SETH HAMMAKER TAKES CAREER-FIRST PRO MOTOCROSS VICTORY AT SEASON OPENER 

Foothill Ranch, Calif. (May 31, 2026) – Monster Energy® Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Seth Hammaker stole the show at Round 1 of Pro Motocross with a historic moto victory to take the 250 class overall win. Teammate Levi Kitchen put on an impressive race win in Moto 1 to add to his score for fourth overall (1-13), while Nick Romano put on an outstanding Top 5 performance in Moto 1 for ninth overall (5-11). Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Chase Sexton put in a solid day of racing to claim sixth overall (7-5), and teammate Garrett Marchbanks rebounded for a strong finish in Moto 2 for 14th overall (28-8). 

In the 250 Class, the Monster Energy® Pro Circuit Kawasaki riders showcased their consistent speed early in qualifying, with Kitchen topping the charts in both sessions to take the overall fastest qualifier and set the tone for the day. Hammaker was slotted right behind his teammate in second overall, while Romano put in solid laps to sit 19th overall after both sessions. 

In 250 Moto 1, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki riders got off to a picture-perfect start as Hammaker grabbed a commanding holeshot aboard his KX™250, while Romano followed closely behind his teammate in second and Kitchen charged into third by Lap 2. A few laps later, Kitchen made the pass for second on Romano, as the Kawasaki trio continued to control the pace, setting the Top 3 fastest lap times of the moto. 

Hammaker maintained control and looked poised to lead wire-to-wire until a small mistake sent him off the track, opening the door for Kitchen to take over the lead. Kitchen went on to claim the Moto 1 victory, while Romano held fourth for much of the race before a pass on the final lap would leave him in fifth to end the moto. Making both his outdoor debut with the team and his first motocross start in two years, Romano capped off an impressive ride with a fifth-place finish.

In 250 Moto 2, Hammaker backed up his strong day with another excellent start, rounding the first turn in third before quickly moving into second. Romano railed the outside line through Turn 1 to emerge in sixth. Kitchen, however, endured a challenging opening lap after a rider to his left cut across his line off the start, forcing him to check up and enter the first turn deep in the pack. Misfortune struck again moments later when he became tangled up with a downed rider at the top of the hill, dropping him even farther back. Undeterred, Kitchen remounted and immediately began charging through the field.

Up front, Hammaker was on the move as well, making an aggressive pass for second before reeling in the leader and taking over the top spot midway through the moto. Kitchen put together an impressive recovery ride, passing more than 25 riders on his way to a 13th-place finish, which was enough to tie for second overall, but he was credited fourth overall on the day. Romano delivered a steady and consistent performance, finishing 11th in the moto and ninth overall. Hammaker went on to claim his first career moto win in commanding fashion, along with his first overall victory, leaving the weekend with the championship red plate and a 13-point lead in the standings. Kitchen now sits tied for second in the championship, while Romano holds ninth in the points standings.

In the 450 Class, Marchbanks showed impressive speed during qualifying. Utilizing Fox Raceway as a regular practice track during the outdoor season, the No. 36 Kawasaki used his familiarity with the technical layout to take fifth overall in qualifying. Sexton started qualifying third in the first session and continued to better his lap times as the day went on to secure seventh overall.

In 450 Moto 1, Sexton got off to a strong start, launching out of the gate in fourth, while Marchbanks followed closely behind in an impressive sixth-place position. Unfortunately, Marchbanks’ promising start came to an abrupt halt on the opening lap when he was involved in a racing incident exiting a turn and collided with another rider, resulting in a hard crash. The force of the impact knocked the wind out of him, forcing him to take a moment before remounting and rejoining the race. Despite his bike being a bit mangled and dealing with the effects of the crash, Marchbanks dug deep and worked his way through the field, salvaging as many positions as possible to finish 28th in the moto. Up front, Sexton rode a steady and consistent race while running fourth for much of the moto. However, a small tipover in the closing laps cost him several positions, ultimately dropping him to seventh at the checkered flag.

In 450 Moto 2, Sexton put himself in a favorable Top 10 position off the start, while Marchbanks was forced to work from midpack after his Moto 1 finish resulted in a less-than-ideal gate pick. Despite the setback, Marchbanks mounted an impressive charge to move inside the Top 10 by Lap 5. As the race unfolded, Sexton was battling inside the Top 5 when he tipped over at the top of the hill shortly after the track had been watered, leaving the surface slick. The mistake cost him valuable time, but he regrouped and fought his way back to fifth by the checkered flag, securing sixth overall on the day. Meanwhile, Marchbanks continued to showcase his speed throughout the moto, steadily climbing through the field and closing in on his teammate before ultimately finishing eighth. His strong recovery ride earned him 14th overall for the weekend.

“Being the first outdoor national of the year and my first Pro Motocross overall win, it feels amazing for it all to happen on the same day. Practice went pretty well, and we made a few bike adjustments to get more comfortable with the track conditions. In Moto 1, I grabbed the holeshot and led for a while, but made a mistake and lost the lead. In Moto 2, I got another good start, made a couple quick passes, and got into the lead. From there, I just focused on hitting my marks and being consistent. It feels great to get the first overall win, and hopefully we can keep this momentum rolling.”

 – Seth Hammaker

“The team has been working really hard, and we feel really good about the progress we’ve made. Honestly, I’m frustrated because I know what we’re capable of. This sport has its highs and lows, and today was one of those days. I put myself in a tough position in Moto 2 and had to fight back from way behind, which made things difficult. At the same time, there are a lot of positives to take away. My Moto 1 victory showed that the speed is there, and the bike is great. We’ll keep building, keep working, and come back ready for Hangtown.”

 – Levi Kitchen

“Round 1 was a fun day for me. Going 5-11 for ninth overall isn’t too bad, especially considering I haven’t raced outdoors in two years. I accomplished my goal for the weekend and learned a lot. I feel like Top 5 consistency is right there in front of me, and we’re going to keep working until we get there. I’m excited for the rest of the season.”

 – Nick Romano

“Today wasn’t where I was hoping to be, but I put myself in a tough position being on the ground twice. I felt good in Moto 1 and was running in a good spot before a small mistake cost me a few spots late in the race. In Moto 2, I got a decent start and was battling up front, but another small tipover set me back. I was able to salvage sixth overall, but I expect myself on the podium. We’ll regroup this week to get ready for Hangtown, as I’ll be staying out in California to do some testing with the team.”

 – Chase Sexton

“I thought today went really well with starting out fifth overall in qualifying. Went into Moto 1, felt like we had some things really going with the bike, and practice starts were going really well this week. I was super pumped to rip a Top 10 start. Three-quarters of the way through the first lap Eli [Tomac] and I were sprinting. He made a pass on me, and I went to make a pass back, and we got together in a racing incident. Neither of us let off the gas and just ended up coming together. I feel bad for what happened and hope he’s doing alright. My bike was a bit bent up after that, so it needed some work after the race. I went from 28th in Moto 1 to eighth in Moto 2, so to be able to move through the field against this level of competition was a solid effort.”

 – Garrett Marchbanks