Let's Be Careful (Jason Weigandt)

Monster Energy AMA Supercross is on fire right now. The 450 class really feels up for grabs, but it often feels that way at this time of year. It feels like 100 things have happened, but somehow only four of the 17 races have been completed. In my mind, these four rounds have proven that Eli Tomac, Ken Roczen, Cooper Webb, Chase Sexton, and Hunter Lawrence are all good this year and are all capable of winning this title. Now, I just want them to stay in it. I recall seasons with four different winners in the first four rounds that ultimately fizzled. My hope for 2026 is that enough of the riders see the long game and stay out of trouble, and weirdo racing luck doesn't interfere. Each individual race matters—we all went crazy over Cooper Webb getting that key win last weekend—but just staying in the fight until May is more important than an individual win. Wouldn't it be awesome to have the field remain this close for the next few months?

Of course, even if everyone stays healthy, one or two riders could rise up and pull away. Eli Tomac is the best example of both. He wasn't as good at Anaheim 2 as he was in Anaheim 1 and San Diego. Red Bull KTM Team Manager Ian Harrison told me that Eli felt the field was getting quicker, and he needed to stiffen up his forks to push to another level and get back to the front. They tested in California, and Eli told them they nailed the setup. At Houston, each time the team asked if he needed any changes, Eli kept saying the bike is great and he will handle the rest. The KTM crew, having endured a rocky ride with Chase Sexton, was thrilled to hear such a response. "I haven't heard a rider say that in decades!" joked Ian.

Houston, for Tomac, showed both sides. He was, to me, back to being the fastest guy, as he was the only contender consistently able to move forward and make passes. He also crashed huge, though, and that endo in race two was the exact type of thing that has knocked Eli out of the supercross campaign for the last few years. So, with Tomac, we see how one rider can establish himself as the best and begin to pull away from the field, but we also see how fleeting that can be. For this weekend, let's hope everyone makes it through safely and we keep wondering what will come next. This is a great time of the year, but it's even better if that feeling can continue for a long time.

Four Different Winners (Mitch Kendra)

That battle for the 450SX Triple Crown overall win Saturday night was just awesome. That race is what you show people who have never watched moto before. The end winner was unpredictable heading into the third sprint race, and the racing was incredible. Roll the 450SX highlights to show your non-moto friends what this amazing sport is all about! That third 450SX race is easily the best race since the inception of the format in 2018, and it will be remembered as one for the ages years from now after the top active riders have all hung up their boots.

The three-race Triple Crown format rewards consistency, and some nights, one rider is consistently the best of the field, as Haiden Deegan was in the 250SX Class in Texas. Other nights, the highs of one race (a win/podium) and the lows of another (crash, bad start, or DNF) are met with a middle, average finish.

Taking a look at the two classes, the math was easy in 250SX: Deegan did not have to win the third and final race to win the overall, although he did. As for the 450SX Class, the math was anything but easy. Each pass made, position gained for one rider and lost for the other, changed the scoring for the overall win. The three races in Houston were won by Ken Roczen, Hunter Lawrence, and Eli Tomac. This was the eighth different Triple Crown race where three different 450SX riders won the three races. With each of the three race winners having inconsistent results, it was Cooper Webb, a fourth different rider, winning the overall. The Houston SX was the fourth different time there have been four different 450SX race winners in a Triple Crown. Can you name the other three events where a fourth 450SX rider that did not win a sprint race won the overall? One Triple Crown down, two more to go! Indiana's Lucas Oil Stadium (March 7) and Ohio's Huntington Bank Field (April 18) will host the remaining two Triple Crown events on the 2026 SX schedule.

There have been 21 Triple Crown events since the format was introduced for the 2018 season, and there have been eight of those 21 events with three different race winners on the night, whereas only three events have had a 1-1-1 clean sweep.

By taking the win at NRG Stadium, Webb is now the third different 450SX winner in the first four rounds of the '26 season. The racing has been incredible. As Jason Weigandt says, these rounds three through five typically provide some of the best racing. But hopefully, this high level of competition keeps going late into the championship!

Three Different 450SX Winners in Triple Crown Race

Pro Perspective (Jason Thomas)

Glendale might be the best round of the series. The weather, huge stadium floor, and consistent dirt make it hard to beat. The dirt isn't perfect for everyone, as those wanting excess traction and a rut or two will be out of luck. Still, it's hard for anyone to say this isn't a great round. Who will excel, and who will fight adversity based on the Glendale nuance? I'm so glad you asked.

The fast layout, slippery dirt (forcing the use of outside lines), and double leading into the whoops all make Glendale a round for the likes of Eli Tomac, Ken Roczen, Chase Sexton, and Jason Anderson. Their skill set is a perfect fit for these specific dynamics. If healthy, throw Malcolm Stewart in there, too. They can use their ability to find traction when others can't, piecing the track together artfully. They will also be able to use all of that momentum when they enter the whoops. There is a huge double leading in, and those with the skill and the will can just keep it rolling into and through the whoops. Great blitzers love a setup like this because it allows them to unleash their talent.

Those who may not love this setup would be Justin Cooper and Cooper Webb. Coop is sick and tired of hearing about his Glendale trend and bucked that very trend a year ago, pulling off a second. He will need to find that same rabbit and rip him out of another hat because he can't afford a sixth place finish, as the trend would indicate. Both he and Justin Cooper like to jump whoops when the situation arises and excel at the skill. The trouble is, this setup will not allow for jumping with efficiency. There is simply too much speed to shed before jumping. If they decelerate to jump, a rider like Sexton will blow past with ease (and anyone else trailing). Those who don't feel blitzing is their strength will need to dig deep on Saturday. Lastly, Webb loves to use the insides of berms and shorten the racetrack. Glendale makes that difficult to do, as the dirt is hard and slippery. Also, it doesn't develop the deep ruts on the outside that make the inside turn down so effective. The dirt negates the advantage he has in that aspect. Another reason for the historical sixth.

Certain races are nuanced and have specific aspects that directly affect the results. Glendale is the prototypical example of how certain tracks and weekends are easier or tougher for individual riders.

WEBBY WIN (Matthes)

Cooper Webb won his first SX of the year in Houston, and just when his competitors thought they might have knocked him out of this thing, he rose up from the dead like that Undertaker GIF. It was such a "Webby win" to me as the track got worse and worse; he got better, and even without winning an overall main event, he was so good throughout the night. Other racers like Lawrence and Tomac were one mistake away from winning the overall, but there was Cooper Webb at the end of the night, standing there with the trophy. He rode great, and you have to think as this series heads east, he'll get better, right? When I think of Houston SX 2026, I'll probably think of ET's crash, Hunter's first-ever "main" win, the battle in the third 450 main, Deegs crushing it, etc., etc., and Webb's riding won't come right to mind, but it'll be a "Oh yeah, Webb won that, didn't he?" Because that's what he does.

Christina Denney Named WMX Director (Mitch Kendra)

On Wednesday, the SuperMotocross League announced some more exciting news regarding women's racing as Christina Denney was named series director for the Women's Motocross Championship (WMX). Since transitioning from a team manager into her current rider representative role working with the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) and the SuperMotocross League (MX Sports and Feld Motor Sports), Denney has been doing a ton of behind-the-scenes work, including but not limited to the SMX Next program both in SX and MX, the WMX series, and working with Team USA for the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations. Denney has been and will continue to be a crucial factor in the future of both the SMX Next and the WMX programs. She has the racing program experience and the connections to help serve as the intermediary between officials, the series, and the riders.

Denney gets to know all of the athletes she works with on a personal level, and you can tell she, like many other behind-the-scenes individuals in the sport, truly cares about the athletes. Her contributions to help grow the WMX series have paid off, as this year the women's championship is officially a part of the SMX League. This is huge news that would not have happened without Denney's passion and dedication to the program.

"Being part of the growth of WMX is deeply personal to me. As Series Director, it's about more than racing—it's about creating space for women to be seen, supported, and believed in," said Denney in the press release. "Before this role, I was the first woman in the U.S. to serve as a team manager, building a privateer team from nothing and learning what it truly takes to lead. Every challenge and lesson along the way prepared me for this moment. I never imagined I'd be part of something this powerful, but helping to grow this movement in women's motorsports has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my life."

Preseason MXGP (DC)

The FIM Motocross World Championship begins in less than a month, which makes February a very busy month for preseason races. With so many riders changing teams this year—Jeffrey Herlings to Honda, Tim Gajser to Yamaha, Tom Vialle back to Europe over to Honda, Jago Geerts to Beta—there’s a lot of interest in the coming season, where Romain Febvre will be wearing #1 on his Kawasaki, and Simon Langenfelder will be defending his MX2 title for KTM. Last weekend’s opening round of the Italian Championships in Sardinia was a good glimpse of the coming battles, and the season looks bright for the Coenen family. The Belgian brothers swept all four motos—Lucas on the 450 KTM and Sacha on the 250—in the Italian sand. Gajser was fast but is obviously still learning his new YZ450F after more than a decade with Honda. His Honda replacement, Herlings, will make his debut this weekend in Mantova, after more than 15 years on orange. Febvre will make his ’26 debut in the French Championships in Pernes les Fontaines, and the Coenen brothers will be there as well, switching from the Italian series to the French Championships this weekend. You can watch Mantova stream live on Sunday on https://fim-moto.tv.

CHIZZIN (Matthes)

I caught up with Kyle Chisholm on the Fly Racing Moto: 60 Show yesterday to see what he's been up to. Yes, he misses racing and tunes in every Saturday night, and he's got some opportunities to do some racing in Costa Rica and maybe in the USA as well. So, we probably haven't seen the last of KC11 out there just yet. Kyle had some great insight into the RMZs of Roczen and Anderson (I mean, he's ridden for that team the last few years) as well as Tomac's resurgence. Check it out HERE on PulpMX.com.

FXR ONE ON ONE (Matthes)

I've known Dan Bauch for a while now; he was a long-time in-house lawyer for Honda, a huge SX fan, and a good dude to talk to about the industry. He's doing some consulting work now for different companies, but I called him up to talk about his path to Honda, present happenings in the industry, logo space for an OEM, and different thoughts on agents and litigation in the industry. Interesting guy, interesting conversation HERE on PulpMX.com.

Blue Monday (DC)

With a clean sweep of all three classes at Houston—450, 250, and SMX Next—the bLU cRU went all in on Monday with their win ads for Cycle News. Webb, Deegan, and young Caden Dudney all got spreads, as well as shared one for the clean sweep. There was also a Yamaha win ad for Danielle McDonald, who won the Pro Women's class in the U.S. Sprint Enduro race in Georgia. KTM's Dante Oliveira topped the Gold Rush NGPC in Blythe, California, while Honda's Sam Pretscherer won the Pro II (250) class at the same event. And FMF got in on the wins with an ad for their three #1s that all won last weekend: Webb, Deegan, and Oliveira.

And speaking of Cycle News, congratulations to Kit Palmer on being inducted into the Hotshoe Hall of Fame last weekend. Kit has been at Cycle News for more than 40 years and has probably written and edited more words about motorcycling than anyone else in the history of the sport. He's a good friend and a tireless worker, and we're lucky to have him at the helm of the weekly bible of motorcycle racing, Cycle News.

SMX Next in Houston (Mitch Kendra)

Watch this week's Houston SMX Next roundtable with Cody Darr, Travis Delnicki, and me as we recap the main event results, provide injury updates, and then cover some current 250SX riders that came through the program. And then Seth Dennis jumps in, too! Check it out below.

Hey, Watch It!

Cooper Webb's return to form and the winner's circle at the Houston Triple Crown:

And Haiden Deegan's clean sweep in the 250SX West at Houston:

Built Not Bought EP4: Houston Supercross - ClubMX

Check out Jamie Guida’s interview with Eli Tomac this week:

"My Jaw Dropped to the Floor." | Eli Tomac

Head-Scratching Headline/s of the Week 

"Man arrives at ER with WW1 shell lodged up his bum as bomb disposal rushes to scene"—The Mirror

“Polar bears in Norway are getting fatter”—News Center Maine

"Floridians gather frozen iguanas by armloads as frigid temps leave them paralyzed, dropping from trees"—NY Post

“Patriots Coach Mike Vrabel Says He Would ‘Probably Cut’ His Penis in 'Half’ to Win Another Super Bowl”—People

"Paulin Wins Stage 10 to Set Up Epic Showdown at the Africa Eco Race"
Yes, Gautier Paulin! 

Random Notes

The motocross world lost a legend this week when Joe Byrd, the multi-time ATV Pro Motocross Champion, passed away at the age of 53. Byrd, who hailed from Union City, Tennessee, was diagnosed with Stage 4 kidney cancer in December, a very aggressive form of the disease. Byrd was a giant in the ATV world, a passionate competitor as well as a tireless advocate for the sport, as well as his fellow racers.  A celebration of life will be taking place tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. at Edmaiston Mosley Funeral Home in Union City. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial to Hometown Walk of Hope, 902 Perkins Street, Union City, Tennessee  38261. Godspeed, Joe.