Hunter Lawrence secured his inaugural win in the 450SMX Class during round seven of the 2026 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship, held at AT&T Stadium in the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex. The event, which also marked Military Appreciation Night, featured dramatic racing and featured two riders earning their first wins in both the 450SMX Class and the 250SX East Championship opener.
Lawrence’s 450 victory was significant, coming in his 26th premier-class start, at the same venue where he won his first 250SX race back in 2021. This win reinforced Lawrence’s position at the top of the championship standings and energized the race narrative with multiple contenders battling hard.
Key Moments in the 450SMX Main Event
The race began with Cooper Webb and Ken Roczen battling side-by-side through the first turn, with Webb initially grabbing the holeshot before Roczen took control early on. Hunter Lawrence settled into third place, while former champion Eli Tomac started with a challenging 11th position. Roczen quickly built a steady lead, but Tomac aggressively advanced to fourth, narrowing the gap among the front riders.
Tensions grew as Webb pressured Roczen, until a minor error from Roczen allowed Lawrence to pass into third. Lawrence soon caught Roczen and applied pressure, closing the gap within two seconds of the race leader. As the race progressed, the intensity surged again with six minutes left, with Lawrence moving alongside Roczen in the whoops section. Although delayed briefly by a slower rider, Lawrence regrouped and completed the pass to claim the lead.
Behind Lawrence, Webb pushed Roczen aside for second place, but Tomac’s aggressive charges enabled him to overtake both riders swiftly, pushing Webb off the track briefly. Roczen temporarily reclaimed third before Webb fought back, ultimately securing the final podium spot. In the closing minutes, Lawrence managed to increase his lead, holding off a strong finish from Tomac to win by 2.8 seconds.
Championship Implications and Rider Standings
Lawrence’s victory marked him as the fifth different winner in as many rounds, highlighting the competitive nature of the 2026 season. His win gave him a narrow four-point lead over Tomac in the championship, while Cooper Webb occupied third place, trailing Lawrence by 16 points, with Roczen in fourth, 18 points behind the leader. The tightly contested championship remains wide open, promising intense battles in upcoming rounds.
Hunter Lawrence Reflects on His Breakthrough Win
“It’s cool, but we’ve got a lot of racing left. I’m happy to tick that little box. It’s a huge thank you to my team and everyone that’s around me. We’ve got an amazing group and that’s really the most valuable thing in my program. It takes a whole village to move mountains. Even when you get a sixth place it’s really tough, but man how cool it was racing against all those boys. Me and Kenny [Roczen] had some awesome back-and-forth, Coop [Webb] was right there, Eli [Tomac] was right there. It’s pretty cool racing with the sport’s legends. Awesome.
— Hunter Lawrence, Rider
Other Top Rider Perspectives from the Race
Cooper Webb recognized his strong performance despite coming in third, reflecting on his approach to the challenging track.
“Those first laps absolutely saved my race. I had to make some quick moves there and was able to find those openings to pass two-to-three riders at a time. By lap two or three, I could see the front of the race and thought, ‘I’m okay, I can work with this.’ What a difficult track [it was] tonight. Of course, I fought to the end as much as I could and second is what we had. Thank you to Red Bull KTM – we’ll come back swinging in Daytona.”
— Cooper Webb, Rider
Ken Roczen expressed regret over some race decisions, emphasizing the closely-fought nature of the battle.
“It was a fun race, for sure, but I’m honestly a little bummed. I was pretty nice and should have been more aggressive with [Roczen] and maybe gotten the pass [for the lead] earlier. It was a sick race with all of us four bunched up there. I tried to make the pass on [Roczen for second] and Eli [Tomac] ended up getting me and ran me off the track, then Kenny got back by me. I kind of lost the tow of [the leaders]. I’m bummed at myself. I saw a few openings I should have taken and I didn’t. I was too patient tonight. Overall, we’ll take it.”
— Cooper Webb, Rider
Eli Tomac recounted the challenges he faced during the race and his plans for improvement.
“Dallas was better. I think we made some pretty good progress with the bike, but ultimately, I just need to be better. I need to put myself in better positions, and just overall, be better myself. The Heat Race, I got an average start and rode my way to fifth, and then for the Main, I went all the way inside gate, so got a better start. I was running good and then [Jason] Anderson ended up going down in front of me, so that put me back a little bit. And then I had a decent flow going there, but I ended up casing a jump pretty good and kind of ruined my momentum that I had going. I ended up eighth, but overall, it just needed to be better. We go to Daytona next week, so I am looking forward to that and, yeah, I’ve just got to focus on being better on race day.”
— Eli Tomac, Rider
Jason Anderson commented on his race experience and outlook ahead of his home event.
“The Texas fans are always a good crowd. All day I felt really good, through both qualifying and the Heat Race. The Main Event was going really well too, but I made one little mistake over the on-off, which cost me quite a few positions. We ended up 11th, but other than that, we’re trending in the right direction, and things are getting back on track to where we need them to be. The crash was a little bit of a bummer, but I am more proud of my riding than the results. At the end of the day, we can continue to keep fighting heading into my home race in Daytona next weekend – hopefully the Florida fans bring the vibe!”
— Jason Anderson, Rider
Drama Unfolds in the 250SX East Championship Opener
The first round of the Eastern Divisional 250SX Championship at AT&T Stadium saw intense racing action as well, led early by Jo Shimoda, who secured the holeshot despite recently recovering from neck and upper back surgery. Pierce Brown and Daxton Bennick closely followed behind, while title favorite Cole Davies suffered a setback after a first-turn crash that compromised multiple riders and pushed him to the back.
Shimoda built a comfortable three-second lead, but a confusing situation arose when red medical lights appeared on the track, prohibiting riders from jumping obstacles until cleared. Shimoda slowed accordingly, while Brown and Bennick pressed on without interruption, allowing Brown to overtake and take the lead. Shimoda aggressively pursued Brown in the remaining laps but was unable to execute a successful pass. Brown maintained composure to finish 2.4 seconds ahead, with Bennick earning third place. Seth Hammaker overcame early incident troubles to finish fourth, while Cole Davies mounted a strong recovery to claim fifth.
Pierce Brown’s First Supercross Victory After Injury Comeback
Brown’s win represented his maiden 250SX victory after 33 starts and marked a triumphant return from last year’s season-ending fractured vertebra injury sustained in the 2025 East opener. His performance set the tone for a promising season, with Brown now leading the 250SX East Championship points, holding a three-point advantage over Shimoda and a five-point cushion ahead of Bennick.
“I don’t even know where to start. There were so many nights where I didn’t think this would be possible. Missing a year, especially with the injury I had, it’s pretty degrading. It’s a scary thing to come back from and there were a lot of doubts. I’m just thankful I never stopped fighting. Every day this offseason we put our best foot forward. Wow. This is…amazing.”
— Pierce Brown, Rider
“I saw the red [medical] light come on and you’re not supposed to jump that, so I don’t know what happened. We’ll review it. Overall, it was a good one for me. I felt rusty all day, to be honest, but my adrenaline kicked in for the race. It’s a good way to start.”
— Pierce Brown, Rider
Jo Shimoda’s Strong Return and Race Performance
Shimoda showed encouraging form in his comeback from surgery, quickly finding a rhythm and strong starts that kept him competitive throughout the event. He expressed optimism about future races despite the mixed results in the opener.
“Arlington was good! I struggled a little bit in the first practice just getting comfortable with being at the races again, and then in the second one I felt a lot better – I found a flow that really worked for me and I was gelling well with the bike. Its power was awesome and allowed me to get that three in, which only a handful of us were able to do in that big rhythm lane. My starts today were great too – and felt very repeatable – which I am stoked about. In the Main Event, I put my head down, got into a good position off the start, and went to work. I wish I could’ve been a little better in some areas to maybe win, but it is the first round and I kept that in mind, but I think we have some good results coming and I’m happy with how my night went.”
— Jo Shimoda, Rider
Looking Ahead to Upcoming Challenges and Opportunities
Hunter Lawrence’s breakthrough 450SMX win signals a shifting dynamic in the championship, with closely matched riders poised to continue battling fiercely in the coming races. The narrow gaps in points and the emergence of different winners underscore the competitive depth of the 2026 AMA Supercross Championship. Meanwhile, the 250SX East Division opener sets a compelling stage with Pierce Brown striving to build momentum following his injury recovery, and other top contenders like Shimoda, Bennick, and Davies showing promising form.
As the series moves next to Daytona, riders will aim to capitalize on their momentum or overcome setbacks, promising more intense and passionate racing ahead in both classes. Fans can expect thrilling contests as top riders like Lawrence, Tomac, Webb, Roczen, Brown, and Shimoda seek to shape the championship narratives with every lap.
