Chase Sexton ends Kawasaki win drought at Anaheim 2
By Team TMX on 26th Jan 26
The Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship continued its blistering start to the 2026 season with a third consecutive sell-out crowd, as the series returned to the hallowed turf of Angel Stadium for Round 3 of the Monster Energy SMX World Championship. Under the lights in Anaheim, Chase Sexton delivered a statement ride, claiming his first victory aboard Monster Energy Kawasaki after a gripping 450 Main Event.
After a headline-grabbing switch to Kawasaki in the off-season, Sexton has been under intense scrutiny, and Anaheim 2 proved the perfect stage to silence any doubts. But it didn’t come easily.
The 450SMX Main Event exploded into life with Jason Anderson launching his Twisted Tea Suzuki to the holeshot, Sexton tucked in alongside him. Anderson wasted no time asserting control at the front as Honda HRC Progressive’s Hunter Lawrence slotted into third, with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Eli Tomac – winner of the opening two rounds and championship leader – lurking ominously just behind.
Sexton soon found his rhythm, muscling past Lawrence to reclaim second before setting about reeling in Anderson. What followed was a brief but intense duel for the lead, with the pair trading passes before Sexton finally made it stick. Once clear, the Kawasaki rider dropped the hammer, opening up a multi-second advantage before the halfway point.
Behind the leaders, the fight for the podium was anything but settled. Tomac forced his way past Lawrence for third and began pressuring Anderson, but the Suzuki rider dug deep to hold him at bay. That delay allowed Lawrence to regroup and retake third, before both he and Tomac eventually found a way past Anderson as the race entered its final phase.
Up front, Sexton remained untouchable. He controlled the closing laps to take his 17th career Supercross victory by 3.3 seconds – his first podium of the season and Kawasaki’s first win since 2022.
Tomac’s third-place finish keeps his championship momentum rolling. The defending champion is now the only rider to have finished on the podium in all three rounds, holding an eight-point advantage over Lawrence in the standings. Lawrence’s second consecutive runner-up result lifts him into second overall, while Sexton jumps to third, 13 points off the red plate. Ken Roczen endured a tougher night, finishing eighth after charging back from 21st on the opening lap, dropping him to fourth in the standings.
For Sexton, the win carried extra significance.
“It’s been a long few months going back to Vegas,” he said. “That crash really set me back. Even after the Heat Race tonight I was questioning things. In the Main Event I just rode within myself. I can’t thank the team enough – it feels good to put Kawasaki back on top.”
The Western Regional 250SMX Main Event once again belonged to Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing teammates Michael Mosiman and Haiden Deegan. Mosiman grabbed the holeshot and controlled the early laps, with Deegan quickly charging into second as the pair distanced themselves from the chasing pack.
For much of the 15 minutes plus one lap, it was a high-speed game of cat and mouse. Then, with just over three minutes remaining, Deegan made his move. A decisive pass put him into clean air and from there he simply disappeared, stretching his advantage to more than five seconds by the flag.
Deegan claimed his ninth career Supercross victory by 8.5 seconds and secured back-to-back wins to firmly establish himself as the early title favourite. Mosiman followed home for second, his third and second-place finishes from the opening rounds keeping him firmly in the championship hunt.
Behind them, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Ryder DiFrancesco emerged on top of a tight scrap with Cameron McAdoo to secure the third podium result of his young career.
With three rounds complete, Deegan leads the Western Division standings by nine points over Mosiman. Star Racing teammate Max Anstie drops to third, 10 points off the lead, after a difficult night that saw him finish sixth.
Three rounds in, and Supercross 2026 is already delivering on its promise.
