Hunter Lawrence spent the entire Monster Energy AMA Supercross season watching the title slip through his fingers. He came agonizingly close, then didn't. He had to sit with that all offseason. Today at Fox Raceway, the first moto of the 2026 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, he showed everyone exactly what he came to do — and he did it in 34 minutes and 55 seconds flat.
Lawrence won Moto 1 wire-to-wire, leading home Jorge Prado by 8.7 seconds, with Justin Cooper in third and kid brother Jett Lawrence — making his injury comeback — rounding out a remarkable P4. Team Honda HRC had a very good afternoon in Pala.
Hunter Lawrence: Hungry and Ready
Lawrence topped both qualifying sessions, posted the fastest lap in combined qualifying with a 2:16.832, and then backed all of it up when the gate dropped. His best lap in the moto was 2:18.656 — comfortable, consistent, controlled. He didn't need to scramble or defend. He just rode away.
That's the version of Hunter Lawrence that wins championships. The one that doesn't crack under pressure, doesn't need a dramatic move to make his point. He sets the pace, puts his head down, and makes you chase him. After the heartbreak of the supercross season, there was every reason to wonder how he'd respond come summer. Now we know.
After the heartbreak of supercross, there was every reason to wonder how Hunter Lawrence would respond. Now we know.
Prado Had the Speed — Not the Win
Here's the uncomfortable truth for Jorge Prado: he had the fastest lap of anyone on the track — a 2:18.632, actually quicker than Lawrence's 2:18.656 best. He had the raw pace to win this moto. He just couldn't string it together over the full race distance the way Lawrence did. That gap — between having the speed and having the race craft — is the story of Prado's career so far. If he can close it this summer, he becomes the championship frontrunner. If he can't, Lawrence runs away with this thing.
Jett Lawrence: The Comeback Starts Now
Jett Lawrence was a genuine question mark heading into Fox Raceway. He was hobbled by injury, went just 14th in first qualifying, and nobody quite knew what version of Jett we'd see. Then in second qualifying he clocked a 2:17.514 — third fastest in the entire field. The real Jett was still in there. And in Moto 1 he went P4, posting a 2:19.821 best lap and finishing less than two seconds behind his brother. That is not the result of a rider who isn't right. That's a rider who is dangerous even when he's not 100%.
Deegan's 450 Debut: Mission Accomplished
The most anticipated storyline of the day was always going to be Haiden Deegan stepping onto a 450 for the first time in a pro moto. The Temecula native, who defended his 250SX West title this supercross season, had the crowd watching every lap. He delivered. P5, 20.5 seconds back from Lawrence, with the fifth-fastest best lap (2:19.206) in the entire field. He wasn't up front and he wasn't trying to be. He rode a smart, controlled race, stayed out of trouble, and came away with 16 solid championship points. For a guy making his debut on a bigger bike in a championship environment, that's exactly how you do it.
R.J. Hampshire — The Quiet P6
Before we move on: R.J. Hampshire went P6 on his Husqvarna Factory Edition with a 2:20.825 best lap, finishing ahead of Sexton, Plessinger, Ferrandis and the rest. Hampshire rarely makes headlines but consistently delivers results, and a P6 on the opening moto of the year is exactly the kind of start a veteran needs to build momentum heading into a long summer.
Sexton and Webb: Red Flags Early
Chase Sexton came into today as a legitimate championship contender on paper. He qualified third, which suggested the equipment and the fitness were there. But he went P7 in the moto — 43 seconds behind Lawrence — and that gap is hard to explain away. A bad start can cost you positions, but not usually 43 seconds of clean track time. Something wasn't clicking, and he'll need to find answers before Moto 2.
Cooper Webb at P13 is equally hard to digest. The man has 450 Supercross titles and the pedigree to be competitive at any national. Whatever happened out there today, P13 is not the championship footnote — but it's also not what Webb or his team had in mind. The outdoor season is long. Today was one moto.
Moto 1 — Full Results
| P | Rider | Time / Gap | Best Lap | Bike |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hunter Lawrence | 34:55.563 | 2:18.656 | Honda CRF450R Works |
| 2 | Jorge Prado | +8.765 | 2:18.632 | KTM 450 SX-F Factory |
| 3 | Justin Cooper | +10.428 | 2:20.152 | Yamaha YZ450F |
| 4 | Jett Lawrence comeback | +12.358 | 2:19.821 | Honda CRF450R Works |
| 5 | Haiden Deegan debut | +20.574 | 2:19.206 | Yamaha YZ450F |
| 6 | R.J. Hampshire | +27.643 | 2:20.825 | Husqvarna FC 450 Factory |
| 7 | Chase Sexton expected more | +43.390 | 2:19.731 | Kawasaki KX450SR |
| 8 | Aaron Plessinger | +48.427 | 2:21.971 | KTM 450 SX-F Factory |
| 9 | Dylan Ferrandis | +53.085 | 2:21.365 | Ducati Desmo 450MX |
| 10 | Mikkel Haarup | +55.297 | 2:22.162 | Triumph TF 450-X |
| 11 | Christian Craig | +1:05.685 | 2:22.592 | Honda CRF450R |
| 12 | Malcolm Stewart | +1:18.713 | 2:23.331 | Husqvarna FC 450 Factory |
| 13 | Cooper Webb P13 | +1:22.191 | 2:23.109 | Yamaha YZ450F |
| 14 | Benny Bloss | +1:30.357 | 2:24.001 | Beta 450 RX |
| 15 | Jordon Smith | +1:31.744 | 2:24.875 | Triumph TF 450-X |
Moto 2 still to come today at Fox Raceway. Stay locked in at motomoto.racing for full coverage.