Brandon Clarke
The beauty of Loretta Lynn’s isn’t just who wins motos. It’s how one finish can completely rewrite the script for the next day. After today’s racing, three classes head into Friday as we start crowning champions. These 3 classes are still very much up for grabs, but they’re all telling completely different stories.
Mini Sr. 2 (13-15)
Coming into the week, you probably could’ve made a case for half a dozen riders. Heading into the final moto? I think this thing has narrowed considerably.
Joseph Vicari and Mason Murdy have started to separate themselves from the rest of the field.
Murdy did exactly what he needed to do by grabbing the win today, keeping his championship hopes alive and moving himself into second overall. But the rider I’m circling is still Vicari. He wasn’t flashy with a second-place finish, but he’s quietly been the definition of consistency all week. At Loretta’s, that’s usually what pays off.
Edian Steinbrecher’s fourth-place ride puts him third overall, and with a favorable gate pick heading into Friday, he’s not out of this yet.
But the rider I keep thinking about is Jax Lang.
He had the pace. He looked capable of running up front. Then an early crash forced him into comeback mode. The good news? He fought his way back and somehow kept himself in the overall championship conversation.
What’s made this class so entertaining is that outside of Vicari, nobody has really put together three clean, consistent motos. Every race has shuffled the deck.
That means podium spots are still very much up for grabs, and with one moto left, I expect everyone to leave absolutely nothing on the table.
250 B
Tristan Prueitt was phenomenal today. There’s no debating that. But strangely enough, I don’t think today’s biggest story belongs to the moto winner.
It belongs to Tanner Dorman.
That third-place finish doesn’t jump off the results sheet, but it quietly puts him first overall heading into the final moto. Pair that with Ryder Skodras finishing fourth, and suddenly the two riders who’ve simply refused to have a bad race are sitting in the driver’s seat.
Everyone else? Their finishes have been all over the map from Moto 1 to Moto 2.
Prueitt absolutely dominated today, but tomorrow is where that comeback really gets tested.
He’ll need another big ride, while Dorman can afford to finish eighth or better and still secure the championship. Skodras controls his own destiny as well, needing to stay inside the top five, while Tomi Doble will need to be fourth or better to keep his title hopes alive.
Momentum belongs to Prueitt.
Consistency belongs to Dorman and Skodras.
If I had to make a prediction? I think Dorman and Skodras finish one-two in the championship. Prueitt has found incredible speed since Moto 1, but after digging himself that early hole, a third-place overall feels like the most realistic outcome.
Women’s: It All Comes Down to One Moto
I’ll admit it.
I really thought today was going to be Mayla Herrick’s day.
Instead, she spent most of the moto managing a throttle issue that forced her to ride the clutch. Somehow, despite all of that, she still salvaged third That’s championship-level damage control.
The good news? Her title hopes are still alive. The bad news? The math isn’t exactly on her side.
Herrick needs to win on Friday if she wants to leave Loretta’s with the number one plate.
Jordan Jarvis has put herself in the perfect position. She simply needs to finish ahead of Herrick, and the championship is hers.
Then there’s Hannah Hodges, who’s still mathematically alive, but she’ll need plenty of help. Jarvis would need to finish third or worse, Herrick second or worse, and Hodges would have to capitalize.
Personally, I still think Herrick has the raw speed. We saw it in Moto 1. If the bike stays healthy and she can avoid any mistakes, she’s absolutely capable of beating Jarvis straight up.
All that being said, it’s going to be an exciting day of racing in all the classes as we start crowning our 2026 Lorreta Lynn’s Champions!
