New Zealander Cole Davies (Star/Yamaha) leads Day 1 Monster Energy podium assault at Loretta’s

Newly signed Monster Energy/Star Racing/Yamaha racer, New Zealander Cole Davies, got things started atop the podium for the Monster Army on the opening day of competition at the 43rd annual Monster Energy AMA Amateur Motocross Championship, presented by AMSOIL, winning the opening of three motos in the uber-competitive 250 Pro Sport class.

And Davies wasn’t alone on the 250 classes premier podium at Loretta’s as he was flanked by two other Monster Energy-backed racers aboard Yamahas – Avery Long in 2nd place and Leum Oehlhof in 3rd. And rounding out the all-Monster Energy top five in the 250 Open Pro’s first moto were Kawasaki racers Drew Adams (4th) and Enzo Temmerman (5th). Noteworthy was the fact that Adams rallied back from last place after a crash to 4th.

“It felt good, knew I could do it,” said Davies, racing his first ever moto at Loretta Lynn’s. “Got off to a good start, put up some good early laps. Big race. And it’s cool to put my name out there again.”

Added Long: “Feels great. Had a little bit of a scare first lap, went down coming out of Storyland. But charged back to 2nd, got a little bit of a gap and settled in. Cole (Davies) was riding really good so I knew he wasn’t going to be catchable. So I rode my own race after that. Happy with my ride.”

Another hotly contested class on Tuesday at Lorettas was the 250 B class, featuring racers that are a bit younger, but who’ll no doubt populate the 250 Pro Sport in the coming years. Monster Energy’s Landen Gordon (Kawasaki) would come out on top in the 250 B opening moto battle, topping Husqvarna’s Landon Gibson (2nd) and his Monster Energy/Kawasaki teammate, Caden Dudney, in 3rd.

Said a spent Gordon on the podium: “Man, I got off to a great start. … it’s hot out here. Maybe go back and take an ice bath.

Action continues at Loretta’s on Wednesday, highlighted by Open Pro Sport and 250 Pro Sport, 450 B and 450 B Limited, WMX and the Supermini classes.

Monster Energy Loretta’s Day 1 Top Results

250 Pro Sport                                       250 B

1st – Cole Davies                                                1st – Landen Gordon

2nd – Avery Long                                    3rd – Caden Dudney

3rd – Leum Oehlhof                               7th – Logan Best

250 B Limited                                       450 B

1st – Grayson Townsend                        1st – Diesel Thomas

3rd – Seth Dennis                                   Junior +25

5th – Kade Johnson                                1st – Cole Martinez

Notes & Quotes

• “It’s definitely a big event. … There’s campers everywhere! – Cole Davies, who hails from Waitoki, New Zealand, on his very first Loretta’s
• “Davies has rode the perfect moto here. Done what he has to do.” – Mikey Wains, MX Sports Loretta’s Live announcing team.
• “When’s the last time you saw an 18-second lead in the Pro class at Loretta’s?” – Wains on Davies’ dominating opening moto.
• “If he wins this championship, he won it there on that last lap.” – Kevin Kelly, Loretta’s Live coverage with MX Sports, on Adam’s dead last run to 4th in Moto 1.
• “I was actually talking to Drew (Adams) before the first race and he did not grab a great chip (for starting position. Some of the additional woes for Moto 1 for him.” – Loretta’s Live guest announcer Kevin Windham.
• One of the favorites in 250 Pro Sport, Monster Energy’s Adams, got pinched on the inside rail leading into the first turn and went down in a heap – rising in dead last – 40th place.
• In an excellent show of progression, last year’s Supermini 2 (13-16) class Loretta’s champion Gordon pulled the Stacyc Holeshot and flat out ran away with the opening 250 B moto.
• “Caden Dudney – expecting really, really big things from him.” – Wains on Gordon’s teammate and 3rd place 250 B finisher.
• “I didn’t get the best gate pick. But whatever, I had to work with it. It’s really hot out here, the ruts were really deep and I just tried my best.” – Caden Dudney on the 250 B Moto 1.
• Monster Energy’s Diesel Thomas, aboard a Husqvarna, won the opening moto in the 450 B class.
• And in the Junior +25 class, Monster Energy’s Cole Martinez grabbed top honors in the opening moto. Martinez won the +25 and the 250 Pro Sport class in 2022 at Loretta’s.
• “33rd gate pick and just ripped that start.” – Cole Martinez
• In Mini Sr. 2 (13-15) on Tuesday Monster Energy got a 2nd place run from Dane Pappas.
• Monster Energy’s Jaxon Pascal had a good 2nd place run in the opening College (18-24) moto.

Up next…

Day Two of the 43rd annual running of the Monster Energy AMA Amateur Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch (or “Loretta’s” for short) is on the gate Wednesday morning. Monster Energy racer results here on MonsterEnergy.com, and follow the action “Live” at Loretta’s through www.mxsports.com