(photo courtesy MX Pro Sports Racing, Inc.)

(Buchanan) — The combination of the country’s 250th birthday and a near-record crowd at Red Bud would seem to have been the stage for American success Saturday.

Instead, a pair of wonders from “Down Under” stole the show.

Australia’s Hunter Lawrence and New Zealand’s Cole Davies shone as brightly as the sun on this July 4th to capture victories at the 5.11 RedBud National motocross races.  Both riders made it back to back victories on the circuit.

In the 450 SMX Class, Hunter Lawrence tipped over on the final lap of the first moto, losing to his brother Jett by 3.2 seconds. However, in the second moto, Hunter Lawrence more than made up for the deficit, taking the lead from Jorge Prado with three minutes remaining and surging to an easy overall win, his third of the season. The victory gives Hunter Lawrence a three-point advantage over his brother, Jett, in the season standings.

In the 250 SMX division, Davies surged to a win in the final 30 seconds of the first moto. Davies’ time was strong enough to withstand a victory in the second moto by rival Jo Shimoda, giving the New Zealander the overall win.  However, Shimoda’s second-place finish overall moves the series’ defending champ into first place in the 2026 standings, with Davies four points back and Levi Kitchen dropping to third.