After a rare weekend off, the AMA Supercross Championship returned for Round 10 of the Monster Energy SMX World Championship at Protective Stadium, and 450SMX points leader Hunter Lawrence delivered a commanding performance.
The Australian has now secured back-to-back wins and three victories in the last four races, solidifying his place at the top of the championship standings.
The 250SMX East/West Showdown saw Cole Davies awarded the win after a late penalty for Haiden Deegan, with Seth Hammaker capitalising to complete the podium in a dramatic finish.
450SX
The 20 Minute + 1 Lap Main Event saw Jorge Prado grab the holeshot, with Lawrence right behind. The Australian made an immediate move to the front, taking control while Prado settled into second ahead of teammate Eli Tomac. Cooper Webb, the reigning champion, and Ken Roczen pursued from further back.
Lawrence quickly opened a multi-second lead as Tomac battled Prado, allowing Roczen, who had started 16th, to move into the top three. Tomac briefly passed Prado to claim second before Roczen overtook him to secure the position. Despite occasional pressure from Roczen, heavy lapped traffic prevented any serious challenge to Lawrence’s lead.
Crossing the line 2.3 seconds ahead of Roczen, Lawrence celebrated his third career win in four races. Reflecting on his performance, he said, “It feels good. I’m just taking it one race at a time. It’s easy to think about the end result, which is the title, but I’m just trying to stay focused in the moment. Anything can happen, as we’ve seen tonight, so I’m just happy to be up here.”
Lawrence admitted that the weekend break was a welcome chance to recover. “I was feeling tired from nine weekends in a row and I took the weekend off, and I haven’t done that since the Nations in October,” he said. “It took me two days to get the body back to normal, so I am never taking two days off again. The title is realistic and my mates want to talk about it, but I don’t want to think about it, as there are still a lot of races left. I am acting like I am still chasing the points lead and I am trying to just have fun.”
Roczen, pleased with his own ride, added: “I’m ecstatic, honestly. I think I rode really well, but you can’t start 15th and expect to win a race. Inconsistency on the start [is something] I’m not happy with. Coulda, woulda, shoulda, but with racing like that I’m totally fine with it.”
Tomac summed up his night: “I just wasn’t as good tonight as the front two. The LCQ was very stressful and a high-pressure moment, but I got myself out there to a good start [in the Main Event] on the outside gate and just got beat tonight. Just a little bit off. It’s tough, one of those nights, but we’ll try to regroup next week and see if we can get back up front.”
Lawrence now leads Tomac by nine points in the 450SX standings, while Roczen sits 31 points back in third following his sixth podium of the season.
250 East/West Showdown
In the 250SX East/West Showdown, the action was just as thrilling. Levi Kitchen grabbed the holeshot ahead of Eastern points leader Cole Davies, with the pair swapping the lead multiple times. With seven minutes remaining, Davies appeared to assert control, but the battle behind him intensified as Jo Shimoda, Western points leader Haiden Deegan, and Seth Hammaker battled for position.
Shimoda surged into second and pressured Davies, while Deegan, starting from 10th, made a spectacular charge through the field. With about a minute left, Deegan powered past both Shimoda and Davies to grab the lead, only for AMA officials to review the move post-race. The penalty for cutting a split-lane section dropped him one place and the the win awarded to Davies.
Davies described the mixed emotions after the win: “Looking at the positives, I [gained] points tonight, but I’m not exactly happy with that. I rode terrible, to be honest. I was just overriding. We still made [gains] in points so I’m happy with that, but I’m not happy with my riding. It is what it is and we’re on to the next round.”
Deegan, who had charged from 10th to the front, reflected: “I heard a lot of things coming in here making it seem like the battle for the win would be close. I came out here to whoop everyone’s butt for these Alabama fans. That was a good time. I sent it for sure.”
Meanwhile, Hammaker acknowledged the challenge of the showdown format, saying: “I’m a little disappointed [with my result]. You always want to come out and win at the showdowns, but I didn’t have it tonight. Those other guys were riding good. Early on and midway through the race I didn’t really have the pace. I felt better at the end but that’s not when you need it. It’s good to know I have the endurance, but I need to be better at the beginning. Other than that, solid night.”
With the revised result, Davies leads the Eastern Divisional Championship by six points over Hammaker, while Shimoda sits nine points back in third. In the Western Division, Deegan maintains a commanding 42-point advantage over Max Anstie, with Kitchen 47 points behind in third.
The championship now heads to Detroit for Round 11 next weekend, where the momentum will be firmly with Hunter Lawrence as the title fight continues to intensify.
| 450 Main Event Results – R10 Birmingham | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | No | Rider | Gap | Hometown | Team | |
| 1st | 96 | Hunter Lawrence | 25 Laps | Landsborough, Australia | Honda HRC Progressive | |
| 2nd | 94 | Ken Roczen | 2.391 | Clermont, FL | Progressive Insurance / Cycle Gear / Ecstar Suzuki | |
| 3rd | 3 | Eli Tomac | 35.787 | Cortez, CO | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | |
| 4th | 32 | Justin Cooper | 42.859 | Cold Spring Harbor, NY | Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing | |
| 5th | 27 | Malcolm Stewart | 44.817 | Haines City, FL | Rockstar Energy Husqvarna | |
| 6th | 1 | Cooper Webb | 47.553 | Newport, NC | Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha | |
| 7th | 26 | Jorge Prado | 48.100 | Lugo, Spain | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | |
| 8th | 45 | Colt Nichols | 1 Lap | Muskogee, OK | Twisted Tea Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance | |
| 9th | 20 | Jordon Smith | 1 Lap | Belmont, NC | Triumph Racing Factory Team | |
| 10th | 36 | Garrett Marchbanks | 1 Lap | Coalville, UT | Monster Energy Kawasaki | |
| 11th | 46 | Justin Hill | 1 Lap | Riverton, OR | Team Tedder Racing | |
| 12th | 12 | Shane McElrath | 1 Lap | Canton, NC | Quadlock Honda Racing | |
| 13th | 719 | Vince Friese | 1 Lap | Cape Girardeau, MO | ISRT Kawasaki | |
| 14th | 62 | Grant Harlan | 1 Lap | Murrieta, CA | Champion Tool Storage KMR KTM | |
| 15th | 41 | Mitchell Harrison | 2 Laps | Brighton, MI | Partzilla Rokit Racing | |
| 16th | 63 | Freddie Noren | 2 Laps | Lidköping, Sweden | Gizmo Racing Yamaha | |
| 17th | 28 | Christian Craig | 2 Laps | Temecula, CA | Quadlock Honda Racing | |
| 18th | 891 | Justin Bogle | 2 Laps | Cushing, OK | Twisted Tea Suzuki presented by Progressive Insurance | |
| 19th | 66 | Cole Thompson | 2 Laps | Brigden, Canada | Heartbeat Hot Sauce NanoXtreme Yamaha | |
| 20th | 78 | Kevin Moranz | 3 Laps | Topeka, KS | Champion Tool Storage KMR KTM | |
| 21st | 7 | Aaron Plessinger | 8 Laps | Hamilton, OH | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | |
| 22nd | 784 | Cade Clason | 18 Laps | Medina, OH | Partzilla Rokit Racing | |
| 450 Championship Standings After Round 10 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | No | Rider | Points | Gap | ||
| 1st | 96 | Hunter Lawrence | 221 Points | – | ||
| 2nd | 3 | Eli Tomac | 212 Points | -9 | ||
| 3rd | 94 | Ken Roczen | 190 Points | -31 | ||
| 4th | 1 | Cooper Webb | 187 Points | -34 | ||
| 5th | 32 | Justin Cooper | 158 Points | -63 | ||
| 6th | 17 | Joey Savatgy | 125 Points | -96 | ||
| 7th | 4 | Chase Sexton | 122 Points | -99 | ||
| 8th | 27 | Malcolm Stewart | 107 Points | -114 | ||
| 9th | 26 | Jorge Prado | 104 Points | -117 | ||
| 10th | 7 | Aaron Plessinger | 99 Points | -122 | ||
| 11th | 46 | Justin Hill | 95 Points | -126 | ||
| 12th | 14 | Dylan Ferrandis | 87 Points | -134 | ||
| 13th | 28 | Christian Craig | 86 Points | -135 | ||
| 14th | 21 | Jason Anderson | 84 Points | -137 | ||
| 15th | 45 | Colt Nichols | 81 Points | -140 | ||
| 16th | 12 | Shane McElrath | 77 Points | -144 | ||
| 17th | 36 | Garrett Marchbanks | 59 Points | -162 | ||
| 18th | 719 | Vince Friese | 50 Points | -171 | ||
| 19th | 24 | R.J. Hampshire | 38 Points | -183 | ||
| 20th | 41 | Mitchell Harrison | 37 Points | -184 | ||
| 21st | 20 | Jordon Smith | 32 Points | -189 | ||
| 22nd | 62 | Grant Harlan | 31 Points | -190 | ||
| 23rd | 78 | Kevin Moranz | 21 Points | -200 | ||
| 24th | 63 | Freddie Noren | 16 Points | -205 | ||
| 25th | 33 | Austin Forkner | 12 Points | -209 | ||
| 26th | 66 | Cole Thompson | 10 Points | -211 | ||
| 27th | 711 | Tristan Lane | 10 Points | -211 | ||
| 28th | 52 | Mitchell Oldenburg | 6 Points | -215 | ||
| 29th | 44 | Ty Masterpool | 4 Points | -217 | ||
| 30th | 891 | Justin Bogle | 4 Points | -217 | ||
| 250 East/West Showdown Results – R10 Birmingham | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | No | Rider | Gap | Hometown | Team | |
| 1st | 37 | Cole Davies | 19 Laps | Waitoki, New Zealand | Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha | |
| 2nd | 1W | Haiden Deegan | Temecula, CA | Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha | ||
| 3rd | 10 | Seth Hammaker | 0.791 | Bainbridge, PA | Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki | |
| 4th | 30 | Jo Shimoda | 1.281 | Suzuka, Japan | Honda HRC Progressive | |
| 5th | 47 | Levi Kitchen | 7.310 | Washougal, WA | Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki | |
| 6th | 58 | Daxton Bennick | 10.974 | Morganton, NC | Rockstar Energy Husqvarna | |
| 7th | 61 | Max Anstie | 18.224 | United Kingdom – Newbury England | Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha | |
| 8th | 19 | Max Vohland | 21.098 | Temecula, CA | ClubMX Yamaha | |
| 9th | 22 | Coty Schock | 26.409 | Dover, DE | ClubMX Yamaha | |
| 10th | 25 | Nate Thrasher | 27.419 | Livingston, TN | Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha | |
| 11th | 89 | Devin Simonson | 32.053 | Laurinburg, NC | ClubMX Yamaha | |
| 12th | 60 | Hunter Yoder | 43.742 | Menifee, CA | ClubMX Yamaha | |
| 13th | 82 | Caden Dudney | 48.583 | Athens, TX | Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing | |
| 14th | 42 | Dilan Schwartz | 56.013 | Alpine, CA | Toyota Redlands BarX Yamaha | |
| 15th | 43 | Lux Turner | 1 Lap | Gardnerville, NV | Toyota Redlands BarX Yamaha | |
| 16th | 224 | Joshua Varize | 1 Lap | Perris, CA | Grindstone Friesen Group Kawasaki | |
| 17th | 53 | Henry Miller | 1 Lap | Rochester, MN | MX6 Racing | |
| 18th | 141 | Nicholas Romano | 1 Lap | Queens, NY | Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki | |
| 19th | 34 | Ryder DiFrancesco | 1 Lap | Bakersfield, CA | Rockstar Energy Husqvarna | |
| 20th | 131 | Crockett Myers | 15 Laps | Navasota, TX | The McGinley Clinic Privateer Support Program | |
| 21st | 163 | Pierce Brown | 16 Laps | Sandy, UT | Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha | |
| 22nd | 49 | Cullin Park | 18 Laps | Clermont, FL | Phoenix Racing Honda | |
| 250 West Championship Standings After Round 7 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | No. | Rider | Points | Deficit | ||
| 1st | 1W | Haiden Deegan | 165 Points | – | ||
| 2nd | 61 | Max Anstie | 123 Points | -42 | ||
| 3rd | 47 | Levi Kitchen | 118 Points | -47 | ||
| 4th | 34 | Ryder DiFrancesco | 110 Points | -55 | ||
| 5th | 23 | Michael Mosiman | 107 Points | -58 | ||
| 6th | 19 | Max Vohland | 106 Points | -59 | ||
| 7th | 142 | Cameron McAdoo | 97 Points | -68 | ||
| 8th | 60 | Hunter Yoder | 84 Points | -81 | ||
| 9th | 40 | Parker Ross | 70 Points | -95 | ||
| 10th | 224 | Joshua Varize | 62 Points | -103 | ||
| 11th | 71 | Carson Mumford | 60 Points | -105 | ||
| 12th | 57 | Avery Long | 58 Points | -107 | ||
| 13th | 43 | Lux Turner | 56 Points | -109 | ||
| 14th | 42 | Dilan Schwartz | 44 Points | -121 | ||
| 15th | 29 | Chance Hymas | 38 Points | -127 | ||
| 16th | 131 | Crockett Myers | 36 Points | -129 | ||
| 17th | 70 | Anthony Bourdon | 28 Points | -137 | ||
| 18th | 245 | Matti Jorgensen | 26 Points | -139 | ||
| 19th | 237 | Robbie Wageman | 25 Points | -140 | ||
| 20th | 83 | Justin Rodbell | 23 Points | -142 | ||
| 21st | 173 | Hunter Schlosser | 22 Points | -143 | ||
| 22nd | 137 | Ayden Shive | 18 Points | -147 | ||
| 23rd | 964 | Dominique Thury | 14 Points | -151 | ||
| 24th | 800 | Preston Masciangelo | 11 Points | -154 | ||
| 25th | 284 | Lorenzo Camporese | 9 Points | -156 | ||
| 250 East Championship Standings After Round 4 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | No. | Rider | Points | Deficit | ||
| 1st | 37 | Cole Davies | 89 Points | – | ||
| 2nd | 10 | Seth Hammaker | 83 Points | -6 | ||
| 3rd | 30 | Jo Shimoda | 80 Points | -9 | ||
| 4th | 58 | Daxton Bennick | 71 Points | -18 | ||
| 5th | 163 | Pierce Brown | 63 Points | -26 | ||
| 6th | 22 | Coty Schock | 59 Points | -30 | ||
| 7th | 89 | Devin Simonson | 54 Points | -35 | ||
| 8th | 25 | Nate Thrasher | 50 Points | -39 | ||
| 9th | 49 | Cullin Park | 40 Points | -49 | ||
| 10th | 82 | Caden Dudney | 34 Points | -55 | ||
| 11th | 56 | Jalek Swoll | 27 Points | -62 | ||
| 12th | 77 | Derek Kelley | 26 Points | -63 | ||
| 13th | 148 | Kyle Peters | 22 Points | -67 | ||
| 14th | 53 | Henry Miller | 21 Points | -68 | ||
| 15th | 91 | Izaih Clark | 19 Points | -70 | ||
| 16th | 35 | Drew Adams | 16 Points | -73 | ||
| 17th | 95 | Luke Neese | 13 Points | -76 | ||
| 18th | 87 | Jeremy Hand | 12 Points | -77 | ||
| 19th | 101 | Luke Clout | 12 Points | -77 | ||
| 20th | 65 | Marshal Weltin | 11 Points | -78 | ||
| 21st | 39 | Valentin Guillod | 8 Points | -81 | ||
| 22nd | 832 | Leum Oehlhof | 7 Points | -82 | ||
| 23rd | 90 | John Short IV | 7 Points | -82 | ||
| 24th | 492 | Landon Hartz | 6 Points | -83 | ||
| 25th | 73 | Gavin Towers | 5 Points | -84 | ||
