Honda HRC Progressive Strong at Anaheim 1

Honda HRC Progressive opens the 2026 AMA Supercross season strongly at Anaheim 1, with Chance Hymas second in 250SX West and Hunter Lawrence fourth in 450SX.

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Honda HRC Progressive kicked off its 2026 AMA Supercross campaign with a composed and competitive performance at Anaheim 1, as Chance Hymas and Hunter Lawrence delivered front-running results at the iconic Angel Stadium in California.

Rather than forcing the issue in the opening round, the team adopted a measured approach focused on consistency and minimising risk. This strategy paid off with Hymas finishing second in the 250SX West main event and Lawrence securing fourth place in the premier 450SX class.

Lawrence just misses the 450SX podium

Hunter Lawrence made an excellent start to the 450SX main event, launching into second place before a red flag on the opening lap halted the race. On the restart, he again positioned himself well in third but slipped back briefly as the field settled.

Lawrence spent much of the race locked in a tense battle with Jason Anderson, searching for a way past while managing traffic and track conditions. A late off-track moment in a rhythm section added drama, but Lawrence recovered quickly, made a decisive pass, and set his sights on the podium — ultimately finishing fourth after running out of laps to close the gap.

Despite narrowly missing the top three, Lawrence leaves Anaheim third in the championship standings following a post-race penalty issued to Jorge Prado.

Hymas fights to second in 250SX West

In the 250SX West main event, Chance Hymas came close to grabbing the holeshot and quickly settled into second behind Ryder DiFrancesco. A multi-rider battle soon developed involving Cameron McAdoo and Max Anstie, with positions constantly changing through the middle portion of the race.

Hymas briefly dropped to third during the fight but regrouped and reclaimed second by the chequered flag, finishing just behind Anstie and securing valuable early-season points.

Hymas’ result places him second in the 250SX West championship standings, only three points behind Anstie after the opening round.

A busy and high-profile weekend

The Anaheim opener also saw strong engagement off the track for Honda HRC Progressive. Lawrence and Hymas featured in Friday’s pre-season press conference and took part in an early riding session on the newly built circuit.

The team’s pits attracted major attention throughout the weekend, including a visit from Isle of Man TT legend John McGuinness, while Huntington Beach Honda hosted a pop-up activation showcasing CRF models and interacting with fans.

Although sidelined through injury, Jett Lawrence and Jo Shimoda attended the event, appeared in NBC’s broadcast coverage, and joined autograph sessions with fans. Their race bikes were also displayed in the pits alongside those of their teammates.

American Honda also marked the occasion by unveiling two custom Talon 1000R side-by-sides as a tribute to the Lawrence brothers, which were displayed throughout the weekend and put to a fan vote.

Looking ahead

Qualifying performances reinforced Honda’s competitiveness across both classes, with Hymas third-fastest overall in 250SX and Lawrence seventh in the combined 450SX times.

With a solid opening round behind them, Honda HRC Progressive now turns its focus to round two of the AMA Supercross season, which takes place this Saturday in San Diego.

After demonstrating both speed and composure at Anaheim, the team leaves the opener well-positioned for the long championship fight ahead.