Round one of the 2025-26 AMA FIM North American Arenacross Championship kicked off this weekend in Huntington Beach, California. The event coincided with Roland Sands’ Moto Beach Classic for a unique race that literally took over the boardwalk right on the sand. Even with a unique venue to start this year’s title chase, a familiar face in Ryan Breece claimed the overall win.
Breece picked up right where he left off last year and is the favorite for this season’s crown, especially with defending champion Vince Friese not racing the 2025/26 campaign. The MotoConcepts rider slotted into second place early on in race one behind his teammate, Austin Politelli. Politelli led the first four laps but crashed through the rhythm section and handed the top spot over to Breece. From that point on, no one could touch the number 200 as he controlled the race through the finish, taking the win after 18 laps to start the day.
The Solitaire / Heart Beat Hot Sauce Yamaha of Robbie Wageman technically led the opening lap but quickly dropped to third behind the two MotoConcepts riders. He passed his way to second at the finish line, one spot better than his new teammate Cole Thompson.
Race two was a much closer fight for the win. Breece grabbed a great start and took off with the early lead with Thompson closely in tow. The two stayed less than three seconds apart for the entire race with the gap slowly shrinking as Breece struggled with lapped riders in the main line. Thompson made his bid for the lead and passed Breece in the final turn just before the finish line. The two crossed the line less than one second apart, with Thompson taking the advantage for the win. 3-1 finishes put him second overall. Breece led every lap of the race except the last one but still took the overall win thanks to his 1-2 scores.
Brandon Ray raced a Triumph to third in race two but Robbie Wageman’s 2-4 results still earned him third overall.
“That moto [moto two] I literally started pumping up,” Breece said. “We’re on some Supercross suspension and it’s a smaller track tonight. Everyone had to face it and that’s what the challenge was.”
“I knew if I kept Breece in sight then third wouldn’t be right on me,” Thompson said. “I was just trying to keep up with him [Breece] to keep myself in a good place and even with a corner to go I didn’t think it [the win] was going to be there.”
Breece now leads the points over Thompson and Wageman heading into round two at Boise, Idaho.
RESULTS
- Ryan Breece Hon 1-2
- Cole Thompson Yam 3-1
- Robbie Wageman Yam 2-4
- Brandon Ray Tri 6-3
- Jeremy Fappani KTM 5-5
