The fifth round of the 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship was headlined by the largest audience ever for a Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship race inside State Farm Stadium, which also included unprecedented attendance at FanFest.
Words and Images by Feld Motorsports
The record crowd was treated to a memorable night of racing that provided a shakeup of the early 450SMX Class title fight as Progressive Insurance Cycle Gear Suzuki’s Ken Roczen became the fourth different winner in the first five races, while Honda HRC Progressive’s Hunter Lawrence took over the points lead. It all unfolded after misfortune hindered entering points leader and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Eli Tomac to a finish outside the top 10.
The 450SMX Class Main Event began with ISRT MX4Christ Kawasaki’s Vince Friese briefly out front for the holeshot before Lawrence grabbed the early lead ahead of Roczen and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb, the defending series champion and winner of last weekend’s race in Houston. Behind them, Tomac was taken to the ground entering the first turn by Quad Lock Honda’s Christian Craig, who lost traction and collided with his KTM-mounted counterpart.
Tomac took his time to re-enter the race and resumed well back of the field in 22nd place. Back up front, Lawrence paced the field for the opening stint of the 20 Minutes + 1 Lap Main Event until Roczen went on the attack and seized control of the lead with about 16 minutes left on the race clock. The German’s impressive pace allowed him to establish a lead of about 3.5 seconds, which he managed for the majority of the race. Lawrence asserted a firm hold of second, as Webb slowly lost touch with the lead duo and soon settled in all by himself in third. As the lead trio strengthened their respective positions, the attention shifted to Tomac and his recovery from the early misfortune. Once he caught the rear of the field, Tomac methodically worked his way up the running order, picking off riders one-by-one until he found himself on the cusp of the top 10 in the closing stages of the race.
Roczen went unchallenged en route to his fifth victory inside State Farm Stadium, where he took the checkered flag 3.3 seconds ahead of Lawrence, who captured a fourth straight runner-up finish. Webb followed up his win with a third-place effort, while Tomac climbed up to 12th and salvaged what could have been a devastating night in the championship.
Roczen’s triumph was the 24th of his decorated career and he has now emerged victorious across seven consecutive seasons. It served as an emotional win for the veteran, following a Friday announcement from Pipes Motorsports Group that revealed esteemed team manager Larry Brooks has been diagnosed with cancer and has taken a leave from the races as he undergoes treatment.
Lawrence, whose fifth career runner-up is tied for the second-most without a win in series history, moved atop the 450SMX Class standings and took possession of the red plate for the first time in the premier division. He currently holds a five-point lead over Roczen, while Tomac dropped to third, eight points behind Lawrence.
Ken Roczen – 1st Place – 450SMX Class
“This feels unreal. I got a good start and then Friese cut me off going into the first turn, which I expected, which slowed my momentum a little bit. [Eventually] I was able to pass Hunter [Lawrence] and I knew it was going to be a long Main Event because trying to put a gap [on the field] was really hard and the track was tricky. It was just so fast, and everything was built super tall. I’m just really happy.
“I want to dedicate this win specifically to Larry [Brooks]. He hasn’t been able to be with us here the last few races. It really hurts all of our hearts. He loves this more than anybody. This one goes out to him.”
Hunter Lawrence – 2nd Place – 450SMX Class
“It’s bittersweet. I got a great start and was in a great position. Kenny [Roczen] was riding unreal tonight. He was riding a lot better than me in the first 10 minutes and opened that gap. I just didn’t quite have it. I didn’t feel amazing, just flat, but not bad. We’ll take it. [Getting] the red plate is cool, but we’ve got a long season ahead.”
Cooper Webb – 3rd Place – 450SMX Class
“It was a good night overall. I think we know this hasn’t always been my best place [results wise], so I was really happy with that result. Kenny [Roczen] was riding awesome and I was right there with Hunter [Lawrence] for a bit and then he started inching away. I fell into a bit of a no-man’s land and took it for a third. I’m happy with that. Happy to leave here with good points. A podium here is a win for me.”
Eli Tomac – 12th Place – 450SMX Class
“I put myself in a position where bad things can happen. I started off a little bit pinched [by other riders] and then got taken out by Craig. I don’t know what happened before that or why he crashed. All I know is Craig hit me and I was done. It took me a little while to get warmed up again, to get my body loosened up and going. That’s what I had to get back to 12th. The good thing is we’re not too far down [in the championship]. We’ll just have to do some digging now.”
The Monster Energy SMX World Championship and Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship will continue next Saturday for the sixth race of the season from Seattle’s Lumen Field.
Results
Standings
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