Monster Energy's Cole Davies Clinches 250 Pro Motocross Championship at Ironman
Monster Energy's Cole Davies made history at Ironman Raceway, becoming the first New Zealander to win the AMA Pro Motocross 250 Championship while Haiden Deegan and Levi Kitchen also secured season-ending championship podium finishes.
That rumble you hear off in the distance, coming from pretty much halfway around the world, is the people of New Zealand celebrating the country’s first ever AMA Pro Motocross Championship winner as Monster Energy’s Cole Davies (Star Racing/Yamaha) has just been crowned the 250 class champion of the world’s premier motocross racing series.
With 407 points, Davies topped KTM’s Julien Beaumer (2nd) and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen (3rd) in a thrilling series that came down to the last couple rounds to decide this year’s overall champion.
“Years of hard work, sacrifice and determination have led to this moment – a moment I’ve dreamed of ever since I was a little kid,” said Davies. “Been a hell of a season. Lots of ups and downs. I’ve learned a lot, but that’s going to come with your first full pro motocross season. Still a lot of learning to be done.”
Davies’ 250 MX Nationals title, coupled with his recent Monster Energy AMA Supercross 250 ESX championship, makes him the third youngest double champion – behind legends Ricky Carmichael and James Stewart.
For Kitchen, the 250 title was, for the most part, lost at the series’ penultimate round at Budds Creek (Md.). Kitchen went into Budds with a one point lead in the 250 series, then left Maryland down 14 points to Davies. Things would get even worse for the popular racer out of Washington as he couldn’t shake the gremlins that haunted him at Budds, suffering a Lap 4 crash in the opening moto that led to a DNF, last place finish and, ultimately, the loss of 2nd place overall in the series to Beaumer.
But an overall series podium is nothing to be bummed over, and Kitchen (along with Davies) would lead an additional trio of Monster Energy top ten overall 250 class series finishers that included Kayden Minear (Star Racing/Yamaha) in 6th, Michael Mosiman (Star Racing/Yamaha) in 9th and Drew Adams (Pro Circuit/Kawasaki in 10th.
Highlighting the 450 class championship for Monster Energy was certainly the effort of Haiden Deegan (Star Racing/Yamaha). The rookie premier class racer locked down the podium 3rd place overall finish with a season featuring seven podium finishes in 11 races for 404 points – three points ahead of former MXGP World Champion Jorge Prado for the third and final podium spot.
Said Deegan, who ended up 9th at the Ironman following an opening moto crash: “Got a good podium streak going, so I’m stoked on that. Ticked off a lot of little boxes, a lot of goals I’d had for this season.”
At the Ironman, with his first podium (3rd) finish of the year, was Monster Energy’s Cooper Webb (Star Racing/Yamaha). In his final MX National with the Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha team, Webb was pumped with his effort. “Insane day. Incredible weekend. Emotional day with my last National, but an awesome day across the board.”
Joining Deegan in the top ten overall 450 class standings on the season for Monster Energy was Garrett Marchbanks (Kawasaki) in 6th position, with Webb coming in at 8th. Marchbanks would place 7th at the Ironman.
Ironman MX
| 250 MX class results | 450 MX class results | |
|---|---|---|
| 4th – Gordon (Monster/Star/Yamaha) | 3rd – Webb (Monster/Star/Yamaha) | 2nd – Herrick (Monster/SLR/Honda) |
| 5th – Brown (Monster/Star/Yamaha) | 7th – Marchbanks (Monster/PC/Kawasaki) | 4th – Turner (Monster/Altus/Yamaha) |
| 6th – Adams (Monster/PC/Kawasaki) | 9th – Deegan (Monster/Star/Yamaha) | 6th – Nielsen (Monster/SLR/Honda) |
| 7th – Davies (Monster/Star/Yamaha) | - | 7th – Jarvis (Monster/Jarvis/Yamaha) |
| 8th – Minear (Monster/Star/Yamaha) | - | - |
| 9th – Thrasher (Monster/Star/Yamaha) | - | - |
| 10th – Mosiman (Monster/Star/Yamaha) | - | - |
Overall Standings (11 of 11 rounds)
| 250 class | 450 class | WMX |
|---|---|---|
| 1st – Davies, 407 points | 3rd – Deegan, 404 points | 1st – Turner, 267 points |
| 3rd – Kitchen, 364 | 6th – Marchbanks, 296 | 3rd – Nielsen, 190 |
| 6th – Minnear, 297 | 8th – Webb, 264 | 4th – Jarvis, 190 |
| 9th – Mosiman, 187 | - | 8th – Herrick, 122 |
| 10th – Adams, 181 | - | - |
Notes & Quotes
- “This is my first full pro motocross season… and to wrap it up on my birthday, it’s definitely a cool feeling.” – Davies
- “I feel like there’s more to come. I want to break some records.” – Davies
- “It’s been a hell of a journey for this kid. His family. Everybody. What a moment. What a birthday.” – Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha 250 team general manager Wil Hahn.
- “Obviously, we’ve got the SMX championship coming up. I won that my rookie season on 250s. I jell well with the SMX tracks. I’ve been good there each year. So I’m ready to put my foot forward and come out swinging in that as well.” - Deegan
- “For about five to ten minutes there was concern about the situation and possibility of death.” – Deegan on his crazy flight headed to press day for the Ironman.
- “I led a lap… which is awesome for me. Made a last turn pass for third, that was sick.” –Webb at the post-race press conference.
- “A little bit of luck and the math worked out. My goal was to get a top five… so I was just so happy to be on the podium.” – Webb
- Two Monster Energy-backed athletes, Kitchen and Webb, were announced at the Ironman to represent Team USA at the upcoming Motocross Des Nations at Circuit Raymond Demy in Ernee, France, Oct. 2-4.
Up next: This concludes the 2026 AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Monster Energy’s MX & SX racers pick back up with the three round SMX Playoffs, beginning Sept. 12th with Playoff 1 at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
