The 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship kicked off in front of a sell-out crowd at the legendary Angel Stadium in Anaheim. The opening round brought a wave of change, including a new practice format that eliminated free practice and an earlier start time — a shift that was especially welcomed by East Coast fans. Every race will now begin at 4:00pm PT / 7:00pm ET, pushing opening ceremonies into the mid-afternoon and creating a race schedule that conveniently allowed riders to catch those highly sought-after red-eye flights home.

Qualifying practice didn’t stir up too much drama, but the night show more than delivered.

250SX West Main Event

In the 250 class, defending champion Haiden Deegan was the center of attention as usual. He dominated his heat race but later explained that he picked the wrong gate for the main event, attempting to avoid some gnarly bumps out of a gate. That decision ultimately cost him a good start and forced him to battle through the pack for the entire race.

That opened the door for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Ryder DiFrancesco, who grabbed the holeshot and led the early laps of the main event. Despite the undeniable power of an elite mustache, Ryder D’s reign up front would only last until lap six, when a hard-charging Max Anstie, who started fourth, took over the lead. From there, Anstie controlled the race to the finish, becoming the oldest rider to ever win a 250SX Main Event.

Honda HRC Progressive’s Chance Hymas delivered one of the most composed rides of the night, remaining in podium contention throughout the race. He passed DiFrancesco on lap eight and settled into a strong second-place finish.

Meanwhile, Deegan charged relentlessly from 12th on the opening lap, coming through the field and closing in on DiFrancesco’s rear wheel on the final lap. Despite an all-out push, he narrowly missed the podium and was greeted with a finger-gun salute from Ryder as they crossed the finish line.

2026 Anaheim 1 — 250SX West Main Event Results

1. Max Anstie
2. Chance Hymas
3. Ryder DiFrancesco
4. Haiden Deegan
5. Michael Mosiman
6. Levi Kitchen
7. Max Vohland
8. Hunter Yoder
9. Avery Long
10. Dilan Schwartz
11. Carson Mumford
12. Robbie Wageman
13. Joshua Varize
14. Parker Ross
15. Lux Turner
16. Anthony Bourdon
17. Crockett Myers
18. Matti Jorgensen
19. Justin Rodbell
20. Brandon Ray
21. Lorenzo Camporese
22. Cameron McAdoo

You can watch the extended highlight HERE.

450SX Main Event

The 450 Main Event was immediately red-flagged following a massive opening-lap crash involving multiple riders, forcing a restart before the race could settle in. Malcolm Stewart and Justin Barcia were both injured in the incident. Stewart reportedly suffered a dislocated shoulder, while Barcia — who lay motionless on the track for several minutes — was able to move all extremities, per his team post race. Further medical updates are still pending.

Once the gate dropped for the restart, Eli Tomac wasted no time asserting control. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider grabbed the lead early and never relinquished it, pacing the field from start to finish. The win marked Tomac’s 54th career victory and served as a massive statement in his debut race aboard the KTM.

Behind him, Ken Roczen delivered an outstanding performance aboard the Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki. Roczen charged forward from fourth, applying pressure to Tomac for much of the race and finishing just 1.470 seconds behind. The duo remained tightly matched throughout, while Roczen opened a staggering 26.956-second gap over third-place finisher Jorge Prado.

Prado capitalized on a strong start and delivered the best Supercross finish of his U.S. career. Although he was later assessed a small points penalty (3 points) after failing post-race sound testing, the KTM rider looked comfortable, fast, and confident — beginning the SMX season in a position few would have predicted.

One of the most intriguing battles deeper in the field unfolded between defending champion Cooper Webb and Chase Sexton. The two traded positions multiple times as they fought through traffic, each showing flashes of speed but also moments of frustration. Webb ultimately prevailed, finishing ahead of Sexton and sending an early reminder that the championship fight is very much on — even on a night when neither rider found the podium.

450SX Main Event Results

1. Eli Tomac
2. Ken Roczen
3. Jorge Prado
4. Hunter Lawrence
5. Jason Anderson
6. Justin Cooper
7. Cooper Webb
8. Chase Sexton
9. Dylan Ferrandis
10. Aaron Plessinger
11. Christian Craig
12. Colt Nichols
13. Joey Savatgy
14. Justin Hill
15. Austin Forkner
16. Mitchell Oldenburg
17. Shane McElrath
18. R.J. Hampshire
19. Vince Friese
20. Mitchell Harrison
21. Justin Barcia
22. Malcolm Stewart

Photos: Octopi Media