Hunter Lawrence Rises to the Occasion in Nashville to Seize Control of Title Fight, Cole Davies Dominant En Route to Fourth Eastern Divisional 250SMX Win
The Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship returned to “Music City” for Round 13 of the 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship, where a packed Nissan Stadium crowd witnessed one of the most intense three-rider title fights in 450SMX Class history take a dramatic turn.
Honda HRC Progressive’s Hunter Lawrence delivered when it mattered most, capturing a commanding victory that propelled him into sole possession of the championship lead with just four rounds remaining.
450SMX Class: Lawrence Takes Charge
The 20-minute-plus-one-lap Main Event began with Shane McElrath grabbing the holeshot, but the early lead quickly changed hands as Justin Hill surged to the front ahead of Ken Roczen and Jorge Prado. Lawrence positioned himself inside the top five early, while title rival Eli Tomac struggled outside the top 10.
Roczen soon took control of the race, setting the pace out front. However, Lawrence was the rider on the move, charging into second and applying relentless pressure. The gap between the leaders hovered around one to two seconds through the middle stages.
With just over eight minutes remaining, Roczen lost traction before a triple jump, opening the door for Lawrence to strike. Lawrence seized the opportunity, made the pass stick, and quickly built a comfortable advantage. Roczen’s race unraveled further after a crash dropped him down the order.
Out front, Lawrence was flawless, stretching his lead to more than 15 seconds at one stage before ultimately taking the win by 7.1 seconds—his fourth victory of the season.
Behind him, Cooper Webb fought past Justin Hill for second to secure his first podium in four races, while Roczen recovered to claim a fourth consecutive podium in third. Chase Sexton applied pressure late but narrowly missed out on the podium.
Eli Tomac endured a difficult night. Despite topping qualifying and winning his Heat Race, a poor start and late crash relegated him to 12th, costing him valuable points in the title chase.
With four rounds to go, Lawrence now holds a 10-point lead over Roczen, while Tomac drops to third, 15 points off the lead after entering Nashville tied atop the standings.
450SMX Class Podium Reactions
“It feels great to be back on top. I’m especially happy my wrist wasn’t holding me back today. Nashville always feels like a home race for me, and I love coming back here.”
Hunter Lawrence – 1st Place
“This race was tough. The track was tricky, and I didn’t get a good start. Still, I’m happy to come away with second—it’s a big confidence boost.”
Cooper Webb – 2nd Place
Cooper Webb, Hunter Lawrence, and Ken Roczen
“I didn’t feel my best today, but a podium still feels like a win. There’s still a lot of racing left, and anything can happen.”
Ken Roczen – 3rd Place
“The day was solid until the Main Event. A bad start and crash made it really tough. I lost points, but I’ll keep pushing in the final rounds.”
Eli Tomac – 12th Place
250SMX East: Davies Dominates Again
The Eastern Divisional 250SMX Class Main Event kicked off with Daxton Bennick securing the holeshot ahead of Nate Thrasher and Drew Adams. Championship contenders Cole Davies and Seth Hammaker were close behind, ready to make their move.
Thrasher quickly took over the lead, but Davies was on a mission. Using exceptional speed through the whoops, he carved his way to the front less than five minutes into the race. Hammaker followed suit, moving into second before a costly mistake saw him crash after hitting a tuff block.
With clear track ahead, Davies checked out from the field, building a lead of over five seconds midway through the race and extending it to a dominant 17.2-second victory—his fourth of the season.
Behind him, chaos unfolded in the battle for the podium. Hammaker fought back into contention, passing Thrasher and closing in on Bennick. However, a late-race collision between Hammaker and Bennick sent both riders to the ground, allowing Thrasher to move into second.
runner-up finish for his first podium result of the season.
Hammaker initially crossed the line in a podium position but was later penalized two positions for cutting the track after his earlier crash. This promoted ClubMX Yamaha’s Devin Simonson to third, earning his first career podium.
Davies now holds a commanding 29-point lead in the Eastern Divisional standings with three races remaining, putting him firmly in control of the title fight.
250SMX East Podium Reactions
“The whoops were really tough today, but I felt good. I didn’t get the best start, but I made it happen and I’m stoked with the result.”
Cole Davies – 1st Place
“I struggled to find a flow tonight, but I’m happy to be on the podium. There’s still work to do, but this is a good step forward.”
Nate Thrasher – 2nd Place
Nate Thrasher, Cole Davies, and Seth Hammaker
Hammaker was later penalized two positions for cutting the track.
“There was a lot going on up front, and I just gave it everything I had. To come away with my first podium is an incredible feeling.”
Devin Simonson – 3rd Place
With Nashville in the books, the 2026 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship heads into its final stretch, where every point will be critical in deciding both the 450SMX and 250SMX titles.
