Slaw
Just a week removed from a Super Bowl victory for the hometown Seattle Seahawks, the energy inside Lumen Field for a Valentine’s Day visit to the Emerald City featured a heightened sense of energy and excitement for Round 6 of the 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship. The incredible atmosphere encapsulated the most action-packed night yet in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship, where the always challenging Seattle track conditions became a central player in the battle for victory. After a grueling 20 Minutes + 1 Lap Main Event, it was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Eli Tomac who prevailed with his third victory of the season, wrestling the lead away from Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb before soldiering home to a bounce-back win following an adversity plagued outing last weekend.
The sixth race of the Western Divisional 250SMX Class also served as the midseason send off before the Eastern Divisional Championship begins next weekend. That presented an opportunity to enter the break with momentum, and the added motivation produced an instant classic between Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan, the dominant championship leader, and Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen, the hometown favorite. Off the start it was another Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rider out front, with Max Anstie securing the holeshot, but it didn’t take long for Deegan to storm into the lead just a few minutes into the 15 Minute + 1 Lap race. Kitchen, meanwhile, was on a torrid charge to the front as he clawed his way from fifth to second prior to the halfway point. The tense rivalry between Deegan and Kitchen entered its next chapter during an incredible head-to-head showdown that produced four exchanges for the lead. As he navigated lapped riders Deegan appeared to let Kitchen assume the lead with a little more than seven minutes to go. Kitchen then established a multi-second advantage for several laps, but the degrading track and increased lapped traffic forced both riders to take alternate lines and caused minor miscues. Deegan showed patience and closed back in, then made multiple inside pass attempts before he took advantage of a missed rhythm by Kitchen to reclaim the position with a little more than two minutes to go. With the support of the crowd, Kitchen fought back and retook the lead, but Deegan made one final pass back with about a minute remaining.
Deegan stormed to his fifth consecutive win by 1.5 seconds over Kitchen, who became the first fellow competitor to give Deegan a significant challenge during his run of dominance. The near-miss in front of the hometown crowd continued a recent surge for Kitchen, who now has three straight runner-up finishes. Anstie rode to a quiet and comfortable third-place finish, his first podium since winning the opening race of the season.
Quotes
Eli Tomac – 1st Place – 450SMX Class
“Seattle was the usual. It’s a tough track to really get a hold of and get comfortable on. I saved the best for last of course. I had my best start and my best ride there [in the Main Event]. I cleaned up some lines, did some different jump combinations. Just typical Seattle. One of the toughest we have all year. Glad to conquer it.”
Cooper Webb – 2nd Place – 450SMX Class
“Overall, it was fun, with a side of sketch. The track was really gnarly. It’s always gnarly here, but this [track] with still having to hit the rhythms [sections], they’re pretty big. It was brutal. Obviously, Eli [Tomac] picked up on a good line and kept doing it and got past me. I tightened up for sure with a little arm pump, but it is what it is. At the end of the day, I can’t be hitting whoops like that and expect to win. We’ll get back to work.”
Justin Cooper – 3rd Place – 450SMX Class
“It’s just Seattle. This track was absolutely gnarly. With 20 [minutes] plus 1 [lap] out there with these 450s, it gets really demanding. I just put together solid laps and got a little gift from [Lawrence and Roczen]. Sometimes you’ve got to stay in it and that’s what we did tonight. Really pumped to get back on the box.”
Hunter Lawrence – 4th Place – 450SMX Class
“[My race] started with wheel spin off the start. I just didn’t get myself good track position. I was coming through and had good pace. I feel like an idiot. I jumped on the inside [and] was already going down and got Kenny involved. That just sucked, honestly. Not how I would have wanted the night to go, but we’re fourth and still have the red plate. We’ll head on to Dallas.”
Haiden Deegan – 1st Place – Western Divisional 250SMX Class
“That was gnarly. I went through after [the finish] and told [Kitchen] that was the gnarliest battle I have ever had racing. We were going back and forth. I don’t know what to say, that was the best I’ve had. I know it’s in his hometown so the [fans] may not like it, but I hope they enjoyed that one.”
Levi Kitchen – 2nd Place – Western Divisional 250SMX Class
“I think that’s the race everyone has been waiting for. I’m bummed I couldn’t get it done for the hometown, but I rode my heart out and [Deegan] did too. That had to be the coolest race of my life. We were going at it the whole time. Thanks to everyone here in Seattle, they were amazing. That was fun.”
Max Anstie – 3rd Place – Western Divisional 250SMX Class
“That was really tough. That was a tough track, and those boys [Deegan and Kitchen] were obviously riding awesome. It was amazing to hear the fans cheering for Levi. I’ve been struggling since Anaheim 1. I don’t know what it is, but my throat and my chest have been burning. Last week was bad too. I need to get it checked out because I don’t feel sick, but I can’t breathe right. My chest just burns.”
Results
450SX
| POS | # | RIDER | INTERVAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | ELI TOMAC | 24 Laps |
| 2 | 1 | COOPER WEBB Holeshot | 9.265 |
| 3 | 32 | JUSTIN COOPER | 15.598 |
| 4 | 96 | HUNTER LAWRENCE | 20.814 |
| 5 | 4 | CHASE SEXTON | 30.331 |
| 6 | 27 | MALCOLM STEWART | 39.897 |
| 7 | 7 | AARON PLESSINGER | 46.011 |
| 8 | 17 | JOEY SAVATGY | 48.470 |
| 9 | 14 | DYLAN FERRANDIS | 49.239 |
| 10 | 94 | KEN ROCZEN | 1 Lap |
| 11 | 46 | JUSTIN HILL | 1 Lap |
| 12 | 21 | JASON ANDERSON | 1 Lap |
| 13 | 45 | COLT NICHOLS | 1 Lap |
| 14 | 12 | SHANE MCELRATH | 1 Lap |
| 15 | 78 | KEVIN MORANZ | 1 Lap |
| 16 | 62 | GRANT HARLAN | 2 Laps |
| 17 | 41 | MITCHELL HARRISON | 2 Laps |
| 18 | 44 | TY MASTERPOOL | 2 Laps |
| 19 | 719 | VINCE FRIESE | 2 Laps |
| 20 | 711 | TRISTAN LANE | 2 Laps |
| 21 | 519 | JOSH CARTWRIGHT | 3 Laps |
| 22 | 36 | GARRETT MARCHBANKS | 3 Laps |
250SX West Divison
| POS | # | RIDER | INTERVAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1W | HAIDEN DEEGAN | 19 Laps |
| 2 | 47 | LEVI KITCHEN | 1.500 |
| 3 | 61 | MAX ANSTIE Holeshot | 31.654 |
| 4 | 34 | RYDER DIFRANCESCO | 39.779 |
| 5 | 142 | CAMERON MCADOO | 41.087 |
| 6 | 23 | MICHAEL MOSIMAN | 49.549 |
| 7 | 19 | MAXIMUS VOHLAND | 1:02.175 |
| 8 | 60 | HUNTER YODER | 1 Lap |
| 9 | 40 | PARKER ROSS | 1 Lap |
| 10 | 71 | CARSON MUMFORD | 1 Lap |
| 11 | 224 | JOSHUA VARIZE | 1 Lap |
| 12 | 43 | LUX TURNER | 1 Lap |
| 13 | 57 | AVERY LONG | 1 Lap |
| 14 | 131 | CROCKETT MYERS | 1 Lap |
| 15 | 137 | AYDEN SHIVE | 1 Lap |
| 16 | 245 | MATTI JORGENSEN | 2 Laps |
| 17 | 260 | NICO KOCH | 2 Laps |
| 18 | 173 | HUNTER SCHLOSSER | 2 Laps |
| 19 | 800 | PRESTON MASCIANGELO | 2 Laps |
| 20 | 284 | LORENZO CAMPORESE | 2 Laps |
| 21 | 208 | LOGAN LEITZEL | 3 Laps |
| 22 | 83 | JUSTIN RODBELL | 14 Laps |
Championship Standings
450SX
| 1 | 96 | Hunter Lawrence | 124 |
| 2 | 3 | Eli Tomac | 123 |
| 3 | 94 | Ken Roczen | 113 |
| 4 | 1 | Cooper Webb | 113 |
| 5 | 4 | Chase Sexton | 106 |
| 6 | 32 | Justin Cooper | 95 |
| 7 | 21 | Jason Anderson | 83 |
| 8 | 17 | Joey Savatgy | 80 |
| 9 | 14 | Dylan Ferrandis | 75 |
| 10 | 26 | Jorge Prado | 73 |
| 11 | 7 | Aaron Plessinger | 65 |
| 12 | 27 | Malcolm Stewart | 52 |
| 13 | 46 | Justin Hill | 51 |
| 14 | 28 | Christian Craig | 45 |
| 15 | 45 | Colt Nichols | 43 |
| 16 | 24 | R.J. Hampshire | 38 |
| 17 | 12 | Shane McElrath | 32 |
| 18 | 36 | Garrett Marchbanks | 24 |
| 19 | 719 | Vince Friese | 17 |
| 20 | 41 | Mitchell Harrison | 16 |
| 21 | 33 | Austin Forkner | 12 |
| 22 | 78 | Kevin Moranz | 10 |
| 23 | 62 | Grant Harlan | 9 |
| 24 | 52 | Mitchell Oldenburg | 6 |
| 25 | 63 | Freddie Noren | 4 |
| 26 | 44 | Ty Masterpool | 4 |
| 27 | 711 | Tristan Lane | 3 |
| 28 | 519 | Josh Cartwright | 2 |
| 29 | 51 | Justin Barcia | 1 |
| 30 | 200 | Ryan Breece | 1 |
| 31 | 604 | Max Miller | 0 |
| 32 | 784 | Cade Clason | 0 |
250 West Division
| 1 | 1W | Haiden Deegan | 143 |
| 2 | 61 | Max Anstie | 108 |
| 3 | 23 | Michael Mosiman | 107 |
| 4 | 34 | Ryder Difrancesco | 107 |
| 5 | 47 | Levi Kitchen | 101 |
| 6 | 142 | Cameron Mcadoo | 97 |
| 7 | 19 | Maximus Vohland | 92 |
| 8 | 60 | Hunter Yoder | 74 |
| 9 | 40 | Parker Ross | 70 |
| 10 | 71 | Carson Mumford | 60 |
| 11 | 57 | Avery Long | 58 |
| 12 | 224 | Joshua Varize | 56 |
| 13 | 43 | Lux Turner | 49 |
| 14 | 29 | Chance Hymas | 38 |
| 15 | 42 | Dilan Schwartz | 36 |
| 16 | 131 | Crockett Myers | 34 |
| 17 | 70 | Anthony Bourdon | 28 |
| 18 | 245 | Matti Jorgensen | 26 |
| 19 | 237 | Robbie Wageman | 25 |
| 20 | 83 | Justin Rodbell | 23 |
| 21 | 173 | Hunter Schlosser | 22 |
| 22 | 137 | Ayden Shive | 18 |
| 23 | 964 | Dominique Thury | 14 |
| 24 | 800 | Preston Masciangelo | 11 |
| 25 | 284 | Lorenzo Camporese | 9 |
| 26 | 66 | Cole Thompson | 6 |
| 27 | 260 | Nico Koch | 5 |
| 28 | 425 | Reven Gordon | 2 |
| 29 | 388 | Brandon Ray | 2 |
| 30 | 316 | Ty Freehill | 2 |
| 31 | 900 | Keegan Rowley | 1 |
| 32 | 208 | Logan Leitzel | 1 |
| 33 | 645 | Colby Copp | 0 |
| 34 | 805 | Slade Varola | 0 |
