Caden Dudney had quite a lot of hype coming into round one of the AMA Motocross series in 2026, despite being just 16, Dudney was pegged as breakthrough rider abd potentially the unveiling of the next US star of the sport… and Dudney certainly delivered in the opening round going 4-6 for second overall!
The kid was fast and fit all day, showing both speed and composure in the midst of an all war that is the 250 class this season as everyone tries to step up with Haiden Deegan stepping out. Dudney has proven the hype was indeed reality. He might just be the next US Superstar.
We caught up with the very talented youngster after the races to get his thoughts on his day. Watch or read below.
Was that what you were expecting? I know there was a lot of hype about your speed, but that probably couldn’t have went much better, really!
I mean, I know the speed is there and the endurance is there. It’s just you got to get starts and them starts are a massive thing in outdoors, especially Supercross too, which I didn’t get often. So yeah, starts and then I knew I was capable of it, but my goal was top five, so I exceeded my expectations.
Whenever you get away with it with the top guys there, you didn’t seem intimidated. I know you’re riding with them all half the class and star as well, but you’d seem confident that you belong up there already, which is pretty impressive.
Yeah, confidence is a big thing. Like you can’t just be too confident though, because then you’re right over your head, which I was kind of like this morning and qualifying. I knew I had the speed and stuff, but I was just riding over my head and riding too hard. So cooling it down for the motos much better.
It was hot here. Probably not as hot as it is in Florida. So were you affected by the heat? Because the pace out there was intense as a lot of you guys were in very close times.
Yeah, it wasn’t very hot the first moto, but second motor was definitely hot. I wouldn’t say like Florida hot, but it definitely was pretty hot.
Your Supercross season, you showed flashes of speed. Obviously the results probably weren’t what you wanted. What did you learn there? Clearly it didn’t affect your confidence..
Yeah, I know it was definitely a good reset, like getting done early with Supercross and going outdoors. Perfected the bike and then the student motor was back to back to back before we came here, so I definitely helped too.
And then yeah, outdoors is my thing, Supercross is my thing as well. It’s just I got to get starts then not ride over my head.
Was that the biggest thing you learned in Supercross? You just need to start because you have to speed?
Yeah, it’s honestly everything. It’s easier honestly to come through the pack in Supercross, but outdoors you can’t do that. So yeah, starts are just honestly everything.
And riding at Star, it looks pretty intense, just like a race. Do you think that’s helping you to ride with those top guys and Hayden and all those guys there every day, nearly every week?
Yeah, we do a lot of race simulations, we go through like a normal race day, like today, so that definitely helps. And yeah, getting an extra time before coming here helps a lot too, so yeah, it’s good.
Deegan was probably the last elite guy at 16-17 to put in a lot of top results. You’re clearly the next guy. Do you feel that you can be the next superstar of the sport for Americans? A lot of international guys coming through now we saw at the 450 podium. Do you look like you could be the next big star for America after Deegan?
Yeah, I believe I can fill those shoes. It’s just going to take a lot of work and determination, which I think I can do as well. So yeah, just keep my head down and go to work and I can fill those shoes.
With your speed and results today, do you feel like you’re a title contender, or is that too quick? You shouldn’t be thinking like that so early?
I mean, yeah, with the speed, the endurance is there, but I don’t have the experience as all these other dudes do, so it just takes time to learn that experience, which I got a lot of it today with those guys, so just take it race by race and not make too many mistakes and just learn.
