“We want to do it for Mitch pretty bad.”
It is no secret the highly successful Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki team has had its fair share of struggles over the last handful of years. In 2025, the team had what they always have: talented and fast riders. There were podiums and wins, but the season once again resulted with injuries and no 250SX title, just as it has the last couple of years. The team’s last 250SX title came in 2017 (Justin Hill) and last 250 Pro Motocross title came in 2019 (Adam Cianciarulo), but the team has come painstakingly short of more than a few titles since.
But the 2026 roster—returning four of its five riders from this year—has high expectations. Seth Hammaker, Cameron McAdoo, and Levi Kitchen all share hopes of bringing a #1 250SX plate back to Mitch Payton, as Drew Adams has high goals of his own as he enters his sophomore pro season.
![Seth Hammaker]()
Seth Hammaker Mitch Kendra ![Cameron McAdoo]()
Cameron McAdoo Mitch Kendra ![Levi Kitchen]()
Levi Kitchen Mitch Kendra
During the SMX Media Days, the experienced trio all had similar things to say about hoping to each be the rider to bring Payton that next title.
Hammaker: “I want to get Mitch a championship, so just really trying hard to do everything I can to do that.”
McAdoo: “I want to achieve what I've been after for the last few years and one I feel like I've been really close to and that's winning a winning a Lites title and winning one for Mitch. Mitch has really had my back for a lot of years now. And he has personally had my back, professionally had my back, and I feel like we've been pretty close together and I really want to win one for Mitch.”
Kitchen: “I think everybody's super happy and motivated and I mean two years in a row now, between Seth and me, I don't know, it's got to happen for Mitch. We want to do it for Mitch pretty bad, and it just adds motivation.”
Hammaker, McAdoo, and Kitchen all have podiums and race wins to their name, and each have held the red plates over the last three years. Can one, or two, of them get it done in 2026?
As far as Adams in his first full supercross season, his realistic goal is to make every round and go from there as he enters the first year of his two-year pro deal.
“I just want to make every single round, that's the goal,” Adams said. “And I feel like I'm a top five to podium [guy]. And if I can get a win, that's everyone's goal. But I'd love to throw a couple podiums in there and maybe even fight for top three in the championship.”
The team has a standard of success. Can the ‘26 roster end this spell of bad luck?
Main image by Mitch Kendra
