Four rounds into Monster Energy AMA Supercross and Hunter Lawrence sits second in points, just four points back of series leader Eli Tomac. The Honda HRC Progressive rider has gone 4-2-2-2 to start the year. And while Hunter has won everything else on a 450 (motocross, SMX playoffs, MXoN) his first supercross win still illudes him.
He keeps getting closer though. At Houston’s Triple Crown event, after going down in the first race and finishing seventh, he rebounded to win the second race. He then wrapped up the final race in second behind Tomac. If it weren’t for that bobble in the first race, he could have snagged his first supercross win. Yet that is how Triple Crowns go, at least four other guys could say the same thing.
In the post-race press conference Hunter spoke of meeting the concrete in race one: “Yeah, it was a bit of a bummer in the first one. I just kind of got a little twitch and kind of sent off the track. It wasn't really a crash, but then as soon as I went off the track there where it meets the concrete, it's just so slippery and it's pretty much like... If you can save that, I think that speaks more about your riding than racing on the track! So just reset off for that one and I think we did pretty good.”
| Position | Rider | Hometown | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Eli Tomac | Cortez, CO  | 88 |
| 2 |  Hunter Lawrence | Landsborough, Australia  | 84 |
| 3 |  Ken Roczen | Mattstedt, Germany  | 76 |
| 4 |  Chase Sexton | La Moille, IL | 74 |
| 5 |  Cooper Webb | Newport, NC | 71 |
Houston - 450SX
January 31, 2026| Rider | Hometown | Motos | Bike | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cooper Webb | Newport, NC | 4 - 2 - 3 | Yamaha YZ450F |
| 2 | Hunter Lawrence | Landsborough, Australia | 7 - 1 - 2 | Honda CRF450R Works Edition |
| 3 | Ken Roczen | Mattstedt, Germany | 1 - 5 - 4 | Suzuki RM-Z450 |
| 4 | Eli Tomac | Cortez, CO | 3 - 13 - 1 | KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition |
| 5 | Chase Sexton | La Moille, IL | 2 - 9 - 6 | Kawasaki KX450SR |
Lawrence bounced back and won the second race, which in a way marks his first 450SX win, depending on how you look at individual Triple Crown race win stats. What matters really is the overall, and going into the final race, Hunter was only two points behind Cooper Webb and Ken Roczen who were tied for the lead. Sitting ahead of both Webb and Roczen in the final race, every pass made shuffled the points. At one point it looked like Hunter would be able to wrap it up, that is until Webb climbed from ninth to third to take the win. It was hard enough for fans and the race commentators to keep up with the math, let alone the riders out there on the track.
“I don't know, it's weird. I'm not really doing math out there on where guys are. You kind of just see where guys are and it just kind of like ChatGPT’s in your head and you like know. So yeah, I don't know. Someone asked me today like, ‘What are you thinking about when you're out there riding?’ I'm like, ‘Oh, it probably sounds cliche, but I'm not really thinking that much. I'm just out there doing,’ if that makes sense. It probably doesn't, but it does to me.
"In the last moto, I didn’t get that one middle lane, and that gave Eli [Tomac] the inside; that was where that race was decided, I think. I still tried to push and get in a rhythm. I knew the night win was there, and I needed to get him, but I think that if I keep putting myself in the top five around the first turn every weekend and click off good laps, good things are going to start happening."
“It was another great weekend for us as a team, although we’re definitely missing Chance Hymas and Jett—it was quiet under the tent!" said Team Manager Lars Lindstrom. "We’re looking forward to having our teammates back (hopefully Jo soon). In the meantime, Hunter is going above and beyond to represent the team solo, and I think we’re doing well as a team to focus on the big picture: the championship. This race was his to win, but unfortunately the first-race bobble didn’t allow that. To me, it doesn’t matter; we made up important points, and if he would’ve won the overall, then people probably would’ve said that it’s ‘only’ a Triple Crown, and that he still hasn’t won a 20-minute race yet. As long as we’re scoring more points than the rivals, I’m happy.”
When it comes to Hunter Lawrence getting his first ever supercross win, most can agree what it is not if but when. Hunter has three-straight second-place finishes but he isn't sweating the wins, he knows the most important thing is to stay in the championship fight, “I think if I just keep giving myself the best percentage play every weekend, I like my chances over the remaining races.”
Not getting desperate to get that first win. Consistency is key over 17 rounds, and even though Hunter has been the fastest rider on the track at times, he not risked throwing it all away for a win. So, will Hunter get his first win this weekend in Glendale? Or will it take a few more rounds? Does it even matter?
