Triple Crown action returned to Indianapolis for round nine of Monster Energy Supercross 2026, where Honda HRC Progressive’s Hunter Lawrence earned a second-career victory in 450SX, and Cole Davies (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) swept 250SX to take over the points lead. Both riders spoke to media following the races for these Debrief interviews.

450SX

Image: Octopi Media.

Hunter, congratulations. What’s the level of satisfaction for a win like this in conditions that are so challenging in a Triple Crown format?

It’s pretty nice. I think it’s pretty easy to imagine. Honestly, it’s not much deeper than that. It’s just really cool. Honestly, keeping the red plate, that’s what I want to do. I felt like last weekend I was just really frustrated with my result and what I felt like could have been. So yeah, me and the team knuckled down this week and we put a lot of work in, and so it’s cool to see that pay off.

What was more difficult, the first career win in the 450 Supercross class or the one tonight, and why?

I mean, any win is difficult. All the guys are so good, especially the first main. You’re racing – I think this Triple Crown – you’re racing more guys that, you know, they get to showcase their strengths more. Like the guys that are maybe stronger in heat races generally do really well in the first main than, you know, your main event guys in the second and third. So it’s tricky. There’s three times the risk. I mean, Vince almost killed Eli [Tomac]. And then I had my own scenario in the second one where Cole Thompson and Vince would race each other and I was in the middle and just got sandwiched and ended up sending Cole off the back of the berm. And I don’t know how I stayed on my bike, honestly. Super fortunate. Honestly, I just think I just got lucky. Honestly, like there was some carnage out there.

You mentioned on the podium about the hard work you and the team put in this week. I noticed a lot of changes in your A versus your B bike this weekend – a lot of parts on it that come on a standard 450R. Can you tell me what it is you’ve been looking for and what you found this week in terms of feeling, or what were you looking for?

No, I won’t tell you, but I’ll say, yeah, we worked fricking hard, man. Tuesday from nine until dark, Wednesday the same, Thursday go out more before I fly out, then come out, press day again, and then today. So five days in a row, even though press day is small. But I mean, you can either look like an idiot because you’re tired on race day or best case like tonight. So it’s awesome. You know, the team just never gives up. They’ve got a never-say-die attitude like myself. And yeah, I’m blessed to have amazing people around me. And I can’t ask for much more, even if tonight wasn’t what we wanted.

It seems like you struggled in practice this morning, especially in the first one, then you kind of rounded up all the way through the day. How much strategy is going into that, how many times can you put yourself in the right place?

Hopefully a lot more, honestly. I mean, we got a lot of racing left. Today during the day, I was pretty happy with it, honestly. I went 1-1 in the qualifying sessions at Daytona, and I didn’t win. So I was like, ‘Alright, maybe I’m not a P1 qualifying guy.’ So let’s change it up. But no, I was still out there trying and the feeling was good. I think some days I can speak for a lot of riders, even if you’re maybe not at the top of the board every time you’re on track, but that feeling’s there. I think that’s almost more confidence-inspiring than putting it up top.

So we know what happened with you and Cole was not intentional, so thanks for the words on that. But talk to us about how lappers impacted the track today. This track notoriously gets pretty rough. It’s one of the more exciting ones to watch.

So dude, it just complicates it all that much more. Like we’re moving already a lot more than a normal main event track. I don’t know, I don’t mean to get on a rant, but it always seems to be the same repeat offenders in the lap traffic that are just pretty sketchy and kind of – I know they’ve got their race on, but I don’t know – it’s tricky and very unique for sure.

Can you talk about the pass you had on Jorge [Prado]? You had to give him a little body English to get by. Was that just a higher level of aggression or just purely happened by accident?

No, I mean, he pulled aside for Eli and then he tried to like not brake check, but slow me down on there. And if he’s just coming back to get in the way, then yeah, I’m going to give him some body English, you know, maybe Jett [Lawrence] will come back and do the same…

250SX

Image: Octopi Media.

Cole, congratulations. You were on fire all day. I sense from you this season that you are expecting yourself to win, and you don’t seem happy unless you do win. I think that speaks to the level that you’re at. Emotionally, can you give us any insight into the past few weeks?

Yeah, I’d say it’s a bit of a relief to get this win. I’ve been kind of, I would say, too antsy the first couple rounds. I’ve kind of settled in now and everything’s kind of a bit calmer. And racing, just letting the race come to me. So that’s been better. I’m just happy with my riding. It was a good weekend.

You had a 1-1 heading into the Glendale race last year. In the third race you crashed. To get redemption on that, how does that feel? Was that in the back of your head, thinking about last year and just executing the start this time around?

Yeah, I would say I learned from last year from that. Last year, I would say I had got the first two wins and I was almost too overconfident going to the last race. So I kind of just tried to stay a little grounded, a little humble going to the last race and just celebrate after. It’s not over till it’s over. So yeah, learned from last year and got some redemption this year.

Going into this year, everyone knows the talent and speed that you possess. But what are some of the things that you really specifically worked on that have kind of clicked for you so far through three rounds?

I’d say everything. Just confidence, experience, learning from last year and putting it all into this year. So yeah, I feel like I’m doing that.

The whoops, I walked them in between the first and the second main and not only were they cupped out. What do you do to get the bike to stay on top? Can you give us a little bit of insight on what do you do in those situations?

I don’t know. I don’t want to give all my secrets away, but I’d just say it’s good technique and confidence. That leads to just being good at them.

You mentioned in the first two rounds that starts were kind of the main thing that was plaguing you. Much better starts tonight. It allowed you to get up front. Anything you worked on, any changes that kind of helped you be up front early?

Not really. I’d just say it’s more executing. I feel like the first two starts of the season were a little weird, like the start straights, I mean. Like very short, the dirt had big holes in it. The first round had a double apex turn. It was kind of weird. The first two round starts were just, I feel like the starts weren’t really very good. I felt like this was a bit more of a normal start other than the drop. But yeah, it was a good night.

You really looked fantastic in every section of the track tonight. Was there any section that gave you any difficulty?

I wouldn’t say so. You know, I had pretty good precision. You know, I went axe throwing last night. So I’d say that’s what led to this win. I just had good precision everywhere from the axe throwing last night.

The first couple of rounds, it seemed like you were real energetic and antsy to kind of make it happen and prove to everybody that you were the top dog. And this round, it seemed like a completely different strategy. You were so patient in all three races.

I’d say just executing my starts was the main focus and then just riding my race from there, letting it come to me. I’d say the first two rounds I didn’t get a good start and then I went down just being too antsy, just wanting to go, wanting to get it done. So I just kind of calmed down a bit and let the race come to me. I felt like that was a lot better for me.