Reigning WMX World Champion Lotte van Drunen is set to take on a new challenge this summer after confirming she will race two rounds of the WMX AMA Pro National Championship in the United States.
The Dutch talent has endured a difficult start to the defence of her world title as she is aiming to go three in a row. After the opening two rounds of the WMX World Championship, Van Drunen currently sits ninth in the standings and trails championship leader Daniela Guillen by 44 points.
With a break in the WMX World Championship calendar before racing resumes at Foxhill in the UK, Van Drunen has decided to make the most of the downtime by heading across the Atlantic to compete against the best American riders on their home soil.
The Yamaha rider has confirmed appearances at both Thunder Valley and High Point, two iconic venues on the AMA Pro Motocross schedule. The races will provide an opportunity for Van Drunen to gain valuable race time and momentum before returning to World Championship competition later in the season.
In America, she will face strong opposition, including current WMX stars such as Lala Turner. There will also be a familiar rival on the gate in Charlie Cannon, the Australian rider who has already gone head-to-head with Van Drunen in the WMX World Championship in the past.
Despite her challenging start to 2026, Van Drunen will undoubtedly arrive in the United States determined to remind everyone of her speed and ability. The two AMA appearances could prove to be the perfect opportunity to rebuild confidence, find form and put herself back on a winning path ahead of the crucial second half of the WMX World Championship campaign.
With the pressure temporarily off in the title chase, all eyes will be on whether the reigning world champion can make a statement against America’s best and carry that momentum back to the world stage.
Van Drunen confirmed the news on social media:
“AMERICA, I AM READY. I am proud to say I will be lining up at the AMA WMX Thunder Valley and High Point to race WMX. Thanks to HGS Exhaust Systems and Slade Racing. Massive thank you to everyone that helped me get there. Monster Energy, Fox Moto and my private sponsors”
