Kayden Minear Continues Strong Rookie Campaign with Fourth Overall at Spring Creek
Moto podiums, championship drama, and another strong day from rookie Kayden Minear highlight Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Round 7 of the 250MX Championship in Minnesota / Jul 21, 2026 /
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Kayden Minear continues to build momentum outdoors. Amid another dramatic shake-up in the 2026 Pro Motocross 250 Championship, the rookie remained one of the few constants, earning a moto podium and finishing fourth overall for the second straight weekend. In addition to equaling his best results, the Australian grabbed a pair of holeshots and led 10 laps across both motos at the Spring Creek MX Park in Millville, Minnesota.
It was also a day for personal bests of the season, with Michael Mosiman finishing second overall in Moto 1 and Nate Thrasher putting in a good ride to finish just off the podium in that same moto. The 250 class championship, meanwhile, is starting to unfold like a shaken snow globe, with each round stirring up the standings and the red plate changing hands after the dust settles. Last weekend, it was an unlucky start to the Spring Creek National for points leader Cole Davies, who saw his championship lead evaporate after a multi-rider pile-up that included a couple of his teammates.
Although he qualified 14th, Minear got a great start to the first moto. He slotted in behind his teammates, then managed to get through the big pile-up unscathed and grabbed the holeshot. Minear led the first four laps before Mosiman took over the lead, with the Australian maintaining the runner-up spot for over half the moto before ultimately finishing third.
“It’s coming around,” said Minear after the first moto. “Back-to-back podium races – you can't ask for much more. I got a good start and obviously got clear of that crash. That was pretty gnarly. I didn't know where to go, so I kind of just exited right. It was good fun. We'll go back, recover, get another good start, have another good moto, and it should be a good day.”
The 19-year-old did as promised and got his second holeshot of the day aboard his YZ250F. Minear also spent more time at the front in Moto 2, leading the first six laps, but as the race wore on, he started to drop back, crossing the line sixth and finishing fourth overall. Although just shy of the podium, the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rider advanced to fourth in the point standings.
“Millville was a very positive day,” said Minear. “I struggled with bike setup all weekend, but I got two really good starts. I'm looking forward to Washougal.”
Thrasher continued to make progress, but it was an up-and-down day for the Tennessee rider. After qualifying 19th, he got a great start despite the gate pick and came out fourth after the chaotic start to Moto 1. He was passed by Mosiman on that opening lap and slotted in behind his teammate, with the duo each gaining a position. Thrasher then made his way to third on Lap 6, making it a Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 1-2-3. In the latter half of the moto, he dropped back to fourth, where he would finish for his best moto result so far this season.
In Moto 2, he got another great start inside the top five in fourth. It was a heated battle on that opening lap, with Thrasher dropping back to eighth and then crashing. He rejoined at the back of the field, and with some damage to the bike, Thrasher did what he could to salvage points, finishing 17th to end the day 11th overall.
“It was a good weekend and a good first moto,” said Thrasher. “I’ve got a little bit to work on, but man, we're getting better each weekend. The second moto, I just kind of tucked the front, and the bike was a little banged up, but I did my best. We'll be back next weekend and look to just keep doing better, and maybe get a podium next weekend.”
For Mosiman, it was a tale of two motos as well. The Californian qualified in the top five, and after avoiding being collected in multiple crashes at the start of Moto 1, he came through in fifth. He then quickly made his way to third and, five laps in, passed his teammate Minear to claim the lead, where he rode for most of the race. It came down to a thrilling last-lap battle with Julien Beaumer, with Mosiman ultimately coming just shy of the win but earning his best moto result of the season.
Mosiman got an even better start to Moto 2, slotting into the runner-up spot. He had his sights set on claiming the lead, but unfortunately he had a big crash on Lap 3, ending his moto early and finishing 12th overall.
“There were lots of positives to take from the day,” said Mosiman. “It felt great to lead some laps. I’m very sore, but I’m going to be just fine. We worked on the bike this week, and it gave me a new confidence in my riding. I’m thankful to be in one piece for Washougal.”
It was a tough day for Davies, but the 2026 250SX East Champion kept fighting and did what he could to salvage points at the Spring Creek MX Park. He had a strong qualifying in third, but then it all went awry in that pile-up after the start of Moto 1. Undeterred, Davies rejoined at the back of the field with his title rival behind him. Davies made his way through to 15th by lap three, battled with Levi Kitchen, and then made his way to 12th on Lap 6. Unfortunately, there was damage to his bike from the crash, forcing him to withdraw from the moto.
In Moto 2, Davies got a great start in the top five despite his gate pick position and quickly made his way to fourth. A pair of crashes early in the moto dropped him back to 11th, but he fought his way back to ninth. Another fall later in the moto shuffled him back once again, with Davies finishing 13th and ending the day 16th overall. His efforts salvaged valuable points, leaving the young New Zealander third in the 250MX championship and trailing the leader by 25 points.
“It was a struggle of a day, but we'll be back next weekend,” said Davies. “I was 24 points down before High Point, so the plan is not to back down for the next four. I know what I'm capable of. So I expect nothing less.”
Carson Wood rejoined the team in Millville to get some more seat time in the pro ranks. The Florida rider had a strong start to the day, qualifying 13th, and got a great start to Moto 1 before the crash. Wood rejoined towards the back of the field and made his way through to 23rd.
In Moto 2, Wood got another good start in seventh, and although he shuffled back to 12th on the opening lap, he made his way back into the top 10. He rode in ninth for a couple of laps before crashing on Lap 6, which ultimately dropped him back to 18th. Wood kept fighting and finished 15th, scoring 19th overall.
Caden Dudney also had a solid start to the weekend, qualifying 11th. He too, was in the mix up front in Moto 1, but unfortunately was collected in the pile-up, which ended his day early. The 16-year-old will undergo further evaluation after the weekend, with an update on his status to follow at a later date.
“I wasn’t too happy with qualifying, but for the moto, I was confident in my ability to get a start and run up front, and I did that for about one corner, and then my day was cut short,” said Dudney. “I'll be back.”
“It was somewhat of a rough day, but this is what makes you stronger,” said Wil Hahn, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s 250 Team General Manager. “It was great to see Kayden and Mosi on the podium, and it was also a good ride from Nate in that first moto. So definitely some positives to take away from the weekend. We'll be back next week and battle.”
Next up is the Washougal National at Washougal MX Park on July 25, marking Round 8 of Pro Motocross and Round 25 of the SuperMotocross World Championship