Haiden Deegan Edges Ryder DiFrancesco in SuperMotocross 250 Qualification

Deegan posts fastest time in Glendale, Arizona qualifying session

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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Haiden Deegan, the dominant rider in the 2026 250 West division, continued his strong start to the season by posting the fastest qualification time in the opening session for Round 5 of the SuperMotocross series in Glendale, Arizona. Deegan's time of 57.617 seconds narrowly edged out Ryder DiFrancesco's 57.644 seconds, with the two riders being the only ones to crack the 58-second mark in the session.

Why it matters

The SuperMotocross series is one of the premier off-road motorcycle racing championships, and the 250 class features some of the sport's rising young stars. Deegan's performance in qualifying underscores his status as the rider to beat in the 250 West division this season, as he looks to extend his lead in the championship standings.

The details

In the opening qualification session, Deegan posted a time of 57.617 seconds, just 0.028 seconds faster than DiFrancesco's 57.644-second effort. Levi Kitchen (58.186) and Michael Mosiman (58.264) were the only other riders to come close to the sub-58 second mark, while Maximus Vohland rounded out the top five with a time of 58.947 seconds.

  • The qualification session took place on February 7, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona.

The players

Haiden Deegan

A rising star in the 250 West division of the SuperMotocross series, Deegan has emerged as the dominant rider in the class so far this season.

Ryder DiFrancesco

One of Deegan's main rivals in the 250 West division, DiFrancesco came close to topping Deegan's qualifying time but ultimately fell just short.

Levi Kitchen

A talented young rider in the 250 class, Kitchen was the third-fastest qualifier in the opening session.

Michael Mosiman

Another contender in the 250 West division, Mosiman was the fourth-fastest qualifier in the opening session.

Maximus Vohland

Vohland rounded out the top five in the opening qualification session.

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What they’re saying

“I'm really happy with how I performed in qualifying today. The bike felt great and I was able to put down a fast lap. But there's still a lot of racing left, so I'm not taking anything for granted.”

— Haiden Deegan (nbcsports.com)

What’s next

The second qualification session for the 250 class will take place later today, giving riders another chance to improve their times and secure a better starting position for the main event.

The takeaway

Haiden Deegan's dominant start to the 2026 SuperMotocross season continued with his performance in the opening qualification session in Glendale, underscoring his status as the rider to beat in the 250 West division. However, with the second qualification session still to come, the competition remains tight as riders look to challenge Deegan for the top spot.