From a three-day sellout in Sacramento to snow-delayed drama in South Carolina, the PBR calendar kept rolling this week. While the Unleash The Beast tour delivered statement rides and a championship finish out West, the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour tested Uncontrollables and consistency as riders battled winter conditions and tight standings from East to West.
On the Unleash The Beast…
Sacramento delivered from start to finish inside Golden 1 Center, where veteran poise, rising stars and a flawless championship run defined Stop No. 7 of the 2026 season.
Friday night belonged to three-time World Champion Jose Vitor Leme, who opened the weekend with a Round 1 win after covering Dirty Honey for 89.2 points — his first round win of the season and the 92nd of his career.
Saturday saw World No. 1 Dalton Kasel answer back, knocking down a 90.55-point ride on Sour Patch to win Round 2 and extend his lead atop the UTB standings, while Leme maintained control of the event leaderboard entering Championship Sunday.
On Sunday, John Crimber put an exclamation point on the weekend. The 20-year-old went a perfect 4-for-4 to win Ariat PBR Sacramento, sealing the victory with an 88.65-point ride on Tigger in the championship round. Crimber earned 163 UTB points and climbed to No. 3 in the world standings, while his pal Clay Guiton finished runner-up for the second straight weekend after winning the championship round with an event-best 89.75 points on American Made.
Kasel finished third overall, keeping firm control of the world standings as the title race continues to tighten.
Monster Energy Team Challenge…
Sacramento also hosted another chapter of Monster Energy Team Challenge action, bringing team-versus-team pressure to the elite tour.
In the opening matchup, the Nashville Stampede defeated the New York Mavericks behind Kaiden Loud’s 89.10-point ride on Hot Sauce, while Marco Rizzo delivered New York’s lone qualified ride with an 88-point re-ride score on Magic Hunter.
The nightcap featured the Austin Gamblers topping the Carolina Cowboys, capped by Kasel’s walk-off 84.55-point ride on Wild Mustard. Sage Steele Kimzey and Callum Miller added key scores as Austin captured the victory, vaulting the Gamblers into first place in the Monster Energy Team Challenge standings with 521.3 points.
On the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour…
Winter weather and fast turnarounds defined a pivotal week on the Velocity Tour.
In Greenville, South Carolina, Ezekiel Mitchell went a perfect 3-for-3 to win PBR Greenville after competition was delayed by record snowfall. Mitchell covered Bone Digger, Fred Bear and White Command to earn his first win of the season and surge to No. 2 in the Velocity standings, rewarding fans who braved the weather to fill the stands.
Out West in Nampa, Idaho, Jaxton Mortensen continued his breakout 2026 campaign, earning his second Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour win of the season. The 21-year-old rode Wombat and Gringo before banking the event victory with a 2-for-3 performance, moving to No. 7 in the Velocity standings. Home-state cowboy Trace Redd finished second, highlighted by his Round 1 win aboard Draw The Line.
Through the lens with BullStockMedia
Check out the best photos from Sacramento.
Looking ahead
The Unleash The Beast tour heads to Salt Lake City next, where momentum and margins continue to shrink as the championship race tightens. Meanwhile, the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour doubles up Feb. 6–7 with events in Hampton, Virginia, and Grand Forks, North Dakota, as riders chase critical points, elite tour berths and spots at the PBR World Finals.
All Unleash The Beast events stream live on Paramount+, while Velocity Tour action is available on RidePass and the PBR App.
Photo courtesy of Bull Stock Media