Beaton Bags Top 10 in US
Fresh off winning his maiden ProMX MX1 championship in Australia just two weeks ago, Monster Energy CDR Yamaha star, Jed Beaton, signed up for the last three rounds of the AMA Pro Motocross series and instantly put his YZ450F in the top 10 at Unadilla.
With suspension and parts sent over from Australia and a couple of YZ450Fs provided by Yamaha US, Beaton replicated his local CDR machine in the US and fronted up on the start line.
“I have raced all over Europe for a number of years and not really spent any time in the US, so when the opportunity came up, I wanted to make it happen and get a chance to race on some different tracks, against some different riders, in a different country.
“The team back at home were great in letting me not only take motors and suspension but also my mechanic Jesse is here with me, so I feel comfortable.”
Beaton hit the track with plenty of momentum and qualified sixth in the star-studded 450cc class and he had plenty of people wondering who number 209 on the Yamaha was.
If they didn’t know by the end of qualifying, they certainly did by days end as Beaton finished with 10-9 results to land in seventh overall for the round. Race one he was in a battle with the likes of Justin Barcia as he moved through the field but it was race two that highlighted his weekend as he moved through to fourth place in the mid stages of the race and was holding his own against some of the biggest names in US racing.
Only a late race fade due to the heat and humidity saw him drop back to ninth. But he signalled his intentions and capabilities and in doing so showed the Aussie racing speed is healthy and the performance of our bikes and teams are also competitive on an international stage.
“I would love to have stayed in fourth in that final moto, and it would have given me about fifth overall for the weekend, but I hit a bit of a wall with a few laps to go and couldn’t keep the pace.
“The point of being here isn’t to try and get a ride, I’m super happy racing in Australia and with the CDR Yamaha team, but it was just something I wanted to do and test myself against the riders here. So far, so good,” Beaton ends.
Davies in AMA Championship Battle
New Zealand’s Cole Davies has drawn within one point of the AMA 250cc Pro Motocross Championship chase after winning the Unadilla round on the weekend.
Davies has been a revelation in this year’s motocross championship. Previously seen as a Supercross specialist, Davies has come out all guns blazing in the motocross championship and despite a few hiccups along the way, is just one point away from leading the 250cc class with two rounds to come.
Davies won the Unadilla round with a 2-1 result and is one of several round wins and podiums so far in 2026. He sits right behind Levi Kitchen in the points, and the pair are well clear of the chasing pack with more than 40 points back to third place.
It will become a winner take all shootout for the final two rounds.
Kayden Minear sits in sixth place in the championship on 240 points which is an outstanding result in his first year in the pro ranks. Minear had a tough weekend at Unadilla but regardless of what happens at the final two rounds, his debut season as a pro can only be seen as a success.
Yamaha Pit Lane Experience at MXGP
The promoters of the MXGP of Australia in Darwin next month and put together a Yamaha VIP experience for anyone who purchases a ticket to the event.
Four lucky people will get the chance to meet and greet the Yamaha MXGP stars like Tim Gasjer and Maxime Renaux as well as Lachlan Turner, get behind the scenes garage access, photos with the riders and a Yamaha mechanise pack.
Check out @mxgpaustralia on Instagram for all the details, terms and conditions.
Local Race Wrap
GYTR Yamaha Junior Racing’s Jobe Dunne has clinched the Victorian MX3 championship at the final round of the Victorian Senior Motocross Championship at Broadford over the weekend.
Dunne dominated the day, winning all three motos to secure the championship and continue what has been a real season of growth for him. This goes along with the Victorian Junior Motocross championship that he already has in his grasp, despite one round remaining the weekend.
Emma Milesevic racked up her seventh Victorian motocross championship, going undefeated in the state champions this year in the Women’s division. Milesevic has had a bust season that has seen her race the WMX in the ProMX, contest the opening three rounds of the AMA WMX and now back in Australia contesting state and local events.
2027 YZ250F Reviews
Yamaha Motor Australia recently hosted media and dealers, giving them the chance to test ride the 2027 Yamaha YZ250F. The thoughts and impressions on the day were extremely positive and now the reviews are starting to roll in.
To get the media’s opinion on the new machine check out the following reviews.
Motoonline: Tested: 2027 Yamaha YZ250F | MotoOnline.com
Fullnoise: Blue is Best, But is Better Again in 2027: Yamaha YZ250F First Ride - Fullnoise.com.au Motorcycle News
MCNews: World-first ride: 2027 Yamaha YZ250F Tested | MCNews
Or if podcasts are your thing, check out what the guys at AlwaysMoto, Mental4 Moto and Motoonline think.
And it won’t be long before ADB and Dirt Action magazine will have their thoughts in print.
Yamaha Personality Profile
It’s been a busy season on and off the track for Yamaha riders and during the last coupler of weeks, Yamaha Australia’s in house wordsmith, Chris Dobie, took the time to catch up with Lachlan Turner, Souya Nakajima and Stephen Gall to get a greater insight into them as people, not just motorcycle riders.
Chris’s profiles often end up in global Yamaha newsletters, but you can find them at:
Lachlan Turner: Lachlan Lala Turner | Yamaha Motor Australia
Souya Nakajima: Souya Nakajima | Yamaha Motor Australia
Stephen Gall: No Easy Way: The Stephen Gall Story | Yamaha Motor Australia