GLENDALE, AZ – State Farm Stadium played host to a historic night of racing for Round 5 of the 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship. In front of the largest audience ever recorded for a Supercross event in this venue—including record-breaking numbers at FanFest—the 450SMX class saw a massive shift in the championship landscape.
Progressive Insurance Cycle Gear Suzuki’s Ken Roczen put on a masterclass to become the fourth different winner in just five races. Meanwhile, a disastrous first turn for previous points leader Eli Tomac opened the door for Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence to seize the red plate for the first time in his premier class career.
450SMX: Roczen’s Emotional Masterclass
The Main Event began with chaos. While Vince Friese grabbed the holeshot, the real story unfolded behind him. Christian Craig lost traction entering the first turn, sliding into Eli Tomac and sending the points leader to the dirt. Tomac remounted in 22nd place, facing a massive uphill battle.
At the front, Hunter Lawrence took an early lead, but Roczen was on a mission. “The German” stalked Lawrence before pulling the trigger with 16 minutes left on the clock. Once in the lead, Roczen maintained a 3.5-second gap that he never relinquished, securing his 24th career win and his fifth victory in Glendale.
The win carried heavy emotional weight following the announcement that Pipes Motorsports Group team manager Larry Brooks has been diagnosed with cancer.
“I want to dedicate this win specifically to Larry,” Roczen said. “He hasn’t been able to be with us… he loves this more than anybody. This one goes out to him.”
450SMX Top 5 Results:
- Ken Roczen (Suzuki)
- Hunter Lawrence (Honda) – New Points Leader
- Cooper Webb (Yamaha)
- Michael Mosiman (Yamaha)
- Ryder DiFrancesco (Husqvarna)
250SMX West: Deegan Dominates, Kitchen Climbs
In the 250SMX Western Regional division, Haiden Deegan continued his reign of terror. The Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rider pulled a massive holeshot and went wire-to-wire for his fourth consecutive win.
While Deegan checked out, the “ride of the night” belonged to Levi Kitchen. After rounding the first turn in 19th place, Kitchen sliced through the field with surgical precision, passing 17 riders to clinch a miraculous second-place finish. Cameron McAdoo rounded out the podium after a late-race charge past Michael Mosiman.
250SMX West Championship Standings:
- Haiden Deegan: 1st (Holds a 27-point lead)
- Michael Mosiman: 2nd
- Ryder DiFrancesco: 3rd
Championship Outlook
With Tomac’s 12th-place finish, the 450SMX standings have tightened significantly. Hunter Lawrence now leads the field by five points over Roczen, with Tomac sitting eight points back in third.
The series now looks ahead to Round 6, where the momentum from Roczen’s emotional victory and Lawrence’s consistency will clash with a surely-motivated Eli Tomac.
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