Ironman: Cole Davies (Yamaha) is 250 champion, Julien wins

One day after his 19th birthday, New Zealand’s Star Racing Yamaha works rider Julien Beaumer secured his second title of the 2026 season. He had already won the East Coast Supercross Championships in the spring.

Davies went into the race with a 14-point lead over his closest rival, Levi Kitchen. Kitchen was almost a second slower in qualifying and started the race from 6th on the grid.

Combined 250 Ironman Qualifying

1. Cole Davies (NZL), Yamaha, 2:10.092

2. Chance Hymas (USA), Honda, +0.413

3. Drew Adams (USA), Kawasaki, +0.467

4. Ryder DiFrancesco (USA), Husqvarna, +0.718

5. Caden Dudney (USA), Yamaha, +0.778

6. Levi Kitchen (USA), Kawasaki, +0.902

The title was decided in the first lap

Julien Beaumer took the holeshot ahead of Cole Davies and Chance Hymas. Chance Hymas overtook Julien Beaumer to take the lead. Levi Kitchen started somewhere around 11th place and crashed on the very first lap. The entire field passed him. The Pro Circuit Kawasaki works rider set about a comeback, but halfway through the race he crashed again and slid down the slope. After that, he was unable to restart his bike. Kitchen was forced to retire from the race, which meant he had lost the title race. Hymas won the first race ahead of Beaumer, making Davies the 250cc champion!

Race 2 was merely a formality for Davies

Levi Kitchen did not turn up for the second race. Yamaha rookie Landen Gordon took the holeshot ahead of his team-mates Kayden Minear and Cole Davies. The winner of the first race, Chance Hymas, crashed early on. Davies took the lead on the very first lap, but Julien Beaumer, having started in sixth place, was unstoppable. He overtook Davies, who had already secured the title early. Ryder DiFrancesco and Hymas – who had made a strong comeback after his crash – also overtook the New Zealander.

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Davies dropped back to 13th place. Beaumer won the race and, with a 2-1 result, also took the day’s overall victory. Hymas finished second with a 1-2 result.

Unlucky Kitchen dropped back to third place

Levi Kitchen, who still had a realistic chance of the title going into the race, came away empty-handed at Ironman and even dropped back to third in the standings.

Ironman 250 results

1. Julien Beaumer (USA), KTM, 2-1, 47 points

2. Chance Hymas (USA), Honda, 1-2, 47 points

3. Ryder DiFrancesco (USA), Husqvarna, 7-3, 34, (-13)

4. Landen Gordon (USA), Yamaha, 5-6, 31, (-16)

5. Pierce Brown (USA), Yamaha, 6-7, 29, (-18)

6. Drew Adams (USA), Kawasaki, 9–5, 28, (-19)

7. Cole Davies (NZL), Yamaha, 3-13, 28, (-19)

8. Kayden Minear (AUS), Yamaha, 8-8, 26, (-21)

9. Nate Thrasher (USA), Yamaha, 15-4, 24, (-23)

10. Michael Mosiman (USA), Yamaha, 10-9, 23, (-24)

250 Final Standings after Event 11 of 11

1. Cole Davies (NZL), Yamaha, 407 points

2. Julien Beaumer (USA), KTM, 369, (-38)

3. Levi Kitchen (USA), Kawasaki, 364, (-43)

4. Chance Hymas (USA), Honda, 364, (-43)

5. Ryder DiFrancesco (USA), Husqvarna, 326, (-81)

6. Kayden Minear (AUS), Yamaha, 297, (-110)

7. Carson Mumford (USA), Honda, 244, (-163)

8. Jo Shimoda (J), Honda, 194, (-213)

9. Michael Mosiman (USA), Yamaha, 192, (-215)

10. Drew Adams (USA), Kawasaki, 181, (-226)