AMA SX series heats up with Seattle scorcher
By Team TMX on 16th Feb 26
Just one week after the Seattle Seahawks celebrated a Super Bowl triumph, Lumen Field was buzzing again on Valentine’s Day as Round 6 of the 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship brought the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship back to the Emerald City. The atmosphere was electric, the track was brutal, and by the end of a punishing 20 minutes plus one lap in the 450SMX Main Event, it was Eli Tomac who conquered Seattle’s notorious conditions for his third win of the season.
The soft, rutted and deeply technical surface quickly became the defining factor of the night. Cooper Webb grabbed the holeshot and controlled the early laps, with Tomac and Aaron Plessinger in pursuit, while Chase Sexton, Ken Roczen and championship leader Hunter Lawrence fought from just outside the top five. As the lead trio broke clear, Tomac began methodically reeling Webb in. Just past halfway, he struck decisively, taking over at the front and stretching out a multi-second advantage.
Lapped traffic briefly allowed Webb to close, but Tomac responded immediately, managing the deteriorating surface to perfection and claiming his 56th career premier-class victory by 9.2 seconds. Webb secured his third consecutive podium in second, while Justin Cooper capitalised on late-race chaos to earn his first podium of the season in third.
Behind them, Lawrence had mounted an impressive charge from seventh and looked poised to grab third until an aggressive move in the sand section resulted in contact with Roczen. Both riders went down, with Lawrence recovering to finish fourth and Roczen slipping to a season-low 10th. That recovery ride proved crucial: Lawrence retained the red plate and the championship lead by a single point over Tomac. Roczen and Webb now sit tied for third in the standings, 11 points behind Lawrence, tightening the title fight heading into Dallas.
If the 450 battle was attritional, the Western Divisional 250SMX Class delivered a classic. Haiden Deegan and hometown favourite Levi Kitchen put on a relentless head-to-head display that had the Seattle crowd on its feet. Max Anstie initially led, but Deegan stormed to the front early, only for Kitchen to carve his way from fifth to second and ignite a fierce duel. The pair traded the lead four times in a breathtaking exchange that featured bold inside moves, lapped traffic drama and costly rhythm-section miscues.
Kitchen briefly edged clear with just over seven minutes remaining, but as the track broke down further Deegan clawed his way back. A late mistake from Kitchen opened the door, and although the Kawasaki rider fought back once more, Deegan delivered the decisive pass with about a minute to go. He took the win by 1.5 seconds - his fifth consecutive victory - while Kitchen claimed a third straight runner-up finish in front of his home fans. Anstie completed the podium with a composed ride to third.
In the championship standings, Deegan’s dominance is now emphatic. He holds a commanding 35-point lead over Anstie at the midseason break. Michael Mosiman and Ryder DiFrancesco are tied for third, 36 points adrift of the leader, while Kitchen’s recent surge has lifted him to fifth in the standings, 42 points back and just seven points shy of Anstie for second.
Seattle delivered everything expected of its famously demanding round - treacherous conditions, dramatic momentum swings and championship implications in both classes. Tomac’s resurgence has tightened the 450 title fight to the narrowest of margins, while Deegan’s 250 charge continues to gather steam. With the Eastern Divisional Championship set to begin and Dallas up next for the premier class, the 2026 season is building toward something special.
