Round four at NRG Stadium in Houston was the season’s first Triple Crown stop and the series’ first race outside California this season. The event applied the Triple Crown format with no heats, afternoon qualifying and three mains per class, and teams could bring two bikes through tech so riders could switch machines between mains. That two-bike, Triple Crown setup rewarded consistency and forced new setup and risk-management choices.

In qualifying, Eli Tomac topped the 450SX timing charts with a 46.684, nearly half a second quicker than Chase Sexton (47.097); Hunter Lawrence was third at 47.176, underlining Tomac’s early-season form. Haiden Deegan led 250SX qualifying with a 47.554, followed by Levi Kitchen (47.745) and Ryder DiFrancesco (47.790), reinforcing Deegan’s command of the 250SX West standings.

The weekend also produced significant roster news. Honda HRC rider Chance Hymas suffered a shoulder injury in the first turn at Anaheim 2 and was ruled out for the remainder of the Supercross season. Other storylines carried into Houston, include Cooper Webb’s early struggles and his round three crash left him adrift in the standings. In other news, Jason Anderson showed encouraging speed, Hunter Lawrence continued seeking his first 450SX win, and riders such as Jorge Prado and Ryder DiFrancesco were penciled as Triple Crown podium contenders. The SMX Next class returned after the red-flag crash at Anaheim 2 involving Ryder Malinoski and Max Shane, adding another subplot to the weekend’s racing and recovery narratives.

Chance Hymas dislocated his left shoulder in a first-turn crash at the Anaheim 2 Supercross round, suffering a torn labrum that led to a DNF after he had won his heat and posted a second- and a sixth-place finish in earlier rounds. Team reports say another rider’s crash forced Hymas down, and he put his arm out to brace, causing the dislocation and associated labral tear.

Honda HRC Progressive confirmed Hymas will undergo labrum repair surgery on Friday, January 30. The team selected the procedure to prioritize his long-term shoulder health and expects he will be back on the bike in roughly eight weeks. A rehabilitation timeline is aimed at having him fully recovered for the outdoor Pro Motocross season rather than returning for the remainder of Supercross. Honda says Hymas will miss the remaining rounds of the Supercross championship while he recovers and will be monitored over the coming weeks. He joins teammates Jo Shimoda (sidelined with a back issue) and Jett Lawrence (recovering from an ankle injury) on the team’s injury list. On track, Hunter Lawrence sits second in the championship after three rounds.

Eli Tomac opened the 2026 Supercross (SMX) season by winning Anaheim 1 and the San Diego main races, recording his 55th 450SX victory. His San Diego triumph marked his first consecutive 450SX wins since rounds 11-12 in 2023 and brought his 450SX podium total to 104, seven behind Jeremy McGrath on the 450SX all-time podium list. The results also leave him 17 wins shy of McGrath’s 72 career 450SX victories. Tomac extended his early-season championship lead to eight points over Ken Roczen, who notched consecutive rostrums for the first time since 2019 and now has 78 career 450SX podiums and 165 SMX podiums overall. Hunter Lawrence added his third career 450SX top-three and sits 10 points back in third. Other notable 450SX results across the opening rounds included Chase Sexton, Joey Savatgy, and Cooper Webb. Webb crashed after a gate hit but still managed a top-10 finish in San Diego.

In 250SX West, Haiden Deegan emerged as the early title favorite by winning in San Diego and taking the red plate by a single point over teammate Max Anstie. Deegan’s victory was his eighth 250SX win, and the result moved him into the top 50 on the all-time SMX podium list, tying Adam Cianciarulo and Mike Brown. Cameron McAdoo returned to the rostrum for the first time since February 8, 2025, recording his 24th 250SX podium, while Michael Mosiman collected his 11th in his 60th 250SX start, illustrating the depth and turnover in the class early in the year.

Those outcomes set the narrative heading into Anaheim 2 on January 24, raising the stakes. Historically, A2 winners have gone on to claim the season title roughly two-thirds of the time (about 65% in 450SX and 62% in 250SX). Tomac is chasing an Anaheim sweep, a feat that would be only the sixth in series history and the first achieved on a KTM. Fans will get another look at the championship picture before the series moves to Houston on Jan. 31. Off the track, Yamaha announced an update to the 2026 YZ450F aimed at smoother power delivery and improved handling that could influence the title fight as the season progresses.