JULIEN BEAUMER EXTENDS 250SX WEST POINTS LEAD WITH ANAHEIM 2 PODIUM

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing's Julien Beaumer extended his 250SX West advantage at Anaheim 2's third round of the 2025 AMA Supercross Championship, while in the 450SX Class, teammate Chase Sexton charged to fourth position to maintain his title challenge.

Western Regional championship leader Beaumer – who debuted the red plate on his KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION this weekend – built upon his points lead after a composed P2 ride in increasingly challenging conditions.

The 18-year-old sensation topped qualifying by more than half a second, before finishing P5 in his Heat Race after going down and then later being penalized two positions.

Beaumer made a strong start to the Main Event and quickly settled into P2, then stayed calm throughout the race, as rainfall made the track increasingly slick. His calculated ride to second now sees him with a seven-point lead in the standings heading to Glendale’s fourth round next Saturday.

Julien Beaumer: "Qualifying was good this morning, and then I went down in the Heat after leading. It wasn’t anything to worry about – that’s racing. I got off to a solid start in the Main Event and we finished second tonight, so another podium, and more points on the board. We’ll go back to work this week and we’ll aim to be better again next weekend."

In 450SX, Sexton stayed within striking distance of the leaders all day onboard his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, setting the third-fastest qualifying time, before going on to finishing third in his Heat.

During a rain-affected Main Event, the 25-year-old reigning Pro Motocross Champion steadily worked his way up the ranks from a P7 start, pushing hard for a podium position in the closing laps on his way to fourth. Sexton continues to hold down second in the standings, just three points outside of the series lead.

Chase Sexton: "Anaheim 2 was a bit of a struggle. I had to rest from Tuesday until yesterday as I’ve been sick this week, but I was able to come out and ride as well as I could today. I didn’t feel 100 percent, so it was good that I was able to push through. I rode pretty well in the Main Event – it obviously wasn’t the result we wanted, but fourth was okay to salvage what I could. I’ll continue to work on getting healthy again and get ready for the Triple Crown next week."

It was a more difficult day for 450SX teammate Aaron Plessinger. After recording the 10th-fastest qualifying time, the fan favorite was caught in a first-turn incident in his Heat, but charged hard to finish an impressive P4 aboard the KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION.

Plessinger started the Main Event inside the top-five, until making an error in the early laps, which damaged his throttle and he was unable to complete the race. The Cowboy – who was celebrating his 29th birthday at A2 – is positioned 19th in the standings after the opening three rounds.

Aaron Plessinger: “Anaheim 2 was going good all day, right up until the Main Event. I got a decent start, but I think I tried to force the issue a little too soon and ended up missing the rear brake jumping into a turn. My throttle got caught in his rear wheel and caused some damage, unfortunately ending my night. We’ve made some improvements to my bike settings, I’m healthy, and looking forward to the next round now."

Next Race: February 1 – Glendale, Arizona

Results 450SX Class – Anaheim 2
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda)
2. Ken Roczen (Suzuki)
3. Jason Anderson (Kawasaki)
4. Chase Sexton (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
9. Malcolm Stewart (Husqvarna)
10. Justin Barcia (GASGAS)
22. Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)

Standings 450SX Class 2025 after 3 of 17 rounds
1. Ken Roczen, 62 points
2. Chase Sexton, 59
3. Jett Lawrence, 57
9. Justin Barcia, 42
10. Malcolm Stewart, 40
19. Aaron Plessinger, 13

Results 250SX West Class – Anaheim 2
1. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha)
2. Julien Beaumer (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing)
3. Cole Davies (Yamaha)

Standings 250SX West Class 2025 after 3 of 10 rounds
1. Julien Beaumer, 69 points
2. Haiden Deegan, 62
3. Jordon Smith, 60
8. Ryder DiFrancesco, 35

KTM NEWS

ARLINGTON 450SX PODIUM FOR ELI TOMAC AND RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING

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Eli Tomac and the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team claimed a well-earned second-place finish at Arlington’s seventh round of the 2026 AMA Supercross Championship, recording his fifth podium of the season tonight in Texas. Equipped with the KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION – complete with a special livery for Military Appreciation Round – Tomac topped the premier class qualifying for the third time in 2026, posting a benchmark 47.688s lap during the second afternoon session at AT&T Stadium. Momentum continued for the 33-year-old with third-place in the opening 450SX Heat Race, as he showed consistent pace and gained a solid gate selection for the upcoming Main Event. Despite a difficult initial launch out of the gate, Tomac quickly recovered on the opening laps with a series of decisive passes, as the two-time 450SX Champion charged into fourth position during the race's early stages. From there, an intense, race-long battle unfolded, with Tomac advancing into second during the closing laps of the Main Event. Mounting a late charge, he continued to apply pressure at the front, ultimately finishing in P2 at Round 7. As the 2026 AMA Supercross Championship approaches its halfway point, Tomac sits just four points from the 450SX series lead, with the SMX World Championship season continuing at the annual Daytona Supercross next weekend. Eli Tomac: “Those first laps absolutely saved my race. I had to make some quick moves there and was able to find those openings to pass two-to-three riders at a time. By lap two or three, I could see the front of the race and thought, ‘I’m okay, I can work with this.’ What a difficult track [it was] tonight. Of course, I fought to the end as much as I could and second is what we had. Thank you to Red Bull KTM – we’ll come back swinging in Daytona.” Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450SX teammate Aaron Plessinger made a positive start to the night aboard his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, claiming fifth place in his Heat Race to comfortably earn a direct transfer into the Main Event. Plessinger faced an intense opening few laps in fighting for early track position, as the 30-year-old battled inside the top-10 throughout Arlington’s entire Main Event. 'The Cowboy' eventually scored an eighth-place finish for the weekend. With the series moving to Daytona next weekend, ‘The Cowboy’ will turn his attention to the historic Florida speedway, where he landed on the podium – his first of the 2025 season – one year ago. Aaron Plessinger: "Dallas was better. I think we made some pretty good progress with the bike, but ultimately, I just need to be better. I need to put myself in better positions, and just overall, be better myself. The Heat Race, I got an average start and rode my way to fifth, and then for the Main, I went all the way inside gate, so got a better start. I was running good and then [Jason] Anderson ended up going down in front of me, so that put me back a little bit. And then I had a decent flow going there, but I ended up casing a jump pretty good and kind of ruined my momentum that I had going.
I ended up eighth, but overall, it just needed to be better. We go to Daytona next week, so I am looking forward to that and, yeah, I've just got to focus on being better on race day." Four-time world champion Jorge Prado was sidelined for Round 7 after his incident during Seattle’s second qualifying session, with the 25-year-old prioritizing recovery on his right shoulder by taking a week off the bike at this time. Next Race: February 28 – Daytona, Florida Results 450SX Class – Arlington 1. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 2. Eli Tomac (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 3. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) 8. Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 11. Malcolm Stewart (Husqvarna) 12. Justin Hill (KTM) 17. Kevin Moranz (KTM) Standings 450SX Class 2026 after 7 of 17 rounds 1. Hunter Lawrence, 149 points 2. Eli Tomac, 145 3. Cooper Webb, 133 10. Aaron Plessinger, 79 11. Jorge Prado, 73 12. Malcolm Stewart, 63 13. Justin Hill, 61 17. RJ Hampshire, 38

RED BULL KTM'S JORGE PRADO TO SIT OUT ARLINGTON ROUND OF SUPERCROSS

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Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Jorge Prado will sit out Round 7 of the 2026 AMA Supercross Championship in Arlington, Texas, this weekend. Prado will continue his recovery after crashing heavily in the final qualifying session at Seattle, sidelining him for the remainder of the event in order to undergo further evaluation on his right shoulder. While no major injuries have been determined, the four-time world champion will take a week off his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION as a result of excessive swelling and irritation in his shoulder joint, prioritizing his health with the goal of returning for the Daytona Supercross on February 28. Ian Harrison, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: "Following Jorge's crash in qualifying at Seattle, we had his right shoulder checked out, which he has injured previously. While there are no major injuries that have been found, other than the excessive swelling and irritation in the region, it has been decided that Jorge will take a week off the bike and his goal is to be back for Daytona if he is in a position to do so. We are not in a title fight with Jorge and his health is the absolute priority, so with some more therapy I am sure that he will be back and competitive again as soon as he is ready." Prado has been exceptional since reuniting with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing for 2026 in the U.S.-based SMX World Championship, finishing on the Main Event podium in third at Anaheim 1, also achieving three Heat Race wins (Anaheim 1, Anaheim 2 and Glendale), in addition to qualifying quickest at both Glendale and Seattle.

RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING AND ELI TOMAC BACK ON TOP IN SEATTLE

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Eli Tomac and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing returned to the top step of the AMA Supercross podium at Round 6 in Seattle tonight, as the two-time 450SX Champion raced to a convincing third win of 2026 in technical conditions at Lumen Field. Equipped with the KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, Tomac set the second-fastest qualifying time behind Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Jorge Prado at the conclusion of the afternoon sessions. The 33-year-old then powered to a measured third-place finish in the opening 450SX Heat Race, earning a strong gate selection for the upcoming Main Event as track conditions continued to break down throughout the night. In launching out of the gates well for the Main Event, Tomac positioned himself in second position early on, then trailed the race leader during the opening stages of the race as he looked for opportunities to make a move. A decisive pass at the halfway point saw him take control of the lead, going on to deliver victory by 9.265 seconds. Tomac recorded his third win of the 2026 SMX World Championship season in Seattle – which was also the 56th of his career in 450SX – and now is one point outside of the 450SX lead entering Arlington next weekend. Eli Tomac: “Seattle was the usual conditions today, a tough track to really get ahold of and get comfortable on, but I saved the best for last – I got the best start and had my best ride in the Main Event. I cleaned up some lines, did some different jump combinations, and this was just typical Seattle, and one of the toughest rounds that we have on the schedule. I am glad to come here and get back on top, as the last couple of weekends have been a little tough, so we're back at it!” Also onboard the KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, Aaron Plessinger qualified ninth overall during the afternoon, later taking a direct transfer to the 450SX Main Event with a convincing third-place finish in his Heat Race. 'The Cowboy' then powered to a good start in the Main Event, battling within the top-five throughout the opening stages of the race, before eventually crossing the finish in seventh position and continuing to improve into the middle stages of the Supercross series. Aaron Plessinger: "Wrapping up Round 6 in Seattle, it was an alright night for me. I struggled a little in practice, but then got a pretty good start in the Heat Race and finished third, and then made another good start in the Main Event. Half of that one was solid, but it just kind of fell apart after that, so I've just got to be better. We're getting back towards consistent riding and not making so many mistakes, and I think heading back to Florida this week will do me good – we'll get some riding done and work on some things. The positives are that we got two good starts tonight and had some good laps, so we'll build on that in Arlington!" Four-time world champion Jorge Prado continued his impressive pace in Seattle, setting the fastest overall qualifying time for the second-consecutive week with a 50.600-second lap — nearly half a second clear of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Eli Tomac. An incident late in the second 450SX qualifying session, however, ultimately sidelined the 25-year-old for the remainder of the night program. After attempting to line up for Heat 2, Prado withdrew from Round 6 and will undergo further medical evaluation this week. Next Race: February 21 – Arlington, Texas Results 450SX Class – Seattle 1. Eli Tomac (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 2. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) 3. Justin Cooper (Yamaha) 6. Malcolm Stewart (Husqvarna) 7. Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 11. Justin Hill (KTM) 15. Kevin Moranz (KTM) 16. Grant Harlan (KTM) Standings 450SX Class 2026 after 6 of 17 rounds 1. Hunter Lawrence, 124 points 2. Eli Tomac, 123 3. Ken Roczen, 113 10. Jorge Prado, 73 11. Aaron Plessinger, 65 12. Malcolm Stewart, 52 13. Justin Hill, 51 16. RJ Hampshire, 38