Series Predictions: 2026 250SX East
February 20, 2026
We are kicking off the 250SX East Division this weekend in Arlington, Texas. Who are the top 5 predictions for the series? Make sure to also checkout our interviews with some of these guys from earlier today at the Media session in Arlington.
1. Seth Hammaker -- Title Favorite
Tough to pick a top contender, but out of everyone on this list, Hammaker is the guy that has come closest to winning a SX title. He has the experience and the speed to get race wins, consistently finish on the podium, and finally get Pro Circuit another title. Hammaker has always been fast, but just last year he finally took that step up to being a title guy; no doubt he carries that momentum forward this year. In talking with him earlier today, he is looking for redemption after narrowly missing out on the title last year.
2. Cole Davies -- Title Contender
Davies arguably had the fastest sprint speed last season in 250SX West, and was in contention for the title late into the series against Deegan. My question: do we see a sophomore slump? He’s an incredibly talented rider, but his adaptation to Pro Motocross and SMX last year was underwhelming; does that bode unwell for him facing more challenges with a deeper field, new venues, and championship pressure this year? On the other hand, if he simply rides like he did last year, he’ll be a true championship contender. He mentioned his progression year-over-year from top 5 in SMX Next to winning SMX Next to winning Pro SX. Next step is the title…
3. Jo Shimoda -- Title Contender
Just so happy to have Shimoda healthy enough to line up and race after breaking his neck in the offseason. He only has two weeks on the bike, but feels good at the practice track and is ready to get some top 5s and build up from there. Shimoda is too good not to figure it out, so expect him to be in it for the championship come Salt Lake City. He’s your reigning SMX champ after all, and looked great to start the SX season last year before breaking his fingers in the 2nd round.
4. Pierce BrownRace Winning Potential
Brown was great last year at round 1 of 250E before a gnarly crash broke his back and basically put him out of contention for the rest of the year. This year, he feels even better entering than he did last year. He has 4 full months of healthy offseason prep, and expects to be racing for wins. Star Racing Yamaha Team Manager Wil Hahn says it’s “title or bust” for him… we have a hard time picturing him consistently beating the 3 above him in order to win the title, but no doubt he can get race wins if he has the same speed he showed up with last year.
5. Nate Trasher -- Race Winning Potential
Thrasher just wins races every year. That’s what he does. Even if he starts the season off slowly (aka last year), he somehow finds a way to pull off a win. The real question is: can he do it consistently? If he does then he can win the championship, but inconsistency has been his problem. Until he proves otherwise, expect him to be in top 5 / 10 range, and randomly win races.
So many other guys not in the top 5 that definitely have podium potential: Swoll, Bennick, Schock, and Adams. Excited to see how it all unfolds… gate drop tomorrow!
Our Opinions
Scott's Opinion: So hard to choose between all these guys... so many talented racers. Ultimately, Hammaker was great last year and is our favorite to be the most consistent and hence get the title.
