More from a press release issued by Honda:
Flawless AMA Pro Motocross Opener for Hunter Lawrence.
・After topping 450 qualifying, Australian posts convincing 1-1 moto finishes
・Jett Lawrence secures podium overall result in return from injury
・Shimoda and Hymas battle through adversity to top-10 250 overall placings
Honda HRC Progressive opened the 2026 AMA Pro Motocross Championship in impressive fashion at Southern California’s Fox Raceway, with Hunter Lawrence delivering a dominant 1-1 performance to claim the overall victory in the 450MX class. The Australian’s perfect day extended the Lawrence family’s success at the Pala venue, where brother/teammate Jett had taken all the 450 moto wins for the previous three years. This weekend saw Jett return to competition with a strong third-place overall finish, following an extended absence due to injury. In the 250 division, Jo Shimoda and Chance Hymas also both returned to racing following injury setbacks and showed resilience throughout the day. Despite difficult starts in both motos, the duo consistently moved forward and demonstrated strong pace against a highly competitive field, ultimately earning overall results of sixth and eighth, respectively.
Fresh off a standout AMA Supercross campaign, Hunter carried his momentum outdoors and showcased exceptional consistency and pace, quickly seizing control of the opening moto and then pulling away to secure the win by nearly nine seconds. Moto 2 saw him grab the holeshot aboard his CRF450RWE and successfully manage pressure before winning by over six seconds and completing the perfect sweep to leave Pala with the championship points lead.

Making his first race appearance of the year after badly injuring his ankle five months ago, Jett delivered a strong performance, with 4-3 moto finishes for third overall, despite having to work his way forward in both motos. The result secured a double podium for Honda HRC Progressive and reaffirmed Jett’s place among the frontrunners.
Shimoda recorded 4-7 250-class finishes to secure sixth overall, highlighted by an impressive charge through the field in the opening moto. Hymas built momentum throughout the day, posting 10-5 scores for eighth overall. In the second moto, the teammates worked through the pack in tandem, gaining positions throughout the race and ending the day with valuable championship points.
With Hunter carrying the red plate into round 2 and all four Honda HRC Progressive riders motivated for success, the team leaves Fox Raceway with strong momentum heading into next weekend’s Hangtown Motocross Classic in Rancho Cordova, California.

NOTES
・For the opening round of the 2026 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, a formal press conference was hosted on Friday at Pala Casino Spa and Resort. All four Honda HRC Progressive riders—Jett and Hunter Lawrence, Jo Shimoda and Chance Hymas—were invited to speak on stage and participate in TV broadcast interviews, after which they took part in a riding session on the Fox Raceway track.
・This weekend marked the return of three of the four Honda HRC Progressive riders following injuries sustained before and during the 2026 AMA Supercross campaign. Only Hunter Lawrence rode the entire stadium series, and he enjoyed having his teammates back in the pits at Pala.
・Perris, California, dealership Langston Motorsports enhanced the Fox Raceway fan experience, with a pop-up activation booth in the Honda HRC Progressive pit area. Staff engaged directly with fans and customers at the display, which featured a CRF110F and newly announced 2027 CRF250R HRC WORKS EDITION.
・All four Honda HRC Progressive race bikes sported new SKDA tricolor graphics, mimicking the look of Honda’s 2027 CRF Performance lineup, which was announced two days before the race. The liveries are meant to unify the appearance of HRC teams in various forms of motorcycle racing, including MotoGP, World Superbike, Rally and MXGP. Even Honda’s satellite teams ran similar looks.
・A 2027 CRF450R was also displayed in the Honda HRC Progressive pits, as was Ricky Brabec’s factory Monster Energy Honda HRC CRF450 RALLY, SLR’s race-winning CRF450X and a Team Raceco Honda Talon 1000R side-by-side.
・During the opening ceremony, Honda HRC Progressive test rider Trey Canard took a parade lap on the 2027 CRF450R, while Honda Two-Wheel PR Coordinator Ryan Dudek was interviewed about the significantly improved new model.
・All four Honda HRC Progressive riders participated in a paddock autograph session on Saturday morning, giving fans an opportunity to meet their heroes.
・During Race Day Live, SLR Honda rider Mikayla Nielsen (SLR Honda) was interviewed by Jason Thomas ahead of the 2026 WMX Championship, which will kick off at Hangtown June 6.
・During the Peacock broadcast, a segment highlighted Jett Lawrence’s comeback from his serious ankle injury. Interviewed for the piece were the Lawrences’ trainer, Johnny O’Mara, and physiotherapist, H. Rey Gubernick (“Doc G”), who both spoke about Jett’s injury, recovery and return.

・Hymas was sixth in 250 combined qualifying, with Shimoda 14th. Other Red Riders included Phoenix Racing Honda riders Gavin Towers and Aden Keefer (making his pro debut) in 24th and 38th, respectively. Tim Jaunin of Honda Switzerland AGMX Racing was 60th and The McGinley Privateer Program’s Kyle Czworkowski was 65th. Towers finished 26th overall in the race, with 31-21 moto scores.
・Hunter Lawrence topped both 450 qualifying sessions, with Jett third. Quad Lock Honda riders Christian Craig and Kyle Webster were 15th and 16th, respectively. SLR Honda’s Justin Rodbell was 22nd, Sage Powers (Limited Decal) was 41st, Blake Hoag (Hoag Racing) was 44th, Ryan Surratt (JCR Honda) was 46th, KC Clinton (Clinton Racing) was 52nd, Ty Freehill (Western Honda) was 54th, Gavin Tiflord (Feine Tune Racing) was 56th, and Rocco Morse (Morse Racing) was 66th. Surratt advanced to the motos by finishing third in the LCQ. Craig posted a respectable top-10 overall finish in the race.
・With Hunter’s win this weekend, Honda now has six premier-class overall victories at Fox Raceway (four more than the next-closest manufacturer), with the Australian joining Jett (three wins) and Chase Sexton (two wins) on the winners’ list. Hunter also earned an overall win in the 250 class at the venue, with a 1-1 performance in 2023.
・Amazingly, in his 24 450-class moto starts thus far in his career, Hunter has never finished a moto outside the top five. This was the second time he has earned an overall victory in the division, and his first moto sweep.
・Honda HRC Progressive heads to Rancho Cordova, California, for the Hangtown Motocross Classic this Saturday, with Hunter carrying the red plate on his CRF450RWE. The event will also mark the opening round of the WMX Championship, in which SLR Honda’s Mikayla Nielsen and Quad Lock Honda’s Charli Cannon will compete.

More from a press release issued by KTM:
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado finishes P2 overall at Fox Raceway National.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado opened the 2026 AMA Pro Motocross Championship in convincing fashion at Fox Raceway, securing second overall on Saturday afternoon with a 2-2 moto scorecard in the 450MX category, while Julien Beaumer impressed in his return to competition with P5 overall in 250MX.
Equipped with the KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, Prado posted the second-fastest qualifying time of the day with a 2:17.461 lap-time, immediately finding comfort on the hard-packed Southern Californian circuit.
The Spaniard then launched to a strong start in Moto 1, crossing the holeshot line inside the top-three and maintaining P2 throughout the race to claim an impressive runner-up finish. Another strong start in Moto 2 saw Prado again battling for the lead, eventually claiming another hard-fought second for the moto.
In his first Pro Motocross appearance with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team, the four-time world champion claimed an impressive second overall at the first of 11 rounds.

Jorge Prado: “This is a great start to the season with second overall! It was a good day of racing – we were battling up front, and even got into the lead during the opening stages of Moto 2, so I am happy. I think we can build from here – we will learn from it and just be a little sharper once the gate drops next time.”
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450MX teammate Aaron Plessinger made his racing return at the Pro Motocross opener aboard his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, with an eighth-place finish in the opening race. ‘The Cowboy’ featured inside the top-three early in Moto 2, before eventually claiming ninth in the moto and eighth overall at Fox Raceway.
Aaron Plessinger: “I’m happy with today – I was a little stagnant in the first moto, which irritated me a little bit. But in Moto 2, we made some positive changes to the setup, we got a good jump out of the gate, and I was up there in the mix for a little bit. Overall, it was a good day – I just need more motos under my belt. I think I have around seven 35-minute motos under my belt coming into this race, so I knew it was going to be tough. We’ll work into it, though. I’m feeling better, so we’ll keep trusting the work that we are doing.”
Four-time 450MX Champion Eli Tomac qualified 10th on his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION this morning, however, an unfortunate crash on the opening lap of Moto 1 brought an early end to his day. Initial on-site scans revealed no broken bones after straining his neck in the incident, and he will undergo further evaluation during the week.
Fox Raceway also marked a welcome return to competition for Beaumer in the 250MX category, with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider having been sidelined since last September’s SMX playoffs. He qualified third this morning, before recording an 11th-place finish in Moto 1 aboard his KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION after recovering from a Lap 1 crash.
Beaumer then powered to the holeshot in Moto 2, building a lead of more than three seconds during the opening stages of the race before surrendering the position around the midway point of the moto to claim second position in the race and a solid fifth overall.
Julien Beaumer: “Today was a really good day overall – I rode well in qualifying, and then in Moto 1 I got off to a solid start, and then just tipped over on Lap 1. I came back to 11th in that one, so my riding was good, and then I got off to another really good start in the second moto and rode my laps. I rode to what I know I’m capable of, and that was good enough for a second in that race, so I am happy with where we are at, and the team did an amazing job with the bike. I think that overall we are in a good spot.”
Next Race: June 6 – Hangtown, California
More from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Justin Cooper Earns Fourth Overall, Deegan Impresses with Top-Five in 450MX Debut.Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper and Haiden Deegan launch Pro Motocross season with top-five overall results at Fox Raceway.
Anticipation was high for the Pro Motocross season opener, with a stacked premier-class field and plenty of storylines, including six-time 250 class champion Haiden Deegan making his highly anticipated 450MX debut at his home outdoor national in Southern California.
Amid all the hype surrounding the opening round, Justin Cooper quietly went to work, kicking off his title campaign with a podium in Moto 1 and finishing fourth overall, while his rookie teammate joined him in the top five at Fox Raceway in Pala, California.
Cooper continued his upward trend outdoors with a strong outing at the opener. He qualified fourth and got to work early in Moto 1, charging from seventh to third in the opening four laps. From there, he maintained a strong pace to secure a podium finish in the opening moto. In the second moto, Cooper had his work cut out for him after starting in 17th. Undeterred, he put his head down and steadily made his way through to sixth to secure fourth overall.
“Round 1 of the Pro Motocross series was good,” said Cooper. “Qualifying went well. I felt comfortable on the bike all day, so overall it was a solid day. I didn’t get the best of starts in the second moto, so that hurt me, but the first moto was good. I got third. Then the second one, I worked my way up to sixth and got fourth overall, which is a good start to the season. I’ve got to dial in those starts a little bit better and be up there in the beginning. But we’ll take it. It’s not my favorite track, so we’ll move on to next week.”

It was an impressive debut for Deegan in front of the home crowd. He had a solid qualifying effort in sixth. Then Moto 1 got off to a chaotic start, with Deegan nearly going down in the first turn and finding himself deep in the field. The 20-year-old put in a determined ride, fighting all the way to the finish to cross the line fifth. In the second moto, he was 15th after the start and once again launched an impressive charge, advancing to fourth by the halfway mark and holding the position to secure fifth overall on the day.
“Today was good,” said Deegan. “I qualified sixth and then Moto 1 had a good start until I tucked it in the first turn. I saved it, but man, it was sketchy. I came from 25th to fifth, so that was a good ride. I had good battles with all these guys in the top 10, who are champions. So it was a fun time learning and battling those guys. Then Moto 2, I got a little better start, but obviously we’ve got to work on that, because if we can start up front, I think we’ll have a better chance of getting on the podium. I made my way back up to fourth from 15th on the start. So a 5-4 on the day, for fifth overall. I’d definitely say it was a good first-round rookie debut. We’ll go back to work this week, get the bike dialed in, do great starts, and come out swinging in Hangtown.”
Fox Raceway wasn’t on Webb’s list of favorite venues, but despite having the 14th gate pick, he had a decent start and quickly made his way to the top 10, but ultimately finished 13th in the first moto. The three-time 450SX champion had a much better start to Moto 2, slotting into fourth, but as the race wore on, he dropped back to 13th, ending the day 12th overall with the pair of 13th-place finishes.

“It was a pretty uneventful day for me at Pala,” said Webb. “I was around 12th and 15th all day. The second moto was a little better, though. I got a better start and rode pretty well in the first half, and then just shuffled back. So we definitely have some work to do. This isn’t my favorite track, but I’m looking forward to enjoying the rest of them.”
“Overall, it was a pretty good day,” said Rich Simmons, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s 450 Team Manager. “It was a good first round for Justin and Haiden, coming away with fourth and fifth overall. Justin got on the podium in that first moto. Then both he and Haiden had bad starts in Moto 2, which didn’t help, but Haiden did a really good job coming through the pack. Webb had a good start in the second one, but just didn’t have the results I’m sure he wanted. I think there were a lot of positives to take away from here. The guys are happy with their bikes. We’ll just keep building off this.”
Next weekend, the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing squad heads to Rancho Cordova, California, for the Hangtown Motocross Classic – Round 2 of the Pro Motocross Championship and Round 19 of the Monster Energy SuperMotocross World Championship on June 6.
More from a press release issued by Kawasaki:
Seth Hammaker takes career-first Pro Motocross victory at season opener.
Monster Energy® Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Seth Hammaker stole the show at Round 1 of Pro Motocross with a historic moto victory to take the 250 class overall win. Teammate Levi Kitchen put on an impressive race win in Moto 1 to add to his score for fourth overall (1-13), while Nick Romano put on an outstanding Top 5 performance in Moto 1 for ninth overall (5-11). Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Chase Sexton put in a solid day of racing to claim sixth overall (7-5), and teammate Garrett Marchbanks rebounded for a strong finish in Moto 2 for 14th overall (28-8).

In the 250 Class, the Monster Energy® Pro Circuit Kawasaki riders showcased their consistent speed early in qualifying, with Kitchen topping the charts in both sessions to take the overall fastest qualifier and set the tone for the day. Hammaker was slotted right behind his teammate in second overall, while Romano put in solid laps to sit 19th overall after both sessions.
In 250 Moto 1, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki riders got off to a picture-perfect start as Hammaker grabbed a commanding holeshot aboard his KX™250, while Romano followed closely behind his teammate in second and Kitchen charged into third by Lap 2. A few laps later, Kitchen made the pass for second on Romano, as the Kawasaki trio continued to control the pace, setting the Top 3 fastest lap times of the moto.
Hammaker maintained control and looked poised to lead wire-to-wire until a small mistake sent him off the track, opening the door for Kitchen to take over the lead. Kitchen went on to claim the Moto 1 victory, while Romano held fourth for much of the race before a pass on the final lap would leave him in fifth to end the moto. Making both his outdoor debut with the team and his first motocross start in two years, Romano capped off an impressive ride with a fifth-place finish.

In 250 Moto 2, Hammaker backed up his strong day with another excellent start, rounding the first turn in third before quickly moving into second. Romano railed the outside line through Turn 1 to emerge in sixth. Kitchen, however, endured a challenging opening lap after a rider to his left cut across his line off the start, forcing him to check up and enter the first turn deep in the pack. Misfortune struck again moments later when he became tangled up with a downed rider at the top of the hill, dropping him even farther back. Undeterred, Kitchen remounted and immediately began charging through the field.
Up front, Hammaker was on the move as well, making an aggressive pass for second before reeling in the leader and taking over the top spot midway through the moto. Kitchen put together an impressive recovery ride, passing more than 25 riders on his way to a 13th-place finish, which was enough to tie for second overall, but he was credited fourth overall on the day. Romano delivered a steady and consistent performance, finishing 11th in the moto and ninth overall. Hammaker went on to claim his first career moto win in commanding fashion, along with his first overall victory, leaving the weekend with the championship red plate and a 13-point lead in the standings. Kitchen now sits tied for second in the championship, while Romano holds ninth in the points standings.
Seth Hammaker: “Being the first outdoor national of the year and my first Pro Motocross overall win, it feels amazing for it all to happen on the same day. Practice went pretty well, and we made a few bike adjustments to get more comfortable with the track conditions. In Moto 1, I grabbed the holeshot and led for a while, but made a mistake and lost the lead. In Moto 2, I got another good start, made a couple quick passes, and got into the lead. From there, I just focused on hitting my marks and being consistent. It feels great to get the first overall win, and hopefully we can keep this momentum rolling.”
Levi Kitchen: “The team has been working really hard, and we feel really good about the progress we’ve made. Honestly, I’m frustrated because I know what we’re capable of. This sport has its highs and lows, and today was one of those days. I put myself in a tough position in Moto 2 and had to fight back from way behind, which made things difficult. At the same time, there are a lot of positives to take away. My Moto 1 victory showed that the speed is there, and the bike is great. We’ll keep building, keep working, and come back ready for Hangtown.”
Nick Romano: “Round 1 was a fun day for me. Going 5-11 for ninth overall isn’t too bad, especially considering I haven’t raced outdoors in two years. I accomplished my goal for the weekend and learned a lot. I feel like Top 5 consistency is right there in front of me, and we’re going to keep working until we get there. I’m excited for the rest of the season.”

In the 450 Class, Marchbanks showed impressive speed during qualifying. Utilizing Fox Raceway as a regular practice track during the outdoor season, the No. 36 Kawasaki used his familiarity with the technical layout to take fifth overall in qualifying. Sexton started qualifying third in the first session and continued to better his lap times as the day went on to secure seventh overall.
In 450 Moto 1, Sexton got off to a strong start, launching out of the gate in fourth, while Marchbanks followed closely behind in an impressive sixth-place position. Unfortunately, Marchbanks’ promising start came to an abrupt halt on the opening lap when he was involved in a racing incident exiting a turn and collided with another rider, resulting in a hard crash. The force of the impact knocked the wind out of him, forcing him to take a moment before remounting and rejoining the race. Despite his bike being a bit mangled and dealing with the effects of the crash, Marchbanks dug deep and worked his way through the field, salvaging as many positions as possible to finish 28th in the moto. Up front, Sexton rode a steady and consistent race while running fourth for much of the moto. However, a small tipover in the closing laps cost him several positions, ultimately dropping him to seventh at the checkered flag.

In 450 Moto 2, Sexton put himself in a favorable Top 10 position off the start, while Marchbanks was forced to work from midpack after his Moto 1 finish resulted in a less-than-ideal gate pick. Despite the setback, Marchbanks mounted an impressive charge to move inside the Top 10 by Lap 5. As the race unfolded, Sexton was battling inside the Top 5 when he tipped over at the top of the hill shortly after the track had been watered, leaving the surface slick. The mistake cost him valuable time, but he regrouped and fought his way back to fifth by the checkered flag, securing sixth overall on the day. Meanwhile, Marchbanks continued to showcase his speed throughout the moto, steadily climbing through the field and closing in on his teammate before ultimately finishing eighth. His strong recovery ride earned him 14th overall for the weekend.
Chase Sexton: “Today wasn’t where I was hoping to be, but I put myself in a tough position being on the ground twice. I felt good in Moto 1 and was running in a good spot before a small mistake cost me a few spots late in the race. In Moto 2, I got a decent start and was battling up front, but another small tipover set me back. I was able to salvage sixth overall, but I expect myself on the podium. We’ll regroup this week to get ready for Hangtown, as I’ll be staying out in California to do some testing with the team.”
Garrett Marchbanks: “I thought today went really well with starting out fifth overall in qualifying. Went into Moto 1, felt like we had some things really going with the bike, and practice starts were going really well this week. I was super pumped to rip a Top 10 start. Three-quarters of the way through the first lap Eli [Tomac] and I were sprinting. He made a pass on me, and I went to make a pass back, and we got together in a racing incident. Neither of us let off the gas and just ended up coming together. I feel bad for what happened and hope he’s doing alright. My bike was a bit bent up after that, so it needed some work after the race. I went from 28th in Moto 1 to eighth in Moto 2, so to be able to move through the field against this level of competition was a solid effort.”
More from a press release issued by Husqvarna:
RJ Hampshire leads Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing at Pro Motocross opener. Seventh overall in 450MX at Fox Raceway for RJ, as Ryder D takes 250MX Moto 2 podium.
Hampshire and his Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition posted the 13th-fastest qualifying time during the morning sessions, before charging to a hard-fought sixth-place finish in Moto 1 after spending much of the race in a closely-contested battle.
In Moto 2, the 30-year-old ran inside the top-five from the outset and climbed as high as fourth during the race’s middle stages, before ultimately crossing the finish line in seventh position. His 6-7 moto scorecard was enough to secure seventh overall at the season-opener.

“Fox Raceway was positive for me,” commented Hampshire. “I was in the fight around that top-five area for most of the day – I wish I could’ve finished the motos off a little better, but this was one of my better Pala results. I’m leaving here pretty happy knowing that we have a lot more to give next weekend and in the upcoming races. We learned a lot this weekend under race conditions, which is something you can’t replicate at home, and we made positive changes with both the bike and my riding.”
Alongside Hampshire in the 450MX Class was teammate Malcolm Stewart, who entered Round 1 eyeing a strong result equipped with the Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition. Stewart went on to claim a hard-fought 12th in Moto 1, before withdrawing from Moto 2 after dabbing his leg early in the race.

“Pala is always an interesting track,” said Stewart. “Practice, I struggled a little bit, but I felt I had some good momentum going into Moto 1, and actually rode a pretty solid race. And then in Moto 2, the first lap, I dabbed my knee in a corner a little bit, which was frustrating. It’s nothing to be too concerned about – I pulled off for the rest of the race just to make sure that nothing was too crazy, and now we’ll re-evaluate and hopefully line up in Sacramento.”
DiFrancesco, meanwhile, qualified seventh in the 250MX category, with a strong start in Moto 1 unfortunately impacted by a costly first-lap crash. He recovered to 19th by race’s end, before responding with a standout third-place finish aboard the Husqvarna FC 250 Factory Edition in Moto 2 to salvage 10th overall for the round.

250MX teammates Daxton Bennick and Casey Cochran were also in action for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing at Fox Raceway onboard their Husqvarna FC 250 Factory Editions, qualifying 16th and 10th, respectively.
Bennick delivered an encouraging seventh-place score in Moto 1 before unfortunately withdrawing from the second moto after an incident while running inside the top-five early on. Cochran was credited with a 40-17 scorecard across the day’s two motos – suffering a DNF in the opening race – to claim 21st overall.
“Overall, there are positives to take away,” mentioned Cochran. “It was decent to start with 10th in qualifying, and then unfortunately we weren’t able to finish Moto 1, which was a bummer. Moto 2, I didn’t feel super-comfortable out there, so I struggled a little bit all moto. It was good to get some gate drops, though, and we’ll come back firing next weekend.”
More from a press release issued by Ducati:
Ferrandis Secures Top-10 Overall Finish as Barcia Celebrates Milestone 300th Career AMA Pro Motocross Start.
With anticipation running high, the Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing Team officially made its AMA Pro Motocross debut Saturday at Fox Raceway in Pala, California, opening the 2026 AMA Pro Motocross Championship with riders Dylan Ferrandis and Justin Barcia aboard the Ducati Desmo450 MX race machines.
While the Ducati platform has previously appeared in AMA Pro Motocross competition, Fox Raceway marked the first official outdoor national for the Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing Team and its rider lineup of Ferrandis and Barcia.
The day also carried special significance for veteran Justin “BAM BAM” Barcia, whose gate drop at Fox Raceway marked the 300th AMA Pro Motocross start of his distinguished career. The milestone represents a remarkable achievement for one of the sport’s most recognizable competitors and a proud moment for the Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing Team.

Moto 1 saw Ferrandis line up 12th on the gate, while Barcia selected the 18th gate position. Ferrandis endured a difficult start and crossed the holeshot line deep in the field in 18th position. The former champion steadily worked his way forward throughout the moto, posting his fastest lap on Lap 8 before making a late-race pass with two laps remaining to secure ninth place at the checkered flag.
Barcia launched inside the top 10 and advanced to seventh during the opening lap. A small tip-over midway through the race cost valuable track position, dropping him back to 14th by Lap 7 before ultimately finishing 17th.
In Moto 2, Ferrandis improved dramatically off the gate, crossing the holeshot line in seventh before quickly moving into fifth on the opening lap. Running comfortably among the lead group and matching the pace of riders ahead, Ferrandis looked poised for a strong finish before a major crash in the middle stages of the race was followed by a second minor fall. Despite the setbacks, he regrouped to finish 10th and secure a top-10 overall result to begin the season.
“It was a good day. I don’t know what happened on the start in Moto 1. I made a big mistake off the start and I was dead last, so it was pretty bad. I dug deep and had a big comeback. In Moto 2, I had a much better start. I was out front with the top guys and I felt comfortable there in that fifth or sixth spot. I was really comfortable, but I went down and made a big mistake and had a big crash. I tried to regroup but had a small crash a little later in the moto. I was rushing and trying to make the best of the rest of the moto. But a top 10 is good. We learned a lot, and I feel like we’re close, we just need to fix small things to make me feel a bit more comfortable, so let’s go back to work this week and get ready for next weekend at Hangtown.”

Barcia faced another challenging start in Moto 2, crossing the holeshot line in 18th position. Struggling to find comfort and rhythm on the demanding Fox Raceway circuit, the New York native battled through the moto and finished 16th.
“Pala was an extremely challenging day,” said Barcia. “Just couldn’t find the flow and the comfort I needed to perform. It was definitely frustrating, to say the least. We definitely are back to the drawing boards next week. Try to find some comfort and feel and get going forward faster. We have to go faster, to be better. So, yes, that’s a sum of a call, pretty much, not a whole lot good to say about it. I wasn’t here last year, so I’m taking the positive in that because I wasn’t here last year. We have some work to do which we will take the week going into Hangtown to try and find a better set up.”
The Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing Team will now turn its attention to Round 2 of the 2026 AMA Pro Motocross Championship at Hangtown Motocross Classic in Rancho Cordova, California, where both riders will look to build on the lessons learned during the team’s historic debut outing.
More from a press release issued by Suzuki:
Colt Nichols Puts His Suzuki in the Points at Round One of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship.
With the Supercross season wrapped and Suzuki’s Ken Roczen crowned the 2026 Supercross Champion on May 9th, the SMX World Championship commenced the AMA Pro Motocross season as part of the SMX series. The Fox Raceway National paid points toward both the Motocross season and toward the SMX World Championship. Pala, California delivered beautiful weather and a high-speed track that varied from wet loam in the morning to brutal, hardpack ruts by the end of the day.
Race Highlights:
- Twisted Tea Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance
- 450 Class
- Colt Nichols earned points toward his bid for the SMX World Championship.
- 450 Class

Colt Nichols (45) used the three-week break between the Supercross Final and the outdoor opener to prepare for the high speeds of the motocross nationals. Nichols looked strong from the start, posting great times in the first qualifying session. In the first moto, Nichols emerged from the first corner in 23rd place. Nichols battled through the 30-minute plus two lap race to move his Twisted Tea Suzuki into the points before the checkered flag waved. In the second moto, a stronger start put Nichols inside the top 15. Nichols capitalized on the improved track position and bettered his result by three positions over the opening moto.
“It was a humbling day for me,” said Nichols. “We struggled to find some comfort, and I just didn’t ride as good as I needed to. I’ve got some work to do this week and will try again at Hangtown.”
“Round One of the Pro Motocross Nationals is done and dusted,” stated Dustin Pipes, Team Principal for Twisted Tea/H.E.P. Motorsports/Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance. “We got 19th overall for Colt. We need to work on starts and get the bike in a [set-up] window for him to achieve better results. We will go to work. On to round two!”
The Suzuki crew, which recently won the 2026 Supercross Championship with its Suzuki RM-Z450, now travels north for the second California motocross race at the Hangtown Motocross Classic on June 6th in Rancho Cordova. The team will be competing in select rounds of the motocross series and looks to participate in the SMX playoffs and defending the WSX Championship.
For the latest team updates, news, and race insights, visit SuzukiCycles.com/Racing/Motocross or pipesmotorsportsgroup.com.




