00:00He could win tonight. He would be the second New Zealander ever going all the way back to Ben Townley
00:05in 2007.
00:07The 18-year-old is a phenomenal talent.
00:11And to Jason's point, that was one heck of a comeback last week.
00:14Ready to go. 250 East, round two on the season here in Daytona. Let's go!
00:20Tight right-hander for the first turn.
00:24Oh!
00:25Writer down, didn't quite see who that was.
00:28Yeah, Nate Thrasher trying to defend this whole shot.
00:36He's going to do it if he's able to get through this first or that left.
00:54They have the test track there in Tallahassee here tonight.
00:57Jeremy McGrath waves the green flag.
00:59Yeah!
01:00Had his whole shot challenged last night.
01:02That's right.
01:03But RC, you took part in. A lot of fun for a lot of riders.
01:05Cole Davies goes past Cody Shock for second.
01:08Man, James, this track is epic right now.
01:12So this track is a lot faster than it has been in previous years. Not as many obstacles. And that
01:17allows the riders to move around a little bit more. Hopefully make it a bit racier.
01:22Yeah, this is a good time to do it. But I've been here long enough to know this track ain't
01:27going to stay this way long enough. So you ain't going to fool me at getting out here. But yeah,
01:30it is perfect for seeing these guys come up. Cole Davies is running that fourth spot.
01:37And look at Cole Davies got out of shape as well. And here comes Dudney. Dudney leaps his way on
01:44that 82.
01:45Almost called it. We almost had that two-for-one special. If you've got another pass to leave, Pierce Brown
01:49gets past his teammate. After winning his first race last week, you know he's got to be feeling a lot
01:54more comfortable this week coming in, Ricky.
01:56Yeah, 100%. And with the confidence. I mean, just a superb ride from Pierce Brown. Or, yeah, from Pierce last
02:04weekend. And you think about what he came from and how gnarly that injury was.
02:09And, man, to come out here in your first race back at Supercross and win was so good to see.
02:16Man, that guy has been through a lot.
02:17Well, his words since that win was it changed everything because I thought that was something that may not ever
02:23actually happen again.
02:25I, I, I, it was, it was brutal. And just, again, to see him healthy and to be able to
02:33race again is something else.
02:34Yeah, absolutely. Just getting healthy is one thing. But just getting over that mental hurdle, all these guys got to
02:39do is coming from injury like what we saw with Pierce. It's a huge step.
02:44You can see some of these guys, especially coming into that rhythm section, starting to work those inside lines.
02:51And, man, they are going to get really rough. So watch where they are going here on these inside lines
02:59compared to what the lines are taking in the main event later on.
03:04Quick reminder that SMX betting and DFS gaming is back for 2026. New sportsbook bonuses and front markets are live
03:12right now. Scan the flow code on your screen.
03:15See it on the left there or visit nxtbets.com slash play SMX to see what's available in your area
03:22and claim bonus offers.
03:24Always play responsibly and remember every race is another chance to win big with Supermotocross.
03:28Here comes Cody Schock left of screen.
03:32Yeah, how good. Cody's been riding really good for the last couple of years. Now you can start to see
03:37him get that confidence and how strong Cole Davies has been so far this year.
03:42He did struggle at the end of the practice making a few mistakes. And it would be easy right now,
03:47Ricky, as they came out, the SMX crew came out here, worked on this track.
03:50The ruts aren't formed and you can see a few mistakes from these guys.
03:53Well, and like you talked about with Cody Schock, he has gotten so much better the last two years.
04:01And like you talked about, he has that confidence now and you can see in that riding, he believes that
04:07he can be there. Will?
04:09Yeah, you're exactly right, Ricky. Just chatting to him about that confidence earlier on today.
04:14And I said, you know, think back to your moments here in Daytona.
04:17And he was reflecting on 2024, which is his best finish for the six.
04:21But he rode that entire main event that evening with a broken collarbone.
04:26So sweet and sour kind of emotions reflecting back on that.
04:29But confidence, Ricky, like you said, was high with Cody.
04:32He knows he's put the work in and he did say he likes this track.
04:35He likes the way it flows.
04:36It is a sea of Yamahas up front, one through five, until he gets to Gavin Towers to break that
04:43Yamaha run.
04:44Incredible start from Monster Energy Star Yamaha pilots for sure.
04:49Dougie's found an extra gear here, James.
04:52I mean, he's coming through and he's made up some ground on Nate Thrasher, trying everything he can to get
04:58by him.
04:58Well, these guys do practice together all week at the same facility.
05:01So, you know, he's got to be pretty comfortable, but somebody that's comfortable is our leader, Pierce Brown.
05:06And where he's making up all his time, as we got the rookie trying to get around Nate Thrasher, where
05:11he's making all his time is in that sand section.
05:13I saw that gap go from 2.8 to 4 seconds just in that one area.
05:18He's got a good line through there.
05:19Well, it does, and looking at the lap times, he ran a 118.3.
05:25Next closest was Caden Dudney at a 119.2, so almost a full second faster.
05:31So there's your time that you were talking about, James.
05:35So, Stu, last weekend in Arlington, two first-time winners.
05:40Now, Pierce, with Hunter Lawrence in the 450 class with Pierce Brown.
05:43Now, Pierce did win an SMX playoff race, but as far as a Supercross win, that was his first.
05:47How much for confidence?
05:50It's huge.
05:50I mean, you can see it right now with Pierce out front.
05:53Just believe him, because he's always had his speed.
05:55And as we all kind of know, these guys, they're all close.
05:59It's that confidence, JT, that Pierce has found, and it's starting to show on this racetrack.
06:02Yeah, Pierce putting in some blazing fast laps.
06:05I'm just trying to pay attention to Thrasher, because if you think about the history of Nate Thrasher,
06:09he's been in this spot before.
06:11Think about the Speedway races he's won in Atlanta.
06:14Track's not so different than this.
06:15And go back to 2023, the battle he had with Hunter Lawrence.
06:19He's gone up against the best of the best on this very racetrack.
06:22So I think as the track starts to deteriorate and slows down, maybe that will work in Nate Thrasher's favor.
06:29So if he can hold here, kind of hold the line in this heat race,
06:32I think the main event may work out for him.
06:34I completely agree.
06:35As this track wears on, it's being here before and having the experience that Nate does.
06:40I think he'll know how to race this track.
06:41But right now, it's a young man's track out there.
06:44Ricky is just letting it hang out.
06:45These guys, Peter coming off.
06:47It is.
06:47He's doing a good job.
06:48And you talk about Nate Thrasher, both you and JT,
06:51and you think about Nate's wins and who he's beaten in those wins.
06:56Jet Lawrence, Hunter Lawrence.
06:57Oh, look at this.
06:58A couple of teammates, a couple of teenage teammates going at it.
07:03Cole Davies working on Caden Dutney.
07:06Oh, man.
07:08You see that?
07:09Cole Davies got it.
07:10Oh!
07:11Down goes Dutney.
07:12Just a clip of the front wheel.
07:13He just touched that rear brake, and that was all that it took.
07:17Dutney was going to turn down under.
07:19Game over.
07:20Yeah, that wasn't, I guess we've seen that story before over here.
07:23It might be a little weird between Gatorade breaks and between the trucks.
07:27Meanwhile, fresh from his first Supercross win,
07:31Piers Brown, after coming back from serious injury last year,
07:35that's his first heat win in three years.
07:39He continues this positive run in 2026.
07:46He owed.
07:48This would be his first main event.
07:51No pressure from behind.
07:53He's going to get it done.
07:54Nicely done.
07:56Evan Ferry as well.
07:57You can see him at the bottom of your screen.
07:59Oh, no, that's Gavin Towers.
08:02Still, what a place to get your first one.
08:04Yep.
08:06Yep.
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