Hunter Lawrence victory sets up winner takes all AMA SX finale
By Team TMX on 5th May 26
The penultimate round of the AMA Supercross Championship delivered high drama in Denver as Hunter Lawrence produced a commanding victory to ignite a winner-takes-all showdown for the 450SX title. A packed crowd at Empower Field at Mile High witnessed one of the closest championship battles in the sport’s history take another twist, as Lawrence seized momentum from points leader Ken Roczen heading into next weekend’s decisive finale in Salt Lake City.
With the stakes at their highest, Lawrence rose to the occasion in emphatic fashion. After Jorge Prado grabbed the holeshot, the Honda rider wasted little time hitting the front, taking control on Lap 2 and quickly stretching a decisive advantage.
Behind him, Roczen fought through the field after a measured start, eventually moving into second place. However, the Suzuki rider was unable to match Lawrence’s pace, as the Australian opened up a commanding lead that grew to nearly 10 seconds mid-race.
Lawrence ultimately cruised to his fifth win of the season by 13.2 seconds, delivering a statement performance at a critical moment in the championship.
Local favourite Eli Tomac provided a major storyline of his own on his return from injury. Despite an early stall that dropped him down the order, Tomac charged back through the field to secure third place and his ninth podium of the season.
The result marked the 111th podium of his Supercross career, drawing him level with Jeremy McGrath for second on the all-time list.
The championship picture is now finely poised, with just a single point separating Roczen and Lawrence heading into the final round. Remarkably, both riders are level on wins (five each) and podium finishes (12 apiece), underlining the historic nature of the 2026 campaign.
Reigning champion Cooper Webb was mathematically eliminated from contention after finishing 11th following a late incident, leaving Lawrence and Roczen to battle it out for their first premier class crown.
Attention now turns to the season finale at Rice-Eccles Stadium, where the championship will reach its conclusion.
With just one point splitting Lawrence and Roczen, the sport is set for a historic, winner-takes-all decider between two international stars - guaranteeing a dramatic end to one of the most competitive Supercross seasons ever.
