SMX World Championship Round 1 - Monster Energy Supercross Championship Results: Anaheim 1
January 10, 2026
PRESS RELEASE FROM SMX LEAGUE
Anaheim, Calif. – January 10, 2026 — The 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship got underway in front of a sold-out crowd inside Angel Stadium for the opening round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship. It turned out to be a memorable night for the elder statesman of the sport as 33-year-old Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Eli Tomac captured the 54th win of his legendary career in his debut with the team following a dominant performance in which the Coloradoan led every lap.
The 450SMX Class Main Event was forced to restart when a red flag brought the race to a halt on the opening lap after a multi-rider incident. When the gate dropped for the second time, Tomac positioned himself right behind his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Jorge Prado and seized control of the lead on the opening lap. Once out front, Tomac easily gapped the field while Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen made an impressive charge into contention after rounding the first turn deep in the top 10.
Roczen made multiple passes to slot himself just outside the top three and eventually worked his way around Honda HRC Progressive’s Hunter Lawrence for third before making the pass on Prado for second. Roczen closed to within a couple of seconds of Tomac and kept him honest throughout the 20 Minute + 1 Lap race but never got close enough to mount a challenge.
Tomac took his second Anaheim 1 victory by a margin of 1.4 seconds over Roczen, while Prado leveraged the holeshot into the single-best performance of the Spaniard’s U.S. racing career and his maiden Supercross podium in his seventh start. Following the race, Prado’s KTM failed the post-race sound inspection, which resulted in a three-point championship penalty from the AMA. Prado retained his third-place finish.
Lawrence earned his best Anaheim 1 result in fourth after a race-long battle with Twisted Tea Suzuki Presented by Progressive rider Jason Anderson, who finished fifth. Defending 450SMX Class Champion Cooper Webb endured an up-and-down Main Event to finish seventh, just ahead of last season’s championship runner-up Chase Sexton, who went down multiple times in his debut for Monster Energy Kawasaki.
With the win, Tomac established a three-point lead over Roczen in the 450SMX Class standings, with Prado in third, five points behind his teammate.
Eli Tomac – 1st Place – 450SMX Class
“What a start for us. We got out of the gate well and then it was just on. I would say our motorcycle was the best when it mattered. My bike was so in tune, and I had a great flow around the track. We can still do it. We got A1. What a cool night.”
Ken Roczen – 2nd Place – 450SMX Class
“We had an amazing race. Eli and I were just yo-yo-ing within one second. I would catch him a little bit then I'd make a little mistake, and he'd gain a little bit. It was a very tricky and very busy track. You had to be really patient on the throttle. Overall, I'm very excited with this second place and I hope we have many more of those coming.”
Jorge Prado – 3rd Place – 450SMX Class
“This is unreal. I can't even think about standing on the podium right now. This shouldn't be now—it should maybe be at the end of the year or next year, not Round 1. Hard work always pays off and with the right people we managed to get here with a good result. With just the little experience I have in Supercross this feels amazing.”
The opening race of the Western Divisional 250SMX Class was historic as England’s Max Anstie became the oldest winner in class history at 32 years, 8 months, and 16 days of age. The Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rider carried momentum from his Heat Race win into the Main Event and methodically worked his way forward from a top-five start.
Anstie moved into the lead with just over seven minutes remaining and pulled away to secure his fourth career SMX victory by 7.5 seconds. Honda HRC Progressive’s Chance Hymas earned a runner-up finish in his first race since suffering a torn ACL last June, while Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Ryder DiFrancesco claimed the first podium result of his career after leading early.
Defending Western Divisional 250SMX Champion Haiden Deegan charged from outside the top 10 to finish fourth. Anstie now holds a three-point lead over Hymas in the standings, with DiFrancesco five points back and Deegan seven points behind his teammate.
Max Anstie – 1st Place – Western Divisional 250SMX Class
“I'm just blown away. I remember coming here when I was seven years old watching Ricky Carmichael and James Stewart race. To actually win tonight is something special. Anaheim has always had a place in my heart. I'm 32 years old and this is the best night of my career so far. It’s only Round 1, and I know what can happen, so I’ll refocus and get back to work.”
Chance Hymas – 2nd Place – Western Divisional 250SMX Class
“I'm kind of speechless. It's been a long road just to get back here. I honestly thought my career was over. I dug deep and I’ve got great people in my corner. It’s the first round and we came away with a really good result.”
Ryder DiFrancesco – 3rd Place – Western Divisional 250SMX Class
“I got out front and thought I was going to give it all I had. I grew up coming here and I dream about moments like this. I laid it all out there tonight.”
The Monster Energy SMX World Championship continues next Saturday with Round 2 from San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium. Live coverage will begin with Race Day Live followed by the Gate Drop later that evening, with encore coverage available the following day.
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