Los Banos, CA (January 10, 2026) — This weekend, a Los Banos hometown name will be lining up under the brightest lights in American motorcycle racing.
Colby Copp, who grew up racing at the Los Banos Fairgrounds, is officially competing in the 2026 AMA Supercross Championship. This is one of the most demanding and high-profile motorsports series in the world. His season begins today, January 10 in Anaheim, California, where thousands of fans will pack Angel Stadium and millions more will watch nationwide.
Supercross is a form of professional motorcycle racing held inside stadiums on tight, man-made dirt tracks filled with jumps, whoops, rhythm sections, and technical turns. It’s fast, aggressive, and physically brutal, combining motocross racing with the intensity of an indoor arena sport.
The AMA Supercross Championship is the premier U.S. series, running from January through May and traveling across major cities like Anaheim, San Diego, Dallas, Atlanta, and Las Vegas. Riders compete weekly, often racing while injured, fighting for points toward a national title.
Just qualifying for a Supercross roster means a rider has reached the elite level of American motorcycle racing. For Copp, this journey started right here in Merced County.
“From a very young age I grew up at the Fairgrounds racing the old ‘Top Gun’ motocross series,” Copp said. “I spent most summers competing as I grew up and it ultimately led me to other race series to a large level and I kept chasing the passion I had and took every opportunity as far as I could.”
Those early races laid the foundation for a career that has now taken him onto one of the most competitive racing circuits in the world.
Now, instead of racing on fairground tracks, Copp is lining up next to factory-backed riders inside NFL- and MLB-sized stadiums, navigating jumps that launch bikes 70 feet through the air.
Despite the national stage, Copp says he still carries Los Banos with him.
“I think it’s great. I actually try to take some good pride in this because Los Banos was my hometown,” he said. “I was able to grow up with a great family that had me in a lot of other sports along my days in school. I hope I can be an influence to the younger kids to keep chasing after something they love but don’t be afraid to take other routes or risks along the way.”
Copp says his journey is something he hopes young riders in Los Banos can learn from as they chart their own paths.
“Create a list of goals — daily, monthly, and yearly,” he said. “Set a list of what you’re going to do to accomplish those goals. And every day do something to get you closer to each accomplishment. In the end this creates a great cycle to keep striving for more in life no matter which passion you’re into.”
This kind of discipline has carried him from local dirt tracks to Supercross qualifying gates.
The 2026 Supercross season officially begins January 10 in Anaheim, marking the first stop of a five-month championship that will stretch across the country.
