Bud's Creek...WOW!

Lars...What Happened?

Team manager gives insight into eventful Unadilla weekend.

Saturday’s Unadilla National proved to be an eventful weekend for Honda HRC Progressive, with Jett Lawrence and Chance Hymas achieving success in the 450MX and 250MX divisions, while former points leader Hunter Lawrence endured a costly DNF in moto two. In this Industry interview, team manager Lars Lindstrom reflects on the highs and lows of a dramatic day in New York.

Congratulations on the overall win in the 450MX class and Jett [Lawrence] getting the red plate. Obviously, everyone’s pretty bummed about Hunter [Lawrence]. Can you just run us through that entire situation?

With what’s going on for the next couple of races and how close they have been, Jett knew what he needed to do if he wanted to win the championship. And when he didn’t win the first moto, that set him back in other little spots there. It looked like Jorge [Prado] was riding really well, so it looked like they were all going to battle right there, and then possibly Jett was going to make, like, one point back or whatever that was going to be, or two. So, when that happened, [Hunter] got stuck in the fence, and we couldn’t see it because he’s down in that section there. It’s kind of like we’re trying to relay on the radio with the rest of the team. Where’s he at? Why is he not getting back on the bike? And then you find out that he’s stuck down on the hill, that he’s stuck in the fence or whatever was going on. It was kind of gutting for everybody because he deserves it so much, and he’s such a good guy and such a good friend to everybody on the team. We’ve gotten so close with him. And after Supercross, you really want the best for him, and he was doing everything right. It just feels kind of unfair. I know it was his fault. It wasn’t like somebody took him out or anything like that, but it just felt like everybody really felt gutted for him.

Is that the first DNF in the 450MX class in quite a while? And I think that ends Hunter’s little streak that he’s been on of top five since he got on the 450. A little bit disappointed, yeah?

His streak was unbelievable for a 450 rider. Yeah, I don’t know when the last time we had a DNF in a 450 motocross race. But yeah, it’s never a good thing when you do that, I guess.

And encouraging signs on the Chance [Hymas] side, on the 250 side of things. You guys must be happy with his progress across this season and obviously looking for hopefully more in the next two rounds.

It’s really cool seeing him get back to where he can be, where he should be. We’ve worked really hard in the off-season weeks on the R&D side, trying to make a little bit more power. And we actually did bring an upgrade to this race. So, we did have a little bit more power and a little bit [of a] better-running motorcycle. I think it showed. I mean, he got two good top-three starts. The reason he got good starts was because of, I don’t know, in the second moto, guys going off the track – that helped, but he was top three in both of them. And then his speed was there. He rides this track well, typically. His aggression was there early. And then his unfortunate tip-over in the first moto caused him to lose that second-place or possibly a win, I guess. Maybe. But no, really, really cool to see him back up front again. And hopefully we can get a win or two here before the season ends.

 Octopi Media.

It seems like this year has really been the year of red plate swapping, and you’ve experienced it all season long, whether it was Supercross or motocross. How do you manage the fact that before it was with different teams – whether it was KTM or Suzuki – you were trading it off with different teams, and now it’s within your own organization? So how do you lead the team differently in a mental sort of way, saying, ‘Hey, we have the red plate, but now it goes from the number one to 96 or vice versa?’

It’s kind of a good problem to have, right? It’s cool that both brothers are so close and that the mechanics are best friends. Nobody really gets jealous or angry or anything like that. I think everybody right now is even…Jett almost, like, doesn’t even want the red plate to take it from Hunter. But that part for me is pretty simple. There’s no animosity or anything like that. And the red plate looks great on our bike, so I’m glad it’s on either Jett’s or Hunter’s.

We just came off a two-week break. Ever since you guys got the Lawrences in general, I feel like your guys’ program has just been go, go, go, go between the bike development, them moving classes, the off-season races, and Motocross of Nations. How important have the last two weeks, and even this upcoming off season is for you guys just to get everybody calmed down, because I’m sure it’s really easy for everybody to just keep on grinding. That’s just kind of how this sport is.

These last couple of weeks were kind of a grind for everybody. We did the ‘27 shoot, which you were at. A lot of times I’ll go to Europe to do a GP or to visit family or do both. We didn’t do that this time. Some of the guys worked on weekends getting the 250 stuff ready, especially the guys back at the shop. And they’ve been busting their butt to try to make some improvements because we’re just trying to push the limit of what we can make for power and for just an overall better motorcycle in the 250 class. We haven’t really had much time off, but we did have weekends, which was great. And this off-season is going to be probably a nice break because we’re going to have a lot of weekends off and not a lot of traveling, but we are going to have a lot of work with the ‘27 450 to get going more on Supercross. There’s an earthquake in Kumamoto in Japan, so hopefully we’re not going to be struggling for parts and things like that, but it sounds like everybody over there is okay and the facility’s all right. So that could take up a lot of our time, and hopefully it’s an easy transition. It’s never that easy to take a production bike and go Supercross racing. But so far I think we have a really good base, so maybe it won’t be that difficult. We’ll just have to find out.

Just to confirm, Hunter is okay?

He’s a little beat up, and luckily we have Dr. G [H. Rey Gubernick] here to make sure that he’s got everything rubbed out, but his shoulder and his wrist are a little sore. But other than that, he’s okay.age: Octopi Media.

Were you thinking he should pull in to try and get the bike sorted up and keep going, or was it just a lost cause at that point?

It’s kind of like up to him. If he felt that the bike was okay to circulate and get some points, then I think he would’ve made that decision. The thing was pretty bent up. The handlebars and the lever were way down. I think maybe he could have stopped in and we could have adjusted some stuff, but I mean, the thing was pretty wrecked and he was pretty beat up. Once he was that far back, I mean, he was already in the 20s when he just finally got going, so for him to start picking off guys and make some points got to the point where it was impossible. It wasn’t worth it for him. So pulled it in.

I asked Jett kind of the same question here. For him, there were obviously question marks coming into this season, and this year he’s been very frustrated. But have you guys as a team looked at the way that he’s gone about this year dealing with the injury and everything as an overall success?

I don’t think anybody thought his foot was going to be this difficult to get over, including him, or mostly him, probably. But after realizing that, after seeing how much pain and how difficult it was for him to do his thing on the bike, I think everybody’s been pretty danged surprised at how well he’s able to ride. Obviously, the crashes that he’s had have been less than ideal. Maybe those don’t…I guess they probably don’t happen. They haven’t happened in the last four years that he’s won, right? Or three years. But other than that, he’s been incredible. I mean, today he was incredible too, especially in that first moto of having to come back and get those guys for second. So yeah, pretty big success. And I think he kind of needed this with his foot and to get everything going again, whether he wins the championship or not, just to get the confidence back that he can ride and do that and get better, because when we come around in Supercross, his foot’s going to need to be a lot better than it is right now.

We know that Hunter is one of the most mentally tough riders out there. He rebounds very, very quickly. So this question is not to disparage that whatsoever. But that said, will it take longer for his emotional recovery this week after having such a tragedy?

He’s probably really fired up. I think he knows that he just threw away a huge opportunity at a good points lead. And I think the fire inside him will be even stronger, though, to come out these last two rounds. Now he’s just got to win. It’s kind of like where we were at Supercross, right? And after that whole situation too, I’m sure that the motivation is even stronger now to come out and just win and win the championship. We’ll see. I mean, right now it’s a tough day for him for sure. I’m pretty confident that he will be really motivated and really hungry to come back and win next weekend.

Hunter Lawrence on that Unadilla crash

Hunter Lawrence spoke to Lewis Phillips about his crash at Unadilla admitting he was sore after the crash and his bike wss pretty bent up!

Hunter who is now ten points behind brother Jett with two rounds to go said: “I was pretty sore. The bike was in a very bad state, let’s say, on a high speed track where, you know, even with straight bars and not broken triple clamps and mangled everything. I still went down, so the chances of risking another injury and stuff were, yeah, not very favorable.”

 

“I’m okay. Like, it’s my wrist from Supercross but it’s been given me, it’s been the same kind of grief throughout the whole season. It’s just one of those things that doesn’t fully get better during the season, right? Because you’re racing and training every week, but it’s been good enough to do what I’ve been able to do so far, so I’m not, it’s not going to hold me back.”

“The motivation’s definitely unwavored. I know what I can do. Like you said, I control my own fate. It’s in my hands, so I just got to not dwell on what’s happened.”

Sasha In For Ironman?

Are the Coenen Brothers Coming Back to the USA to Race the Ironman National Finale? We Think One of Them Might Be...

 

Initially, the plan for the twin Belgian brothers Sacha and Lucas Coenen was for them to race three rounds of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship this summer, when the FIM Motocross World Championship. Then, the Southwick National happened.

Sacha Coenen went 1-1 but broke his collarbone in a crash during the second moto, somehow getting up and not only finishing the second moto in the race lead but also pulling back away from Cole Davies. Lucas Coenen crashed out of the second 450 moto that day, although he appeared okay and uninjured. However, since then, things have gone south for the two then-championship leaders once they returned back home. 

Sacha raced the following round less than a handful of days after his collarbone injury and surgery, and Lucas lined up for the qualifying race...but crashed and suffered a leg injury in the process. Now, the initial plan of racing the Thunder Valley, Southwick, and Ironman Nationals have changed, at least for one of the brothers. 

In Racerhead #34 today, Davey Coombs hinted towards the plan for next weekend at Ironman, and we actually might still see one of the Coenen brothers competing in Indiana!

Here is what Davey said about the Coenen brothers:

Oh, and I got some news on the return of the Coenen brothers to Pro Motocross, which was planned for next weekend at Ironman. Sacha, who stunned everyone with a moto runaway at Thunder Valley and then a dominant 1-1 at Southwick, is not coming back next weekend. He's suddenly back in the thick of the MX2 FIM Motocross World Championship picture after winning last weekend in Sweden, while points leader Guillem Farres crashed hard on Saturday and struggled on Sunday. As for Lucas, he's still dealing with that back issue, but according to a friend at Red Bull KTM, he feels that he still has "unfinished business" here—he went 2-2 at Thunder Valley but crashed out of Southwick. If he feels like he can go, Lucas is still hoping to be at Ironman.

Here is a look at the MX2 championship standings, as 24 points separate Guillem Farres (who just had a big crash last weekend in Sweden and got banged up himself) and Sacha Coenen.

Beaumer Stays With KTM

Julien Beaumer Re-Signs with Red Bull KTM: “Let's win some races and fight for some championships”

Julien Beaumer AND RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING CONTINUE INTO THE FUTURE

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing has re-signed Julien Beaumer through the 2027 SMX World Championship and beyond, continuing together into the future following a standout campaign to date in AMA Pro Motocross this season.

Since joining KTM's factory program in 2024, Beaumer has emerged as one of the most exciting young riders in the sport. The 20-year-old broke through for a first-career 250SX victory in the AMA Supercross Championship last year on his way to second in the Western Divisional standings.

Despite a serious back injury ruling him out of Supercross in 2026, 'Juju' has made a remarkable return to competition outdoors and is currently positioned third in the 250MX championship after winning his maiden overall at the Spring Creek National.

In a multi-year agreement, Beaumer will enter his fourth season with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing in 2027, targeting title success across the SMX World Championship – including the AMA Supercross and AMA Pro Motocross Championships – equipped with the KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION.

Julien Beaumer:

"I'm really stoked to announce that I've extended my contract with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing. I can't thank them enough for the belief and hard work they put in – these last three years have been amazing and I couldn't be happier to be with the group of people that I'm with. Let's win some races and fight for some championships! That's the goal."

Ian Harrison, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager:

"Julien is one of the younger riders on our team, but with this contract extension he’ll become one of the veterans of our program. We couldn’t be prouder of the growth Julien has shown. He has demonstrated that even during challenging times, he can make smart decisions, stay focused on improvement, and continue working to become a better racer. We’ve all seen the tremendous progress he has made throughout the 2026 Pro Motocross season, both on and off the track. I have no doubt that Julien will continue to develop his racecraft and reach new levels in the years ahead. His future is incredibly bright, and we’re grateful for the trust he has placed in our team. We look forward to continuing to build on this success together."

Roczen Interview

Tomac Comeback

2026 MX Season?

Q&A: How Pro Motocross is unfolding

Post: Kane Taylor

The topics that matter most following eight rounds of season 2026.

Eight rounds of the 2026 Pro Motocross Championship are complete, with a range of intriguing storylines emerging this summer. MotoOnline answers the questions that matter most in this Q&A feature during the two-week break, before racing resumes at the Undailla National.

Image: Octopi Media.

Q: The big question – has Haiden Deegan impressed in his 450MX debut?

A: Indeed he has, which says a lot given the hype that accompanied the two-time 250MX champion. The ‘RIP Jett’ era already feels like a distant memory as Dangerboy has settled into the 450MX division, although the Lawrence brothers have kept him – and everyone else – winless in the premier class so far. That has to sting. Subtly, Deegan’s tone has shifted towards understanding what it takes to master the bigger machine, acknowledging that both further development and additional refinement of his YZ450F package are required. That said, sitting a clear third in the standings, finishing second overall at Spring Creek, claiming pole position at Washougal, and adding four more podium finishes makes for a highly respectable rookie campaign. The thing is, Deegan wants more, and there’s little doubt he’ll be chasing at least a moto victory across the final three rounds.

Q: Has Hunter Lawrence elevated to Jett’s level?

A: For now, he has. It’s a combination of Hunter having already been on the bike – and in the 450SX title fight – throughout Supercross, while Jett spent the best part of six months on the sidelines. In addition, Jett’s bike time remains somewhat limited due to the lingering effects of his foot injury, allowing Hunter to continue building momentum. So, in a sense, it’s a bit of both. Hunter has risen to Jett’s level, although Jett isn’t yet operating at full capacity. What’s abundantly clear, however, is how far the brothers continue to push one another, with that intensity now manifesting in uncharacteristic mistakes – and crashes – from both riders. As it stands, Jett faces a 12-point deficit with three rounds remaining, and given how evenly matched the pair have been, closing that gap will be no easy task.

Q: Is Julien Beaumer the most improved 250MX rider?

A: You could probably say the same about both he and Kayden Minear, although ‘JuJu’ gets the slight nod. He’s completely flipped the ‘indoor specialist’ narrative and remains in the 250MX title fight, sitting third in the standings, just 25 points from the lead. His breakthrough overall victory at Spring Creek via a 1-4 scorecard only reinforced that. What makes the turnaround even more impressive is where he has come from, having missed nine months with a serious back injury sustained at last year’s Charlotte SMX round. In short, Beaumer is the real deal, and few – perhaps aside from Julien himself and Red Bull KTM – could have predicted such a significant jump in performance.

Q: What can we expect from Levi Kitchen and Cole Davies from here?

A: While Beaumer remains in contention, it’s increasingly looking like the 250MX title will come down to Levi Kitchen and Cole Davies. Kitchen has again been plagued by his customary poor starts, and at Washougal, Davies capitalized convincingly with a dominant 1-1 performance. The issue for the New Zealander is that he has also recorded 16th and 10th overall finishes at Spring Creek and Thunder Valley, respectively. While the speed is undeniable, moments of inconsistency have crept in. Whoever can iron out those weaknesses and deliver consistent performances over the final rounds will likely emerge as champion, and for Kitchen, that means solving his starts – for Davies, avoiding any further off weekends.

Q: How has Jorge Prado’s second 450MX campaign gone?

A: Much better, although something suggests four-time world champion Prado is a little disappointed by just how far he remains from the front-running Lawrence duo. The move to Red Bull KTM Factory Racing has undoubtedly paid dividends, although for much of the season he has found himself battling Deegan for third while watching the Honda HRC Progressive pair disappear into the distance. And how do you close that gap when Jett and Hunter are pushing each other every day? It’s a difficult question to answer, and judging by his comments over the past couple of rounds, it seems to be one Prado himself is beginning to come to terms with.

Q: Which underdog stories have emerged in 2026?

A: Every year, a select few riders seem to emerge as the sport’s latest ‘summer of’ story – those who take a significant step forward from where they were previously. In 2026, Carson Mumford, Garrett Marchbanks, and Cornelius Tondel have been those riders. Mumford has finally begun showing the potential many expected after a decorated amateur career. Injuries and team changes have previously stalled his progression, although fifth at Spring Creek and fourth overall at Washougal have firmly put him back on the radar. Marchbanks, meanwhile, has established himself as a genuine top-five contender while effectively leading the Monster Energy Kawasaki program to this point, and Tondel earned a fill-in opportunity with the team following Chase Sexton’s injury after his own strong start to the season. All three have delivered, emerging as some of the standout performers of the 2026 Pro Motocross Championship.

Jason Thomas on Chase Sexton’s future

Jason Thomas has given his view on Chase Sexton’s future saying the American seems to want out but needs to find a pathway to get there and a home to go too!

JT said on the Live Motocross Podcast: “If I was them I would be trying to do everything humanly possible to make Chase happy and want to stay at this point. I don’t know if we’re gonna get there. So I’m kind of giving you every possible scenario ever mostly because I don’t think that anybody knows yet. I don’t think Chase knows yet. I don’t think Kawi knows yet.

“I think the most compelling aspect of this conversation about Chase is that I think Chase is definitely looking to leave. I think he is looking to leave and I don’t know what his options are to do so. I don’t think he knows necessarily either, I think the reason he went to Spring Creek was to find out exactly what his options were and face-to-face talk to teams and see hey can I come here? What’s the deal? Because there had been a lot of flirting and you know, hiking of skirts at each other, right? Can we do a deal? Like they’re tempting each other and teasing each other about what could be.

But I think for Chase him going to Spring Creek was about listen guys we got to do something if we’re going to do something and I’ve got to get serious about exiting Kawasaki. I don’t know, and you know, two and a half weeks later if he has all the answers he’s looking for. Maybe he’s closer, maybe has a better idea but I don’t know that he’s just there.

And then that brings up thee maybe even the harder part is like you get somebody who’s like, ‘yeah, man we’re super interested, but you’re under contract.’ Now he has to go actually enter that conversation with Kawi and say hey guys I want to get out and what does that look like right? Like I don’t know that they’ve had That serious of a conversation of we want out of the contract, right?

“Like I don’t know because the thing about it I don’t know that you can go into that conversation unless you’re ready to for whatever outcome may be. You can’t go in and say guys I want out and then a week later say just kidding, I think I’m gonna stay! You do so much harm to the relationship in that one statement and officially saying like I want out of this thing that you better have your ducks in a row and you better have a plan b in place if you get what you want, and I think that’s what he’s trying to do I think he’s trying to have a solid plan.”

Lucas Coenen clears up US rumors

Lucas Coenen will not be at the starting gate for the MXGP of Sweden in Uddevalla. The 19-year-old Red Bull KTM rider is still struggling with the after-effects of the injury he sustained at the Grand Prix in Foxhill. Problems with his left hip and sciatic nerve prevent him from competing in the 15th of 19 Grands Prix this season.

After missing the races in Loket and Lommel, Coenen has lost another weekend. Particularly bitter: After his retirement from his home GP, the Belgian had hoped the extra time until Sweden would be enough for his return.

Pain prevents the next comeback attempt.

Coenen had recently made progress and continued his treatment intensively. At the MXGP of Flanders in Lommel, he already attempted to return to the motorcycle. In free practice, he even posted the fifth fastest time.

The stopwatch, however, only told part of the story. Coenen was barely able to complete more than two laps at a time due to the pain. Even before qualifying and the race, he and his team decided to end his home Grand Prix prematurely.

Even two weeks later, it's not enough for a full race.

“It’s obviously very disappointing for me and the team. It was already tough to miss my home GP, and I had hoped that the extra days would be enough to get fit for Sweden,” Coenen explained.

The risk of a premature comeback plays a crucial role in the decision. "I'm still in pain, and another fall could set us back to square one or cause something even worse. I feel like I'm getting closer to my fitness level, but I'm not there yet."

Coenen: "This has nothing to do with the USA!"

Alongside his enforced break, Coenen was apparently confronted with comments and messages regarding the cause of his injury. The assumption was that his current problems might be related to his recent stay in the USA.

The KTM rider himself responded and clarified: "Just so everyone is clear: My injury came from the GP in Foxhill. It has nothing to do with the USA!"

Coenen explicitly points to the British Grand Prix as the origin of his current problems. Since Foxhill, the Belgian has been struggling with the after-effects of the injury to his left side and the resulting sciatic nerve issues.

His trip to the USA and the crash during the race in Southwick are, according to his own statement, unrelated to the injury that now also prevents him from starting in Uddevalla.

De Carli doesn't want to take any unnecessary risks.

Team manager Davide De Carli also sees no room for an early return. An injury of this kind takes time. Anyone wanting to compete in MXGP must be almost completely fit to race.

Coenen has not yet reached this point.

KTM and the team's physiotherapist are therefore continuing intensive treatment. Instead of setting a new return date, those involved want to assess the Belgian's condition day by day.

The world championship fight becomes a race against time.

From a sporting perspective, Coenen's injury has already significantly changed his season. With five Grand Prix victories, the former red plate holder was among the riders who dominated the battle at the top of the MXGP World Championship for much of the season.

The repeated retirements cost a significant number of points. After the Swedish Grand Prix, only four events remain in the 2026 season.

A quick return to racing at any cost is out of the question. An MXGP weekend demands much more than just a few fast practice laps. Starts, long motos, deep ruts, jumps, and battles all increase the risk of another crash.

When number 96 will be back on his KTM remains uncertain. Coenen says he now feels closer to the necessary fitness. His next comeback attempt will only take place when his hip and sciatic nerve can withstand the strain of a full Grand Prix weekend.