Cole Davies edges Seth Hammaker in Cleveland Triple Crown Qualification 1

The top 18 riders head directly into the afternoon program in the qualification race.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 1:25pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a motorcycle race, with sharp planes of color representing the speed and motion of the riders as they jockey for position.A cubist interpretation of the intense competition and high speeds of the Cleveland Triple Crown qualification race.Cleveland Today

In the first qualification session for the Cleveland Triple Crown race, Cole Davies edged out Seth Hammaker with a final lap time of 46.690 seconds to take the top spot. Daxton Bennick finished third, followed by Coty Schock and Devin Simonson to round out the top five. The top 18 riders from this qualification session will advance directly to the afternoon program.

Why it matters

Qualification is much more important this week than typical, as the top 18 riders will bypass the earlier heats and go straight to the main event. This makes the qualification session a crucial part of the race weekend, with riders fighting to secure a spot in the top 18 and avoid the preliminary rounds.

The details

Cole Davies posted the fastest time of 46.690 seconds on his final lap to edge out Seth Hammaker, who finished second with a time of 46.695 seconds. Daxton Bennick was third with a time of 47.475 seconds, followed by Coty Schock (48.134 seconds) and Devin Simonson (48.189 seconds) to round out the top five. Luke Neese was 18th with a time of 49.167 seconds, just making the cut for the afternoon program, while Bryton Carroll was just outside the top 18 with a time of 49.187 seconds.

  • The qualification session took place on April 18, 2026.

The players

Cole Davies

The rider who posted the fastest time in the first qualification session, edging out Seth Hammaker.

Seth Hammaker

The rider who finished second in the first qualification session, just behind Cole Davies.

Daxton Bennick

The rider who finished third in the first qualification session.

Coty Schock

The rider who finished fourth in the first qualification session.

Devin Simonson

The rider who finished fifth in the first qualification session.

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What’s next

The top 18 riders from this qualification session will advance directly to the afternoon program, bypassing the earlier heats.

The takeaway

The qualification session for the Cleveland Triple Crown race held added significance this week, as the top 18 riders from this session will advance directly to the afternoon program, avoiding the preliminary heats. This makes the qualification session a crucial part of the race weekend, with riders fighting to secure a spot in the top 18.