Hunter Lawrence returned to winning form at Round 13 of the 2026 AMA Supercross Championship in Nashville, delivering a commanding performance to reclaim sole possession of the red plate and extend his championship advantage to 10 points with four rounds remaining.
The Honda HRC Progressive rider had struggled at the previous two rounds following a crash and subsequent wrist injury in Detroit, but arrived in Nashville feeling significantly improved. The Australian’s fourth premier-class victory of the season demonstrated the composure and speed that has defined his championship campaign.
Lawrence’s path to victory wasn’t straightforward. After narrowly missing the holeshot and dropping to fifth by the end of the opening lap, the 450SX points leader remained calculated in his approach. He quickly advanced through the field, moving into second position within the opening minutes and setting his sights on race leader Ken Roczen.
As track conditions deteriorated throughout the main event, Lawrence studied the evolving surface before making his decisive move just past the halfway point. Once in front, he established control immediately, showcasing superior pace and consistency to build a gap that exceeded seven seconds by the chequered flag. Cooper Webb finished second, with Roczen rounding out the podium in third.
The victory marked a significant moment for Lawrence, who also clinched the 2023 250SX East Region championship in Nashville with the final win of his quarter-litre supercross career. Saturday’s result represents his fourth 450SX victory both this season and in his career.
“We’ve still got four more races. That’s a lot of racing, so I’m just trying to get as many points, trying to make up for the past two weekends,” Lawrence said. “Looking back to Detroit, maybe I should’ve settled for third? Maybe I wouldn’t have crashed, and I’d still have a pretty healthy double-digit points lead. But it just puts an emphasis on how important it is to be the healthiest version of yourself at every round.”
Other Honda riders included Quad Lock Honda Racing’s Shane McElrath in 10th, Dean Wilson in 11th, Christian Craig in 14th, and Joey Savatgy in 16th. Privateer Zack Williams finished 20th.
The team also confirmed that Jo Shimoda sustained a small fracture in his left fibula following a crash at the previous round in St. Louis. The Japanese racer will miss the remainder of supercross to focus on recovery for the AMA Pro Motocross season. His teammate Jett Lawrence, currently sidelined with a foot and ankle injury, has returned to riding on a turn track and is targeting the outdoor opener at Pala, California, on 30 May.
Lawrence turned the fastest lap time of the 450SX main event and now holds a 10-point advantage over Roczen in the championship standings, with Eli Tomac a further five points back in third. The series continues with Round 14 in Cleveland.
Photo: Honda HRC Media
