- Kiwi Cole Davies wins the 2026 AMA Pro Motocross 250 Championship
- Davies clinched the crown at Ironman Raceway after finishing third in the opening moto
- The title completes an extraordinary Supercross and Pro Motocross championship double in 2026
Kiwi teenager completes an incredible American double, adding the AMA Pro Motocross 250 crown to his 250SX East Supercross title – and clinching it on his 19th birthday.
New Zealand teenager Cole Davies has capped an extraordinary season in the United States by winning the 2026 AMA Pro Motocross 250 Championship – wrapping up the title at the Ironman season finale on his 19th birthday.
New Zealand has another American motocross champion.
Cole Davies has secured the 2026 AMA Pro Motocross 250 Championship, completing a remarkable season that has seen the Kiwi teenager establish himself as one of the brightest young talents in world motocross.
The Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rider arrived at the final round at Ironman Raceway in Crawfordsville, Indiana, holding a 14-point advantage over his only remaining championship rival, Levi Kitchen.
But rather than the title battle going all the way to the final moto of the season, Davies had the championship wrapped up before the opening race of the day was even over.
And he couldn’t have picked a better day to do it – the Kiwi was celebrating his 19th birthday.
TITLE DECIDED IN MOTO ONE
Davies had already underlined his speed by topping qualifying at Ironman before lining up for the opening 250 moto knowing two solid results would be enough to secure the championship.
He made a strong start and quickly established himself among the leading group, battling with Julien Beaumer and Chance Hymas before settling into third.
Behind him, however, Kitchen’s championship challenge rapidly unravelled.
The Kawasaki rider started outside the top 10 and crashed early in the race before going down again. With his bike damaged, Kitchen was eventually forced to retire from the moto.
That effectively ended the title fight.
Davies kept his composure at the front of the field and brought his Yamaha home in third place, giving the 19-year-old enough points to mathematically secure the championship with the final moto of the season still to run.
It was an appropriately controlled performance from a rider who has demonstrated remarkable maturity throughout his first full AMA Pro Motocross campaign.
AN INCREDIBLE ROOKIE SEASON
Davies’ championship is even more impressive considering how quickly he has risen through the American professional ranks.
The Waitoki youngster only made his AMA Pro Motocross debut in 2025, but has gone from promising rookie to American champion in little more than 12 months.
His 2026 outdoor campaign included overall victories at High Point, RedBud, Washougal and Unadilla, with Davies becoming increasingly formidable as the season progressed.
The championship battle tightened considerably during the second half of the series, with Davies and Kitchen trading the points lead as the season headed towards its conclusion.
Davies was just a single point behind Kitchen with two rounds remaining, but the championship swung dramatically at the rain-soaked Budds Creek penultimate round.
Davies won the opening moto and finished third in Moto 2 for second overall, while Kitchen’s difficult first moto helped turn Davies’ one-point deficit into a 14-point championship advantage heading to Ironman.
This time there would be no final-round reversal.
Davies delivered exactly what was required and became the 2026 AMA Pro Motocross 250 Champion.
THE DOUBLE
Remarkably, the outdoor championship is Davies’ second major American title of 2026.
Earlier this year he won the AMA Supercross 250SX East Championship, becoming only the second New Zealander to win an AMA Supercross divisional title after Ben Townley achieved the feat in 2007.
Now Davies can add the prestigious AMA Pro Motocross 250 crown to his rapidly expanding CV.
Winning either championship would represent an extraordinary achievement for a 19-year-old Kiwi competing against America’s best factory-supported young riders.
Winning both in the same season puts Davies’ 2026 campaign on another level entirely.
And with the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rider still only at the beginning of his professional career, it appears New Zealand has another genuine international motocross superstar on its hands.
Pics: SMX
