Bennick near top of pro supercross standings

Daxton Bennick showed flashes of what he’s capable of during his first two years as a professional in the Monster Energy American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Supercross Championship, a dirt track racing series that has been holding races for more than 50 years.

But after an injury-plagued 2025 season, Bennick has displayed a higher level of consistency thus far in 2026. In fact, the 20-year-old currently ranks third in the AMA 250SX East Region points standings, and he has yet to finish lower than sixth in any of the seven races in which he has competed.

Following two years with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing, Bennick placed third in his debut with his new racing team, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, on Feb. 21 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Bennick then finished fifth on Feb. 28 at Florida’s Daytona International Speedway.

Since the start of March, Bennick has added a fourth-place finish (March 7 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis), three consecutive sixth-place finishes (March 21 at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Ala.; March 28 at Ford Field in Detroit; April 4 at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis), and a fourth-place finish (April 11 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn.). However, he was battling Seth Hammaker for second place during last weekend’s race before a crash ultimately resulted in him placing fourth (Bennick was initially credited with a fifth-place finish but was later bumped up a spot due to Hammaker being penalized for cutting the track after a previous crash).

“Yeah, it’s a bit frustrating, but I rode good, so I can’t be too mad at it,” Bennick told Jason Weigandt of RacerXOnline.com after the event before later acknowledging that he has been pleased with most of his performances this year and is looking forward to finishing the season strong.

After today’s (Saturday, April 18) race at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, the East series shifts to Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on April 25 before the East/West Showdown caps the supercross season on May 9 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City.

AUTO RACING

EB alum Huffman takes sixth in ARCA debut

Connelly Springs native Landon S. Huffman made a strong first impression in his first Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) Menards Series East race on April 4 at Hickory Motor Speedway.

A 2025 East Burke High School graduate, Huffman finished sixth in a field of 23 cars in his first of four scheduled starts this season for CR7 Motorsports, a racing team that operates out of Statesville. He was announced as a part-time member of CR7 Motorsports last month.

Huffman is the son of former NASCAR driver and multiple-time Hickory Motor Speedway track champion Shane Huffman, who has helped manage a Mooresville-based ARCA team, Pinnacle Racing Group, for more than three years.

SOCCER

Former Patton star Jimenez back with Hickory FC

As the Hickory FC semi-professional men’s soccer team prepares for its inaugural season in USL (United Soccer League) League Two, the team last week on social media has been announcing some of the players who will represent the 2025 National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) champions when play begins next month.

One of those players is 2025 Patton High School graduate Isai Jimenez, a goalkeeper who was also a member of Hickory FC last year when the squad finished 15-1-1 (including friendlies) and 14-0-1 against NPSL opponents.

“I’m really excited to be with y’all this year,” Jimenez said in a video posted on Hickory FC’s Facebook page. “I can’t wait to see the fans, the community, and I’m really excited to represent y’all.”

Hickory FC competed in the NPSL for two seasons and has quickly become known for its supportive fan base, which often packs out Lenoir-Rhyne University’s Moretz Stadium for home matches.

GOLF

Straka in action for third straight week

Sepp Straka has played in eight PGA Tour events in 2026, highlighted by a pair of top-10 finishes.

The 32-year-old Austrian, who is caddied by longtime Morganton resident Duane Bock, previously tied for second place with a four-day total of 21-under-par during California’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February before tying for eighth at 8-under during last month’s Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Straka also tied for 13th at 5-under during the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Fla., a week prior to the Players Championship.

After missing the cut during the Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio the first week of April, Straka tied for 41st (2-over-par) during last week’s Masters Tournament at Georgia’s Augusta National Golf Club, and he is currently competing in his third PGA Tour event in as many weeks, the RBC Heritage, last week at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, S.C.

Presently the 13th-ranked golfer in the world, Straka has totaled over $3.1 million in winnings this year. Furthermore, he is currently 18th in the FedEx Cup standings.

BASEBALL

Thomas among Diamondbacks’ doubles leaders

Alek Thomas has struggled with the bat early in the 2026 Major League Baseball season, but the 25-year-old Morganton native nonetheless has five doubles in 15 games as the Arizona Diamondbacks’ starting center fielder.

Thomas’ doubles total is tied for third on the team, and he also has two singles, six RBIs, and five runs scored to go with three stolen bases, the latter of which ranks second among D-backs. And while he entered Friday’s late home game against the Toronto Blue Jays batting just .130, he has also walked twice and reached via a hit-by-pitch.

As a team, Arizona boasts an 11-8 record and hasn’t lost a series since being swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-game road series to open the season.