Chase Sexton Dominates Anaheim 1 as Supercross Season Kicks Off

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Chase Sexton of Red Bull KTM claimed victory at the 2025 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship opener at Angel Stadium on Saturday night, marking his 10th career 450SX Class win. The event, which also served as the first round of the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX), saw Sexton dominate the field, while pre-race favorites Jett Lawrence and Haiden Deegan struggled to find their footing.

Sexton, who tied Mike LaRocco, Marvin Musquin, and Broc Glover for 22nd on the all-time 450SX wins list, led from start to finish, showcasing the improvements made to his KTM bike. “I knew I was feeling good, but I didn’t want to say too much in the pre-season,” Sexton said in a post-race press conference. “I’d rather let my riding do the talking.”

Ken Roczen of Suzuki and Jason Anderson of Kawasaki rounded out the podium, with Roczen earning his 70th career 450SX podium and Anderson securing his first season-opening podium since 2018. Notably, the race featured no California riders in the 450 main event, a stark contrast to the 1985 Anaheim race, where 15 of the 20 riders hailed from the Golden State.

In the 250SX West class, Jo Shimoda of Honda took the win, marking his third career 250SX victory. Julien Beaumer and Jordon Smith joined him on the podium, with Beaumer earning his first career podium finish. The 250SX race also saw Triumph make history, as the brand reached the podium for the first time in AMA Supercross.

The season opener was not without its surprises. Defending 450SX champion Jett Lawrence finished outside the top 10, a rare occurrence for a reigning champion. Historically, only three riders have rebounded from such a start to win the title, including Ricky Carmichael in 2002 and Ryan Villopoto in 2013.

As the series heads to Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego for Round 2, all eyes will be on Sexton to see if he can maintain his momentum. The 2025 season is already shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent memory, with multiple brands and riders vying for supremacy.