The 2026 AMA Pro Motocross Championship opened Saturday at Fox Raceway at Pala in Pala, California, and Levi Kitchen made the first real statement of the season. Kitchen climbed from a leading 2:23.678 to a 2:22.717 on his final lap of 250 A practice to top the session as the 11-round series began its first day of on-track action.
That matters because the opening round is where title riders first measure themselves against the clock, the heat and each other. The day was set to be sunny, with a high of about 81 degrees Fahrenheit, and the schedule moved quickly: riders met at 7:15 a.m. with Pastor Jake before bikes went on track at 8 a.m., starting the championship’s first benchmark laps at Fox Raceway.
The first signs came early in the 250 class. Jace Allred topped the 250 B group in the first session on track, then Lux Turner set the early fast lap in 250 A with a 2:25.075 before Julien Beaumer and Kitchen went quicker. Kitchen’s final lap stood as the best of the session, while Dudney was third at 2:24.070 and Chance Hymas finished fifth at 2:26.430.
Not every expected front-runner found the same pace. Jo Shimoda, widely viewed as one of the leading title favorites in the 250 Class, was only 17th fastest in the session, and Nate Thrasher was 24th. That kind of spread on opening morning is part of what makes the first round useful: it gives a clean, immediate look at who is settled and who still has work to do before the motos decide anything.
The 450 field had its own early marker once the first session got underway, with Haiden Deegan leading the group as he prepared for his first 450 Pro Motocross race. The opener will not settle the title picture, but it does set the tone for the championship and hand the paddock its first clues. The afternoon points-paying motos are next, and they will tell much more than practice ever can.
