Roczen wins in Glendale as Supercross title fight tightens
Ken Roczen delivered a headline-making victory Saturday night at Round 5 of the 2026 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship, becoming the fourth different winner in the opening five races and adding more intrigue to an already unsettled 450SX title chase.
Racing in front of the largest crowd ever for a Supercross event inside State Farm Stadium, Progressive Insurance Cycle Gear ECSTAR Suzuki’s Roczen charged to the win after stalking early leader Hunter Lawrence and taking control of the race roughly four minutes in. Roczen set the fastest pace of the night and managed the deteriorating track conditions to take the checkered flag 3.3 seconds clear of Lawrence.
The win was Roczen’s fourth Supercross victory in Glendale, his 24th career Supercross win, and his first of the 2026 season. It also carried emotional weight, as Roczen dedicated the victory to team manager Larry Brooks, who is currently undergoing treatment after being diagnosed with cancer.
“This feels unreal,” Roczen says. “The track was fast and tricky, and once I got into the lead I knew it was going to be a long main event. I want to dedicate this win to Larry. He loves this sport more than anybody, and this one is for him.”
Behind Roczen, Honda HRC Progressive’s Hunter Lawrence finished second for the fourth straight race, a result that was enough to move him into the championship lead and earn the red plate for the first time in the premier class. Defending champion Cooper Webb followed his Houston win with a steady third-place finish for Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing.
Early championship leader Eli Tomac endured a difficult night after being caught in a first-turn incident, forcing the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider to restart deep in the field. Tomac worked his way back to 12th, limiting the damage but dropping to third in the standings, eight points behind Lawrence and five back of Roczen.
Suzuki teammates also showed strong pace despite adversity. Jason Anderson charged forward after an early issue to finish just outside the top 10, while Colt Nichols rebounded from a first-turn crash to salvage championship points, continuing a trend of improved speed for the team.
In the Western Division 250SX main event, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan delivered another dominant performance, going wire-to-wire for his fourth straight victory. Deegan quickly opened a multi-second lead and was never seriously challenged, extending his championship advantage to 27 points.
Levi Kitchen put together one of the rides of the night, charging from 19th to second aboard his Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki. At the same time, teammate Cameron McAdoo rounded out the podium with his third podium finish in four races.
With five rounds complete, the 2026 Supercross season is shaping up as one of the most competitive in recent memory, with multiple winners, tight points, and momentum shifting weekly. The series heads north next weekend to Seattle’s Lumen Field for Round 6, where the title fight is expected to continue to intensify.
