Eli Tomac of Cortez wins Round 1 of Supercross in Anaheim

Eli Tomac wins Round 1 of the 2026 Supercross season at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, on Saturday. (Courtesy Red Bull KTM)

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Eli Tomac wins Round 1 of the 2026 Supercross season at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, on Saturday. (Courtesy Red Bull KTM)

Eli Tomac of Cortez silenced doubts about his age and new team by dominating the opening race Saturday in the 2026 Supercross season after joining the Red Bull KTM Racing team.

The win at Angel Stadium marked Tomac’s 12th consecutive season with a 450SX main-event victory and his 54th career Supercross win. Teammate Jorge Prado finished third.

In qualifying rounds, Prado won Heat 1 with Tomac second. Ken Roczen took Heat 2.

Tomac, 33, grabbed the holeshot in the main event, but after overjumping and entering an early corner wide, reigning champion Cooper Webb slipped inside of him to take the lead.

Hunter Lawrence stayed close to Tomac while both chased Webb. Jett Lawrence, Hunter’s brother, will miss the 2026 season because of injury.

Before the first lap ended, a crash involving Malcolm Stewart and Justin Barcia stopped the race. Barcia was hospitalized with a concussion and a fractured transverse process, while Stewart sustained a separated shoulder.

Officials restarted the race after clearing the injured riders.

On the restart, Prado led early, but Tomac quickly passed him and held first the rest of the way.

Roczen moved into second and stayed two to three seconds behind Tomac. Prado finished third – more than 20 seconds back.

Tomac won, Roczen was second and Prado third – Prado’s first 450 Supercross podium.

“He (Tomac) looked like he was locked and loaded,” commentators said about Tomac following his win.

After the race, Tomac discussed the win, his age and his new KTM bike.

“Hey, it puts a lot of questions to rest for age and, of course, switching teams,” Tomac said. “Changing motorcycles, changing teams, that’s obviously the biggest thing you can do in our sport. Hey, we did it.”

The race was Prado’s Supercross debut with Red Bull KTM. The multi-time MXGP world champion qualified sixth while adjusting to the KTM 450 bike, then grabbed the holeshot in his heat race and held off Tomac for the win.

In the main event, Prado, 25, launched to another holeshot and rode smart to finish third – his first Supercross podium – giving Red Bull KTM a double podium.

“This is really ahead of my expectations,” he said in a team news release. “Getting the heat race win was awesome, but I am really happy with my main event and to be on the podium. ... Hard work always pays off.”

Veteran racer Aaron Plessinger, 29, returned to KTM action at Anaheim 1, led his heat early, then went to the last chance qualifier after contact with another rider. He won the LCQ and finished 10th in the main event for solid points.

Round 2 is Saturday, Jan. 17, at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.