Recently crowned AMA East Coast Supercross Champion Cole Davies, of Waitoki, takes a moto win at the Hangtown Motocross Classic for Round 2 of the eleven-round Pro Motocross Championship, further cementing his position as a serious contender in the 250SMX Class.
Cole Davies’ win in the second moto at Hangtown is the second AMA motocross win of his career. Photo: SMX
The oldest race in American motocross was the site for Round 19 of the 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship, as the Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, traveled to the shadow of the California capital for the 57th running of the iconic Coker Pump Hangtown Motocross Classic. The challenging racetrack, combined with near-perfect weather conditions was a recipe for another compelling afternoon of racing that saw Davies take the second AMA motocross win of his career, in the 250SMX Class.
The first 250SMX moto of the afternoon got underway with Seth Hammaker leading the field to the holeshot ahead of the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing duo of New Zealand’s Cole Davies #37 and Landen Gordon #180. As the leaders navigated the opening lap, Davies went down and remounted in 10th. That moved Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Julien Beaumer #13 into second and Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Nick Romano #141 into third.
Hammaker settled into the lead and built a multi-second advantage after the first five minutes. Beaumer also settled into second as the battle for third unfolded between Romano and Honda HRC Progressive’s Jo Shimoda #30, the reigning SMX World Champion. After a lengthy fight, Shimoda wrestled the position away from Romano.
At the halfway point the top three strengthened their respective holds on the podium spots, but no one on the track was running faster than Kitchen #47, who started outside the top 10 and fought all the way up to fourth place.
Inside the final 10 minutes the fight for second heated up between Beaumer and Shimoda, while Kitchen closed in from fourth. The Japanese rider showed patience and pulled the trigger on a pass for second. Mere moments later Kitchen made the pass for third and then carried on, getting by Shimoda for second. At this point, Hammaker sat 11 seconds clear of the field. While Kitchen was able to gain ground on Hammaker, the deficit was too much to overcome as the points leader won his second consecutive moto by a margin of 7.2 seconds over his teammate. Shimoda finished in a distant third, with Beaumer fourth and Honda HRC Progressive’s Chance Hymas #29 fifth. Davies nursed his bike home in 11th.
Kiwi Cole Davies #37 starts strongly in the first moto alongside series leader Seth Hammaker #10. Photo: SMX
In the second 30 minute + two lap moto drama unfolded from the start with a massive crash in the first turn that had Hammaker at the center of it. The moto holeshot ultimately went to 5.11 Triumph Factory Racing rookie Deacon Denno #199, just ahead of Davies and his Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing teammate Caden Dudney #82. A torrid opening phase of the moto saw Davies grab hold of the lead ahead of Romano in second, with Dudney settling into third.
After starting eighth Kitchen mounted a charge to the front. He showed tremendous pace early, which allowed him to make quick passes up to fourth, well within striking distance of the top three. He soon made the move around Denno for third and then got by Romano for second. With a little more than 20 minutes left in the moto, he faced a double-digit deficit to Davies.
As the leaders settled in through the middle of the moto, the attention shifted to Hammaker and his recovery from the first-turn crash. He did well to claw his way up the running order and had made his way into the top 15 by the halfway point of the race.
Back up front, Davies’ lead over Kitchen stabilised but the battle for third heated up between Beaumer and Romano, with the KTM rider able to make the pass. Behind them, Hammaker continued his forward push and broke into the top 10, which carried major implications in the overall standings.
Davies went unchallenged throughout the entirety of the race and cruised to the second moto win of his career by a margin of 9.3 seconds over Kitchen, followed by Beaumer in third. Hammaker capped off a valiant come-from-behind effort in ninth.
With this Hangtown result Davies maintains his lead in the SMX World Championship Regular Season Standings and rises to fourth in the 250SMX Class Championship Standings.
The 2026 Pro Motocross Championship will continue next Saturday, June 13, with Round 20 of the SMX World Championship regular season from Colorado’s Thunder Valley Motocross Park.
250SMX Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)
1. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki (2-2 // 44)
2. Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM (4-3 // 38)
3. Seth Hammaker, Bainbridge, Pa., Kawasaki (1-9 // 38)
4. Cole Davies, Waitoki, New Zealand, Yamaha (11-1// 36)
5. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Honda (3-6 // 36)
6. Nick Romano, Bayside, N.Y., Kawasaki (7-4 // 33)
7. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., Yamaha (9-5 // 30)
8. Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda (5-12 // 27)
9. Carson Mumford, Simi Valley, Calif., KTM (8-11 // 25)
10. Kayden Minear, Perth, Western Australia, Yamaha (6-13 // 25)
250SMX Class Championship Standings (Race 2 of 11)
1. Seth Hammaker, Bainbridge, Pa., Kawasaki – 85
2. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki – 78
3. Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM – 71
4. Cole Davies, Waitoki, New Zealand, Yamaha – 70
5. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Honda – 69
6. Nick Romano, Bayside, N.Y., Kawasaki – 61
7. Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda – 56
8. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., Yamaha – 49
9. Carson Mumford, Simi Valley, Calif., KTM – 48
10. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Husqvarna – 47
SMX World Championship Regular Season Standings (Round 19 of 28)
1. Cole Davies, Waitoki, New Zealand, Yamaha – 301
2. Seth Hammaker, Bainbridge, Pa., Kawasaki – 265
3. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Kawasaki – 255
4. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 233
5. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Husqvarna – 211
6. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., Yamaha – 195
7. Daxton Bennick, Morganton, N.C., Husqvarna – 184
8. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Honda – 169
9. Max Anstie, Newbury, England, Yamaha – 168
10. Nate Thrasher, Livingston, Tenn., Yamaha – 158
