Tomac Wins Daytona Supercross, Closes Gap on Lawrence

Eli Tomac's eighth career Daytona Supercross victory keeps him within a point of championship leader Hunter Lawrence.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Eli Tomac scored his eighth career victory at the Daytona Supercross, winning a close battle with championship leader Hunter Lawrence. Tomac passed Lawrence and Ken Roczen on Lap 7 to take the lead and held on for the win, finishing 1.3 seconds ahead of Lawrence. The result keeps Tomac within one point of Lawrence in the 450SX championship standings.

Why it matters

The Daytona Supercross is one of the most prestigious races on the calendar, and Tomac's eighth win at the iconic venue cements his status as one of the all-time greats. The close battle with Lawrence also sets up an exciting championship chase, with the two riders separated by just a single point heading into the second Triple Crown race next week in Indianapolis.

The details

Tomac completed Lap 1 in fourth position but quickly moved into third by the end of Lap 2. He then passed both Lawrence and Roczen on Lap 7 to take the lead, which he would hold until the checkered flag. Lawrence challenged Tomac in the closing laps but came up just 1.3 seconds short at the finish. Roczen led early but faded to third, over 10 seconds behind the leaders.

  • Tomac completed Lap 1 in fourth position.
  • Tomac moved into third by the end of Lap 2.
  • Tomac passed Lawrence and Roczen on Lap 7 to take the lead.
  • Tomac held the lead until the checkered flag.

The players

Eli Tomac

A five-time 450SX champion and the most successful rider at the Daytona Supercross with eight career victories.

Hunter Lawrence

The current 450SX championship leader, who finished second at Daytona and is now just one point behind Tomac in the standings.

Ken Roczen

A former 450SX champion who finished third at Daytona, keeping himself in contention for the 2026 title.

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What they’re saying

“Daytona is always a special race and I'm proud to get another win here. Hunter really pushed me at the end, but I was able to hold him off.”

— Eli Tomac (nbcsports.com)

“I gave it everything I had at the end, but Eli just had a little bit more. We'll regroup and come back even stronger next week in Indy.”

— Hunter Lawrence (nbcsports.com)

What’s next

The 450SX championship battle will continue next week at the second Triple Crown race in Indianapolis, where Tomac and Lawrence will look to gain an advantage over their rivals.

The takeaway

The close battle between Tomac and Lawrence at the iconic Daytona Supercross has set the stage for an exciting championship chase, with the two riders separated by just a single point heading into the second half of the 2026 season.