Seth Hammaker’s victory in the Daytona 250SX East main event snapped Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s seven-race win streak and handed a marquee win to Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki. It was Hammaker’s first victory of the 2026 season and his fourth career supercross win, and it also gave team owner Mitch Payton his first win of the year. The result reset the competitive momentum in the 250SX East ranks and interrupted Star Racing’s recent run of dominance.

Hammaker’s path to the checkered flag included contrasting moments on race day: he topped the first qualifier, suffered a heavy crash in the second qualifier that bent his bike and delayed the night show, then recovered to get the holeshot in the main and ride a clean race to victory. Hammaker credited a strong holeshot and smart gate pick for allowing him to clear traffic early, build a gap and control the race, called the win “a dream come true,” and said having family and friends at the race made the moment more meaningful. He also noted confidence heading into the upcoming Triple Crown at Lucas Oil Stadium — “I won the showdown there, so I have some confidence going into this one,” — while stressing that clean execution on starts and in the Triple Crown races would be critical to sustaining momentum.

On the podium, Cole Davies of Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha finished second and Pierce Brown was third; Brown remains the 250SX East points leader. After two rounds Hammaker sat two points behind Brown as the series moved on to Indianapolis, underscoring how Daytona both altered the season’s storyline and left the championship battle very much alive. Coverage and trackside highlights emphasized the podium places and the broader implications for the early 250SX title fight, and Johnny O’Mara praised Hammaker’s fit at the Lawrence Compound’s “Dog Pound,” citing his results and attitude. Hammaker had finished fourth in the Arlington season opener, making Daytona a momentum-shifting rebound for the Kawasaki rider.

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