KTM’s Tomac finishes first in the 450MX at the SMX opener in Anaheim
The 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship kicked off Friday, Jan. 9, to a sold-out crowd inside Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, for the opening round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship
In the 450MX Class main event, 33-year-old KTM Factory Racing rider Eli Tomac finished first, 1.4 seconds ahead of second-place finisher, Suzuki’s Ken Roczen. The win was Tomac’s 54th of his career, and his KTM teammate, Jorge Prado, finished third.
In the Western Divisional 250SMX Class, Yamaha’s Max Anstie became the oldest winner in the history of the smaller displacement at 32 years, 8 months, and 16 days of age. The 7.5-second victory was the fourth SMX win of his career. Honda’s Chance Hymas finished in second, and Husqvarna’s Ryder DiFrancesco finished third.
The second race of the SMX World Championship will be at San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium on Jan. 17. Coverage on Peacock will begin at 1 p.m. ET.
SMX playoffs schedule announced
The 2026 SMX World Championship playoffs will take place at the following stadiums: Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, on Sept. 12; Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles on Sept. 19; and Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri, on Sept. 26.
The playoffs and final will feature the top 20 in Supercross and Pro Motocross point leaders competing in a playoff round.
