Sexton’s Promising Debut at Anaheim 1 Ends in Setback
Chase Sexton entered the 2025 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season opener at Anaheim 1 with high expectations in his debut aboard the Kawasaki KX450SR. Anticipation was palpable following his pre-race declaration of confidence: “Tomorrow,” he stated, aiming for immediate victory.
The weekend displayed a mix of potential and challenges for the 450SX rider. Sexton secured the fastest qualifying time, showcasing his speed from previous seasons on both the Honda CRF450R and KTM 450 SX-F. However, in the heat race, a crash on the over/under bridge while contending with Ken Roczen for the lead relegated him to a fifth-place finish.
In the main event, poor starts hampered Sexton’s progress. He exited the first turn in one of the last positions, further complicated by a red flag caused by a significant collision involving Justin Barcia and Malcolm Stewart. On the restart, Sexton was 14th at the holeshot stripe. Despite improving to eighth by the end of the first lap, he briefly dropped to 11th two laps later.
Sexton’s performance stabilized as he navigated his way back up to seventh on lap 15. However, with one tip-over and additional off-track incidents, he crossed the finish line in eighth place. Post-race, Sexton reflected on the challenges, stating, “We’ve got some work to do, but I know we’re capable of improving and putting up better results next week.”
As the season continues, Sexton and his team will focus on refining starts and maintaining consistency to unlock the performance potential of the KX450SR.
