Deegan Crowned Back-to-Back 250MX Champ
The Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 250 team concludes a successful Pro Motocross season with Haiden Deegan securing the 2025 250MX crown and riders earning season-best results / Aug 25, 2025 /
Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan secured the 250MX Championship for the second year running at the Budds Creek Motocross Park. The Californian also capped off his stellar 250MX career, earning his seventh overall win of the season with a 2-1 moto score at the Pro Motocross season finale in Mechanicsville, Maryland. The team as a whole enjoyed a strong finish to the season at the Budds Creek National with Nate Thrasher securing a season-best fifth overall finish (7-5) and Cole Davies scoring his first moto win and finishing seventh overall (1-17). At his third round back to racing, Daxton Bennick improved to 12th overall (16-12), while Caden Dudney finished 14th (17-13) in just his second outdoor national.
After a tough second qualifying session that saw him seventh in the combined times, Deegan came back swinging in the motos. He got a good start to Moto 1, which was red-flagged on the opening lap. After the restart, he found himself fourth and fought his way forward, passing his teammate on Lap 7, and then riding on to cross the line first and securing the 250MX championship a moto early. Unfortunately, both he and his title rival were penalized one position and five championship points for jumping on a red cross flag before the restart, officially placing him second. In Moto 2, Deegan got a great start and slotted into the runner-up spot. He took over the lead on Lap 2 and maintained control through another red flag and restart to win by 13.5 seconds. It was an empathic end to his final campaign in the 250MX Championship, with Deegan earning seven overall wins and 13 moto victories en route to his back-to-back 250MX titles.
Thrasher continued to make forward progress during his first full outdoor season. After qualifying 12th, he had a good start around the top 10 and continued to push, making his way to sixth with four laps to go, ultimately finishing seventh. In Moto 2, he came out swinging, grabbing the holeshot and leading the first lap. Passed by the series frontrunners on Lap 2, Thrasher continued to ride a strong pace in third before the red flag. After the restart, he found himself fourth and ultimately dropped back to fifth with five laps to go, where he would finish to earn his best moto and overall result of the season in fifth.
After a tough Unadilla National last weekend, Davies had a strong second outing outdoors. He qualified 11th in the combined times and got two great starts to the twice-started Moto 1. Davies claimed the lead on Lap 2 and ran a strong pace up front before getting passed by his teammate on Lap 7, and then back to third on the following lap, where he would finish. After post-race penalties to the front two riders, Davies was promoted to first, which marked a career-first for the young New Zealander who has already enjoyed early success with multiple race wins as a rookie in Supercross. In Moto 2, he did not get the start he was hoping for and found himself 16th, making his way to 15th before the red flag. After the restart, he had a tipover and dropped back to 24th, but fought his way through to finish 17th, securing seventh overall.
Bennick also continued to make improvements in his third race back and had a better qualifying result in 16th. He then had a good start to the first moto and was sixth on the opening lap, battling in the top 10 during the first four laps. The young rider from North Carolina eventually was shuffled to 18th by the halfway point, but continued to push, making his way back to 16th. In Moto 2, he got another good start and was in eighth when the red flag was drawn. After the restart, he dropped back to 19th and continued to fight, charging back to 12th to end the day 12th overall.
Dudney, who also recently made his Pro Motocross debut at the previous round at Unadilla, had a solid qualifying effort in 15th. A good initial start in Moto 1 was nullified by the red flag, and he found himself at the back of the field after the restart. Undeterred, the young Texan fought his way through to 17th. In Moto 2, Dudney got a better start and was 14th after the opening lap, moving to 13th before the red flag. After the restart, he was once again 14th and continued to battle, crossing the line 13th to end the day 14th overall.
The Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team now turns its attention to the SuperMotocross World Championship – the SMX Playoffs 1, which takes place at zMAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, on September 6.
Wil Hahn – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 250 Team General Manager
“I'm really stoked to end the season on a high and with how Haiden started and ended it on top. We really had a great day as a team, with all the guys seeing personal bests for the season in motos and some overalls.”
Haiden Deegan – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #1
“I’m stoked to win my fifth 250 title. I’m also stoked to finish with a win and another overall win. All I can say is this sport can be gnarly, so when you come out on top, it’s sick.”
Nate Thrasher – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #41
“It was a good day, a good way to finish off the outdoors. I feel like these last few rounds were a lot better for me. We worked on a lot during the three-week break that we had. The bike wasn’t really working for me at the beginning of the season. It doesn’t work the same for everybody, and I haven’t raced outdoors in so long. I just had to find my setup, and we finally found that and were able to get a little bit better each weekend. I’m happy with this result. We have SMX coming up, and we’ve been good at the speedways before. I feel really good on the track at home, so I’m ready to go and to battle up front.”
Cole Davies – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #100
“I’m a Pro Motocross winner. It’s not the way you’d expect to get your first win, after Haiden and Jo were penalized, but that first moto was good overall. It’s definitely a step in the right direction after coming in at Unadilla. Honestly, what a start can do is pretty crazy. I got off to a good one in Moto 1 and led for about half the race, which was very cool. In Moto 2, I had nothing left to give. A bad start set me back. I made a couple of passes but went down again. For my third Pro Motocross race, I’ll take it. After 12 weeks off after my surgery, it’s a solid bounce back. We know what we need to work on. The weekend was definitely a step in the right direction.”
Daxton Bennick – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #34
“It was good. Today was a lot better all around. My only goal heading into these three rounds after my injury was to improve each round, and that’s exactly what I did. We made steady improvements and ended today with a 12th overall, so we’ll take that.”
Caden Dudney – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing #400
“It was a good day overall. The first moto was a little rough. I didn’t get that good of a start. Actually, the first start was good in that one. I was up there, but then they red-flagged it, and I ended up dead last after the restart and finished 17th. The second moto was decent. I got a better start, and then they red-flagged it again, which was kind of crazy - two red flags in one day. It was good, though. I fought my way up to 13th and ended up 14th overall. I need to be better in qualifying for the starts, and I should have a better moto. It was another good learning experience, so I’m happy with the day.”
2025 Pro Motocross Budds Creek National 250MX Results
2025 Pro Motocross 250MX Championship Standings
2025 SuperMotocross World Championship 250SMX Combined Points Standings
About Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.
Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. (YMUS), is a recognized leader in the outdoor recreation industry. The company’s ever-expanding product offerings include Motorcycles and Scooters, ATV and Side-by-Side vehicles, Snowmobiles, Personal Watercraft, Boats, Outboard Motors, Outdoor Power Equipment, Power Assist Bicycles, Golf Cars [sold, serviced, and distributed by Yamaha Golf-Car Company], Power Assist Wheelchair Systems, Surface Mount Technology and Robotic Machines, Unmanned Helicopters, Accessories, Apparel, Yamalube products, and much more. YMUS products are sold through a nationwide network of distributors and dealers in the United States.
YMUS has a corporate office in California, three corporate offices in Georgia, as well as facilities in Wisconsin, Alabama, and Florida. YMUS subsidiaries Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corporation of America (YMMC), based in Georgia, and Yamaha Jet Boat Manufacturing U.S.A. (YJBM) based in Tennessee, each assemble and manufacture selected Yamaha brand products. YMUS owns Skeeter Boats [Texas] with its division G3 Boats [Missouri]. Additional U.S.-based subsidiaries include Yamaha Marine Systems Company, Inc. (YMSC) with subsidiary Siren Marine [Rhode Island] and divisions Bennett Marine [Florida], Yamaha Marine Rotational Molders [Wisconsin] and Yamaha Precision Propeller Inc. [Indiana].
Yamaha Motor Finance Corporation, USA, dba Yamaha Financial Services, is an affiliate of Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA offering financing solutions to support Yamaha Dealers and loyal Yamaha Customers nationwide.