Supercross: More From Teams At Philadelphia, PA

Supercross: More From Teams At Philadelphia, PA

© 2026, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc. By Mathilde Gasnier.

More from a press release issued by Suzuki Motor USA:

Suzuki’s Ken Roczen takes over points lead with Philadelphia Supercross win. Ken Roczen Captures Red Plate with Two Rounds Remaining in Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship.

Heavy rains turned Round 15 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross season into a mud race inside Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Showers throughout the racing prevented the mud from tacking up, but the soupy surface provided unique challenges for the riders. Main events were truncated by three minutes and the whoops section was modified prior to those points-paying races. Diehard Philly race fans braved the weather and held their seats to the end.

Race Highlights:

  • Progressive Insurance Cycle Gear ECSTAR Suzuki
    • 450 Class
      • Ken Roczen grabbed the win and took over the championship points lead.
  • Twisted Tea Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance
    • 450 Class
      • Colt Nichols delivered two impressive charges on the slick, rutted track.

 

 

Ken Roczen (94) won his heat race, the main event, and took over the season points lead at the muddy Philadelphia Supercross. Photo courtesy Suzuki

 

Ken Roczen (94) qualified well on a dry track, but when the gate dropped for the racing, the dirt was saturated, slick and rapidly deteriorating. In his heat race, Roczen powered to second place at the holeshot stripe then leapt into the lead off of the first jump. Roczen used his Suzuki RM-Z’s precise throttle response to finesse the fastest lap time on his way to an uncontested win. It marked Roczen’s 58th heat race victory. Roczen entered the main event with the #1 gate pick and turned that into a third-place start. One minute into the 17-minute plus one lap race, Roczen made two consecutive passes to take over the lead. Roczen defended the spot against early pressure, including aggressive contact at a corner exit. Roczen maintained his composure, set the race’s fastest lap time by more than a full second, and stretched out an 8-second lead. More pressure came in the final minutes, and Roczen fended off the late attack to record his fifth win in 2026, more than any other rider. The victory moved Ken Roczen into a tie for eighth place on the Supercross premier class all-time win list alongside Rick Johnson. The performance also moved Ken Roczen up on the all-time podium list; he now shares fifth place with former Suzuki-rider Ricky Carmichael at 87 450SX Class podiums. As a personal-best, Roczen’s five wins match his season-best tally set 10 years ago, also aboard a Suzuki RM-Z450. 

“We started off dry in the morning. I felt pretty good on the track and was able to put myself in fourth [overall] in qualifying, which I was totally happy with. We had a long break to the night show and that’s when the real rain started,” said Roczen. “It ended up being a hell of a night. It started off with the heat race; [the track] was still pretty ridable, the dirt was just a little bit more sloshy and not as deep and hammered. So, I really enjoyed the heat race, we ended up winning that one. Going into the main event, it was just a nightmare out there. Like, when you watched the 250 race [conditions], we knew it was going to be a long main event. We couldn’t be happier with how the night went. We threw up a good start, made a couple of passes, and I was just really focused on not making any mistakes. It was tough out there with the lappers, we only had a couple of lines going, but coming away after a really hard-fought battle with the win was just an unbelievable feeling. So, everything’s going well at the moment; we’re truly enjoying it.”

 

Colt Nichols (45) returned to racing after a lingering injury kept him off the starting gate at the previous round. Photo courtesy Suzuki.

 

Colt Nichols (45) was back in action in Philadelphia and put in good qualifying times during the dry, daytime sessions. In his heat race, Nichols emerged from the first turn buried in 18th position. Nichols did a masterful job moving forward; on the final lap he made up five seconds on the rider ahead of him but came up one bike length short of a direct transfer position. Nichols fought forward from a tenth place start in the LCQ. He reached third place with one minute remaining on the race clock, but a brief tip-over in the sloppy whoops section cost Nichols two spots and a transfer into the main. 

“It was a rough night in Philly,” stated Nichols. “Straight up, I didn’t execute. And anytime you’re on the ground in the mud it makes it really difficult. We’re putting that in the rearview and are focused forward to the last two rounds.”

“It was a great night in Philadelphia for the team,” said Dustin Pipes, Team Principal for Twisted Tea/H.E.P. Motorsports/Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance. “It was stressful with the weather, as anything can happen; we saw that with Colt Nichols falling while in a qualifying position. Even with the weather, Ken persevered in the main and came out with the win. On to Denver!”

Only two events remain in the Supercross season, and Ken Roczen and Suzuki lead the championship by four points. The Suzuki riders and team members are proud to run the red plate, designating the points leader, at Round 16 on Saturday, May 2nd at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado. 

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

 

 


More from a press release issued by Yamaha:

Cooper Webb Fights to the Finish in Philly. It was a thrilling conclusion to the 450SX mudder in Philadelphia, with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb earning his third consecutive runner-up finish.

As the 2026 Monster Energy AMA Supercross 450SX Championship nears its conclusion, Webb continues to fight. On Saturday night, inside Lincoln Financial Field for Round 15, the rain arrived, turning the race into a proper mudder. In the punishing conditions, Webb delivered a strong ride and left nothing on the track, coming just shy of the win.

“I was really going for it,” said Webb. “Trying to get that win, especially late – it was full send.”

In the dry and in the wet, it was a solid day for the reigning 450SX Champion. Webb qualified sixth and got a strong start in his heat race. Running third, he made a pass on Hunter Lawrence on that opening lap and went on to finish second.

 

Cooper Webb (1) at Philadelphia. Photo courtesy Yamaha

 

In the main event, Webb once again got a great start, slotting into second with all three title contenders in the top three. After Lawrence passed him on the second lap, Webb rode his own race and later closed back in as the battle ahead intensified. On Lap 8, Lawrence went down, allowing Webb to move back into the runner-up spot, with Ken Roczen holding a gap up front.

As time wound down, Webb mounted a late-race charge, erasing a nearly six-second gap in the closing laps to set up a dramatic finish. On the final lap, he gave it everything he had but ultimately crossed the line second, with the lead duo well clear of third and lapping all but the top-four finishers.

“I was so-so in practice, but then came around,” said Webb. “It started to rain really hard and became a mudder, and I actually rode really well. I got second in the heat and then made a hard charge in the main. I ended up P2, by just a little bit, so I’m a little bummed. I really wanted to get a win. We’re still not technically out of the championship, but it was definitely a little dagger in the heart. That being said, I can’t be mad. I rode great, and we lapped a lot of riders, so that was pretty cool.”

 

 

Cooper Webb on the podium at Philadelphia. Photo courtesy Yamaha

 

His teammate Justin Cooper was the fastest 450SX qualifier and showed strength in the changing conditions. The New Yorker had a good start to his heat race and was running third before dropping to fourth at the halfway mark. Undeterred, Cooper regained the position from Jorge Prado and then entered the battle up front, briefly taking the runner-up spot from Justin Barcia before ultimately finishing third.

Cooper got another top-five start to the main event, but found himself off track and stuck in the mud. By the time he had rejoined, he was a lap down. Despite the setback, Cooper continued to push and salvaged valuable points with a 13th-place finish.

“Track conditions were technical, but I felt like it was still in good condition for racing,” said Cooper. “I had a great qualifying on pole, and felt good and consistent in the mud. I got a good start in the main in the top five, but then got taken off track in Turn 2 by another rider and ended up getting stuck in the mud. So that put me a lap down right away and pretty much ended my chances at a good result.”

 

Justin Cooper (32) at Philadelphia. Photo courtesy Yamaha

 

“It was a good day here in Philly,” said Rich Simmons, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s 450 Team Manager. “Justin qualified P1, and then we had two good heat races. Unfortunately, Justin ended up off the track after the start of the main and then was stuck in the mud, so to come back to 13th was a good ride for him. And Webb, it was typical Webb – to stick in there until the end, and put in a really good effort. So I’m proud of him and proud of the whole team. It was a tough day with all this mud and the weather. We’ll move on to next weekend.”

Two more rounds to go in the race for the crown, and Webb is on the outside looking in, 24 points behind the leader. Cooper remains fifth, with a 13-point gap to fourth in the championship standings. Both Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing riders look to keep fighting as the series heads west, with the penultimate round next weekend at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado, on May 2.

 

 

Cole Davies Crowned 250SX East Champion in Philadelphia.

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cole Davies secured the crown a round early with a commanding victory at Philadelphia Supercross.

As a young kid in New Zealand, Cole Davies dreamed of becoming a Monster Energy AMA Supercross Champion. Together, he and his family dedicated everything to that goal, making the long trek to the United States. In just his second year in the championship, the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rider made that dream a reality. In a chaotic, twice-started 250SX Main Event, Davies rose to the occasion, earning a commanding victory to clinch the 2026 250SX East Championship a round early.

“I’ve dreamed of this moment since I was a little kid,” said Davies. “I’ve worked my whole life to get here, and to see it all pay off is really cool. We set a plan, and we’ve followed it through.”

It hasn’t been an easy road. After a standout debut season in 2025 that saw him contend for the 250SX West title and earn Rookie of the Year honors, Davies was sidelined by injuries. And while his 2026 campaign didn’t start as planned with a fifth-place finish in Arlington, the 18-year-old never finished off the podium from that point forward, scoring six wins and eight total podiums.

 

Cole Davies (37) at Philadelphia. Photo courtesy Yamaha

 

That sixth victory came on a night where anything could go wrong – a mud race. The night show didn’t start as planned, with Davies buried in 13th after the start of his heat race. He quickly charged forward, climbing to seventh on the opening lap and continuing his push to finish third.

In the main event, he got a much better start and took over the lead on Lap 2, building a comfortable gap out front. Then the red flag came out. Despite losing that advantage in the staggered restart, Davies went back out and did it again, pulling away to cross the line with nearly a 13-second margin of victory.

“It honestly felt like the longest main event of my entire life,” said Davies. “The conditions were brutal – a full-on mud race, red flag while leading, staggered restart with seven minutes to go – but we got it done. I can’t thank the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing team enough for believing in me and giving me the tools to make this happen. And thank you to my family for everything they’ve sacrificed to get me here. This is only the beginning.”

 

Cole Davies on the podium at Philadelphia. Photo courtesy Yamaha

 

“It’s special,” said Wil Hahn, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s 250 Team General Manager. “It was a long time coming for Cole. We set out a plan a long time ago, and for him to wrap it up a couple of rounds early in just his second year – I can’t put it into words.”

Nate Thrasher also got a great start to the night show, grabbing the holeshot in that first heat race. Running second, he was closing in on Nick Romano, but unfortunately went down and finished fourth. In the main event, he started inside the top 10 and worked his way up to fifth before dropping back to 18th prior to the red flag. After the restart, he charged from near the back of the field to finish fifth, delivering another impressive comeback ride.

“It was a solid night, I just needed to stay off the ground,” said Thrasher. “I was 19th on the restart and ended up fifth. The track was super gnarly tonight. I can’t wait for Salt Lake.”

 

Nate Thrasher (25) at Philadelphia. Photo courtesy Yamaha

 

Landen Gordon continued to show promise in his third pro Supercross round. He started third in his heat race and, after being shuffled back to seventh early, worked his way up to sixth. In the main event, he was 14th off the start and charged forward to eighth. Running ninth before the red flag, the rookie was making a move to the top-five after the restart until a tipover unfortunately dropped him back to 21st, where he would finish.

“It was a tricky day in Philadelphia,” said Gordon. “I felt alright in the mud. I did not have a great start in the main, but I worked my way up to fifth after the restart. Then I had a tip over, and it was tricky trying to get my bike up and get going again. Onto the next one!”

 

Philadelphia Supercross also hosted the championship-deciding race for the SMX Next class. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Kayden Minear qualified third, but a first-turn tipover dropped him to ninth on the opening lap. The young Australian continued to push, fighting his way back to finish sixth.

“It was up and down this weekend,” said Minear. “I felt really good on the bike in the opening sessions, and unfortunately the rain came in and made the track tricky. I had a great jump out of the gate and tipped it over in the first corner, but got back to sixth.”

 

Kayden Minear (99) at Philadelphia. Photo courtesy Yamaha

 

Next weekend, the Western Divisional 250 class returns to action for its penultimate round of the season, on May 2 at the Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado. It’s been a standout year for the team in both divisional 250 class championships, securing both the West and East titles early, and scoring a total of 14 victories with two rounds remaining.

“It’s very special for our race team to have both championships wrapped up early,” said Hahn. “We’re going into these last two with no pressure. We’re ready for the outdoors.”

 

 

 


More from a press release issued by Honda HRC:

Podium Finish for Hunter Lawrence at Philadelphia Mud Race.

  • Australian limits damage in difficult conditions
  • Lawrence sits second in the championship standings, still in title fight

Adverse weather conditions created a demanding track and forced shortened main events at AMA Supercross’ 15th round, held in Philadelphia. While the 450SX race didn’t go the way Honda HRC Progressive or Hunter Lawrence had hoped, they minimized what could have been significant damage and turned in a third-place result, keeping them in the title hunt.

Lawrence powered to the 450SX main-event holeshot aboard his CRF450RWE, leading Ken Roczen and Cooper Webb. The trio of title contenders battled early on before Lawrence was displaced by Roczen. Lawrence recovered and began challenging the leader before the halfway mark, but a fall in a rhythm section relegated him to third. From there, the focus shifted to damage limitation, as the Australian managed the situation to secure valuable championship points. With two rounds remaining, he sits just four points back in the standings, keeping him firmly in title contention.

Quad Lock Honda rider Joey Savatgy finished fourth overall, equaling his career-best premier-class result. Quad Lock’s Shane McElrath and Dean Wilson were sixth and eighth, making it four Hondas in the top eight. Quad Lock rider Christian Craig was 15th.

 

Hunter Lawrence (96) at Philadelphia. Photo courtesy Honda

 

NOTES

  • Crossroad Powersports, a dealership in Upper Darby Township, enhanced the fan experience within the Honda HRC Progressive pit area through a pop-up activation, showcasing a CRF250R, a CRF110F and additional products while engaging directly with fans.

 

  • Still recovering from a fractured fibula, Honda HRC Progressive rider Jo Shimoda attended the Philadelphia round and participated in the autograph session with his teammate Hunter Lawrence.

 

  • Recently signed Storm Lake Honda rider Kyleigh Stallings, who will participate in the upcoming WMX championship, was interviewed by Peacock for an upcoming WMX preview show.

 

  • In 250SX East combined qualifying, Storm Lake Honda riders Izaih Clark and Luke Neese were 11th and 17th, respectively. Phoenix Racing Honda rider Gavin Towers qualified 13th, Jeremy Hand (Valley Motorsports) was 15th, Short Racing’s John Short IV was 18th, and Ti Lube Honda’s Ryder Floyd was 21st. Clark, Floyd, Hand, Towers and Neese went on to qualify for the main event through their heat races, respectively finishing third, fifth, sixth, eighth and ninth (five Hondas advancing directly to the main). Towers went on to finish a respectable ninth in the main event, with Hand 11th and Floyd 17th.

 

  • Lawrence turned in the second-fastest time in 450SX qualifying. Quad Lock Honda riders Shane McElrath, Joey Savatgy, Christian Craig and Dean Wilson qualified in seventh, ninth, 10th and 12th, respectively. Privateer Red Riders Kyle Bitterman (Underdog Racing) and Zack Williams (McGinley Clinic) qualified 31stand 32nd, respectively.

 

  • Following a crash in the 250SX East main event, Clark was carried off the track by the Alpinestars Mobile Medical crew. The following day, Storm Lake Honda Manager Buddy Brooks confirmed that Clark had broken his femur in the incident, and that he had undergone an eight-hour surgery and was in good spirits. Everyone at American Honda wishes Clark a speedy recovery.

 

  • Lawrence grabbed the holeshot in his 450SX heat race, before dropping to third on a very slippery track. In the second heat race, Savatgy impressed with a hard-fought win over Justin Barcia, marking his first premier-class heat race win since his rookie season in 2019. 

 

  • With only two rounds remaining, Hunter sits second in the 450SX standings, four points behind Ken Roczen and 20 points ahead of Cooper Webb. 

 

  • Honda HRC Progressive heads to Denver for the penultimate round of AMA Supercross on Saturday, May 2.

 

Hunter Lawrence (96) at Philadelphia. Photo courtesy Honda

 

Hunter Lawrence: “We invested a lot more time into the starts in wet conditions, and that was a big positive this weekend; I had good starts in the heat race and the main event, so it’s good to see the work pay off. I felt really good with how I was riding, and just the smallest little mistake in the wrong part of the track bit me. Then your gloves are all muddy, so it’s just kind of trying to get back into a rhythm and not have the train completely come off the tracks. They say mud is the great equalizer, but it’s more like a minefield. We didn’t quite get the end result we wanted, but that’s racing. I’m excited to leave here having learned more, so we’re ready for whatever the last two rounds bring—it’s going to be good!”

 

Lars Lindstrom – Team Manager: “Not the results we were aiming for, but as everyone knows, in these conditions, anything can happen, good or bad; to only lose five points is something we’ll look at positively. I’m really happy with Hunter and the team for understanding what we needed to improve to make sure that we get good starts in any condition, to give us the best chance at a win. It’s a bummer that Hunter had that tip-over, because he had a good flow going; I think he had a great chance at winning that race. Another positive is that this simplifies things; we have to go out and win the last two races if we want to win this championship.”

 

 

 


More from a press release issued by KTM:

Experience built for Jorge Prado in rain-affected Philadelphia Supercross.

Round 15 of the 2026 AMA Supercross Championship featured ultra-tough, rain-soaked conditions inside Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday night, where Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado ultimately recorded a P16 result in the 450SX Main Event.

The afternoon qualifying sessions provided a dry race track in Pennsylvania, with 25-year-old Prado powering his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to a competitive fifth on the combined timesheets with a 48.030s laptime.

The skies then opened between qualifying and the night program, with a heavy downpour transforming the circuit into a mud race, where both speed and consistency would be at a premium for the remainder of the evening.

In 450SX Heat 2, the four-time world champion claimed a vital holeshot, delivering a P5 result and – most importantly – a direct transfer into the night’s Main Event.

A difficult start and intensifying weather saw Prado circulate well outside the top 10 on Lap 1, with the Spaniard forced to persevere with impaired vision from the outset. From there, he would climb to 16th by race’s end and continue his Supercross learning curve in 2026.

Jorge Prado (26) at Philadelphia. Photo courtesy KTM

Jorge Prado: “Philadelphia is done, and I had a great feeling in the morning. Qualifying was good – I felt super comfortable with the bike and track in dry conditions. Then everything changed for the Heat Race and Main Event – the Heat was actually not too bad, I was riding decent. And then in the Main Event, I had a terrible jump out of the gate with wheel-spin, and that made it super-hard for me. I wasn’t really in a flow and struggling a lot, so that’s it for Round 15. We’ll come back next weekend!”

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate and two-time 450SX Champion Eli Tomac was absent from Round 15, as he continues to recover from his qualifying incident at the previous SMX World Championship round in Cleveland.

Next Race: May 2 – Denver, Colorado

 

 


More from a press release issued by Kawasaki:

Monster Energy Kawasaki scores two podiums in the treacherous Philadelphia mud.

Pennsylvania’s own Monster Energy® Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Seth Hammaker displayed a gritty, determined ride to battle his way to a podium position in the treacherous mud-soaked conditions of Philadelphia for Round 15 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship. Teammate Nick Romano scored his first career heat race win in commanding fashion and, while fighting the elements in the main event, secured 14th place. Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green™ rider, Kade Johnson, put his KX™250 on the box to score second in the SMX Next AMA National Championship, while teammate Vincent Wey missed the event due to an injury sustained while prepping for Philadelphia. Both Monster Energy Kawasaki riders battled through adversity in the main event as Chase Sexton took home seventh place and Garrett Marchbanks secured ninth.

 

Nicholas Romano (141) at Philadelphia. Photo courtesy Kawasaki.

 

In 250SX Qualifying, Hammaker set the pace in the class. Although losing his fastest lap in the second session due to cutting the track, his time from the first session kept him on top to secure fastest qualifier. Romano improved his time in the second session, shaving over a second off his time to secure one of his best qualifying positions with eighth overall.

 

Nicholas Romano (141) at Philadelphia. Photo courtesy Kawasaki.

 

In 250 Heat 1, Romano rocketed out of the gate, maneuvering his KX™250 through the tight first turn in second, then quickly moving into first place a few turns later. Romano’s quick pass into the lead allowed him an open track, giving him the best vision to race to the checkered flag. The No. 141 Kawasaki celebrated his first career heat race win as he crossed the finish line. 

In 250 Heat 2, Hammaker pulled a strong start, placing him in the Top 3 through the first turn. He quickly moved into the lead on Lap 1 and controlled the race through the finish line. Hammaker matched his teammate’s heat race win, giving both Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki riders ideal gate picks for the main event.

 

Nicholas Romano: “It was a good day here in Philadelphia. I qualified eighth when the track was dry, which I was happy about. Then the skies opened up, and it started raining pretty heavily. I was able to get my first career heat race win in the mud, so I was ecstatic with that. I know it’s just a heat race win, but a win’s a win. It’s been a long time since I’ve won something, so I was stoked on that. I got off to a so-so start in the main event. I unfortunately hit someone and went down on the first lap, putting me in last. I made a good charge, but then they restarted it, and I went from last to ninth again. Then I went down yet again and ended up in 14th. It was a so-so day, but I’m really happy with the progress, even though it was in the mud with the win. I’ll just keep trucking along and we’ll be at it for Salt Lake.”

 

Seth Hammaker (10) at Philadelphia. Photo courtesy Kawasaki.

 

With the rain showing no sign of letting up, the organizers shortened both the 250 and 450 Main Events by three minutes, while the SMX Next Main Event was cut down to only six minutes in length. 

In the 250 Main Event, Hammaker pulled a commanding holeshot, but through the first rhythm section, he got cross-rutted off the face of a jump that caused him to go down. Covered in mud, the No. 10 Kawasaki regrouped and focused on getting back to the front. Midway through the race, a downed rider forced a red flag, putting the field back together in a staggered restart, which allowed the riders a moment to clean themselves off for better grip and vision. In the restart, Hammaker was 11th, and Romano 22nd after going down in the opening laps. As the green flag flew, Hammaker pushed to get back to the front, quickly moving from 11th to fourth, and a couple of laps later into third. With the field already too spread out, Hammaker settled for a third-place podium finish in front of his home crowd. Meanwhile, Romano used the restart to his advantage by passing half the field, but the sticky mud would cause him to go down again, fighting his way back to finish 14th on the night. Despite a hard-fought battle in the 250 Eastern Divisional Championship, Hammaker’s championship campaign would end in Philadelphia as the championship was clinched early by the current points leader.

 

Seth Hammaker: “I’m definitely a little bummed. I had big title hopes, but I was up against a tough competitor, so credit to Cole [Davies] and his team. I feel like I took a big step forward this year, even if it doesn’t always show in the results. I’ve been riding well and staying consistent, but I just didn’t have everything fall into place the way I wanted. I actually felt pretty comfortable in the conditions tonight. I was trying to be loose with the bike and not try to fight where it wanted to go too much. I got off to a great start in the main event, but went down early and had to fight from way back. I was hurting pretty bad after I went down, but I’m happy to come away with another podium, especially here at home. It means a lot. Big thanks to my whole team, my family, and everyone who supports me. We’ll go into Salt Lake looking to end this thing strong.”

 

Kade Johnson (177) at Philadelphia. Photo courtesy Kawasaki.

 

In SMX Next Qualifying, Kade Johnson bettered his time in the second session to grab second overall, only four hundredths of a second behind the top qualifying spot. In the SMX Next Main Event, Johnson nearly pulled the holeshot aboard his KX™250. The No. 177 Kawasaki quickly settled into second place, while keeping his eyes on the leader. Johnson clicked off solid laps throughout the muddy race and crossed the finish line in second place.

 

Garrett Marchbanks (36) and Chase Sexton (4) at Philadelphia. Photo courtesy Kawasaki.

 

In 450SX Qualifying, Sexton pushed his KX™450SR machine as he recorded faster times lap after lap. The No. 4 Kawasaki swapped positions in the Top 3 through the second session before ultimately qualifying third overall. As the track continued to develop and the rain began to come down, Marchbanks bettered his time in the second session to put him 16th overall.

 

Chase Sexton (4) at Philadelphia. Photo courtesy Kawasaki.

 

In 450 Heat 1, Marchbanks got off to a midpack start but quickly moved his way into the Top 5 by the midway point. With track conditions incredibly slick and challenging, the field was very spread out, making it difficult to make up any ground on the competition. Marchbanks continued pushing forward but was unable to make up the gap, settling for a solid fifth-place finish. 

In 450 Heat 2, Sexton got a less-than-ideal start, placing him midpack. The No. 4 Kawasaki pushed through the treacherous conditions to move forward. While fighting to make up time on his competition, Sexton set the fastest lap of the race and crossed the finish line in seventh place.

 

Garrett Marchbanks (36) at Philadelphia. Photo courtesy Kawasaki.

 

In the 450 Main Event, Sexton and Marchbanks pulled less-than-ideal starts in 20th and 17th, respectively. The pair would charge through the field, passing an impressive number of riders, but both would face separate challenges in the process. Sexton made up multiple positions and was fighting for a Top 5 before he found himself down with several other riders in the rhythm section, dropping him back to 12th midway through the race. Undeterred, Sexton remounted and began laying down 1:03 laptimes that matched those of the leaders to fight past as many riders as possible. Marchbanks became tangled with other riders but was able to fight back and salvage 10th place as he charged past seven riders through the rough conditions. After the race, Marchbanks’ finishing position was adjusted to ninth as the rider in front of him was penalized three positions for cutting the track. Despite Sexton’s setback, he was able to pass 13 riders to finish the night in seventh place.

 

Chase Sexton: “I qualified better here in Philadelphia, qualifying third. Then it started raining, so it was a bit chaotic after that. I had a bad start in the heat race and just tried to make it through. In the main event, I had another bad start. I made it up to around seventh, and then I fell, and I went back to around 12th, and then just worked my way back to seventh. I actually rode a decent race, just a bad start and a fall kept me from the podium. We’ll go back to work. The team is coming back to Florida this week, and we plan to make some progress and get ready for Denver.”

 

Garrett Marchbanks: “Philadelphia was a bit up and down, but I was happy to end it on a good note in the main event. Qualifying was OK I was just trying to do my laps and get comfortable in the first session. In the second session, I felt like I had some solid laps. I didn’t get the lap time I wanted, but I was able to feel more comfortable on the bike and felt really good going into the heat race. I went into the heat race with an OK start, just put my laps in and got into fifth, and rode my own race from there. In the main event, I had two big mistakes. I stalled the bike and got tangled up with some guys, and just charged from last to 10th. There were two guys in front of me the last two laps, and I tried to make a pass, but I couldn’t quite make it happen. I wish the night had gone a bit better, but I’m happy to be back in the Top 10 again.”

 

 


More from a press release issued by Husqvarna:

Daxton Bennick and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing earn Philadelphia 250SX podium. Finishes in second position following rain-soaked night of Supercross in Pennsylvania. 

A second-place result in a rain-affected Philadelphia round of the 2026 AMA Supercross Championship marked a second podium of the year for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Daxton Bennick, excelling in difficult, muddy conditions to maintain third in the 250SX East standings.

 

The 20-year-old qualified third on the combined 250SX East timesheets in dry conditions at Lincoln Financial Field, before the inclement weather arrived and made for a rain-soaked night program.

Bennick remained consistent in the second 250SX Heat Race, recording a second-place finish onboard his Husqvarna FC 250 Factory Edition.

A mid-field start to the Main Event saw Bennick make a sequence of decisive passes to climb into the top-five during the early stages, running as high as P2 – and challenging for the lead – before a red-flag stoppage prompted a staggered restart.

Bennick would launch to a strong start from there, moving into second place and maintaining the position all the way to the checkered flag, claiming his second podium result of the season and consolidating third in the 250SX East standings with one round in the division remaining.

 
Daxton Bennick (58) at Philadelphia. Photo courtesy Husqvarna.
 
 

“Obviously, qualifying started dry here and everything was feeling good,” Bennick reflected. “Then everything changed real quick! I did get some wheel-spin off the start in the Heat Race, but rode really good to come back to second – I was happy with that, and then kind of the same thing happened in the Main Event. I rode really well before the restart and I almost passed for the lead at one stage, but once the restart hit, I was trying a little too hard and made a couple of mistakes. But all-in-all, it’s good we’re back on the box, so I can’t be too mad at it – especially in those conditions!”

450SX teammate Malcolm Stewart posted the eighth-fastest qualifying time in the afternoon, before scoring a P4 finish in the first 450SX Heat Race equipped with his Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition.

 
Malcolm Stewart (27) at Philadelphia. Photo courtesy Husqvarna.

 

The 33-year-old started inside the top 10 for the Main Event and kept pushing forward as the race progressed. He would eventually record a P11 result and continue holding eighth in the championship with two rounds left to contest.

“We struggled a little bit with the track tonight,” said Stewart. “But at the end of the day, it’s just good to make it out of this in one piece because those conditions were brutal – we’ll keep our heads up and keep progressing forward. We’re off to Mile High next weekend, and we’ve always achieved some pretty good results there, so I’m looking forward to that!”

Next Race: May 2 – Denver, Colorado

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