The iconic Hangtown Motocross Classic welcomed the Pro Motocross Championship for Round 19 of the 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship, with the sport’s oldest race once again delivering plenty of action under sunny California skies.
Images courtesy of MX Sports Pro Racing
On a rough and demanding circuit just outside Sacramento, Honda HRC Progressive’s Jett Lawrence returned to dominant form, sweeping both 450 motos to secure his first overall victory of the outdoor season. The reigning Pro Motocross and SMX World Champion looked increasingly comfortable as he continues his comeback from the serious ankle injury that disrupted his off-season preparations.
In the 250 class, the unpredictability of the championship remained on full display as Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen emerged on top to claim his first overall victory since 2024, adding another twist to an already wide-open title fight.
Jett Lawrence carried his qualifying speed into racing action at Hangtown, grabbing his first holeshot of the season in Moto 1 and controlling the race from start to finish. Haiden Deegan settled into second early ahead of points leader Hunter Lawrence, but as the moto wore on Hunter closed the gap and made the pass for second in the closing stages. Jett cruised to the win by 7.7 seconds over his brother, while Deegan secured the first moto podium of his young 450 career in third. Dylan Ferrandis and RJ Hampshire rounded out the top five. Jorge Prado looked set for a strong finish after running fourth for much of the race, but a late mechanical issue dropped him to 36th.
Moto 2 was interrupted by an early red flag, leading to a complete restart. Cooper Webb grabbed the holeshot on the second gate drop, but Jett Lawrence quickly took over at the front, with Hunter Lawrence moving into second soon after. The Australian brothers broke away from the field and spent much of the race separated by little more than a second before Jett found another gear around the halfway mark. His late-race charge allowed him to stretch the lead and control the remainder of the moto.
Meanwhile, Deegan put together one of the standout rides of the afternoon. After starting outside the top 10, the rookie charged through the field, eventually passing Chase Sexton for third and securing another podium finish.
Jett completed the moto sweep with a 6.8-second victory over Hunter, while Deegan finished third to secure his first overall podium in the premier class with a consistent 3-3 scorecard.
Despite continuing to recover from injury, Jett looked much closer to his dominant best, capturing his 19th career 450 overall and the 25th moto win of his premier-class career. Hunter’s 2-2 effort secured second overall and helped Honda claim its first 1-2 finish of the Pro Motocross season, while Deegan continued to impress with a podium in just his second 450 start.
Hunter Lawrence leaves Hangtown with the championship lead intact, holding a six-point advantage over Jett Lawrence, while Deegan sits third in the standings, 19 points off the lead.
1st Place – Jett Lawrence | #1 Team Honda HRC Progressive (1-1)
“I knew if I picked a fast pace early that Hunter would be right there with me and would make it a lot harder. I chose [instead] to get a better flow for about 15 minutes and then decided to push for a quick sprint to try and mess up his rhythm, and it worked. It’s good to be back up here with a 1-1.”
2nd Place – Hunter Lawrence | #96 Team Honda HRC Progressive (2-2)
“It’s harder racing against Jett [Lawrence]. He’s my toughest competitor. It got to a point where I was going to take the time to reset and make a push, but he decided to do a sprint and gapped me. Still a solid result. It was a tough track today, so I’m happy.”
3rd Place – Haiden Deegan | #38 Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing (3-3)
“That was good today. I just want to get better and better each weekend. That’s the goal, just keep progressing with each moto and just try to be there. We’ll go back, put in the work, and try again next weekend.”
450 overall results
The 250 class delivered another unpredictable afternoon at Hangtown, with Levi Kitchen emerging on top for his first overall victory since 2024. Championship leader Seth Hammaker looked set to continue his winning streak after taking pole position and controlling Moto 1 from start to finish. The Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider claimed the win by 7.2 seconds over teammate Kitchen, who charged from outside the top 10 to finish second, while Jo Shimoda completed the podium in third.
Moto 2 brought immediate drama as a first-turn pile-up collected multiple riders, including Hammaker, forcing the points leader to begin a recovery ride from deep in the field. Up front, Cole Davies capitalised on a strong start to take control of the race and never looked threatened, securing his second career moto win with a dominant 9.3-second margin over Kitchen.
Kitchen once again showcased impressive speed as he charged from eighth to second, while Julien Beaumer finished third after another consistent ride. Hammaker salvaged valuable championship points with an impressive charge through the pack to finish ninth.
Kitchen’s 2-2 scorecard proved enough for the overall victory, ending a 13-race winless streak and giving the Kawasaki rider his fourth career Pro Motocross overall. Beaumer secured his first career overall podium in second, while Hammaker’s resilience earned him third overall and allowed him to maintain the championship lead, albeit by a reduced seven-point margin over Kitchen heading into Round 3.
1st Place – Levi Kitchen | #47 Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki (2-2)
“Luck was on my side today. I stayed out of the carnage [in Moto 2] and just tried to get around it all. There was a massive gap to the lead [once I got to second] so I didn’t want to risk pushing too hard. It’s been a long time since I won so it feels good. I just want to keep the momentum going.”
2nd Place – Julien Beaumer | #13 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (4-3)
“I didn’t think I’d be up here this quick [coming back from injury]. There were a lot of long nights, but this result shows it was all worth it. I can’t thank my team enough for sticking behind me and supporting me the whole way and giving me an incredible bike to ride.”
3rd Place – Seth Hammaker | #10 Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki (1-9)
“Those first couple laps [after the crash] were hectic coming through the pack. I tried to just be patient and knew that if I could get into the top 10 that I’d have a chance at the podium. It definitely could have been worse, but we survived. All in all, it feels good to still be up here on the box.”
250 overall results
