June 6, 2026 | Hangtown | Sacramento, CA

Foothill Ranch, Calif. (June 7, 2026) – Monster Energy® Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Levi Kitchen stood atop the podium for the first time this season after a consistent 2-2 performance earned him the overall victory at Round 2 of the Pro Motocross Championship at Hangtown MX. Teammate Seth Hammaker backed up his season-opening overall win with a moto win and another podium finish in third overall (1-9), while Nick Romano continued his impressive outdoor campaign with sixth overall (7-4). Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Enzo Temmerman added a solid result for his first race back post-injury with 13th overall (10-17) in the 250 Class. In the 450 Class, Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Garrett Marchbanks tied his career-best fifth overall finish (6-5), while Chase Sexton overcame adversity throughout the day to finish seventh overall (11-4)

The Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki riders carried their momentum from the opening round into qualifying, once again showcasing their speed on the dry and technical Hangtown track. Hammaker, running the red plate, topped the 250 Class as fastest overall qualifier, while Kitchen followed behind in fifth overall. Romano and Temmerman secured 19th and 22nd overall, respectively.

In 250 Moto 1, Hammaker wasted no time putting his KX™250 out front, grabbing the holeshot and immediately establishing himself as the rider to beat. Romano joined his teammate at the front and ran inside the Top 3 through the beginning of the moto, while Kitchen and Temmerman settled into eighth and 13th, respectively. As the race progressed, Kitchen steadily worked his way forward, making key passes to move into podium contention. Romano battled fiercely inside the Top 5 before ultimately settling into seventh. Up front, Hammaker delivered a dominant performance, stretching his gap to more than 11 seconds at one point before taking a commanding victory. Kitchen continued his late-race charge to finish second, giving Kawasaki a 1-2 finish in the first moto. Temmerman battled through adversity and a mid-race crash but stayed strong to score his best ever Pro Motocross finish in 10th.

250 Moto 2 started with immediate chaos as Hammaker became caught in a multi-rider pileup entering the first turn on the opening lap. Romano and Kitchen avoided the incident, with Romano emerging near the front in third and Kitchen quickly recovering into fourth, but teammate Hammaker found himself buried far into the field. Kitchen mounted a charge to the leader, moving into second after passing Romano and looked to manage the moto knowing he had the overall in his control. Romano delivered one of his strongest rides of the season, running in podium position throughout the moto before finishing fourth. Meanwhile, Hammaker methodically worked his way forward from deep in the pack, climbing from 28th to ninth by the checkered flag. Kitchen’s second-place finish secured the overall victory, while Hammaker’s recovery ride was enough to keep him on the overall podium in third. Romano’s consistent 7-4 scores earned him a career-best sixth overall, while Temmerman’s continued fight through the day’s early struggles secured 13th overall. Going into Round 3, Hammaker remains up top in the championship standings with a seven-point lead over his teammate Kitchen in second and Romano in sixth. 

In the 450 Class, both Monster Energy Kawasaki riders showed promising speed throughout qualifying despite facing challenges. Marchbanks came out strong in the first session, briefly sitting second on the leaderboard before ending the session 15th after struggling to find his rhythm. Sexton displayed front-running pace but lost valuable time after a short run off the track. Despite setbacks, Sexton secured seventh overall while Marchbanks secured 12th gate pick for the motos.

450 Moto 1 presented adversity almost immediately for Sexton after getting off to a Top 10 start. A first-lap incident dropped the No. 4 deep in the field and forced him come through the field. Meanwhile, Marchbanks capitalized on a strong start aboard his KX™450SR and steadily worked his way forward, moving from ninth to sixth as the moto progressed. Sexton fought through the pack throughout the race but was unable to overcome the track positions lost on the opening lap, crossing the line in 11th. Marchbanks continued his consistent ride to secure sixth place, putting himself in prime position for a strong overall finish heading into Moto 2.

450 Moto 2 presented another set of challenges, as an early red flag forced a complete restart almost immediately after the gate drop. Both Kawasaki riders had a great start prior to the red flag restart, and had the chance to line up for another opportunity to showcase their speed. Sexton launched inside the Top 5 and immediately began applying pressure to the riders ahead, moving into third within the opening laps and settling into podium contention. Marchbanks also put himself in contention early, running eighth before methodically working his way forward. The Kawasaki duo spent much of the moto running fender-to-fender inside the Top 5, with Sexton maintaining fourth and Marchbanks continuing his charge into fifth. Both riders remained consistent through the moto while keeping themselves within striking distance of both the podium battle and each other. Sexton ultimately brought home fourth at the checkered flag, while Marchbanks tied his career-best finish with a fifth place, settling on seventh and fifth overall for the day, respectively. Sexton heads into Thunder Valley next weekend fifth in the points standings, with Marchbanks ninth. 

“The day was pretty good. My starts could definitely be a little better, but I’m happy with my speed, and overall it was a good day. In Moto 2, I got shut down early, but honestly, it probably saved me from getting caught up in that first-turn pileup. Sometimes you’re the hammer, and sometimes you’re the nail, and a lot of guys were the nail this time around. The bike is working great, the team’s happy, and I’m happy.”

 – Levi Kitchen

“Hangtown started off really well. I qualified P1 and felt amazing on the track. In Moto 1, I got the holeshot, led every lap, and honestly, it was probably the best outdoor moto I’ve ever ridden. Everything just clicked. In Moto 2, I got caught up with some riders in the first turn and had to come from way back. We fought all the way up to ninth which gave us third overall, so I can’t be too bummed about that. We still have the points lead, and I’m happy with how I’m riding and feeling heading into Thunder Valley.”

 – Seth Hammaker

Hammaker

“It was a really good day here at Hangtown. Going 7-4 in the motos and getting a Top 5 finish in Moto 2 was a big step forward. We had two good starts and showed a strong fight all day. Everything is starting to click with the bike and the team, and I feel like we’re building momentum every weekend. I’m excited to keep it rolling heading into Thunder Valley.”

 – Nick Romano

« Overall, it was a solid day. Qualifying made things a little difficult, but we were able to put ourselves in a good position when it counted. I had to work through the pack in Moto 1, then got another good start in Moto 2 and made some strong passes to finish fifth. To come away with fifth overall is a great step forward for us. The team has been working really hard, and I’m happy with the progress we’ve made. We’ll keep building and carry that momentum into Thunder Valley. »

 – Garrett Marchbanks

« My result isn’t where I expected it to be, so there’s definitely some frustration leaving Hangtown today. I got off to a bad start in Moto 1, and was fortunately able to pick up my pace in Moto 2. We have a few things to work through this week, but I know what we’re capable of. We’ll keep fighting and putting in the work to show up ready to race at Thunder Valley. »

 – Chase Sexton