Saturday night inside AT&T Stadium was all about firsts.

Round seven of the 2026 season brought the annual Military Appreciation Night to the Dallas Fort Worth area, and the fans were treated to two emotional first time winners. In the 450SMX Class, Hunter Lawrence finally captured his first premier class victory. In the Eastern Divisional 250SMX Class, Pierce Brown earned his first career Supercross win in dramatic fashion.

Lawrence Breaks Through in the 450SMX Class

The 450SMX Main Event started with Cooper Webb grabbing the holeshot just ahead of Ken Roczen. Roczen quickly fought back and took control on the opening lap. Lawrence settled into third while Eli Tomac started outside the top ten in eleventh.

Tomac wasted no time charging forward. Within the first few laps he was already up to fourth, setting up a tight four rider battle for the lead. As the race moved past the halfway point, Lawrence began to pressure Roczen. He made one attempt in the whoops but was slowed by a lapped rider. He stayed patient and soon made the pass stick.

Behind him, Tomac made an aggressive move to jump from fourth to second, forcing Webb wide and reshuffling the podium spots. With just a few minutes remaining, Tomac tried to close the gap on Lawrence. The Australian responded and stretched his advantage, crossing the finish line 2.8 seconds ahead.

The win came in Lawrence’s 26th premier class start and marked his first victory at the top level. After four runner up finishes earlier this season, he finally stood on the top step. The result also gave him a four point lead in the championship standings over Tomac.

Lawrence said the victory meant a lot but reminded everyone that the season is far from over. He described racing against legends like Roczen, Webb, and Tomac as both challenging and exciting.

Brown Opens 250 East with Emotional Win

The Eastern Divisional 250SMX opener was just as intense.

Jo Shimoda grabbed the holeshot in his return from a serious neck and back injury. He quickly built a three second lead while Brown and Daxton Bennick followed behind.

Midway through the race, red medical lights came on as Shimoda approached the finish line. He correctly slowed and rolled through the section without jumping. Brown and Bennick, seeing no lights in their view, continued at full speed. That allowed Brown to close the gap and take the lead.

Shimoda tried to fight back and even made a late attempt underneath Brown, but he could not complete the pass. Brown held steady and crossed the line 2.4 seconds ahead for his first Supercross victory in 33 starts.

The win was especially meaningful. One year earlier, Brown crashed out of the Eastern opener while leading and suffered a fractured vertebra that ended his season. On Saturday night, he completed his comeback story in front of a packed stadium.

Brown now leads the Eastern Division standings by three points over Shimoda. For the first time in his career, he carries the red plate.

In a night filled with patriotic tributes and close racing, Arlington delivered unforgettable moments. Two riders checked off major milestones, and both left Texas with momentum on their side.