The 2026 Mission Foods Cory Texter Promotions Showcase series concluded on a picturesque Friday evening in Hohenwald, Tennessee, June 5. With just a month remaining until the annual AMA Flat Track Grand Championships, the Showcase finale at Tennessee National Raceway provided a strong tune-up for those chasing prestigious AMA honors this summer.
Story by Scotty Taylor | Photos by Jonathan Haverkamp
Sam Drane was the winningest amateur rider at last year’s Grand Championships, and on this night, Drane and his Estenson Yamaha once again proved to be a formidable combo. Drane began his night by winning the Mission Challenge Dash for Cash. From there, the Australian holeshot and led every lap of the 450 Amateur main event.
Drane’s success continued in the Open Amateur main event with another wire-to-wire victory. During the 2026 Showcase opener in Daytona, the Road to AFT main event threatened to foil a perfect night for Drane. However, history would not repeat itself on this occasion. Drane was rock solid in “Rocky Top,” completing his perfect night with a margin of victory north of three seconds over Bayne Nantz and Dillon Durelle in the Road to AFT finale. Durelle, also aboard a Yamaha, proved to be the most consistent rider behind Drane, going 2-2-3 in Tennessee.
The names Nickens and Texter have been synonymous with winning in Showcase main events this year, and both riders looked at home in Hohenwald. Cruise Texter and Jayden Nickens were once again the top youth riders, with Texter collecting wins in 50cc Chain, 65cc and Mini Open competition, and picking up another G&G Racing 65cc Dash triumph.
As for Nickens, he completed a perfect Showcase season, winning every main event he entered in 2026. The Virginia racer had to overcome a challenge from his own home in the Youth Premier class, making a pass on twin sister Ella Nickens with two laps remaining. The 85cc main event and the G&G Racing 85cc Dash were less dramatic for Nickens, as he led the majority of those contests.
Fourth to first with a race-winning pass with the white flag approaching tells the story of Robby “Bobby” McLendon’s 40+ success. McLendon joined Drane, Texter and Nickens as a multiple-race winner on the night after prevailing in a race-long battle with James Parker in the 30+ main event.
After several runner-up results at Showcase events in 2026, JJ Parker finally broke through, not once but twice, in Tennessee. Parker began with an Open Novice victory and, later in the evening, made the winning move around the outside of early-race leader Gage Fryers in lapped traffic to win the 250 Amateur main event.
Brianna McHugh was among the most active riders at the event, competing in four classes on the night and scoring wins in the Women’s main event and the G&G Racing Women’s Dash for Cash. The 50cc Air-Cooled class was another all-girls battle, with Elizabeth Hooks emerging victorious in front of her hometown crowd after an exciting battle with Charlotte Nicoli and Harley Blackwell.
Multi-Time Grand National Winner Ronnie Jones showed no signs of rust, piloting a Bultaco to a dominant win in Vintage Open action. Other winners on the night included Joseph Houston (Hooligan), Curtis Majerus (Vintage Light), Tyler Kyle (50+) and Dink Stevens (60+).CN
2026 Mission CTR Showcase Tennessee Results
ROAD TO AFT (Top 5)
- Sam Drane (Yam)
- Bayne Nantz (KTM)
- Dillon Durelle (Yam)
- Braxton Ragan (Hon)
- Brody Hanson (KTM)
Click here to read the 2026 Mission CTR Showcase Tennessee Results in the Cycle News Digital Edition Magazine.
