More from a press release issued by KTM Factory Racing:
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and Eli Tomac race to Anaheim 1 Supercross victory.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing opened the 2026 AMA Supercross Championship with a pair of convincing podium performances tonight at Anaheim 1, where Eli Tomac captured a spectacular 450SX Main Event victory and with teammate Jorge Prado claiming third position.
In his SMX World Championship debut with KTM, Tomac set the quickest time in Qualifying 1 and then was P2 on combined times onboard the KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION within the famed Angel Stadium.
The decorated two-time 450SX Champion from Cortez, Colorado, managed a strong start in 450SX Heat 1, charging to second position and holding firm to secure a direct transfer into the Main Event.
Following an initial race restart, the 33-year-old Tomac moved to the front of the field on the opening lap of the Main Event and controlled the race from the head of the pack, eventually taking the checkered flag with a closing advantage of 1.470 seconds in clinching the season-opening win – marking the 54th of his career in the premier division.
Eli Tomac: “This one feels good! Leading from the get-go like that is tough, because you need to really maintain focus the whole time, but my motorcycle was the best it was all day in the Main Event after a slight adjustment from the Heat Race. We went in the right direction, and this is the perfect way to start a new season and with my new team in Red Bull KTM Factory Racing. After a big off-season with both myself and the team testing and developing all over the place, it means a lot to achieve this early success together.”
Making his first appearance with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing in Supercross, multi-time MXGP World Champion Prado qualified an impressive sixth while acclimatizing to the KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION in race conditions, before he powered to the holeshot in the first 450SX Heat Race of the year to hold off a fast-finishing Tomac for P1.
Upon launching to another impressive holeshot in the Main Event, the Spaniard rode a calculated race to earn a first-career Supercross podium finish, making for a significant Red Bull KTM Factory Racing double podium result.
Jorge Prado: “This is really ahead of my expectations – the goal for this weekend was to just get through each session and do the best that I can. I had a great preparation leading into this year, but I am still so new to Supercross. Getting the Heat Race win was awesome, but I am really happy with my Main Event and to be on the podium. I rode within my limits, and still don’t have a lot of words to describe my feelings right now, but all I can say is that hard work always pays off! It’s great to start the season this way, so now we’ll keep learning and look forward to a new opportunity next week.”
In a welcome return to competition, Aaron Plessinger was back in action at Anaheim 1 to open the 2026 season. ‘The Cowboy’ led his Heat Race early on, before contact with another rider ultimately sent him to the Last Chance Qualifier. After winning the LCQ, Plessinger raced his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION forward to 10th place in the Main Event, earning solid points at Round 1.
Aaron Plessinger: “Obviously, this wasn’t the Anaheim 1 that I wanted. It started well, but I hit the ground with Coop [Cooper Webb] in the Heat Race, which was unfortunate, but it happens. Good to get the Round 1 jitters out, and I had a few good starts today actually, which was nice. We have a good direction, my setup is in the ballpark, and I came from dead-last in the Main Event to 10th place, which I thought was a good way to rebound. It was a decent ending to a tough start, and now we’ll go back and do some homework for next weekend.”
Next Race: January 17 – San Diego, California
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More from a press release issued by Suzuki Motor USA:
Suzuki’s Ken Roczen charges to second at Anaheim Supercross opener.
Brea, CA – The opening round of the 2026 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship delivered thrilling race action that matched the excitement leading into the season. The Anaheim 1 Supercross pays points toward both the 17-round Supercross season and the 31-round SMX World Championship. Clear skies but high winds challenged the riders and track crew; the dirt inside Angel Stadium was hard packed and slick for the 20-minute plus one lap 450SX Class Main Event.
Race Highlights:
- Progressive Insurance Cycle Gear Suzuki
- 450 Class
- Ken Roczen charged past six riders in the opening laps to deliver a second-place result at the Anaheim 1 Supercross.
- 450 Class
- Twisted Tea Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance
- 450 Class
- Jason Anderson debuted his Twisted Tea Suzuki RM-Z450 with podium heat race and top-five main event results
- Colt Nichols battled to earn twelfth-place points.
- 450 Class
Ken Roczen (94) was on point throughout the day at the Anaheim 1 Supercross. In qualifying, Roczen garnered a top-three result in each session as well as in the overall qualifying standings. In his heat race, Roczen was part of a four-wide battle down the first rhythm lane. Roczen emerged from the second corner with the lead. After an opening-lap battle, Roczen pulled a gap on the field and took the win.
The main event was red flagged on the opening lap due to multi rider-crash. On the re-start, Roczen crossed the holeshot stripe in eighth place and immediately worked his way toward the front. Roczen moved his Suzuki into fourth place before the third corner and was into the top three within one lap. Roczen pushed into second place just one lap later, then set the fastest lap time of the race. Roczen kept the leader in his sights as he put down a blistering pace from that point until the checkered flag.
“Anaheim is done and dusted. We had a really good day the entire day in qualifying, the heat race, and the main,” said Roczen. “We got first in the heat race and then went to the main where we had a really good battle with [the race leader]. We pretty much kept the same gap for the entire race and [both of us] put a big gap on third. We just rode our own race. The track was really tricky, very slippery and it broke down, so it was very easy to make mistakes. I’m really happy to get away with a second place here; it’s a great start to the season and now the focus is on the next round.”
Jason Anderson (21) progressed through both qualifying sessions to post a top-five session 2 and overall qualifying result. In his heat race, Anderson bumped with another rider in the first turn; he recovered brilliantly from the mid-pack start and earned a top-five result. In the main, Anderson launched off to a fifth-place start. In the opening minutes of the race, Anderson sliced under another rider to take over fourth position; he defended the spot until the final laps and ultimately crossed the finish line in fifth place.
“We ended up fifth on the night. It was a pretty eventful night for everyone, and for me it was solid,” stated Anderson. “I’ve been a little bit under the weather but was able to manage the race with a decent start and ended up fifth. We’ll see if we can get better from there.”
After sliding out in the first turn of his heat race, Colt Nichols (45) cut through the pack but ran out of time before reaching a direct transfer position. Nichols rode a smart LCQ to earn a spot on the starting gate for the main. Nichols’ night ended like it began, with a charge through the pack after a tough start in the main. Nichols passed seven riders to move from nineteenth up to a strong twelfth-place result at the checkers.
“2026 A1 was better than 2025, so we will take it,” said Nichols. “In my heat race I had a crash off the start. My bike got a little tweaked up, but I came back to 12th. I had to go the LCQ, so I made it kind of hard on myself today. We started last in the main; we had to fight all the way up to a P-12. I’m happy. We’ve got a lot of room to improve so that’s the exciting thing. It was a good first race and I still feel like we’ve got a lot of room to go, so we’ll keep plugging away and try and get better every week.”
“It was a good night for the PMG Team Suzuki race team,” reported Larry Books, Team Manger of the Twisted Tea/H.E.P. Motorsports/Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance teams. “The first round is always extremely stressful. Ken Roczen, like he always does, pulled through with a podium and finished second. Jason Anderson, still getting used to the bike, finished fifth tonight. And Colt Nichols, after his crash in his heat race, came back and finished 12th in the main event. So, we had three Suzukis in the top 12. I’m pretty stoked. The night went good, I think all of our sponsors are pretty happy with us, and we’re just going to roll on into round two and keep this momentum going.”
The 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship will next line the riders up inside Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California on January 17th. The Suzuki riders and team members are ready to continue the battle for the championship and start the 2026 season with more strong performances and results.
For the latest team updates, news, and race insights, visit SuzukiCycles.com/Racing/Motocross or HEPMotorsports.com.
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More from a press release issued by Honda HRC:
Steady Opening Race for Honda HRC Progressive at Anaheim 1 SX.
Honda HRC Progressive’s approach to the 2026 AMA Supercross season opener at Anaheim, California’s Angel Stadium was defined by strategic patience, with the team focused on capitalizing on opportunities while minimizing unnecessary risk. That mindset paid off in the main events, as Hunter Lawrence and Chance Hymas delivered strong, measured rides to earn fourth- and second-place finishes, respectively.
Lawrence got a strong second-place start in the 450SX main event, and although the race was halted by a lap-1 red flag, the restart saw him start well again, in third. He slipped back two positions early on and spent the bulk of the race trying to get around Jason Anderson. After recovering from a scary off-track excursion in a rhythm section with just a few minutes remaining, he made a pass stick and challenged the third-place rider before ultimately ending the race fourth.
Hymas barely missed out on the 250SX main-event holeshot and ran second to Ryder DiFrancesco in the early going. A fierce battle for second with Cameron McAdoo and Max Anstie ensued, and although Hymas slipped to third in the middle part of the race, he ultimately finished a solid second behind Anstie.
Hunter Lawrence: “That was my best A1 to date. I said to myself that I’d be content with a top-five finish. I really wanted to get the win, but we’re still working, chipping away. I think we’re in a great spot to make progress where we want to and hopefully get that worked out. But I’m okay with tonight, for sure; this is one of my worst venues if you look back over my career, so I’m happy to move forward.”
Chance Hymas: “The first round at A1 was really good for me-third overall in qualifying, third in the heat race, second in the main was really good. I wanted some consistent laps; I made a few mistakes, but we’ll clean it up for next weekend.”
Lars Lindstrom – Team manager: “This was for sure one of the smoothest A1s that we’ve ever had as a team, and for me as the team manager. We all came in prepared, and from parking the trucks to pulling out at the end of the night, everything went to plan; I’m proud of the team for that. I’m also really happy with our results; we wanted to get through the first one safe and get some good points, which we accomplished. I’m super stoked for Chance. It was his first race back since knee surgery, and he showed he is one of the top guys in SX, not only MX. Before the 450 race, we talked about a top-five, with a hopeful podium, so we can’t be disappointed with a fourth, especially since the last two A1s have been a bit tough for Hunter! He didn’t ride to his full potential, so that makes me excited for the rest of the series, since he tends to improve throughout the season.”
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More from a press release issued by Kawasaki:
Monster Engery Kawasaki opens the 2026 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship at Angel Stadium.
Monster Energy® Kawasaki kicked off their 2026 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship efforts at the iconic Anaheim season opener. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Chase Sexton lined up behind the gate for his much-anticipated racing debut with the team. The No. 4 Kawasaki set the pace early in qualifying with the fastest time. After battling through adversity during the night show, he would come out of the night with a Top 10 finish in seventh place. Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki riders Levi Kitchen and Cameron McAdoo showed a strong pace early through qualifying and the heat races. Kitchen would go on to add a Top 10 finish with a sixth-place result in the 250SX Main Event, and McAdoo salvaged 22nd place after an incident with another rider.
In 450SX Qualifying, Sexton commanded the track aboard his KX™450SR, earning fastest qualifier by over half a second over the competition. Garrett Marchbanks showed flashes of speed while he adjusted to the new track and the 450 Class, qualifying 17th heading into the night show.
Both Monster Energy Kawasaki riders lined up behind the gate for 450 Heat 2. Sexton rocketed off the start to grab the holeshot and quickly lead the field around the track. On Lap 2, Sexton suffered a setback as he went down on the face of the over-under tunnel. He rebounded just outside the Top 10 and put his head down to finish the race in fifth place. Marchbanks had a less-than-ideal start and got shuffled back near mid-pack. After experiencing some challenges throughout the race, the No. 36 finished just outside of a qualifying spot in 10th place, sending him to the Last Chance Qualifier.
In the 450SX LCQ, Marchbanks pulled a much stronger start, placing himself inside the Top 3. An incident in the whoops dropped him back to 15th, but he remounted and fought through the field to finish 10th, ending his chances of lining up for the main event.
In the 450SX Main Event, Sexton would be squeezed out on the start with his far inside gate pick. While moving through the field, a multi-rider incident caused a red flag that stopped the race on the opening lap. Sexton would go back to the gate, focused and prepared for a full restart. As the gate dropped, the No. 4 pulled a stronger start inside the Top 10. Sexton battled the tricky, deteriorating track to pass his competitors, only for mistakes to set him back again. Although he was the fastest rider in two sectors of the track, he was forced to settle for eighth place. Sexton leaves Round 1 with a strong foundation and valuable data to learn from as the season goes into Round 2 at San Diego.
In 250SX qualifying, Kitchen topped both sessions to take fastest qualifier, while his teammate McAdoo qualified just inside the Top 10 in 10th place.
In the 250 Heat 1, McAdoo got a strong jump off the gate and placed himself inside the Top 3. He battled the field and moved into second place to finish the race. In Heat 2, Kitchen rode a similar race, with a Top 3 start and second-place finish. The teammates’ strong heat race results set them up with ideal gate picks for the main event.
In the 250 Main Event, Kitchen and McAdoo pulled strong starts, running side by side into the first turn. Kitchen would get caught up in the chaos of the first turn and drop back to 22nd, while McAdoo shined at the front of the field in second place. Kitchen put on an impressive come-from-behind run, working his way up through the field, finishing just outside the Top 5 in sixth place. McAdoo flowed through the race up front until midway through, when another rider cross-jumped, causing him to go down. The No.142 pulled into the mechanics area for a brief moment before heading back out on the track. Unable to make up positions due to his time off the track, McAdoo would take 22nd on the night.
“The day started off well with earning fastest qualifier. I felt really comfortable on the track and felt like I had the speed to contend up front. Unfortunately, I had a couple of mistakes during the heat race and main event that forced me to work my way through the field. It’s only the first round, and we have a good base to build off. We’ve got some work to do, but I know we’re capable of improving and putting up better results next week.” – Chase Sexton
“Today was a tough one for me and not how I expected or would have liked for it to go. I felt good during qualifying, and I had good speed throughout sections of the track. Poor starts and mistakes on my part led to me being out of the mix. I know what the team and I are capable of and we will show it next weekend. This will be a learning experience for me and we’ll move forward.” – Garrett Marchbanks
“It felt good to start the season with the fastest qualifying time. The speed is there, and the bike felt great all day. The main event didn’t go how we wanted off the gate, but salvaging a sixth after being that far back is something to build on. It’s a long season, and this is just the beginning.” – Levi Kitchen
“It felt great to be back behind the gate and racing again. The heat race and the start of the main showed what we’re capable of, and I felt comfortable up front. I had another rider cross jump me, which led me to crash, and I had to go into the mechanics area for a while. I went back out and salvaged as much of the race as I could, but tonight wasn’t our night. We’ll come back next week prepared and ready to fight.” – Cameron McAdoo
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More from a press release issued by Husqvarna:
Podium for Ryder DiFrancesco and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing at A1.
