Your weekly racing update from Yamaha Motor Australia
Turner Returns for AUSXThe Turner family’s affection for Australia continues with Lux Turner returning back down under next month to contest the Australian Supercross Championship.
Again, riding for the Monster Energy Yamalube Yamaha Team, in the SX2 class, Turner will be out for redemption after his 2025 campaign was cut short due to injury.
He was in Australia recently to support sister, Lachlan, secure the WMX ProMX Championship and attending the 2027 YZ250F launch and after spending some time on the new bike, decided to use it as his weapon of choice. He will compete at the final round of SMX in the US, before hoping on a flight to Australia to quickly connect with the team and then head to Townsville.
“I had a great time in Australia last year and looking forward to coming back for this year's championship,” Turner begins. “Everyone was nice to me last year and I see how the Australian fans have reacted to Lala, so I can’t wait to get back and spend some time racing.
“I have been in regular contact with the team, and we have become close friends. I know they will have everything sorted for me and it’s my job to get it done on the track.
“I fly in just before Townsville and will stay until after the final round. I have never been to New Zealand before, so that will be cool. I hope we can get big crowds at all the rounds like last year and make it the best series yet,” Turner ends.
Drane Wins AMA Flat Track Nationals
Australia’s Tom Drane has made it back-to-back AMA AFTN Singles Championships after a successful weekend at round 14 of the series at Peoria, Illinois. Drane won the main event by just under two seconds and in turn, claimed the 2026 AMA Championship with two rounds to spare.
It was a season of authority for Drane, who claimed out round wins of the 14 contested so far and apart from a fall at last weekend's round, was never outside of the top 5.
“It’s pretty amazing to think I came to the US three years ago as a fill in rider and now I have won the championship twice in three years,” he offers. “The Estenson Yamaha team have been so good to me and my family since we got here and I can’t thank them enough for the things they do on and off the track.
“Coming into the weekend, I was aware of things went right, I could clinch the championship and as the day went on I felt better and better on the bike. We didn’t change a thing, and the track came around and when I got a good start in the main event, I just put my head down and went for it.
“It was a good feeling crossing the finish line and then coming back to the truck to see everyone so happy,” Drane ends.
The day was made even more memorable when Tom’s younger brother, Sam, who the ProSport 450cc class, also riding for Estenson Yamaha. Drane grabbed the Holeshot in the 12-lap main event and raced off to a five second lead by the finish and claim his fourth main event win of the season.
Yamaha Racing Wrap
Jobe Dunne finished the Victorian racing season on a high, winning the 15 years 250cc A class championship to go along with his MX3 Victorian Championship last weekend. Dunne dominated the division and was rewarded with the number 1 plate on his YJR YZ250F.
Lorna Lock won the Victorian Off-Road championships in the 85cc class after the final rounds of racing was completed on the weekend. Lock is a warrior in the bush and showed she is as versatile as she is skilled with an impressive performance in the sand at the final round to claim the championship in the Junior Girls and 85cc Small wheel class.
Cole Davies inched his way closer to the 250cc AMA Motocross Championship crown with a hard-fought round win at Budds Creek over the weekend. He entered the weekend right behind series leader, Levi Kitchen, but some great riding in tough conditions and some issues for Kitchen, now sees Davies with a 14-point lead after finishing with 1-3 results. The final round is this weekend at Ironman.
Lala Turner claimed another round victory at round five of the WMX championship with a 1-1 performance. Turner now has a 21-point lead over Charli Cannon with one round remaining this weekend. She will then head back down under for the MXGP at Darwin, where the best female races will be at the one track at the one time in a not to be missed weekend.
Jed Beaton endured a tougher weekend at Budds Creek finished both motos just outside the top 10. Beaton didn’t have the speed on the weekend and said he felt flat all day on a track that started out wet and muddy before coming good for the racing in the afternoon. Beaton gets one more crack at it this weekend at Ironman.
Kayden Minear finished sixth in the 250cc class at Budds Creek with 5-10 results. He also sits sixth in the championship and likely to remain there with fifth over 20 points ahead and seventh over 20 points behind. It’s been a breakout season for Minear as he continues to establish himself as a championship contender.