KAWASAKI RIDERS BATTLE THROUGH CHANGING CONDITIONS AT CLEVELAND TRIPLE CROWN

April 18, 2026 | Huntington Bank Field | Cleveland, OH

Foothill Ranch, Calif. (April 20, 2026) – Monster Energy® Kawasaki riders Chase Sexton and Garrett Marchbanks took on the unique demands of the Triple Crown format in Cleveland, battling through three intense races in rapidly changing conditions to finish fourth and 11th overall in the 450SX Class, respectively. In the 250SX Class, Monster Energy® Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Seth Hammaker delivered a standout performance with a race win and consistent Top 5 finishes to secure fourth overall, while teammates Nick Romano and Drew Adams battled through adversity throughout the night, with Romano finishing 11th overall and Adams 20th after both riders were forced to retire early due to separate on-track incidents.

Race conditions in Cleveland proved to be a defining factor throughout the afternoon. What began as a clear and promising day quickly shifted as winds picked up and rain moved into the area, transforming the track into a slick, rutted, and technical surface. Combined with a condensed and frequently adjusted schedule due to weather delays, riders were challenged to quickly adapt to evolving track conditions that deteriorated with each gate drop.

In 450SX qualifying, Sexton steadily improved across both sessions, moving from 10th in the first qualifier to seventh in the second to secure seventh overall. Marchbanks started out the day strong, qualifying 13th overall after finishing ninth in the first session and 12th in the second.

450 Race 1 of the Triple Crown saw both riders fight forward after challenging starts. Marchbanks quickly found his rhythm, making decisive passes to climb inside the Top 10, ultimately finishing ninth. Sexton followed a similar charge through the field, building momentum as the race progressed and working his way up to seventh by the checkered flag. Race 2 showcased Sexton’s speed at the front, launching out of the gate on his KX™450SR to secure an early second-place position. He maintained a strong pace throughout the race, engaging in a back-and-forth battle for second before crossing the line in third. Marchbanks, once again navigating traffic from a mid-pack start and early crash, steadily climbed through the field to finish 13th. In the final race, Sexton put himself in contention early with another strong start, battling inside the Top 5 and ultimately finishing fourth. Marchbanks continued his consistent effort, working through a chaotic race that included a mid-race incident while battling for position, to secure 10th. Despite the challenges, Marchbanks showcased his raw speed throughout the day, recording the fastest sector time in a different section of the track in each race. Sexton’s combined results earned him fourth overall, with Marchbanks finishing 11th. Sexton currently sits sixth in the 450SX championship standings, with Marchbanks moving up two positions to 14th.

In the 250SX Class, Hammaker established himself as a frontrunner early, qualifying second overall after strong performances in both sessions. Adams also showed promising speed with a sixth-place result in the opening qualifier, followed by ninth in the second to qualify 12th overall. Romano struggled to put in a clean lap in either qualifying session, logging a lap just one position shy of the cutoff for the race program. He went into the last chance qualifier, holding the lead for the beginning of the race before having a setback, but ultimately securing the last transfer spot into the Triple Crown.

250 Race 1 saw Hammaker capitalize on a strong start, quickly inserting himself into podium contention before making an assertive move into the lead. From there, he controlled the race with confidence and precision, capturing a decisive victory on his KX™250. Romano put together a solid ride through the pack to finish seventh, while Adams rebounded from an early deficit to secure ninth. In Race 2, Hammaker shot down the start straight with the front of the pack, while Adams was unfortunately sidelined following an on-track incident that led to a red flag restart, forcing him to retire early from the rest of competition. Following the restart, Hammaker maintained his composure near the front, navigating multiple position changes and late-race battles to secure third, while Romano continued his steady progression with a ninth-place finish. The final race presented adversity for Hammaker after being pinched off entering the first turn leaving him deep in the field. Undeterred, Hammaker did everything he could to come through the field with a determined charge to finish sixth. Romano’s night came to an early end after a crash while battling through the field. Hammaker’s 1-3-6 finishes secured him fourth overall, with Romano and Adams finishing 11th and 20th overall, respectively. Additional Team Green™ strength was evident as MX6 Racing’s Derek Kelley and Henry Miller placed their machines eighth and ninth overall, highlighting multiple Kawasaki finishes inside the Top 10. Hammaker remains second in the 250SX Eastern Divisional Championship, with Romano holding 11th and Adams 21st heading into Hammaker’s hometown race in Philadelphia.

“Cleveland was a tough night with how much the track changed from start to finish, but I’m taking a lot of positives out of it. I felt more comfortable on the bike as the night went on and started to find a better flow in the later races, which is something we’ve been building toward. The results don’t fully show it, but I feel like we’re getting closer each weekend. Now it’s about putting everything together for a full night in Philly next week.”

 – Chase Sexton

“It was a tough night in Cleveland. I had a pretty big crash in the first race and was feeling it a bit going into the second, especially with how gnarly the track got with the conditions. In the second race, I felt really good and was making progress, but I got tangled up with another rider and went down. My bike pinned my leg for a bit, which cost me a lot of time. I was able to come back from last and make some passes, so that was a positive. Overall, the speed is there, and I feel like we’re making big improvements on the bike. Now it’s just about putting it all together and getting back inside the Top 10.”

 – Garrett Marchbanks

“Today started off feeling really good. The track was in great shape early on before the weather came in, and I felt strong in the first race getting the win. After that, the conditions changed a lot with the rain, and it made things pretty challenging. I had a crash off the start in the final race and had to come from the back of the field, but I put my head down and charged as far forward as I could to sixth. Being one spot off the podium and fourth overall is tough, especially since I feel like I’ve been riding the best I have all season. The last couple of weekends haven’t gone my way, but I’m looking forward to bouncing back at my hometown race in Philly.”

 – Seth Hammaker

“Cleveland wasn’t the best day for me overall. It started off a little rough, but I was able to turn things around in the first two races with a seventh and a ninth, which was solid considering how the day was going. In the final race, I tried to salvage what I could, but ended up going down again after getting landed on, which put me out early. It’s frustrating, but there are still positives to take away from the weekend. We’ll keep working and move on to Philly.”

 – Nick Romano

“It’s really frustrating to have the night end early like that, especially after coming back from my injury and just trying to get back into a rhythm. I was starting to feel a bit better on the bike, so to have it end that way is disappointing. »

 – Drew Adams