Two weeks ago in the Spring Creek National in Millville, Minnesota, Chance Hymas won his first Pro Motocross moto of 2026 and finished second overall, but by his reckoning, a third-place finish in Washougal, Washington, may have been his best effort yet.
“Good day for me, best qualifying, two consistent motos for me,” Hymas said after the Washougal National. “Two good starts. My riding wasn’t anything too crazy. Cole and Ryder were really good today. I was third best guy, third solid. I just tried to minimize the mistakes.”
The last point was important. Hymas got a modest start in the first moto in Spring Creek and was as far back as 13th on the first lap. He worked his way to seventh, then faded in the final laps and finished ninth.
A strong start in Moto 2 contributed to the win, but with no one sweeping the podium, a slightly better finish in the first race may have produced an overall victory.
“I just wanted to start getting a couple consistent motos in, and to be back on the box with a 3-3 and that was really good,” Hymas said. “It’s been a slow build and that’s been really frustrating for me because I feel like every time I’ve come back from an injury, it’s been pretty instant being back up front.
“This time, just honestly, my body’s really good. I’m 100%. It’s just mentally just wanting to make the races and not be hurt again. It finally kind of took its toll on me and that was really frustrating to go through. Each weekend, I’m gaining my confidence back. When you start running up front and you start believing you’re the guy, it does go a long way.”
Hymas has suffered a series of lower body injuries during his four years on the bike, mostly ACL tears. He learned how to overcome them, but early in the 2026 Monster Energy Supercross season, he injured his shoulder.
The healing process from that was completely different.
“It took me a while to kind of get over [the fear of getting hurt again], but Southwick was kind of my first weekend; I was kind of over it,” Hymas said. “Last weekend, I felt like my old self again and I really just focused on the race. I wasn’t worried about all the what ifs, like what could happen. It was just in the moment going for it. And that was kind of how this weekend went too. Back in it and worrying about the race and not worrying about the what ifs.”
Hymas is having to relearn the process of success. That comes from confidence, which changes how a rider sits on the bike and what goes through his mind as he navigates tricky tracks for 35 minutes per moto.
Chance Hymas is becoming a better version of himself after learning to relax on the bike. Align Media
Chance Hymas is becoming a better version of himself after learning to relax on the bike. Align Media
“When you do good at it, you’re gaining confidence,” Hymas said. “I think also the last couple years, people have seen how strong I can be. I think now that I am coming back a little bit, you get the head nods a little bit from people. I mean, it’s not just with me too. You see it with other people and even how Levi’s been this year. You know when people are good and when they’re off, you know something’s not right. And when they start putting results back together, you’re like, all right, he’s back. This guy is a problem now.”
With back-to-back podium finishes, the pressure is off Hymas’ shoulders.
And he’s learned to relax.
“It’s always been something that I’ve kind of struggled with coming to the races; the nerves kind of take over,” Hymas said. “It’s like you feel so pressured up, but it’s like I finally took the pressure off myself and figured out how to enjoy the process. It’s been really fun just trying to be a better version of myself each weekend. “
