Pre-Race Interviews: Glendale

February 06, 2026

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We're back in Glendale for Round 5 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship. We caught up with Kitchen, Anderson, and McAdoo for some 1:1 interviews today at press day.

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Levi Kitchen

After a slow start to the season, did last weekend almost feel like a win?

Yeah, kind of, but it didn’t feel as good as I thought it might. It did feel good, but I still felt like I left a little bit out there. I think that’s always the case, though. No matter what, you could win and still feel like you didn’t do your best. We always want more and we’re never really satisfied.

On paper, it was definitely better, but I still think I’ve had better rides earlier in the season. Like San Diego, for example, I want to ride like that again. Some nights you just don’t feel quite as good as others, and that’s kind of just how it goes.

We’ve seen you run the pace and qualify well. This was the first race where you were right behind Haiden and could directly compare yourself. Were you able to learn anything from that?

Yeah, I learned a lot. He’s just really aggressive on the track. On a track like last week, there wasn’t much separation, so it really came down to attacking hard. He was really good at pushing through the rhythms, ripping the turns, and things like that.

I took a lot away from it. I did some shorter, sprint-style practice this week to work on that. I’m not really concerned about the way I’m riding overall. I think the pieces just need to come together, and last weekend was really nice for me to get some solid laps in and see the front of the pack.

I was pretty frustrated about the second main. I completely blew that one when I was out front. But honestly, it had been a while since I’d been in that position, so that played a part.

What do you think went wrong in that second main?

I just got nervous. I came up on lappers and made way too many mistakes. It was just mistake after mistake.

I think it’ll get easier as I keep putting myself in that position. The more often I’m there, the more comfortable it’ll be.

You mentioned working on sprints this week. Is that to focus on mid-race intensity?

Yeah, exactly. Just focusing on that fast-twitch speed. In Supercross, everyone is fit, so that’s not really the separator. It’s more about that intensity.

I honestly think the Triple Crown is the hardest format of the year. If last week had just been one main and five more minutes, it wouldn’t have been that bad. But Triple Crowns are tough because the intensity is so high and you have to do it three times. Ken [Roczen] and I talk about it all the time. Even he was pretty tired after last week. The races are short, but the turnaround is quick and the effort is huge.

Do you even look at points right now, or are you just focused on winning races?

I’m just focused on doing my best and trying to win. I think earlier in my career I worried too much, and now I’m trying to stop overthinking and just be present. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, that’s just life and the way it goes.

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Jason Anderson

Four races in now… what do you think of the team and your performances so far?

Yeah, four races in. Obviously, I think the bike is really good. I think my speed has been pretty solid on the motorcycle at times. The team has been great. It’s been a really fun environment, everyone keeps it pretty light, and I’m enjoying it.

Kenny talks a lot about how he’s had so much time on the bike that he knows exactly what it’s going to do in every situation. You’re obviously new to it. Do you feel like you’re there yet, or are you still learning?

I’m still testing quite a bit. There are a lot of things that Kenny runs on his bike that are a little tougher for me to run. His clutch setup is quite a bit different, and I think that has a lot to do with his past injuries, like his wrist and things like that. I just need a different setup.

For the most part, though, we haven’t really been changing much. We’ve mainly been trying to find a shock setup that works across a wide range of track conditions. That’s been the biggest thing we’ve been working on. Other than that, the motor and everything else has been really good.

Are you still testing a lot during the week, swapping things out and experimenting?

This week I didn’t test a whole lot, but there are a couple update options that I’ve been going back and forth with. I’m mostly riding them back-to-back to feel the difference, not building a new shock or anything like that. I’m just trying to decide between two setups and figure out what I like best.

Your starts have been good so far!

Yeah they’ve been good. If I could just stay up front a little longer, that would be nice.

Did you and Kenny talk after the race last weekend? It looked like you might have held him up at one point.

It’s tough because I’ve been in that situation with teammates before. You’re racing for position, and they’re in their own race too. I don’t want to mess anyone up by any means, but at the same time, I’m still racing and trying to stay in the top five.

Watching the race back, if I would have known it was him, I probably would have taken a few different lines in some corners. But it’s tough in the moment. You’re just racing.

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Cameron McAdoo

I overheard you saying that you didn’t really grow up watching McGrath? I guess you were born in ’97… so too young?

Yeah, I didn’t watch him at all. When I was three, I got a little JR50 because my sister got a Honda 70. We just rode around at home. Around 2003 or 2004, we started getting KTM 50s and racing locally. The first pro race I ever went to was Millville in 2005 or 2006, since it was only about four hours from my house. I didn’t go to a Supercross race until 2016. And I turned pro a year later! The first Supercross I went to was Atlanta because I was living at ClubMX at the time. It was crazy.

Did your parents race or ride at all?

Not really. My mom grew up on a farm, so they had trail bikes and four-wheelers, but no racing. She was actually a high-level competitive tennis player all through high school, and they even had a tennis court at home. My dad was a pretty high-level cyclist until he was about 22. So racing didn’t really come from them. It was more neighbors and friends who had bikes.

Do you follow tennis at all?

Yeah, I watch all the Grand Slams. I probably follow it closer than most guys here. I like a lot of players for different reasons. I like Sinner for his attitude and vibe, and Ben Shelton because he’s got so much upside. I really like Sabalenka, too. She’s just a badass.

I obviously support the Americans, so Coco and Shelton are fun to watch. But honestly, I really like Novak. He’s been in it for so long and is still so good. I saw that press conference where someone asked him how it felt to be chasing Sinner and Alcaraz, and he basically said, “Chasing? What are you talking about?” That was awesome. He talked about how he chased Federer and Nadal early in his career, and how people forget about all the years he dominated. That was a cool moment.

Switching back to Supercross, you have to be happy with how your season has started?

Yeah, it’s been encouraging. I’m just happy to be back racing. I want more. I want to win, and I plan to win. Now it’s just about continuing the process to get back to that level.

Each week we’ve been pinpointing things we need to work on to get better and close the gap to Haiden and the guys who are winning. I’m happy we’ve been fairly consistent, aside from Anaheim 1, which was a massive bummer. I felt like I made a big step forward between Anaheim 2 and Houston.

You always talks about winning. Is there also a goal of consistency, staying healthy, and finishing on podiums, or is that not enough?

That’s definitely a big part of my goal, especially after the last few years I’ve had. But with that being said, the expectation really is to win. I’d hope that if you ask Mitch, he tells you he expects me to win. That’s one of the things I appreciate most about him. He believes I can win, and that’s why I’m on his team.

I also want to make it through the full season healthy while winning. Every decision we make is geared toward that.

Is it tough lining up against so many guys who have that same expectation?

That’s just our sport at the highest level. It’s tough, but I like it. I invite the pressure. Our sport is fast right now, and it’s awesome to see. There are probably four or five guys lining up every weekend with that same expectation.

For the sport to be this healthy five rounds in is really cool to see as a racer. I want to race the best guys at their best and beat them. That’s what I’m here for.

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