Ken Roczen was crowned the 2026 AMA Supercross 450SX Champion Saturday at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah. According to the American Motorcyclist Association, Roczen secured the title by finishing fifth in the season finale, edging out Hunter Lawrence by three points in the final standings.
Roczen secured the championship by finishing fifth in the season finale on May 9, 2026, at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah, officials from the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) confirmed. His fifth-place finish edged out Hunter Lawrence, who finished seventh in the race, by a narrow three-point margin in the final standings.
The official 450SX points tally lists Roczen with 349 points to Lawrence’s 346, confirming the closest title battle of the season, according to AMA records.
The Salt Lake City round marked the 17th and final race of the 2026 AMA Supercross 450SX season. Chase Sexton won the main event, but it was Roczen’s consistent performance throughout the season that ultimately secured his first premier-class AMA Supercross championship. Both Roczen and Lawrence recorded five main-event victories and 12 podium finishes during the 17-round series, underscoring their dominance and consistency, according to Cycle News and MCNews reports.
Roczen’s path to the championship was marked by a significant comeback. Midway through the season, Lawrence held a commanding 31-point lead over Roczen, as documented by Dirthub. Roczen narrowed the gap with key victories, including his fourth win of the year in Cleveland and another in St. Louis, which NBC Sports noted helped close the points difference to just one point late in the season. AMA’s official season summary described the championship as a “tight back-and-forth throughout the season” culminating in Roczen’s narrow victory.
Roczen’s 2026 title carries historical significance. At 32 years old, he became the oldest rider ever to win the AMA Supercross 450SX Championship, according to Red Bull and AMA sources. He is also the first European rider to claim the premier-class title in 35 years and the first German-born champion in the division, with his birthplace listed as Mattstedt, Germany. This championship represents Roczen’s first 450 AMA Supercross crown after multiple runner-up finishes in 2016 and 2021, AMA officials confirmed.
Roczen competed this season for the Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki team, marking Suzuki’s first 450SX championship since Ryan Dungey’s 2010 title. The team affiliation was noted in AMA’s official release congratulating Roczen. His victory returns the premier-class title to Suzuki after a 16-year gap, according to team statements and industry records.
Roczen’s career includes the 2011 MX2 World Championship, two 450cc AMA Motocross titles, and two FIM WSX World Supercross championships. With 28 premier-class main event wins prior to clinching the 2026 title, his career achievements were highlighted by AMA and Red Bull as reaching a new peak with this championship.
The AMA and various media outlets widely recognized the dramatic nature of the championship battle. Racer X reported that Roczen overcame a 31-point deficit and a near career-ending arm injury to claim the 450SX #1 plate. MCNews described the final round as a “title fight balanced on a single point,” emphasizing the competitiveness of the season-long duel. Social media and motocross news platforms also circulated announcements of Roczen’s title win, confirming broad acknowledgment within the sport.
The 2026 AMA Supercross season concluded with Roczen as champion and Lawrence as runner-up, the only rider to finish within single digits of Roczen’s points total. The championship’s outcome solidifies Roczen’s place in AMA Supercross history and sets a benchmark for future seasons, as detailed in official AMA communications and season-end reports.
