Red Bud Down to the Wire Racing!

BUCHANAN, Mich. (July 4, 2026) – The Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, celebrated America’s 250th Anniversary with the longstanding Independence Day tradition that is the 5.11 RedBud National. One of the biggest crowds in event history was on hand for Round 22 of the Monster Energy SMX World Championship, as overnight rain gave way to sunny skies and a continually evolving racetrack. With a heightened atmosphere for the milestone holiday the action on the track responded with compelling action across both classes. In the premier 450SMX Class, Honda HRC Progressive’s Hunter Lawrence [#96] made it two in-a-row and three for the season following an incredible second moto win in which he overcame a near 10-second deficit. In the 250SMX Class, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cole Davies[#37] became the first repeat winner in the class this summer with back-to-back victories.

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Anstie And Yamaha Part Ways

After signing and multi-year deal back in 2024, Max Anstie and the Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha team have mutually agreed to part ways, effective immediately. Anstie looks to defend his championship in the FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX) and it looks like the Yamaha program wasn’t willing to accommodate that request. This announcement comes during the midst of the 2026 Pro Motocross Championship where Anstie has yet to complete a round after crashing during qualifying at round one at Fox Raceway in Pala, California.

“I’m proud of everything that I achieved with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing,” Anstie said. “It was a dream of mine to ride for the team. We shared a lot of success and I’d like to thank them for all the hard work and great memories over the last two years. I’m excited for my next chapter and what the future holds.”

Tom Vialle Unfiltered

Lawrences - Down Time

Behind The Gate

Barcia back as Cairoli returns to Red Bud for Ducati!

Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing is set for a packed Fourth of July weekend as the team heads to Red Bud for Round 5 of the 2026 AMA Pro Motocross Championship with a full roster, welcoming back Justin Barcia while adding nine-time MXGP World Champion Tony Cairoli under the awning.

After missing the High Point National, Justin Barcia will return to the starting gate aboard his Ducati Desmo450 MX. The fan favorite sustained a mild back injury during the opening moto at Thunder Valley, forcing him to sit out Moto 2 and later decided to miss High Point entirely to allow additional time for recovery.

“I am stoked to be back especially for Red Bud on the 4th of July,” said Justin Barcia. “I tweaked my back at Thunder Valley and was experiencing some spasms. So, we decided to capitalize on the weekend off after High Point and decided to sit out High Point to give me some extra time to heal up. But I’m back, ready to get behind the gate, and have some fun celebrating the 4th of July at Red Bud.”

The Red Bud National will also mark the addition of one of motocross’ greatest legends to the Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing lineup. Nine-time MXGP World Champion Tony Cairoli will join the team for three rounds of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship, competing at Red Bud, Southwick, and Spring Creek.

Cairoli’s relationship with both Troy Lee Designs and Ducati runs deep. The Italian legend played a significant role in the early development and testing of Ducati’s Desmo450 project, helping shape the motorcycle from its earliest stages into the race-winning machine it is today.

Cairoli also competed in two rounds of the 2025 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, racing Red Bud and Spring Creek as a Ducati ambassador before the manufacturer established an official U.S. factory effort. With Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing now serving as Ducati’s official AMA Pro Motocross team, the opportunity to bring Cairoli into the factory program for three rounds represents a special addition to the team’s 2026 campaign.

“For these three rounds I’m pretty pumped because last year I had good times [racing Red Bud and Spring Creek] and this year the bike is in a much better spot with improvements and development,” said Tony Cairoli. “I think it will be nice to line up for these three rounds and see those bike improvements in a race scenario. I am familiar with the tracks from last year [Red Bud, Southwick, and Millville] and I’m excited to see all the American fans again, I felt welcome last year and I’m excited to do it again this year.”

With the addition of Tony Cairoli alongside the returning Justin Barcia and the team’s full-time effort, Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing will field three riders in the 450 class in the US for the first time in the team’s history. The expanded lineup marks another milestone in Ducati’s growing presence in American motocross as the team heads into one of the sport’s most iconic events at Red Bud.

Stewart vs. Carmichael

James Stewart on Ricky Carmichael and moving to the premier class

Stewart had something to prove that went beyond racing motorcycles, but that need to win made him ride over his head all too often. You can't win if you crash, regardless of how fast you can ride a few laps at a time. Carmichael was fast and consistent so outpacing him for a few laps wasn't going to cut it. Stewart kind of started acting weird anyway, probably because of the fame, money, injuries and failure to secure more championships. Luckily, he settled down and is what we see today.

Seth Hammaker Out For Season

Not the news anyone wanted to hear following a brilliant start to the Pro Motocross campaign for Seth Hammaker. Kawasaki announced today that he will be "on the mend for the remainder of the season" following a shoulder injury suffered at High Point. You might recall that Hammaker, who held a share of the red plate coming into the race, looped out and hurt himself early in the second moto at that event.

We assume this long layoff means shoulder surgery again for Seth. He battled through the 2025 season by pushing shoulder surgery into the off season. Bummer ending to a good start.

Kawasaki also added that Enzo Temmerman, who had jumped on board with the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki team from his usual Team Green spot, also hurt his shoulder and will miss RedBud. Temmerman could be back soon, though.