ANAHEIM, California: Max Anstie took the lead early in the first race of the 2026 SuperMotocross 250 West Supercross race at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, and held off Chance Hymas to take the early points lead.
In post-race availability, Anstie characterized the win as the biggest of his career.
“I think it’s definitely got a be at the top,” Anstie said. “Anaheim is special. When I was just a kid, 7-, 8-, 9-years-old, I remember coming to this race, watching this race, dreaming about this race, thinking the win was so far away that I don’t know if I’d ever be here.”
Haiden Deegan (fifth) overcame a poor start to land in the top five with Levi Kitchen, another rider favored to challenge for the championship also overcoming hardship out of the gate. He narrowly missed the top five in sixth.
Ryder DiFrancesco took the final position on the podium.
Michael Mosiman earned the other top-five in fifth after advancing through the Last Chance Qualifier.
Cameron McAdoo crashed at the midway point and finished last.
In-Race Notes
DiFrancesco earned the holes shot with Hymas close behind in second.
Deegan was buried outside the top 10, but Levi Kitchen was worse off and barely inside the top 20 in the opening laps.
Deegan moved up to ninth on Lap 2; Kitchen was up to 16th.
Anstie took second away from Hymas on Lap 4.
McAdoo in fourth and Mosiman rounded out the top five. This was a solid recovery for Mosiman who began the night on the ground in his heat.
Kitchen cracked the top 10 on Lap 5 as the race closed in on the halfway mark.
Three positions separated Deegan and Kitchen for most of the race.
Anstie took the lead from DiFrancesco on Lap 7.
McAdoo crashed with seven minutes on the clock.
Hymas and DiFrancesco are embroiled in a battle for second two-thirds of the way through the race.
Hymas moved to second on Lap 9. Deegan was up to fifth with Kitchen still three positions back in eighth.
Anstie held on for the win by a margin of 6.73 seconds.
Dilan Schwartz was the biggest mover in the race, advancing from 20th at the holeshot line to finish 10th.
