth, his first top 10 finish of the season.
Waitoki’s Cole Davies #37 avoids the turn one drama in Moto 2 of the 250SMX Championship at Unadilla, New Berlin, New York. Photo: SMX
The second moto started with Davies out front with the holeshot ahead of Hymas and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Kayden Minear #99. However, all attention was centered on Kitchen, who was forced off the track with several riders entering the first turn and was credited with a 37th-place start.
Davies took advantage of the clear track, with Hymas applying pressure. Behind them, DiFrancesco made the move around Minear for third. After one lap, Kitchen had fought his way to the cusp of the top 20 and looked to start collecting points with each pass made. After the opening 10 minutes Davies had stabilised his lead over Hymas at around two seconds, while DiFrancesco pursued closely from third. Kitchen, meanwhile, fought up to 13th and was one of the fastest riders on the track despite being immersed in heavy traffic.
Halfway through the moto, Davies’ lead surpassed three seconds, while Kitchen was on the verge of breaking into the top 10. Kitchen was on a gritty charge well into the top 10 – an inspired ride. The points leader made a valiant charge into the top six, which paid dividends in both the overall standings and the championship, and made a pass for fifth on the final lap around Connolly.
Out front, Davies completed a wire-to-wire performance for his seventh moto win of the season by a margin of 5.3 seconds over Hymas. DiFrancesco fended off a last-lap charge by Mumford for third, while Kitchen was caught off guard in the final turn and conceded fifth to Connolly at the line. Kitchen passed 31 riders in that second moto.
Davies’ 2-1 effort gave him his class-leading fourth overall win of the season and his career and moves him to within a point of the title chase with two rounds and four motos remaining.
Cole Davies is on a mission with just four motos remaining in the 250SMX Championship. Photo: SMX
Watch: Unadilla – 250SMX Highlights
250SMX Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)
1. Cole Davies, Waitoki, New Zealand, Yamaha (2-1 // 47)
2. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki (1-6 // 41)
3. Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda (4-2 // 40)
4. Carson Mumford, Simi Valley, Calif., KTM (3-4 // 38)
5. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Husqvarna (5-3 // 37)
6. Brodie Connolly, Tauranga, New Zealand, Honda (8-5 // 31)
7. Drew Adams, Chattanooga, Tenn., Kawasaki (7-9 // 28)
8. Caden Dudney, Des Moines, Iowa, Yamaha (6-11 // 27)
9. Nate Thrasher, Livingston, Tenn., Yamaha (10-12 // 22)
10. Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM (9-13 // 22)
250SMX Class Championship Standings (Race 9 of 11)
1. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki – 334
2. Cole Davies, Waitoki, New Zealand, Yamaha – 333
3. Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM – 290
4. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Husqvarna – 275
5. Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda – 270
6. Kayden Minear, Perth, WA, Australia, Yamaha – 240
7. Carson Mumford, Simi Valley, Calif., KTM – 226
8. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Honda – 194
9. Michael Mosiman, Sebastopol, Calif., Yamaha – 146
10= Casey Cochran, Portsmouth, Va., Husqvarna – 146
10= Nate Thrasher, Livingston, Tenn., Yamaha – 146
SMX World Championship Regular Season Standings (Round 26 of 28)
1. Cole Davies, Waitoki, New Zealand, Yamaha – 564
2. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki – 511
3. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Husqvarna – 439
4. Seth Hammaker, Bainbridge, Pa., Kawasaki – 314
5. Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda – 308
6. Carson Mumford, Simi Valley, Calif., KTM – 296
7. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Honda – 294
8. Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM – 290
9. Nate Thrasher, Livingston, Tenn., Yamaha – 283
10. Kayden Minear, Perth, WA, Australia, Yamaha – 267
