Slaw
Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA, is proud to announce an extensive update to its industry-leading flagship Motocross model, the new 2026 YZ450F. Faced with the complex challenge of improving on a bike already widely considered the benchmark of the ultra-competitive 450cc four-stroke class, Yamaha engineers put significant focus into refining power delivery and handling performance to achieve a level of precision, control and tuneability that sets a new class standard: the easiest bike to ride fast. Learn more!
If you don’t follow the amateur ranks, you probably had never heard of Caden Dudney prior to the Unadilla National, where the 16-year-old made his pro debut and went 7-13 for 11th overall. Heck, even if you follow the amateur ranks, it has been quiet on the Dudney front since March.
At the 2024 AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s, the then Team Green rider had a breakout year in his first season on big bikes. He dominated the B classes claiming five of six moto wins in Schoolboy 2 and 250 B. His performance caught the attention of Star Racing Yamaha, who inked the Texas native to a deal prior to Mini O’s.
He dominated there as well, winning 250 A and 250 Pro Sport classes in the motocross and supercross portions of the event. Everything was going well for Dudney until March of this year, when at the Daytona SMX Next – Supercross round he was landed on in qualifying and suffered a broken humerus. A few weeks later, Dudney broke it again. It was no laughing matter. (I’ll see myself out.)
Dudney missed Loretta Lynn’s before returning for the final SMX Next – Motocross event at Ironman, where he won the first moto in his return to racing.
A week later, Dudney was turning pro and putting in top 10 finishes at Unadilla.
“Overall, it was a really good day,” he said in a Yamaha press release. “It was a big learning experience. Qualifying went well, and the first moto was good. I got a decent start, kind of snuck up the inside, and managed to get seventh. In Moto 2, I had a better gate pick and was right there on the start with Jo (Shimoda) and Deegs (Haiden Deegan). I made a few small mistakes and ended up 13th in the moto, but it was still a really good day and I’m happy with it.”
How does Dudney’s pro debut stack up against the 450 and 250 Class podiums at Dilla? I went and found them.
450 Class
1: Jett Lawrence
Pro Debut: Unadilla 2019
Result: 21-8 for 13th overall
2: Hunter Lawrence
Pro Debut: Hangtown 2019
Result: 11-12 for 11th overall
3: Eli Tomac
Pro Debut: Hangtown 2010
Result: 3-1 for 1st overall (Yeah, Beast Mode won his pro debut)
250 Class
1: Jo Shimoda
Pro Debut: Unadilla 2019
Result: 36-35 for 36th overall
2: Haiden Deegan
Pro Debut: Ironman 2022
Result: 34-24 for 31st overall
Note: I skipped Tom Vialle, who finished third at Unadilla, because he turned pro in Europe.
Not a bad debut if I must say so myself. Keep an eye out on the kid this weekend at Budds Creek.
