The Weekend Breakdown | 2026 Houston

Houston's NRG Stadium provided respite from Texas' winter storm: 2026 Monster Energy AMA Supercross did well to warm up thousands of fans with some fiery on-track action and compelling stories. Some of the narratives that emerged from that venture captured Lewis Phillips' attention and landed in this recapitulation.

SUZUKI'S YELLOW BRICK ROAD

Suzuki is the only manufacturer with two machines inside the 450SX top six – a clear renaissance that's captured attention in Japan. Japanese staff have been present in the SMX paddock, while Europe is abuzz amid rumors of Suzuki's return to MXGP in 2027. I quizzed Dustin Pipes (Pipes Motorsports Group team owner) about renewed interest in Houston's media scrum.

"We just want to go out and do the best that we can, right? If that means them coming back into the fold a little, then that's what that means," Pipes responded. "We are just going to push and be better, win and represent their brand to the best of our ability. Whatever they want to do with that is what it'll be." I asked if he sensed increased enthusiasm compared to four years ago and was met with a confident smirk.

There are rumors of Suzuki's all-new model, equipped with an electric start, being tested on the West Coast now. If true, it would still be a long way from SuperMotocross competition – not that either Ken Roczen or Jason Anderson need it. Roczen beams when he talks about how much he loves his RM-Z450. "I have dreamed of this, having a motorcycle that I love riding in all different kinds of conditions," Roczen said. "My life has looked a lot different in the last two or three years. This is all I have ever wanted. Now I have it and I'm almost retired!"

Anderson's path has been different as he acclimatizes to the RM-Z450 for the first time; mapping improvements were made in early January to help mellow his American bike after so much time on his WSX steed. Now, he has turned his attention to suspension. "We developed another shock this week that we were meant to test on press day, but we ended up not doing it as the base was good," Pipes explained. "We have options that we have gone through with him. I do not want to say what those options are, but we have a route."

Verdict: Suzuki's resurgence is an utter joy for all to behold.

SPRINTING STUMBLES HUNTER

Hunter Lawrence stood on 450SX's second step for the third consecutive weekend (and fourth time in his career) but remains winless at supercross' pinnacle. What stands between him and gold? It's tricky to identify a weakness; he is a brilliant starter, consistent and his raw speed is comparable to the various championship contenders. There is rarely a lead narrative that clouds his results.

However, Lawrence has stated that he finds heats harder than main events – that's seemingly linked to a lack of sprint speed. "I think that we all know that he is more of a diesel, like long-term," Johnny O'Mara mentioned in Peacock's broadcast. "We always try to work on the sprint part of his game, whereas for Jett that's so natural. That has always been a little trickier for Hunter. We deal with it the best that we can and work on it in Florida."

Sprint speed aside, Lawrence stands as a blend of some of his competitors' best attributes. There are elements of Cooper Webb's consistency, Eli Tomac's starts and Chase Sexton's speed. Once he seizes an opportunity to take a win, it's likely that he'll be difficult to suppress. A welcome concept for the injury-battered Honda HRC team (although it's more likely that Jo Shimoda will make round one of 250SX East with each week that passes).

Verdict: Quietly effective yet impossible for rivals to ignore.

STAR'S STARS STARTING SNAFU

There has yet to be a YZ450FM in the top three at the holeshot line: a bizarre concept for one of 450SMX's most powerful steeds. Webb (round one) and Justin Cooper (round four) have started in fourth once each. The two are not too similar, admittedly, as Webb's started seventh on average and Cooper twelfth. The latter's received a majority of Yamaha's attention at the team's compound.

"We have tested a lot: different clutch systems internally, the clutch system itself and a cable clutch," stated Rich Simmons. "Anything that we need to test to make Justin comfortable and confident. We worked on technique at the same time too. We just do whatever it takes to make him comfortable, as is true at other teams. Webb has had positive starts when it has not counted – it happens. We need to be a little better out the gate, maybe look at gate condition as well."

It's unfortunate that Cooper's starts have stopped him from showcasing his potential: he had the quickest lap time of the final main event, some eight tenths better than the competition. It was the second-best time of the day on the very last lap (only beaten by Sexton's 46.697 in the first main). In contrast, however, he had his best start of the season in Houston's second main and didn't do much with the track position.

Verdict: Justin's future could be defined by this exact period.

ELI ESCAPES TEXAS NEAR MISS

So much has been said about Tomac's positive starts that it's understandable that he was left frustrated when they eluded him at the season's first Triple Crown – he was tenth and eleventh across the holeshot line in main events one and two. Those mediocre starts came from the same gate (to the right of the doghouse). It was only when he moved to the inside of the doghouse in the final race that he found his previous starting prowess.

"I could not believe that gate was open, with having thirteenth pick in the final main," Tomac told me afterwards. "I was scratching my head when it was available. I don't know. I just had a better start and did everything right, whereas I popped a wheelie in the other two and was messing with the clutch a bit." He had not been lower than fourth across the holeshot line through the first three rounds.

Regarding his fall in the second main, he explained in the same discussion: "I drug my brake up the ramp. It was super high speed; you went triple on and off into a steep ramp. I bumped my brake. It was a very 'oh crap' moment. Thankfully, I pulled out of that pretty clean. I could not believe that I got up okay, but I was mad. I was frustrated because I felt awesome all day."

Verdict: Eli was fortunate to remain healthy and take fourth.

AIR PRESSURE ANGERS ANSTIE

Like his 450SX teammates, Max Anstie struggled to execute his starts in Saturday's main events. Twentieth and fifteenth at the holeshot line in the first two main events, he was at a loss as to why his normal technique was so ineffective. It was then that discussions about the air pressure formed and Yamaha reacted – a 'secret' alteration that was not mapping followed and the improvements were clear.

"When it's cold and the air pressure is really high, the bike feels really fast," Anstie said after the race. "The bike felt like I was on a 350F. The team said they had never seen the air pressure this high before. I said from lap one that the bike felt really fast. I was in denial a bit, but I said 'I don't know' to Austin [Kent] after the second main and he fixed it for me! I wanted that [a different map] but he did something different."

Anstie followed Haiden Deegan around in the final main event – something that he has not done since San Diego – and made notable gains in the turn after finish. The more manageable power helped him sneak around the slick inside, whereas Deegan railed the berm and was consequently 0.525 slower than his teammate (best time to best time). '61' was the best in the whoops too – a sudden return to form.

Verdict: A sign of life, but it's too little too late for the title.

NEW RULES GO BEYOND STARS

In an unprecedented move, Deegan's mechanic has been fined (rumored to be $500) by the AMA for "contacting another rider with a pit board" in the final 250SX West main event. The words, perplexing to some, indicate that his board hit an active rider, similar to the manner in which Shimoda broke his hand in San Diego in 2025. The excerpt below has been taken from the AMA's official communication.

"Race Direction reviewed video evidence of a rider interference situation where the mechanic of rider #1W contacted another rider with a pit board during the race. This is a new addition to the 2026 rulebook – section 1.6.21. A fine was issued to the mechanic of rider #1W."

Meanwhile, the AMA decided to not intervene in the multiple incidents that occurred between Deegan and Levi Kitchen. The only other penalty of note is the three championship points that were taken from Maximus Vohland after he failed a post-race noise test.

Verdict: The AMA is operating more professionally in 2026.