Supercross Round #2 Recap | San Diego | 17 Jan 2026
Eli Tomac Opens 2026 Monster Energy Supercross Season with Back-to-Back Wins as Haiden Deegan Strikes in 250SMX
The 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship continued its electrifying start with a sold-out crowd packing Snapdragon Stadium for Round 2 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship. Under the lights in San Diego, experience and intensity once again defined the night as Eli Tomac and Haiden Deegan delivered standout performances in their respective classes.
Tomac Survives Three-Way Battle for San Diego Victory
Fresh off his Anaheim 1 triumph, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Eli Tomac backed it up with another masterclass, capturing his second consecutive 450SMX Class victory in a hard-fought Main Event. The win marked the 55th Supercross victory of Tomac’s career and moved him into a tie with Jeremy McGrath for second on the all-time SMX wins list.
2026 Monster Energy Supercross season traveled to San Diego.
The Main Event opened with Honda HRC Progressive’s Hunter Lawrence claiming the holeshot, with Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen and Tomac close behind. The trio quickly separated themselves from the rest of the field, setting up an intense three-rider fight at the front.
who captured his 55th career Supercross victory and 87th career SMX win
to move into a tie Jeremy McGrath for second all-time.
Lawrence showed early strength while defending heavy pressure from Roczen, but as Tomac entered the mix, the pace intensified. Roczen made a decisive move on Lawrence to take the lead, while Tomac followed into second. The lead changed hands multiple times as Tomac and Roczen went back and forth in a tactical battle that kept the stadium on edge.
With six minutes remaining, Tomac made the pass that ultimately sealed the race. Roczen’s pace dropped slightly, allowing Lawrence to reclaim second and close in on Tomac during the closing laps. Despite late pressure, Tomac remained composed and crossed the line 1.3 seconds clear to complete a dramatic back-to-back start to the season.
Lawrence’s second-place finish equaled the best result of his Supercross career, while Roczen secured another podium in third. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Chase Sexton impressed with a remarkable recovery ride to fourth after a poor start, while defending champion Cooper Webb rebounded from a mid-race incident to finish eighth.
Tomac’s perfect start to the season has stretched his championship lead to eight points over Roczen, with Lawrence now third in the standings.
“Me and Ken had an unbelievable battle. I was so focused on marking him around the track that I didn’t realize Hunter was right there at the end. That was close, but it feels great to go back-to-back.”
Eli Tomac:
Deegan Claims First Win of 2026 in Dramatic 250SMX Showdown
The Western Divisional 250SMX Class delivered its own headline moment as defending champion Haiden Deegan captured his first win of the season in a dramatic and controversial battle with teammate Max Anstie.
Anstie entered the night as the points leader and grabbed the holeshot, immediately engaging in a fierce duel with Deegan that echoed their earlier Heat Race battle. Deegan appeared to have the pace advantage, but Anstie’s experience kept him firmly in control for much of the race.
Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Cameron McAdoo
rebounded with an impressive second-place effort.
With just over nine minutes remaining, Deegan made an aggressive move in a bowl turn, cutting underneath Anstie. As the pair exited the corner, contact between Deegan’s rear wheel and Anstie’s front wheel sent the championship leader to the ground. Deegan capitalized and sprinted away, building a commanding lead.
Behind him, the focus shifted to a spirited podium battle. Cameron McAdoo charged through the field to take second, an emotional result after finishing 22nd at Anaheim and returning from a torn ACL. Michael Mosiman followed closely to secure third, while Chance Hymas narrowly missed the podium. Anstie recovered to finish fifth.
Deegan took the checkered flag by 7.6 seconds to earn his eighth career SMX victory and his first while carrying the No. 1 plate. The result vaulted him to the top of the Western Divisional 250SMX standings, one point ahead of Anstie.
“I came out swinging tonight. Sorry to Max, I didn’t want it to go that way, but I wanted to make a statement.”
Haiden Deegan:
Momentum Builds Heading Into Round 3
With two rounds complete, the 2026 Supercross season is already delivering high drama and elite racing. Eli Tomac has established early authority in the 450SMX title fight, while Haiden Deegan’s San Diego win has ignited a fierce battle in the 250SMX West. As the championship heads deeper into the season, momentum, consistency, and resilience are quickly becoming the defining factors.