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CHASE SEXTON AND SETH HAMMAKER MATCH PODIUM FINISHES IN DETROIT
Monster Energy® Kawasaki rider Chase Sexton returned to racing in strong form at Round 11 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship in Detroit, finishing second in the 450SX Main Event. Teammate Garrett Marchbanks overcame early setbacks to charge through the field in the main event, securing a 10th-place finish. In the 250SX Class, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Seth Hammaker delivered a standout performance, matching Sexton to finish second in the main event. Teammate Nick Romano capitalized on the previous round’s results with a hard-fought seventh-place finish in the main event.
Detroit’s Ford Field hosted Round 11 with a technical and slick layout that demanded precision and consistency, challenging riders throughout the day. Kawasaki riders established themselves early in qualifying and carried that momentum into the night show.
In 450SX Qualifying, Sexton showed front-running speed aboard his KX™450SR, finishing second in the opening session before placing fourth overall after losing a fast lap due to failing post qualifying sound control. Marchbanks continued to build throughout the day, qualifying 16th overall.
In 450 Heat 1, Sexton launched to the front and controlled the race from start to finish to capture the win and show the competition that he has returned to form. Marchbanks faced adversity early after being pushed wide on the opening lap, resulting in a crash. He was forced to recover from the back of the field and came across the line in 11th, sending him to the last chance qualifier.
In the 450 LCQ, Marchbanks delivered a determined ride, charging through the field and making a decisive pass for the lead just before the white flag to secure the win and transfer to the main event.
In the 450 Main Event, Sexton powered into the lead off the start and remained in contention throughout the race. After briefly dropping back, he capitalized on late-race incidents ahead to move back into second, securing a podium finish in his return to racing. Marchbanks worked his way forward from a mid-pack start, steadily climbing through the field to finish 10th, showcasing his ability to overcome adversity through a tough day. Sexton and Marchbanks leave Detroit sixth and 17th in the points standings, respectively.
In 250SX Qualifying, Hammaker set the pace aboard his KX™250, topping the overall timesheets after finishing second in the opening session and first in the second. Hammaker was originally second overall, but was granted fastest qualifier when the original leader failed the post qualifying sound test. Romano remained consistent across both sessions to qualify 16th overall. MX6 Racing Kawasaki riders Derek Kelly and Henry Miller also put their KX™250 machines in the Top 10 with a sixth and eighth-place, respectively.
In 250 Heat 1, Romano delivered an impressive ride, battling neck and neck for the lead and maintaining a strong pace to finish second and transfer directly to the main event. In Heat 2, Hammaker ran up front off the start before a mistake in the rhythm section dropped him back to fifth. Quickly regrouping, he worked his way forward to secure third at the checkered flag.
In the 250 Main Event, Hammaker positioned himself near the front from the start, rounding the first turn in second place. He capitalized when the leader went down, taking over the lead through the opening laps. A late charge from the competition behind him moved him back to second, where he held on to secure the podium finish. Teammate Romano started inside the Top 10 and advanced to sixth before a late-race shuffle placed him seventh at the finish. Half of the Top 10 was composed of Kawasaki riders with a career-best finish for Miller finishing in fifth-place, Kyle Peters eighth, and Kelley in ninth. Hammaker currently sits second in the points standings, with Romano in 18th, going into Round 12 at St. Louis.
“Detroit was my first round back from being injured. I got first in the heat race and second in the main event. It was a better night for me, and I'm glad to be back on the podium. It's been a bit of a struggle, so we'll take what we can get and turn this season around. I feel good; my riding feels good, and I think this is just the start. I'm excited for the future, and we'll look ahead to St. Louis now.”
- Chase Sexton
“Overall, it was a solid day. We made some changes in qualifying that didn’t quite go in the right direction, so we went back to our base setup for the night show. I got a great start in the heat race, but got pushed wide and had a pretty big crash early on, which made things tough. In the LCQ, I felt a lot better with the bike, rode my way through the field, and was able to take the first transfer spot. In the main event, I came from way back and worked up to the Top 10, so I’m happy with the progress, and we’ll keep building from here.”
- Garrett Marchbanks
“Detroit was a good weekend; I qualified fastest and felt solid. In the heat race, I got off to a bad start and went into second. Immediately after I passed for second, I over-jumped a triple in the rhythm and banged up my hip and knee a little bit. Other than that, I salvaged third in the heat race and got a good start in the main event, running second for the first couple of laps. [Nate] Thrasher went down in front of me, then I was leading until about halfway when [Cole] Davies put on his charge and got around me, so I finished second. I’m happy with being consistent, but definitely want to get some wins here soon.”
- Seth Hammaker
“Today was a good day. Qualifying wasn't great, and then I showed up for the night show, ended up second in the heat race, and then seventh in the main event. I’m happy with the night, a lot of positives, and back to work this week for the next round.”
- Nick Romano
