1. Sexton and Kawasaki Put it Together
The first three races have been a roller coaster for Chase Sexton, but he was able to put it together at Anaheim 2 to take his first main event win aboard a Monster Energy Kawasaki. The win quieted some of the skepticism of the mistakes and bike changes that Sexton and his new team have dealt with through the first two rounds, proving that they are headed in the right direction. This was equally as big of a win for the team as it was for Chase, as the last time Monster Energy Kawasaki stood atop a 450 podium was August 2022, when Jason Anderson won at Budds Creek. Team manager Dan Fahie and company were dealt a tough hand as Anderson was never able to replicate that 2022 success, Adam Cianciarulo struggled with injuries that kept his career from what they had projected, and the Jorge Prado project failed miserably. As for Sexton, winning races is no surprise, but can he jumpstart this into a string of results that put him in position to claim his second 450SX championship?
2. Deegan Takes Control of 250 West
After a fourth at A1, it looked like Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rider Haiden Deegan’s path to defending his 250SX West Division Championship may be more difficult than expected. Well, two weeks and two dominating wins later, Deegan is in the driver’s seat again. Deegan dominated A2, qualifying fastest in both sessions, passing, and checking out on teammate Max Anstie for the heat win, and doing the same to his other teammate Michael Mosiman in the main event. While Haiden seems to be getting better each weekend, his competition has struggled to consistently challenge him.
3. Prado Continues to Impress
Red Bull KTM’s Jorge Prado struggled in San Diego ending up 13th in the main event and admitted to not feeling comfortable riding in the pack after a bad start. That left us wondering if Prado’s results would be completely dependent on his starts, but he redeemed himself a bit at A2. After winning his second heat race of the season, Jorge struggled out of the gate again coming around in 11th at the end of lap one. But instead of floundering around mid-pack, Prado moved his way up to seventh.
"Winning the Heat Race was good, and then I got cut off at the start of the Main Event, and I had to work through the pack from there," said Prado. "I came back to P7 and was very close to the top-five, so I like the rhythm I had, and the improvements that we made during the week, especially in my ability to come through the field. I'm also very happy with my bike, I think today was the best the bike has felt across the three rounds."
Sure, it was not as spectacular as A1, but he proved that he could move through the pack. After the race, Prado voiced some frustration about another rider (Hunter Lawrence) cutting over on him out of the gate, causing his poor starts in the last two main events. Things could be interesting the next time the 26 and 96 are lined up next to each other.
4. Anderson Leads Laps
Jason Anderson took the honors of top Suzuki rider on the night at A2. Twisted Tea Suzuki’s latest addition grabbed the holeshot and led for the first time aboard his new ride. He led the first six laps before being passed by Chase Sexton, then spent six more in second before being passed by Hunter Lawrence and punted off the track by Eli Tomac. Anderson dropped back to fifth but took advantage of a late fall by Cooper Webb to finish a season-best fourth. After a mysterious end to his 2025 season and tenure at Kawasaki, Anderson is back to being himself and a guy who could end up on the podium any given weekend.
5. Anstie Stuttering
After winning the season opener, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Max Anstie put himself in great position to right the wrongs from last season. Anstie got an uncharacteristically bad start at A2, coming around lap one in ninth. He began working his way up, but on lap five Anstie nearly had a big one. Fortunately, he stayed up but it took him a moment to regroup, and he slipped back to 10th. Anstie finished sixth, but now sits third in points, nine behind Haiden Deegan.
“It was a rough night," said Anstie. "In the main event, I got shuffled back on the start. My starts have been solid all season, but that one, I just caught an edge coming out of the gate and ended up getting squeezed. Then a few guys went down in the first turn, so it pushed me back a little bit. Everything was okay after that. I was feeling fine, and then I made one mistake in the rhythm lane – I actually caught my rear brake going up the face of a triple and nearly went over the bars. It was a hectic race. I regrouped and made it back to sixth, but yeah, it’s disappointing. I obviously would've liked to have been on the box, but we will take it and move on to next week in Houston.”
All of a sudden 2026 is beginning to look eerily similar to 2025. A win at the opener, a good round two disrupted by unforeseen circumstances, and now a subpar round three. On top of that, it was reported that he and Deegan got into it at the GOAT Farm during the week. Can Max regroup and reassert himself into the championship battle before it is too late?
6. Kitchen’s Disaster
Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen 2026 is off to an unbelievable start for all the wrong reasons. Kitchen’s A2 began well, qualifying P2 after a very entertaining lap time dual with Haiden Deegan. But it was downhill from there. While battling for the lead in the heat race, Levi nose-picked a three-in, going front flipping in spectacular fashion. Amazingly, he was not injured, and he remounted to finish the heat in fourth with a mangled bike. It went from bad to worse in the main event. For the third time in as many races, Kitchen found himself down in the first turn. This time he was not as quick to get up and when he did, he rode off the track and back to the pits. Kitchen thought he injured his arm in the crash, but after a while the numbness he was feeling went away and he should be good to go for next weekend in Houston. At this point, the championship is a long shot, so expect the #47 to go all out to stack wins.
7. Michael Michael Motorcycle
A couple of years ago, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Michael Mosiman had a retirement party. After breaking his neck, Mosiman thought his racing career was over. After getting the OK to ride again, and then the opportunity to ride for one of the most coveted teams in the paddock, Mosiman has resurrected his career. At A2 Mosi grabbed the holeshot, checked out early and led two-thirds of the main before getting passed by his teammate Haiden Deegan. He has gone 5-3-2 to start the season and sits second in points, eight behind Deegan. In Deegan’s podium interview he credited Mosiman (or took a shot at Anstie), saying: “He’s kind of the only guy I really see out there (at the GOAT Farm) at the end of the day putting in extra work and so I have to give him credit there. That’s why he’s such a hard competitor there at the end.” Michael is one of the good guys and this is becoming a cool story.
8. Heartbreak for Hymas
Honda HRC Progressive’s Chance Hymas cannot catch a break. After a brilliant heat race, Chance got caught up in a first turn pile up in the main event. He got up holding his arm and rode immediately off the track. Turns out Hymas dislocated his shoulder in the crash and in the Honda post-race press release issued Monday it was announced that, “it seems unlikely that chance will be able to participate in the next three races.” This is gut-wrenching for Chance and team, as he was beginning to show what he is capable of in Supercross. Let’s hope he will be able to return after the East Coast swing and pick up where he left off.
9. Uncharacteristic Coop
Nobody had 7-8-5 scores to start the season for Cooper Webb on their bingo card. The defending 450SX champion had his best race of the season at A2 but found himself on the ground for the third straight race. Webb came from a ways back to catch the podium battle between Anderson, Lawrence, and Tomac. He got into fourth but went down setting up a pass on Tomac. Coop ended up fifth, voicing his frustration on the post-race show saying, “It’s been hell, to be honest, to start the year.” Webb’s riding is fine, but it is bizarre how the rider known for having arguably the best race craft in the history of the sport has found himself on the ground several times to start the year from situations that could be deemed as, well, poor race craft. The things that usually strike his competition has struck Webb so far in 2026.
10. Star Racing Sweeps SMX Next
The SMX Next kids kicked off their Supercross season at A2 and it was a Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing podium sweep. The race was originally red flagged after a scary crash between Max Shane and Ryder Malinowski. Both guys suffered several injuries (Malinowski a dislocated hip and concussion; Shane a collapsed and lacerated lung, broken ribs, concussion) but will make full recoveries.
After a lengthy delay, it was Aussie Kayden Minear taking the win with Caden Dudney and Landen Gordon joining him on the podium. Minear and Dudney both have national numbers they earned during Pro Motocross, but this was their first SMX Next - Supercross. Minear was hurt last year and missed Supercross while Dudney got injured in qualifying at Daytona in his SMX Next debut. Gordon, who has two SMX Next - SX wins, was solid in his debut with Star Racing, passing Team Green’s Vincent Wey late for the final spot on the podium.
Bobby Regan and Star Racing are not known for scouting talent and bringing them through the ranks, but they do know how to rein them in when it is nearing time to turn pro. Rumor has it that the 18-year-old Minear will turn pro for the 250SX East Division. Before that, another SMX Next race this weekend in Houston.
