It has been a head-turning start to Monster Energy Supercross 2026 for Quad Lock Honda’s Joey Savatgy, establishing a consistent top 10 presence among one of the deepest 450SX fields in history. Off the back of a P6 result in Glendale, Savatgy himself suggests he’s right where expectations lie, potentially with even more to come.

It’s long been a hallmark of the highly-rated 31-year-old’s approach to remain pragmatic and never get too far ahead of himself. When paired with Australian team owner Yarrive Konsky’s relentless pursuit of perfection, it can create a ‘good-but-never-satisfied’ ethos that works well in continuing to drive progression.

It’s also important to stop and smell the roses, and in the current landscape of the premier division, Savatgy has been very good to start the new season. Consider a fifth in San Diego and a pair of sixth-place finishes at A2 and Glendale, and you have a rider who is arguably over-delivering so far, particularly given the level of full-factory support that the riders surrounding him enjoy.

Image: Octopi Media.

What makes the results even more impressive is that they’ve come purely on merit – no weather-affected races and no significant injury-induced asterisks to explain them away. Savatgy has simply been solid, with the results reflecting the work both he and the Quad Lock Honda team have been putting in – even if he did break his toe in Houston at round four.

“It was a good night,” Savatgy recounted this past Saturday evening. “Last weekend was tough – I crashed in the first one and did my toe – but we taped it up today, and we got through it. I was in a much better place today than I was seven days ago, so all-in-all I am happy.

“We need to try to be a little better on the start. If we can put ourselves in the top-five right at the beginning, I think we’ve still got a little bit in the tank, but overall, I am very happy. This is where I wanted to be. Five-to-eight every weekend is kind of the goal, and for a non-factory team, I think we are doing a good job.”

Image: Octopi Media.

At the highest level, riders are always chasing more, a mindset that keeps them sharp, motivated, and constantly improving. Even so, reflecting on Glendale, the 17 finished ahead of 2023 450SX champion Chase Sexton (Monster Energy Kawasaki) – also posting a faster lap time – in addition to Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger and Twisted Tea Suzuki’s Jason Anderson, among others.

Adding further context is Savatgy’s sustained success in the World Supercross Championship (WSX), where he finished runner-up overall in 2025 behind Anderson, third in 2024 behind Eli Tomac and Ken Roczen, and second overall again in both 2023 and 2022.

It’s been a quiet kind of success for Savatgy, understated and built on a collection of rides – and results – that have seen him consistently fly under the radar. Much the same has applied in 2026, since he is often running a position or two outside where the broadcast focuses, meaning he hasn’t featured on screen all that much.

Image: Octopi Media.

Savatgy stands underrated through much of his career, though. Even upon transitioning to the professional ranks following a decorated amateur resume, his pathway began with a seat at the JDR Motorsports KTM program in 2013, followed by an Orange Brigade opportunity once the former operation closed its doors.

Later, that trend continued into his 450SX tenure with Monster Energy Kawasaki, where a string of impressive results during 2019 nonetheless came within the context of a one-year deal, designed largely to bridge the gap before then much-regarded Kawasaki mainstay Adam Cianciarulo stepped into the premier class alongside Eli Tomac at the time

Fast-forward to 2026, and what we’re witnessing is Savatgy realising his potential, which also speaks to Konsky’s eye for untapped talent, closely working with the likes of team principal Martin Davalos and Savatgy’s experienced mechanic, Nathan Alexander, in the US. Time and again, Konsky identifies riders and provides them with a platform not only to escalate their racing ambitions but to reach their full potential.

So, keep a closer eye on Savatgy and Quad Lock Honda for the rest of this season, because while the results have been positive, his speed has been there, too. The 17 is operating at his potential and challenging the very best in the sport, which is exactly where he expects himself to be. Given his career to this point, perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised either.