Pro Motocross Championship Begins its Stretch Run from Iconic Unadilla MX with Support from ELF Lubricants

Central New York’s Hallowed Grounds Set for 40th Running of Series’ Oldest Race

MORGANTOWN, WV- August 12, 2026 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – A captivating and unpredictable summer has reached its most pivotal juncture, as the Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, is set to embark on the stretch run of its 11-race season. Central New York’s iconic Unadilla MX, arguably the most hallowed grounds in American motocross, will be the site of Round 26 of the 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship, kicking off a three-race stretch that will put a period on the regular season by crowning an outdoor 450SMX Class and 250SMX Class champion. The annual visit to the scenic Unadilla Valley will once again welcome title support from renowned multinational company ELF Fuels & Lubricants for the landmark 40th running of the ELF Lubricants Unadilla National this Saturday, August 15.

“After an extended break from racing, we’ve reached arguably the most crucial point of the Pro Motocross season,” said Davey Coombs, President, MX Sports Pro Racing. “This final three-week run to crown champions will be filled with tension as the championship pressure builds for our top contenders with each gate drop. Just six motos remain in each class and the title fights in both 450SMX and 250SMX are amongst the closest we’ve ever seen. This is the kind of captivating drama that makes this sport so special and there’s no better place to kick off the stretch run than Unadilla, which is woven into the fabric of American motocross and was part of the inaugural Pro Motocross season 54 years ago in 1972.”

Unadilla is the lone venue on the championship calendar that was part of the Pro Motocross Championship’s inaugural season and is arguably the foundational pillar of the summer season because of that. Founded in 1969 by pioneering organizers Ward and Peg Robinson, Unadilla MX is the oldest venue in American motocross. The track served as a centerpiece of the sport’s expansion from its European origins into the United States, hosting Trans-AMA events that predated Pro Motocross and pitted the best from Europe against aspiring American talent. The track’s lore only grew from there as it became the site of the 250cc U.S. Grand Prix and earned the historic distinction of being the country’s first host venue for the FIM Motocross of Nations. Throughout its five decades of existence, Unadilla has been one of Pro Motocross’ crown jewels, with a European inspired natural-terrain layout that sprawls across the undulating landscape of the Unadilla Valley and maximizes the contours and elevation changes of the rolling hills. Unadilla isn’t about hang time and big air; it’s gritty old school motocross that has blended seamlessly into the modern era and remains as daunting of a challenge as ever for the most talented athletes on the planet.

Central New York’s iconic Unadilla MX will kick off the stretch run of the
2026 Pro Motocross Championship.

This year’s Unadilla National will signify the third year ELF has served as the event’s title partner, as the legacy brand continues its U.S. expansion. Known as “A Brand of Passion,” ELF’s racing lineage mirrors the legacy of Unadilla by spanning more than 50 years. That passion has remained the driving force behind five decades of innovation and performance, where success on the proving grounds of racetracks ensure proven products for consumers and bring notoriety to the brand. Like Unadilla, ELF’s two-wheel legacy also dates back to the early 1970s, with hugely successful collaborations with the likes of Honda and Yamaha. Most recently, ELF has made a push in the off-road discipline with the same passion, innovation, and commitment to success that has defined the company from the very beginning.

On the track, the sibling battle between Hunter and Jett Lawrence will enter its next chapter at Unadilla, as Jett looks to end the recent surge of momentum by Hunter, who has claimed back-to-back victories to establish a 12-point lead. For Hunter, his midseason run has been nothing short of impressive, with four wins over the last five races and just a single finish outside the top two over those 10 motos. Jett, meanwhile, has been hampered by an uncharacteristic number of miscues that have put him on the ground several times and have likely cost him a couple wins, resulting in the loss of invaluable championship points. On the plus side for Jett, his record at Unadilla is exceptional with an undefeated mark in the premier class, providing a prime opportunity for a return to winning form. In fact, this will mark the first time in his 450SMX Class career that Jett comes into Unadilla without a chance to clinch the title.

As has been the case for most of the season, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan lurks in the background. With three straight podium finishes, the premier class rookie has asserted himself as the divisions’ third-best rider and has continued to improve while racing in the shadow of the Lawrence brothers. Deegan seems poised for a breakout ride if he can hit all his marks and continues to put in the work to give him the best chance at a breakthrough victory at one of the final three races.

Honda HRC Progressive’s Hunter Lawrence has won back-to-back races and has four wins over the last five rounds to carry a 12-point lead into Unadilla.
MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.

Despite facing a double-digit deficit in the standings, Honda HRC Progressive’s Jett Lawrence heads to one of his best tracks at Unadilla, where he’s undefeated in the premier class.
MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan brings a three-race podium streak into Unadilla.
MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.

In the 250SMX Class, the battle for the championship appears to be a two-man race between Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cole Davies. The veteran experience of Kitchen has allowed him to maintain his hold of the red plate, but Davies has been the class of the field more often than not this summer and certainly has momentum on his side coming into the stretch run. Just seven points sit between the pair and the biggest difference maker on the racetrack will likely be their respective ability to get good launches out the starting gate. Davies has set the pace in the class for both holeshots (5) and average starting position (6.8), which has allowed him to also lead the way in moto wins (6) and overall wins (3). If not for a forgettable Spring Creek, the young New Zealander would likely be in control of his own destiny atop the standings.

On the other hand, Kitchen’s Achilles heel has been starts, where he’s giving up six positions on average to Davies, often starting outside the top 10 in a deep field of talent. To his credit, Kitchen has the best finishing average in the class at 4.7, but it’s required him to improve more than eight positions per moto. That rate will be hard to sustain over the final three races, particularly if Davies continues to start up front and applies more pressure on Kitchen. However, it’s been shown many times over the course of the summer that anything can and will happen in a topsy-turvy 250SMX Class.

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen will need to improve his starts if he hopes to maintain possession of the 250SMX Class points lead.
MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cole Davies brings a wave of momentum into Unadilla and has consistently been the rider to beat this summer.
MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.

In addition to the resumption of the title fights in the 450SMX and 250SMX classes, Unadilla will signify the anticipated return of the Women’s Motocross Championship Powered by Synchrony (WMX), which will also begin is stretch run of the 2026 campaign. Reigning back-to-back champion and Altus Motorsports bLUcRU Yamaha rider Lachlan Turner sits atop the standings halfway through the six-round season, but sits just nine points ahead of her Australian rival in Quad Lock Honda’s Charli Cannon, who entered the midseason break fresh off her breakthrough first victory on U.S. soil. Unadilla was the site of the pair’s most compelling battle last summer and is poised to once again play a pivotal role in this season’s battle for the WMX crown.

After a midsummer break, the WMX will return at Unadilla for its final three rounds of the season.
MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.

The ELF Lubricants Unadilla National will get underway this Saturday, August 15, with on-track action starting at 5 a.m. PT / 8 a.m. ET, followed by opening ceremonies at 9:15 a.m. PT / 12:15 p.m. ET before the gate drops on motos at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET. Comprehensive live streaming coverage from Unadilla will air exclusively on Peacock, beginning with Race Day Live at 7 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. ET before coverage of the motos gets underway at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET.

Media Contacts:
Brandon Short / MX Sports Pro Racing
[email protected]
(304) 284-0101

Sean Brennen / Feld Motor Sports
[email protected]
(703) 448-3664

About the Monster Energy SMX World Championship:

The Monster Energy SMX World Championship™ is the premier off-road motorcycle racing series in the world that combines the technical precision of stadium racing with the all-out speed and endurance of outdoor racing. Created in 2022, the Monster Energy SMX World Championship Series combines the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship and the AMA Pro Motocross Championship into a 28-round regular season that culminates with the season-ending SMX World Championship Playoffs.
Visit SuperMotocross.com for more information.

About Pro Motocross Championship:

The Pro Motocross Championship features the world’s fastest outdoor motocross racers, competing aboard homologated bikes from one of seven competing manufacturers on a collection of the roughest, toughest tracks on the planet. Racing takes place each Saturday afternoon, with competition divided into two classes: one for 250cc machines, and one for 450cc machines. MX Sports Pro Racing, the industry leader in off-road powersports event production, manages the Pro Motocross Championship.
For more information, visit ProMotocross.com.

About Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship:

Monster Energy AMA Supercross is the most competitive and highest-profile off-road motorcycle racing championship on the planet. Founded in America and sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) since 1974. Over 17 weeks, Supercross attracts some of the largest and most impressive crowds inside the most recognizable and prestigious stadiums in North America to race in front of nearly one million live fans and broadcast to millions more worldwide.
For more information, visit SupercrossLIVE.com.

About MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.:

MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc., manages and produces the world’s premier motocross racing series – the Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. MX Sports Pro Racing is an industry leader in off-road powersport event production and management, its mission is to showcase the sport of professional motocross competition at events throughout the United States. Through its various racing properties, partnerships and affiliates, MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc., organizes events for thousands of action sports athletes each year and attracts millions of motorsports spectators.
Visit MXSportsProRacing.com for more information.

About Feld Motor Sports, Inc.:

Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting specialized arena and stadium-based motorsports entertainment. Properties include Monster Jam^®, Monster Energy AMA Supercross, and the Monster Energy SMX World Championship. Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a subsidiary of Feld Entertainment, Inc.
Visit monsterjam.com, SupercrossLIVE.com, and feldentertainment.com for more information.

Source: SMX League

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