450 Storylines: Unadilla Recap
JETT LAWRENCE: Captured his fourth victory of the season, 28th of his 450SMX career outdoors (fourth alltime), and milestone 70th SMX League victory (seventh all-time). He also reclaimed the red plate from brother Hunter and holds 10-point lead going into the penultimate round. Jett is seeking to tie Jeremy McGrath for first on Honda’s all-time SMX League wins list with 71.
JORGE PRADO: Made his 40th career SMX League start and tied a career-best finish for his fifth podium of the SMX League season. He also made his 20th career Pro MX start and earned his third podium.
HAIDEN DEEGAN: Captured his sixth podium in 9 rounds as a 450SMX rookie in what has become an impressive debut season for one of the most successful 250SMX racers of all time. It was his 63rd SMX League podium, which ties John Dowd for a spot in the top-40 all time.
NOTES: Garrett Marchbanks (4th): Tied his career best 450SMX finish in Pro MX, which came earlier this season at Thunder Valley. It was his fifth top 5 finish of the season, sixth all time aboard a 450, and 36th of his SMX League career. RJ Hampshire (5th): Earned the third top 5 finish of his sophomore campaign and the 94th of his SMX League career, tying him with Damon Bradshaw for 45th all-time. Jed Beaton (7th): Newly crowned Australian National Champion made his second career SMX League start (17th at Washougal 2023 in 450SMX) and grabbed a top 10 finish, which he has now achieved in Pro MX, MXGP, and Australian ProMX competition. Hunter Lawrence (8th): Marked the first time in his 450SMX career outdoors that he recorded a DNF and also signified his first finish outside the top five in 31 premier class starts (96.7%). He also recorded just his second moto finish outside the top five in 62 gate drops (96.7%). Justin Cooper (9th): Returned to action for his 169th career SMX League top 10 finish in 187 tries (90.3%). He made his 25th career 450SMX start in Pro MX. Justin Barcia (10th): Made his 385th career SMX League start and will seek his 125th 450SMX start in Pro MX at Budds Creek. He is currently tied with Nick Wey for fifth on the all-time list. Mark Fineis (14th): FMF Privateer Power recipient earned a career best moto result of fifth in the Moto 2.
450 Class: Budds Creek Facts
- HISTORY LESSON: The first 450SMX round of Pro MX at Budds Creek was on May 22, 1994, when Kawasaki’s Mike LaRocco swept the field during a championship-winning season. LaRocco also won the first moto in 1995, but Honda’s Jeremy McGrath stole the overall for just his second career Pro MX victory. McGrath won just 15 450SMX rounds of Pro MX in his storied career, and almost half of them (7) came in 1995.
- 3+ DECADES OF HISTORY: This year will mark the 32nd time the 450SMX class has competed at Budds Creek since Budds Creek was solely a 125cc/500cc round from 1989-1992 and after no Budds Creek race in 1993, the series returned in 1994 with the 450SMX Class. Jeff Ward, Jeff Stanton (x2), & Jean Michel-Bayle were the 4 overall winners of the 500cc division at Budds Creek from 1989-1992.
- BUDDS CREEK MOMENTS: The 1995 Budds Creek National included Doug Henry soaring through the Maryland stratosphere and landing at the bottom of a large hill in one of the most infamous motocross crashes in history. The launching pad is now called Henry Hill and is one of the many difficult obstacles athletes have maneuvered at Budds Creek for over 30 years… Looking for his eight straight Budds Creek victory, Ricky Carmichael got a rock in his goggles courtesy of James Stewart, forcing him to ditch them mid race and settle for second. He rebounded in a legendary Moto 2 battle to score victory in one of his last races… Ryan Villopoto dominated all athletes, MX1 included, at the 2007 MXoN from Budds Creek. He was on a 250F for what is considered one of the greatest feats in American motocross history…
- CHAMPIONSHIP %: The winner of 450SMX at Budds Creek has won the title 21 times in 31 attempts (68%), including 6 of the previous 7 attempts and each of the past 2 seasons. Budds Creek served as the championship finale for the first time last season, but ultimately did not see a champion crowned as the title had already been clinched (Jett Lawrence).
250 Storylines: Unadilla Recap
COLE DAVIES: Earned his fourth win of the summer and within a single point off the red plate. It was Davies’ 12th career SMX League* victory, all aboard a Yamaha, moving him into the top 20 on Yamaha’s all-time wins list. Davies only made 2 starts in his rookie season, including Budds Creek where he won the first moto. It was the only top 10 moto finish among the 4 motos he competed in.
LEVI KITCHEN: Captured his fifth podium of the season, which included a near last place start in Moto 2, to hold the red plate going into the penultimate round. It was his 19th career 250SMX podium in Pro MX (30th all-time) and 37th SMX League podium. Kitchen hasn’t won since Rd. 2 at Hangtown, but did end a five-race drought for laps led.
CHANCE HYMAS: After failing to record a single top 5 finish in the first 6 rounds of the season, Hymas secured his third straight podium. He has 8 career podiums in Pro MX and 10 SMX League podiums going into the end of the SMX season. His hard charge the last few weeks has put him in a position to battle for fourth in the point standings with Ryder DiFrancesco (5th; 5-3).
NOTES: Carson Mumford (4th): After failing to record a single top 5 in his first 41 career Pro MX starts, Mumford has reeled off 3 straight, including back-to-back fourths, to move into seventh in the point standings. He has never finished inside the top 10 in any SMX League championship. Brodie Connolly (6th): The New Zealander, who is a 2-time Australian Champion, broke out in a big way with his first SMX League top 10 finish in 6 tries. Cade Bradley (38th) & Nicholas Hunt (41st): Each made their first career SMX League starts.
250 Class: Budds Creek Facts
- HISTORY LESSON: The first 250SMX round at Budds Creek was on October 8, 1989, when Honda’s Mike Kiedrowski won en route to his first of 2 class titles. Similar to 2026, It was the penultimate round of the 125cc season and rival Damon Bradshaw’s eighth overall helped propel Kiedrowski into the points lead, clinching shortly thereafter.
- 3+ DECADES OF HISTORY: The 250SMX class has more history than the 450SMX class at Budds Creek. This year will be the 36th 250SMX round held at Budds Creek, serving as the penultimate round once again.
- BUDDS CREEK MOMENTS: In 1992, Jeff Emig and Mike LaRocco were locked in a tight title fight going into the Budds Creek finale. In the rain, Emig recorded laps that were 8 seconds faster to run away with the win, which was partially aided by LaRocco snapping his shifter on a track marker… James Stewart debuted the iconic “Bubba Scrub” at Budds Creek in 2002, which completely revolutionized the sport…
- CHAMPIONSHIP %: The 250SMX winner at Budds Creek has won the title 16 times in 35 seasons (46%), but only three times in the previous 16 seasons. All Classes combined, Budds Creek has a 39 out of 70 (56%) championship percentage of 56% (39 times in 70 tries).
WMX Storylines: Unadilla Recap
LACHLAN TURNER: Earned her third victory of the season to extend her points lead to 15 points over Charli Cannon. Turner dominated the Friday’s first moto (+15.6 seconds) while Cannon lost by less than 2 seconds in Saturday’s second moto.
CHARLI CANNON: Captured her fourth podium of the season and third runnerup. She has finished first or second 6 times in 8 motos this season and has a firm hold of second in the standings over Jordan Jarvis.
MAYLA HERRICK: Fresh off winning the Loretta Lynn’s Women’s title she tied for the last podium spot. Herrick finished better in Moto 2 to earn her first career WMX podium via tiebreaker. Herrick shocked the industry by winning the first moto at High Point before she was forced to DNF the second moto.
JORDAN JARVIS: Holds down third in the point standings thanks to going 4 for 4 in top 5 finishes the season, joining Turner and Cannon as the only athletes to do so this season.
