More from press release issued by Monster Energy Kawasaki: 

Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Chase Sexton takes home his first victory of the season.

Foothill Ranch, Calif. – Monster Energy® Kawasaki rider Chase Sexton delivered a commanding performance at Round 3 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship inside Angel Stadium, capturing his first victory of the 2026 season. The milestone win marks the brand’s first supercross victory since Round 17 of the 2022 season. Teammate Garrett Marchbanks delivered a steady ride in the 450SX Main Event to finish 14th. In the 250SX Main Event, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki riders Cameron McAdoo and Levi Kitchen faced a challenging night, with McAdoo securing a solid fourth-place finish and Kitchen recording a 21st-place result following an early race incident. Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green riders Vincent Wey and Kade Johnson rounded out the night in the SMX Next Main Event, with Wey narrowly missing the podium in fourth, while Johnson continued on from an early crash to finish 16th.

In the 450SX class, Sexton led the charge through qualifying, ultimately posting the fastest lap in both sessions to take pole position. The No. 4 Kawasaki was the only rider to post a lap time under a minute, which secured him fastest qualifier on the day. Teammate Garrett Marchbanks returned to action after a weekend away and was strong throughout qualifying. Marchbanks led from start to finish to earn the top qualifying spot in both Group B sessions and earned 19th overall for the night show. 

Both Kawasaki riders lined up for 450SX Heat 2 with Sexton grabbing a strong start and Marchbanks mid-pack. Sexton made quick passes to take the lead only to suffer a fall exiting the sand section a lap later. Undeterred, the No. 4 Kawasaki mounted an impressive charge through the field, climbing from eighth to fourth by the checkered flag. Marchbanks steadily worked his way forward throughout the race to secure an eighth-place finish and direct transfer to the main event.

In the 450SX Main Event, Sexton battled for the holeshot as he rounded the first turn in second. He maintained pressure on the leader throughout the opening laps before making an assertive pass right before the finish line to take the lead on Lap 6. From there, Sexton controlled the race with calculated speed and confidence to race his KX™450SR through to the checkered flag, capturing a historic victory for Monster Energy Kawasaki and reestablishing the brand atop the supercross podium. Marchbanks started deep in the field but rode a determined race, steadily working his way forward from the back of the pack. After climbing into 16th and applying consistent pressure, Marchbanks made a pass to move into 15th and held that position before executing another late-race pass to secure a 14th-place finish. The win moves Sexton to third in the points standings just 13 points back from the lead. 

In 250SX Qualifying, Kitchen showed front-running speed aboard his KX™250, earning second overall in the combined sessions, while McAdoo put in consistent laps to earn ninth overall, setting up both riders with strong gate picks for the night. 

In 250SX Heat 1, Kitchen launched to a strong start and maintained second place early while engaging in a close battle with the riders around him. While making a run on the leader in one of the option lanes, Kitchen came up short on a tricky triple and went over the bars. He was able to quickly remount and ultimately finish fourth. In 250SX Heat 2, McAdoo pulled a commanding start, pushing the inside line as he rounded the first turn, narrowly missing the holeshot. After being held up in the second turn, he was shuffled back to fourth, where he would hold strong through the remainder of the race. 

In the 250SX Main Event, McAdoo once again proved his starting capabilities, quickly placing himself in podium contention. Riding a consistent and composed race, he moved into third around halfway through the race and battled inside the Top 5 until the final laps, ultimately finishing fourth. Kitchen was pushed wide in the first turn and was hit by another rider forcing him to retire from the race. McAdoo sits sixth in points and Kitchen eighth as they will both regroup to come out swinging at the first Triple Crown event next weekend in Houston. 

The SMX Next riders contested their first round of the season at Anaheim with Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green riders Vincent Wey and Kade Johnson posting strong overall results. Wey secured third overall, continuing his consistent speed throughout the day, while Johnson qualified seventh overall, putting both riders in solid position heading into the main event.

In the SMX Next Main Event, Wey and Johnson both got off to strong starts aboard their KX™250 machines, quickly placing themselves inside the Top 3. Wey ran inside podium contention for the majority of the race after settling into second early, while Johnson followed closely in third as the duo showed front-running pace. Johnson suffered a crash midway through the main event after going down in the rhythm section, but was able to remount and continue, ultimately finishing 16th. With the intensity building late, Wey battled to hold a podium position but slipped back to fourth in the final moments of the race, where he would ultimately finish. 

Chase Sexton: “I finally had a feeling on the bike that I’ve been looking for, really since I got on it, and I felt freed up to push the pace. Even from press day, I just felt normal again and I feel like I could ride how I wanted. Obviously, my speed was good, but I wanted to win so bad that I was over-riding it a bit. Honestly for the main event, I told myself I was going to go out there, ride a good pace, get to a flow and see what happens. I knew my speed was good enough to be able to ride not at 100% and still win, so it was good. It was a tricky track, and when I got out front I just logged my laps, read the pit board, and just rode her in to take the win. This win really means a lot both to me and the team, so it’s extra special to get it done for them.”

Garrett Marchbanks: “I had a lot of confidence coming into the weekend. I felt comfortable on the bike right away and was able to build throughout the day. The goal was to stay patient and keep building, and that’s what we did. I’m just happy to be back on the bike and feeling like myself again.”

Levi Kitchen: “This was a tough night. I felt really good coming into the main event and had the speed to be up front, but things didn’t go my way, and it put me in a tough position. It’s frustrating because I know what I’m capable of, but this is part of racing, and all you can do is learn from it and reset.”

Cameron McAdoo: “The result doesn’t fully show how I felt on the bike tonight. I had good starts and felt strong throughout the main event, and I was right there fighting for a podium position. I stayed consistent and tried to be smart, especially late in the race when things got tight. Of course, you always want more, but there are a lot of positives to take away from this weekend. The speed is there, the starts are there, and we’re building every round. I’m proud of the effort from the whole Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki team, and I’m excited to keep pushing forward.”

More from press release issued by Honda HRC Progressive: 

Hunter Lawrence an Inspired Second at Anaheim 2 SX.

・Second consecutive runner-up finish for the Australian
・Chance Hymas dislocates shoulder in 250SX West

For the second week in a row, Hunter Lawrence challenged for an AMA Supercross 450 main-event win, this time at the series’ third round, back at Anaheim, California’s Angel Stadium. The Honda HRC Progressive rider ultimately finished a hard-fought second, but his late-race speed suggests that earning his first win is only a matter of time. Lawrence also narrowed the gap in the points battle, as the Australian now sits just eight points out of the lead—two fewer than last week. Meanwhile, Chance Hymas won his heat race but was taken out in the first turn of the 250SX West main, suffering a shoulder dislocation that put him out of the race.

The 450 main saw Lawrence exit turn 1 in third place, and he quickly moved up a spot. He was pushed back to third, then fourth by Chase Sexton and Eli Tomac, respectively, but a signature second-half charge carried him past Tomac and Jason Anderson. Running in second, Lawrence closed the distance to the leading Sexton. His progress was slowed by a couple of lapped riders, and he eventually finished just over a second behind.

Hymas’ 250SX main event was over almost as quickly as it started, as another rider took him down in turn 1. The Idaho native put his hand out to break his fall, causing a dislocation of his left shoulder that put him out of the race.

NOTES

・Hunter Lawrence took part in Friday’s media-day activities at Anaheim 2, including one-on-one interviews and two 10-minute on-track riding sessions. Honda HRC Progressive Team Manager Lars Lindstrom also participated in a separate media scrum that was organized by Feld ahead of race day.

・The premiere for 100 hours with Jo Shimoda, a Gypsy Tales film shot while Shimoda was traveling back home in Japan following his 2025 SMX title, was held Friday evening at Laguna Beach’s South Coast Theater. Honda HRC Progressive team members were in attendance to support their rider, who was on hand while still recovering from injury.

・Factory Monster Energy Honda HRC rally racer Skyler Howes was present in the pits after finishing fourth overall at this year’s Dakar Rally, where he also earned his career-first stage win.

・Legendary off-road racer Johnny Campbell, an 11-time Baja 1000 winner, stopped by the team’s tent to visit with the team during FanFest.

・Carson, California, Powerhouse dealership SoCal Honda Powersports activated a pop-up booth in Honda HRC Progressive’s Anaheim 2 pits, featuring a CRF450R and CRF110F. Dealership staff used the opportunity to connect directly with fans and customers.

・For the series’ final California round of the year, Jett Lawrence—still recovering from injury—supported the team by attending the autograph session alongside teammates Hunter Lawrence and Chance Hymas.

・Hymas placed sixth in 250SX combined qualifying. Other Red Riders included SLR Honda racers Justin Rodbell and Matti Jorgensen in 18th and 30th, respectively; Next Level riders Hunter Schlosser and Colby Copp in 22nd and 40th; Western Honda Racing’s Ty Freehill in 32nd and Lasting Impressions’ Ronnie Orres in 35th. (Freehill’s official result was due to a crash that occurred while he was riding in 10th position, and which unfortunately resulted in a broken right wrist.)

・Hunter Lawrence qualified 10th in the 450SX Class, with other Red Riders including Quad Lock Honda Racing teammates Joey Savatgy, Shane McElrath and Christian Craig in fifth, 15th and 16th, respectively. MCR’s Ryan Breece qualified in 30th, and McGinley Clinic’s Zack Williams was 35th.

・Hymas managed the perfect race in 250SX West heat 1, grabbing the holeshot and leading from start to finish. Along the way, he resisted pressure from Levi Kitchen before Kitchen fell.

・450 heat race 1, Lawrence started third and held the position for the majority of the race, successfully fending off pressure from Ken Roczen. A late crash by Aaron Plessinger moved the Honda HRC Progressive rider up to a second-place finish.

・In just the three races run so far this season, Hunter has already doubled his tally of career 450SX podium finishes, from two to four.

・Hunter participated in the Feld-organized podium-finisher media scrums following the 450 main event.

・After his 250SX West main-event crash, Hymas headed straight to the Alpinestars Medical Unit, where his dislocated shoulder was put back in place. Hymas underwent an MRI in Southern California on Sunday, and although results had not been confirmed at the time of publication, it seems unlikely that Chance will be able to participate in the next three races.

・Thanks to his consistent efforts, Hunter now sits second in the 450SX standings, eight points behind the leading Eli Tomac. Chance’s unfortunate Anaheim 2 DNF puts him seventh in the 250SX West points.

・Next up for Honda HRC Progressive is AMA Supercross round 4 this Saturday in Houston.

Hunter Lawrence (96): “It was a good day—the battle with Eli [Tomac] was cool! I was behind Chase [Sexton] and Jason [Anderson], and I know that the first 10 minutes of these races are always such a super-intense, high pace, so I was just trying to stay in the hunt. I know I have the legs to go the distance, so I was just trying to give myself the best shot, stay in it in the beginning and move forward. I believed that I could get there, I knew I had some good lines and was feeling good. I was trying to up the intensity towards the closing stage, and I looked up and there was like six minutes left; I was like, ‘Alright, let’s empty the tank.’ I would’ve liked to see how the last two laps unfolded had there not been traffic with the two lapped riders. It’s been my best start of the season for Supercross, which is what I wanted to do. We’ve still got so many races to go. It’s been some really good racing.” 

Lars Lindstrom: “It was a bittersweet night for the team, after a great start to the season. It’s always extra frustrating when the riders are injured by something that wasn’t within their control, but that’s how it goes in racing sometimes. We are hoping that Chance’s shoulder injury is non-surgical, and that he’ll be able to get back to racing ASAP. Hunter has been absolutely lights-out, surpassing everyone’s expectations, and we couldn’t be prouder and happier for him. Our main goal is to make sure that we’re able to help him get the most out of the bike and himself to get that first supercross win, and to get the best result possible, every single weekend.”

More from press release issued by KTM Factory Racing: 

450SX podium finish for Eli Tomac and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing at A2.

Eli Tomac: “I felt like I was in offense and defense mode the whole time during that Main Event – it was very busy! I was happy to claim a podium spot tonight, but also, there are a couple of things I think back to that maybe I could have done differently to try and stay in front of Hunter [Lawrence], but that’s all should have, would have, could have at this point. This race had a bit of everything, but everyone is hauling the mail, and the pace was super-fast. It’s good to finish with a podium here – if you had told me at the beginning of the series that I’d go 1-1-3, that’s an awesome start, so I’m proud of the team.”

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450SX teammate Jorge Prado was also in fine form at Round 3, with the four-time world champion qualifying sixth before earning the holeshot on his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION and delivering a wire-to-wire victory in his Heat Race.

Starting outside the top-10 in the Main Event, the Spaniard put his head down and completed an impressive charge toward the checkered flag, executing a series of passes to finish seventh by race’s end. As a result, Prado is currently listed in P9 overall following three rounds to begin season 2026.

Aaron Plessinger: “I actually felt pretty good today, coming off having the flu for a couple of weeks. I was feeling it in my Heat Race and was closing in on Jorge with a lap to go when I hit something and was sent flying off the face of the jump, so I hit the ground really hard. I banged myself up real good. I was able to get up and cross the line in eighth, so I qualified for the Main without having to race the LCQ, which was a positive. I did my best in the Main Event and was good on opening laps, but honestly, my body really started to feel it midway into the race, and I just had to salvage what spots I could. I will regroup this week, get a bunch of therapy on my body, and hopefully have a better race in Houston next weekend.”

Next Race: January 31 – Houston, Texas

Suzuki’s Jason Anderson earns fourth-place result at Anaheim 2 Supercross. 

Two Suzuki Riders Hold Top Five Spots in SMX World Championship Standings.

Brea, CA – Rain two days prior to Round 3 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross season created very different track conditions when the series returned to Angel Stadium. The Anaheim 2 Supercross, which also pays points toward the SMX World Championship, offered saturated soil, soft jump faces, and deep ruts. The riders adapted to changing dirt conditions throughout the daytime qualifying sessions and the evening’s racing.  

Race Highlights:

• Progressive Insurance Cycle Gear Ecstar Suzuki
  • 450 Class
    • Ken Roczen fought forward throughout the main event to recover to an impressive top-ten result. 
• Twisted Tea Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance
  • 450 Class
    • Jason Anderson holeshot and controlled the race through the opening laps to card his season-best main event result.
    • Colt Nichols soldiered through a tough night to deliver another strong performance.

Ken Roczen (94) came into A2 with two podium finishes at the first two rounds. When the gate dropped for his heat, Roczen found himself just outside the top five. Roczen and his Suzuki RM-Z450 moved past two riders early, then nabbed a podium finish for a good gate pick. In the main event, Roczen tangled with another rider on the start, but kept it on two wheels and instantly started progressing through the pack. Unfortunately, a minute and a half into the 20-minute plus one lap race, Roczen was down on the ground and outside of the top 20. In an unbelievable display of speed, Roczen was able to drop only 4.3 seconds to the race leader while gaining ten positions on his charge through the pack. With eight minutes remaining on the race clock, Roczen passed three more riders to score eighth-place points and remain strongly in title contention.
 
“Anaheim 2 was not quite the night that we wanted. My starts just weren’t there, and I made a big mistake on lap two and went down,” said Roczen. “We charged from 21st to eighth and left it all out on the track. That was as far up as I could [reach]. Luckily, I didn’t lose too many points, so on that side of things it’s all good. I’m pumped on the effort we all put in, and sometimes that’s just the way it goes. So, we’re going to try again in Houston.”

Jason Anderson (21) emerged from the first turn of his heat race in sixth place. From there Anderson sliced forward, took over a podium spot midway through the race, and held on for his third consecutive heat race podium. When the gate dropped for the main, Anderson and his RM-Z450 shot out of the gate, carved around the first corner, and emerged with the holeshot. Jason Anderson’s loose, flowing riding style worked great on the rutted track; he led the field for the opening seven minutes of racing. When challenged down a rhythm section, Anderson squared up the next corner and immediately re-took the lead down the long whoop section. Anderson battled with the front group and stood strongly in fourth place when the checkered flag flew. The event points moved Anderson and his Twisted Tea Suzuki up two positions in the championship standings.  

“The weekend here at Anaheim 2 went pretty well,” Anderson said after the race. “Practice was mediocre, I qualified ninth overall. In my heat race I was able to get a third, and then in the main event I [grabbed] a good start and was able to get fourth. So, we’re trending upwards but obviously we want to be on the podium.” 

Colt Nichols (45) started the night’s racing with a charge forward from a mid-pack start in his heat. Nichols moved quickly in the six-minute plus one lap race, including grabbing two positions on the final lap to earn a direct transfer into the main. Another disappointing start in the main put Nichols near the back of the pack, but he went to work and moved forward. Just past the midpoint Nichols reached 16th place and held it until the end. 

“It was a rough day, [I’m a] little under the weather and just had to figure it out and push through,” said Nichols. “It was just a struggle, I was a little off all day, the mental clarity wasn’t quite there, but I survived and did as best as I could with what I had today. We’ve got a lot of work to do to try to get out of the gate; we need to snowball my day a little bit better, starting with qualifying, and just give myself a better chance. If we do that, we’ll be okay. The speed’s good, the bike is good, I just have to give myself a chance, so we’ll try again next weekend. 

“We led a lot of laps, Jason rode great, we had a holeshot, and I think we led nearly half of the main event,” stated Dustin Pipes, Principal of the Twisted Tea/H.E.P. Motorsports/Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance team. “We ended up P-4 with Jason. It was great to see him out front and back riding his pace and being able to sprint a little bit. It was a really good bounce back for him. Ken Roczen had a little bit of a rough main. He tangled bars off the start and then had a fall on the second lap, so he came from dead last all the way back up to eighth. It was a great ride. His laps were great, just a tough finish. Colt Nichols, P-16, he rode good; he’s a little bit sick this week. I think there are a lot of people battling bugs, and Colt was one of them. So, for us it was just about managing our expectations and kind of getting him through the round.”

The Supercross schedule now sends the teams and riders halfway across the country for the Houston Supercross inside NRG Stadium on Saturday, January 31st. The Texas event will deliver the season’s first Triple Crown event, which eliminates heat races and determines the overall winner based on three separate Races. With two riders inside the top five in the title standings, the Suzuki squads are looking ahead to continuing a strong 2026 title hunt. 

For the latest team updates, news, and race insights, visit SuzukiCycles.com/Racing/Motocross or pipesmotorsportsgroup.com.

More from press release issued by Yamaha: 

Cooper Webb Starts Turning the Corner at Anaheim 2.

Sometimes the results sheet doesn’t tell the whole story, and Anaheim 2 was one of those nights for the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 squad. 

If a picture is worth a thousand words, the look on Cooper Webb’s face after the Anaheim 2 450SX Main Event speaks volumes. The three-time Monster Energy AMA Supercross 450SX Champion is a fierce competitor, and the first three rounds of the season have not been the start to his title defense that he was working for.

“It’s been hell to be honest, but it’s part of the sport,” Webb said. “You do everything right, and sometimes you get your teeth kicked in. So, yeah, it was an unfortunate start to the season results-wise, but I think there was a lot to be proud of with my riding tonight.”

At Anaheim 2, the end result was a hard-earned fifth-place finish, but the bigger takeaway? Webb is starting to look like himself again. The North Carolina rider got a great start to his heat race and battled up front, ultimately finishing second. When the gate dropped for the main event, though, things didn’t go quite as planned. He got tangled up with a pair of riders after the gate drop and had to make his way from 10th into the top five.

“I felt really good all day and had a good heat race finally,” Webb said. “Then in the main event, I collided with Hunter (Lawrence) and (Jorge) Prado off the start, which was a bummer. I was pretty buried, but made some passes and got closer to the front. I had a gap to the leaders and was able to catch up to them.”

As the laps ticked down, Webb found himself in a three-rider fight for the final podium spot. When Jason Anderson went off track, Webb moved into fourth and set his sights on the riders ahead – including points leader Eli Tomac. Unfortunately, in the final laps, a crash in the sand dropped him back to fifth.

“I felt like it was time to try to get around Eli and potentially go for Hunter,” Webb said. “The next thing you know, I’m flying over the berms. It was a bummer to crash like that when I felt like I had a podium or, at least, the speed to potentially win tonight, but I can’t be too mad at myself. In this sport, nothing’s over until it’s over. We’ll be back next week, that’s for sure. We’ll be hungry to come out to H-town and turn it around.”

“The results were not great, but we made some improvements in areas that I was struggling with before,” said Cooper. “So we’re taking the positives away from it and not focusing on the results on paper. We’re just going to keep working, and it’ll come.”

Looking back on the day, Rich Simmons, the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team Manager, echoed the progress made. “Overall, both guys were more consistent,” he said. “Qualifying was better, the heat races were better, and Coop was racing with the lead group. The speed was there. Unfortunately, the mistake in the sand cost him a podium. Justin got stuck in that pace in the main event, but we know what we need to work on. It was a better night.”

With the Southern California stretch wrapped up, the team shifts its focus to Round 4 of the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross 450SX Championship. The results may not fully show it yet — but the momentum is building.

More from press release issued by Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing: 

Ryder DiFrancesco and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing on Anaheim 2 podium.

Valuable 450SX points claimed by RJ Hampshire and Malcolm Stewart in Round 3.

“That’s a wrap for A2. It was a little disappointing because we’ve been working so hard lately and I felt good today,” Said Dylan Ferrandis. “I had the speed, the bike is awesome, but the result on paper is not good. At the start, I decided to play it safe by choosing better ruts over a better position. I had a good start, but I was so far outside and got blocked in the first turn. I was pretty far back and did everything I could to come back and gave a big fight. We need better starts for sure, but we figured out a lot today. I think now we have a good base for the rest of the season. Honestly, I feel awesome – my body feels good, the bike feels good, and my speed in the whoops was back this weekend. With a better start, we can fight up front for sure.”

Anaheim 2 may not have delivered the final result on paper, but it delivered confidence, proof of pace, and a foundation for success – as Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing continues to build momentum heading into the next round of the Supercross Championship.