And here are last year's 250 highlights:

And make sure to check out live coverage all weekend on Peacock Saturday and NBC on Sunday. 

Big TV Show (Jason Weigandt)

For the second year in a row, this darned opener is so good we must put a live pre-race show on the air. How could we not? Last year we were talking about the Lawrences and Eli Tomac coming back from injury, plus Jorge Prado jumping into American moto for the first time. So, we told the TV crew to fire everything up a half hour early and stream it. This year, of course, we have to do it again to talk Jett's return, Deegan's debut, Prado 2.0, and more. So, tune into Peacock (or the SMX video pass outside the U.S.) at 3:30 Eastern, which is 12:30 local, and drink in the hype.

On this summer's broadcasts, you'll have myself and James Stewart in the booth for every moto. Jason Thomas will provide trackside analysis, and Will Christien, Haley Shanley, and Katie Osbourne will trade reporter duties. I got a text from Stew on Monday that said, "FYI! I'm bringing the heat this summer!"

Is there any doubt that he will?

I could go deep on bench racing right here, but I think the rest of the crew will do that, and if you want more, please check out our Motocross Season Preview Videos we posted last week, where Matthes, Thomas, and I argue as usual. This season is nearly impossible to predict!

In other news, Honda introduced an all-new CRF450R for 2027, and we've posted tons about that on the site. Also, check the breaking news we posted earlier this week about Cooper Webb signing with Rick Ware Racing for WSX. Round 1 takes place during a Pro Motocross off weekend in August. Webb will surely be on a Yamaha then, but he is linked to so many silly season rumors for 2027. What will happen if he doesn't stick with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing in the future? Does he switch bikes immediately in WSX? If he does leave Yamaha, does that leave room for someone else there, or does the team roll with Haiden Deegan and Justin Cooper (not a bad lineup, really)? The stories outside the races are just as good as the stuff happening when the gate drops!

Pro Perspective (Jason Thomas)

This is it! It's finally here. The showdown everyone has been talking about: Levi Kitchen versus Jo Shimoda! I kid, I kid. The 450 Class is stealing all of the headlines this weekend, and for good reason. Jett is back. Deegs is finally on a 450. Jorge Prado is back to being Jorge Prado. Tomac is healthy. Hunter is his best self ever. Sexton could surprise at anytime, anywhere. I don't need to hype it up; the story tells itself. This is the nastiest, dirtiest lineup I can remember. Better yet, I have absolutely no idea what's going to happen. The parity (let's hope) at the top has the potential to be the best ever.

• Listen, Jett is going to be great. Does that mean he will win? No, it does not. He has never lost at Pala, but he has also never come off an injury this problematic, either.
• Deegs is coming in with more momentum than his competition would like, which seems crazy considering he's never raced a 450 stateside. He is so confident in himself, though, that he is going to make an immediate impact. If he gets good starts, look out. He won't back down from anyone for any reason.
• Eli Tomac was fantastic at this track last year and took Jett to the brink. I have absolutely no reason to think he won't be that same guy on Saturday. He's coming in with less hype than the others, which may be a bonus chip on his shoulder.
• The guy that I think will be out front and have everyone raising their eyebrows is the 26 of Jorge Prado. I know his 2025 was abysmal. I watched it in disbelief. I am healed and ready to be hurt again, though. This dude is coming to party. Mark my words.
• Hunter Lawrence is and has been a championship contender for two years now. The fact that he's overlooked in this fight is silly. He will be a podium guy all summer. His starts, calculating style, and consistency are going to be hard to beat. He might not be the sexiest pick of the bunch, but when the sun goes down, the 96 will be there.
• The wild card here is Chase Sexton. I have no idea what to expect. He's switched nearly everything on his motorcycle as of late, and I don't know if that's good or bad. He's one of the most talented riders I have ever seen, but if things aren't right, we won't experience it. Your guess is as good as mine on how this goes.
  
  

Overall, I am absolutely geeked for Saturday. Most weekends are a bit routine, and while I get excited when the 30 board is up, it takes me a minute to summon that anticipation. This weekend is the polar opposite of that. I am wound up and ready to go. It just doesn't get much better than this!

Randomly Interesting Stats of the Week (DC)

Jett Lawrence's record as a professional at Fox Raceway is 8-0. No other rider has been undefeated at one venue at any time in the history of SMX—not in Monster Energy Supercross, not in Pro Motocross. Starting with the final round of the 2020 season, in which he was a rookie, Lawrence has won here five times in the 250 class and the last three years in the 450 class. Remember, in 2021, Fox Raceway hosted two rounds because Hangtown could not run due to California's COVID-19 restrictions (which did not apply to tribal lands), and in '22 it ran twice, the second as a replacement for the planned return to Glen Helen that ended up not happening. Jett won his first 250 National here as well as his first 450 National here in '23. The only three motos he's ever lost here all came to his GEICO Honda teammates in the 250 class, Jeremy Martin and Jo Shimoda: In '20, Martin won the second moto, and then at Fox 1 '21, Martin won the first moto. Then in 2022, at the second race here, Shimoda won the second moto. Add it all up, and Jett is going into tomorrow's opener with 13 of 16 moto wins here at Fox Raceway, as well as eight straight overalls.

It's Time! (Matthes)

I'm pretty cynical about the racing we see in the sport—been there, done that, you know? Sometimes it's hard to get that excited as the years go on, this being my 30th year as a mechanic or media guy. But yeah, I'm genuinely excited for this opening round of Pro Motocross to kick off! It's for all the obvious reasons that we've talked about. There's a lot of shows out there with Weege, JT, and me, and then the BMP vs. LVK crossover show that Weege hosted as well. Lots of talk and opinions; the 450MX class is so deep this summer, and yeah, we get it—the cruel nature of the sport will take over at some point and things will settle down, but for now, there are going to be some guys that get 8th or 9th this weekend who thought they could be top five, wondering what the hell happened?

The 250 class is pretty wide open; there have to be four to five guys thinking they have a shot at the title. It reminds me a bit of 1989 when the old champs Dymond and Holland were either getting older or moved out, so there were a bunch of kids to come along to fill the void, as it truly was a season of change in that class: Damon Bradshaw, Mike Kiedrowski, Larry Ward, Mike LaRocco, Jeff Matiasevich, and more.

Here's me, Lewis Phillips, Kellen Brauer, Daniel Blair, with Weege moderating in another very rare crossover show! 

KW is Intense (Matthes)

I went to Vail Bike Park yesterday to hang out with the Intense Bicycle guys, and they were demoing the new e-MTB Tazer and the Spider as well. It was fun to go up and down some of the hills, but not fun to go OTB again trying to follow Paul Perebijnos down a run. It's been a rough go for me lately crashing on a bicycle; I do not recommend it at my age. Anyway, THE Kevin Windham was there hanging out (along with Christian Craig, Steve Caballero, and Tyler Bereman), so it was great to see him. He'll be going to the race this weekend as well. I sat down with him for a 20-minute podcast about his role with Intense and his thoughts on Pala as well. Of course, he threw some jabs at me about Tim Ferry. Stay tuned to RXI as we'll put a link up.

Must-See MXGP (DC)

The U.S. Pro Motocross Championships obviously begin tomorrow with lots of big developments that we've already discussed. But don't take your eyes off MXGP, which has been a very interesting and entertaining series so far in 2026. They returned from more than a month off due to an unexpected cancellation, and the duo of Jeffrey Herlings and Lucas Coenen picked up right where they left off in France. In two very close motos, Herlings got the overall—his 115th career win—with 2-1 moto finishes to Coenen's 1-2. And by winning the Saturday qualifier, with Coenen finishing third, Herlings picked up two points on the weekend. Going into this weekend's race in Germany, Coenen leads by two points (286 to 284).

With the news that the Coenens are coming to America breaking just before the race in France, the coming battles with the AMA's best were on everyone's minds, including Herlings, who said, "Lucas is super good, and I'm looking forward to seeing him race also in America to see where our MXGP level is."

In the MX2 division, Triumph Factory Racing's Guillem Farres and Camden McLellan gave the British brand its first-ever 1-2 overall finish, as well as the first GP win ever for Spanish rider Farres, who raced briefly in America with Yamaha Star Racing but was unfortunately injured for much of the time he was here. He only had seven finishes in his two years here. It now appears that he could be returning to America in 2027, as Farres is 23 and will not be eligible to race MX2 next year.

In MX2 points, defending world champ Simon Langenfelder leads Sacha Coenen by 8 points (281 to 273), while Farres is third with 261 points.

The race in France, at the smallish LaCapelle Marival, was not without its problems. First, there was the devastating crash of Thibault Benistant that may have left him with a career-ending back injury. There were also a couple of massive start crashes that took out Petronas Honda HRC rider Tom Vialle and Monster Energy Yamaha's Tim Gajser. There was also some heavy criticism of the FIM from Romain Febvre over the lack of a red flag for the downed Benistant.

Also, the Women's World Championship got underway with Spanish rider Daniela Guillen taking the win over Italy's Kiara Fontanesi, while defending champion Lotte Van Drunen had a rough start in the first moto with an early crash. She climbed from dead last to 9th and then finished third in the second moto. She is 15 points behind co-leaders Guillen and Fontanesi going into the second round, which is this weekend at Teuschenthal, Germany.

You can watch the MXGP of Germany on www.mxgp-tv.com or on CBS Sports Network on Sunday.

And an added note from MXGP: Ducati and Jeremy Seewer ended their relationship right after the race in France last weekend. Will he skip the MXGP of Germany this weekend, or will he be racing on another bike?

And here's a note about Seewer from our friend Santiago Crevoisier:

The race in Teutschenthal, Germany, might mark the first Grand Prix without Jeremy Seewer in the paddock in a very long time. The Swiss rider parted ways with Ducati after a difficult start to the season that had him 22nd in the standings. Seewer made a few wildcard appearances in 2013, but from Round 1 in 2014 in Qatar, he raced 229 consecutive Grands Prix. Ironically, his streak comes to an end because of a contract situation rather than an injury.

And the Coenen brothers aren't the only Europe-based riders who will soon dip their toes into AMA Pro Motocross. Bud Racing Kawasaki is also planning to attend the Southwick National:

Reconnaissance Mission (Mitch Kendra)

When I pulled into High Point Raceway first thing Saturday morning, I did not expect Charli Cannon's #7 CRF250R WMX race machine to be the first bike I spotted! Cannon was using the LLMX Northeast Area Qualifier as a way to learn the layout for High Point Raceway ahead of the WMX round there that takes place during the AMA Pro Motocross Championship national on Father's Day weekend. The conditions were tough (it rained all week leading into the race, then rained on both Saturday and Sunday), but Cannon still put in some seat time on the tricky track and was able to learn how it races. The Quad Lock Honda rider finished 3-1 to take the Open Pro Sport overall win and finished 2-1 for the 250 Pro Sport overall win. She also finished second overall in the College (18-24) (Sportsman) class with 2-2 moto finishes. Despite the conditions, it was a successful weekend. And, hey, you never know what the weather will be like for the national weekend anyway!

Cannon has raced all around the world, so she is comfortable being uncomfortable in new environments and racing at all-new (to her) tracks. But she wanted to get in some time at High Point Raceway because she is making a serious push for the WMX title this summer. She finished second to Lachlan Turner last year after some epic battles, but Cannon is now living full-time in the USA (and training four days a week at MTF) and is ready to battle Turner straight up. Hopefully, they will both start the season healthy next week, unlike last year when they both had nagging injuries to start the season (Turner had a shoulder injury, and Cannon had a finger injury).

"Yeah, I've had a really fun weekend," Cannon told me afterward. "We decided to make the road trip up and just get some time in on the High Point track. I've never been here, and I have a WMX race coming up, so I thought it was a good opportunity to get familiar with the track and know the layout. I had so much fun. I came away with first in 250 Pro [Sport], second in College Boy, and first in 450 Pro [Sport]. So, it was a good day in tricky conditions. It was quite muddy, but so much fun."

"Yeah, it's definitely a good peace of mind coming here early and honestly getting probably the toughest conditions," she added. "High Point's known for raining on the national's day. So, I got to feel for the track when it gets slippery, when it's dry like today, and just the layout of the hills. There are some big jumps, and yeah, just to get familiar with it. And I know the place now, I know the area, and I can come into the WMX round more confident."

Check out my full interview with Cannon from Sunday afternoon and watch the highlights from Cannon's open pro sport moto win on Sunday:

New Bike Fever (Aaron Hansel)

You probably already saw a flood of videos and websites featuring the new 2027 CRF450R yesterday if you were online at all. That's because the embargo Honda had on all information about this new bike was scheduled to lift yesterday morning. I'm happy we're finally free to talk about it too because it's been a difficult thing to keep quiet after going to Japan in April to learn about it, and even ride a pre-production model on our last day there.

Won't spend any time here getting into the details of the update; you can check all that out in depth right here but I will say the changes to the new platform are extensive! No stone was left unturned with this one, and the bike is even 9.9 lbs. lighter. In fact, Honda calls it the most significant update to the bike in a decade. A decade! It felt great to ride, too, although I did manage to crash multiple times, which is an embarrassing thing when a bunch of people from other motocross publications and outlets are there pointing and chortling away. I'm still getting made fun of for it, and I'm sure Michael Lindsay of Vital MX will keep it going all summer. As far as how the bike felt, well, unfortunately, it was super muddy the day we rode, so any meaningful riding impressions will have to wait until production models arrive. In the meantime, check out the changes to the new model. This one is big!

2027 Honda CRF Announcement (Keefer)

I didn't get to go to Japan for the grand tour like Hansel, as I had some family obligations, but I did get a chance to go down to the Honda factory in Torrance to view the new Honda CRF lineup. When I was there, I had the chance to talk with Trey Canard about the changes Honda made to the CRF450R and found out that the MXGP, as well as the factory HRC Honda team here in the States, worked a lot with the production side to create this 2027 machine. Although I am not a huge fan of the looks of the new Honda, I do like all of the changes Honda made. If there was one thing that I would want improved on the Honda CRF450R, it would be a more stable and compliant chassis feel. Well, Honda went to work on the chassis, which "I think" will be much better for the average rider. I feel like Honda has a great engine package with the CRF450R, but the chassis just felt rigid and stiff when the track got edgy or rough. The chassis got increased stiffness in key areas near the headtube and downtube (which can help with plushness feel on the track), just like the 2025 bike did. Don't let the term "increased rigidity balance" or "longitudinal and torsional rigidity is increased" fool you when Honda's marketing team starts talking those terms.

Increased rigidity balance, in some cases, can help make us riders feel more comfort within the chassis when on the track, so to me, I feel like this is a good direction for the brand. The overall wheelbase is longer, as well as the rake and trail of the CRF450R, which have increased. This is also great news. How many of you have ridden other brands of bikes and then hopped back on your CRF450R and felt like the bike was short or felt like the front wheel was tucked in more towards the cockpit than other colored machines? The Honda needs more length to be more planted out on the track, and the 2027 is just that. LONGER!

Now, if you're freaking out because you loved the way your CRF450R cornered and you think going longer could hurt your cornering, you could be right. But... yes, there is a but, I have been a part of several tests where I made the bike longer in wheelbase and also increased the rake of the bike to find out that I had more cornering stability, not to mention a more consistent lean angle throughout the corner. I am not predicting the future here, but again, what Honda is doing with these numbers is a good thing for any rider who wants a more stable red/blue machine. The CRF450R will be available late August/early September, and the CRF450 "R" model will be set at $10,099 MSRP.

You can read more about the changes and what they could mean to you over on pulpmx.com or check out my video with Trey over on my YouTube channel. 

Hey, Watch It!

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Wes Williams — How Vurbmoto Shaped a Generation of Motocross

Cody Darr learning to backflip from the one and only Travis Pastrana

Michael Mosiman Like You've Never Seen Him Before!

Cooper Webb's NASCAR weekend:

Racer X Films: HONDA 2027 CRF450R PRE-PRODUCTION JAPAN RIDE

Head-Scratching Headline/s of the Week 

“As If Alligators Weren’t Intimidating Enough, They Also Have Permanent Boners”—Vice

“Police respond to gunfire at convenience store after dog accidentally shoots person with a shotgun”—KNOP News

"Museum’s ‘Knight Rider’ replica car got a speeding ticket. It hasn’t gone anywhere in years"—AP News

"Patagonia sues drag queen Pattie Gonia for trademark infringement"—The Guardian

"Men are spraying themselves 100 times in new fragrance frenzy"—MSN

Random Notes