Jett Lawrence Wins Post-Season Final and SuperMotocross World Championship

Haiden Deegan Takes 250 Class Title with Victory at Final

Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence won both motos at the SuperMotocross World Championship Finals Fueled by Monster Energy inside Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Australian racer earned the win on the night and the points needed to become the sport’s first SuperMotocross World Champion.

The 2023 SuperMotocross World Championship season wrapped up

The 2023 SuperMotocross World Championship season wrapped up where the sport of Supercross got its start, inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.  

Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen finished a close second place in both motos and with that the points for the runner-up position in the inaugural post-season championship. Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton, the points leader heading into the round, led the final moto but a bad crash in the track’s sand section relegated him to third position in the championship. It was Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb who took home the third place spot at the Los Angeles Final and with that secured the fourth place spot in the championship. In the 250 Class, rookie Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan won the night as well as the 250 Class title to wrap up his first year of professional racing as a World Champion.

Jett Lawrence's 1-1 moto scores did not come easy

Jett Lawrence’s 1-1 moto scores did not come easy. The Honda rider pushed hard to win the first-ever post-season race series and it’s $1,000,000 bonus. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.  

The first moto of the 450 Class was off to an exciting start, but just after taking over the lead in the opening laps Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia crashed hard and the race was red-flagged. The racers then lined up for a staggered re-start with 16 minutes remaining on the race clock. After the re-start Ken Roczen went after leader Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson while Lawrence moved past Sexton to take over third. Roczen cut under Anderson in the bowl turn after the sand section to take the lead with 12:43 left on the clock. Lawrence was launching a large quad jump and used it to make up the gap and put an inside pass attempt on Roczen in the following corner. The riders came together; Lawrence nearly fell, and Roczen held the lead. On the next lap Lawrence used his advantage with the quad jump to make the pass into the lead while behind him Sexton had passed Anderson for third place. Roczen later said he knew about the quad jump option, and with Lawrence inching away he decided to also launch the long jump each lap. Roczen closed from 1.8 seconds back to bring the lead to just one second, but the German rider could not get close enough to make a pass attempt. At the checkered flag Lawrence took the moto win ahead of Roczen, Sexton, and Anderson. The first moto finishing positions would combine with the second moto results to determine the World Championship and its $1,000,000 bonus.

Chase Sexton grabbed the holeshot of the second 450 Class moto and with it put himself in the points lead for the title. He led Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo, Jason Anderson, Cooper Webb, Jett Lawrence, and Ken Roczen. By the third corner, Lawrence was up into third place while Roczen worked on Webb in the early, tight racing. With just over two minutes off the clock in the 20-minute plus one lap moto, Roczen pushed his way into third place and the stage was set perfectly for the top three in points to settle the fight for World Champion. Sexton had pulled out more than a four second lead at the race’s midpoint, then made a dramatic mistake in the sand section; Sexton got leaned over going off a sand jump, landed hard, and was out of the race. It was then down to two, with Lawrence maintaining a lead over Roczen of just over one second. Roczen would close the gap in some parts of the track, but overall Lawrence maintained a small bit of breathing room. As the clock neared zero Roczen got held up by a lapper and dropped back three seconds. In the final two laps Roczen tightened the gap back up but never got in range to make a pass. Lawrence launched off the finish line double, setting of the winner’s pyrotechnics on the track and a string of fireworks around the legendary stadium. With 1-1 moto scores, Lawrence took the Final win and with it the SuperMotocross World Championship and its $1,000,000 bonus. Roczen earned second place in both the race and championship and pocketed $500,000 for himself, and Chase Sexton took third place in the championship and a $250,000 bonus. At the final event podium, it was Cooper Webb who stood third on the night with 5-3 moto scores and enough points to finish fourth in the championship and its $200,000 bonus.

Haiden Deegan, in his rookie year, notched a World Championship

Haiden Deegan, in his rookie year, notched a World Championship with a strong and smart ride at the season’s Final and took home a $500,000 bonus. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.  

The first 250 Class moto was a thriller from the drop of the gate. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jalek Swoll grabbed the holeshot ahead of Haiden Deegan, Red Bull KTM’s Tom Vialle, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper, and Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Ryder DiFrancesco. Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Jo Shimoda sat in ninth. Post-season points-leader Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence was not racing due to an injury during qualifying. Vialle was into the lead early but Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Jordon Smith was the rider on the move, pushing into third place five minutes into the 20-minute plus one lap moto. The lead pack stayed close. Then, with just over eight minutes left on the race clock, Smith pushed past Deegan for second and went after Vialle. In less than a lap Smith railed an outside line and charged side by side with Vialle through a jump section and up the legendary Peristyle. Smith took the lead and never looked back. Soon after, Deegan tried to square up a turn to get under Vialle, but Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire cut under and took third place away from Deegan. The two put up a back-and-forth exchange of passes as Shimoda closed in on both riders. With just over five minutes remaining on the clock the top five riders occupied the same rhythm lane. Deegan tried to bump his way past Vialle in a bowl turn, but the pass was unsuccessful and in the next corner Shimoda pushed his way by Deegan while he pushed the rookie wide at a corner exit. The final laps provided intense battles for both the lead and for third, with every rider pushing their hardest to be in the best position to win the World Championship. At the checkers Smith held on for the win, Hampshire was close in second, Vialle took third, Shimoda earned fourth, and Deegan crossed the line in fifth.

In the second 250 Class moto, Deegan was the first to pass the holeshot stripe but his teammate Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Levi Kitchen took over the lead before the second corner. Kitchen led Deegan, Justin Cooper, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Talon Hawkins, and Jo Shimoda. In the second corner, moto-one winner Jordon Smith went down, and Tom Vialle was off the track just one turn after that. Three laps into the race Shimoda took over fourth place, and from there the top four circled the track with none close enough to make a pass attempt on the rider ahead. Just before the midpoint Deegan looked to be making a move on Kitchen, but after nearly falling in a turn appeared to settle into second and prepare for a possible late-race battle. Jo Shimoda fell back to nearly seven seconds off the leader, but in the closing laps he put on one of his late-race surges. Shimoda closed in but never got close enough to challenge for third. At the checkered flag Kitchen took the moto win. Deegan earned second in the moto and with that enough points to win the overall for the event and, more significantly, win the first-ever 250 Class SuperMotocross World Championship by five points over Jo Shimoda. RJ Hampshire took third place honors in the post-season series.

Drew Adams took the win in the 250 World All-Stars Main Event

Drew Adams took the win in the 250 World All-Stars Main Event that kicked-off the night’s racing. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc. 

The evening’s racing kicked-off with the 250 World All Stars Main Event, an invitational field composed of up-and-coming racers aged 15-19. Kawasaki’s Slade Varola grabbed the holeshot ahead of SLR Honda’s Noah Viney, Monster Energy Star Yamaha’s Gavin Towers, KTM Orange Brigade’s Preston Boespflug, and Kawasaki’s Drew Adams. In the early laps Viney tangled with Adams in a rhythm section and went down while Towers crashed in the same section right behind them. Adams kept his Kawasaki on two wheels; he caught Varola’s rear fender and applied heavy pressure with GASGAS Fly Racing’s Mark Fineis also in striking distance. Three minutes into the eight-minute plus one lap race Adams and Fineis pushed past Varola exiting a track section that was under a cross-flag, no-jump safety restriction. Adams pushed out a 1.5 second lead ahead of Fineis. Just behind, Team Green Kawasaki’s Krystian Janik was on Varola’s fender and pushing hard for second. The two riders put on a great battle, with Varola holding strong against the pressure and several pass attempts. At the checkers, 15-year-old Adams took the win, Fineis took second, and Varola held on for the final podium spot.

The exciting racing inside Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum concluded the inaugural SuperMotocross World Championship. The event will re-air twice, first on Sunday, September 24th at 4:00 p.m. ET on NBC and then on Monday, September 25th at 1:00 a.m. ET on CNBC.

The inaugural SuperMotocross World Championship

The inaugural SuperMotocross World Championship brought thrills with the sports’ first-ever post season racing. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Notable on the night, Jett Lawrence moved from the 250 Class to the 450 Class mid-season after winning the 2023 Western Regional 250SX Class title; he won the World Championship in his 450 Class rookie year. Similarly, Haiden Deegan was in his rookie pro racing season, and in fact started it a few races into the Supercross season. Haiden Deegan also shares a history now with his father, Brian Deegan, who earned a Supercross win and landed the first 360 freestyle motocross jump both inside the storied stadium. With the SuperMotocross World Champions crowned and the full 2023 purse of $10 million dollars paid out, race fans look ahead toward 2024 racing; the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross season and 11-round AMA Pro Motocross season schedules have been released.

The 2024 Supercross ticket pre-sale begins Monday, October 3rd at 10 a.m. ET for preferred customers and will run through Monday, October 9th. On Tuesday, October 10that 10 a.m. ET and then 10 a.m. in each subsequent time zone, tickets for all Supercross and Pro Motocross races will become available for sale to the public. For 2024 all Pro Motocross event ticketing will be done through Ticketmaster. Fans can find the race schedules, sign up for preferred access (Supercross), and make ticket purchases online at SupercrossLIVE.com and promotocross.com. The SMX World Championship Playoff and Final dates, locations, and venues will be announced at Round 1 in Anaheim in January.

All rounds in 2024 will be streamed live domestically on Peacock, while broadcast coverage will be shared between NBC, USA Network, and CNBC. Internationally, all rounds will be available to stream live and on-demand via the SuperMotocross Video Pass, available everywhere outside the U.S. Visit Peacock (Domestic) and SuperMotocross.tv(International) for details.

For video highlights, news, results, and to watch for the Playoffs and Final events schedule, please visit supermotocross.com.

450SX Class podium - SuperMotocross

450SX Class podium (racers left to right) Ken Roczen, Jett Lawrence, and Cooper Webb.
Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

450SMX Final Results

  1. Jett Lawrence, Australia, Honda (1-1)
  2. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki (2-2)
  3. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha (5-3)
  4. Adam Cianciarulo, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki (7-4)
  5. Colt Nichols, Muskogee, OK, Kawasaki (8-5)
  6. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha (6-7)
  7. Ty Masterpool, Paradise, Tex., Kawasaki (9-9)
  8. Fredrik Noren, Lidkoping, Sweden, Suzuki (11-8)
  9. Phillip Nicoletti, Bethal, N.Y., Yamaha (12-10)
  10. Chase Sexton, LaMoille, IL., Honda (3-20)

450SMX Class Championship Final Standings

  1. Jett Lawrence, Australia, Honda (163)
  2. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla. Suzuki (146)
  3. Chase Sexton, LaMoille, IL., Honda (126)
  4. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha (120)
  5. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (104)
  6. Adam Cianciarulo, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki (96)
  7. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha (92)
  8. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki (91)
  9. Colt Nichols, Muskogee, OK, Kawasaki (90)
  10. Ty Masterpool, Paradise, Tex., Kawasaki (84)

250SX Class podium - SuperMotocross

250SX Class podium (racers left to right) Jo Shimoda, Haiden Deegan, and RJ Hampshire.
Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

250 SMX Final Results

  1. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (5-2)
  2. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki (4-4)
  3. RJ Hampshire, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Husqvarna (2-6)
  4. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (7-3)
  5. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha (10-1)
  6. Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., Yamaha (1-10)
  7. Pierce Brown, Sandy, Utah, GASGAS (8-5)
  8. Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Husqvarna (6-8)
  9. Maximus Vohland, Granite Bay, Calif., KTM (9-7)
  10. Tom Vialle, France, KTM (3-13)

250SMX Class Championship Final Standings

  1. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (157)
  2. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki (152)
  3. RJ Hampshire, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Husqvarna (122)
  4. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha (114)
  5. Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., Yamaha (110)
  6. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (101)
  7. Maximus Vohland, Granite Bay, Calif., KTM (98)
  8. Tom Vialle, France, KTM (90)
  9. Hunter Lawrence, Australia, Honda (89)
  10. Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Husqvarna (88)

SMX 250 World All Stars Results

  1. Drew Adams, Chattanooga, Tenn., Kawasaki
  2. Mark Fineis, Westfield, Ind., GASGAS
  3. Slade Varola, Simi Valley, Calif. Kawasaki
  4. Krystian Janik, Oak Lawn, Ill., Kawasaki
  5. Blake Gardner, Canyon Country, Calif., Kawasaki
  6. Preston Boespflug, Battle Ground, Wash., KTM
  7. Jaxon Pascal, Hudson, Colo. Honda
  8. Enzo Temmerman, Visalia, Calif., Kawasaki
  9. Noah Viney, Murrieta, Calif., Honda
  10. Dilon Blecha, Fruita, Colo., Yamaha

Jett Lawrence Wins SMX World Championship Playoff 2 at Chicagoland Speedway

Hunter Lawrence Takes 250 Class Win and Reclaims Points Lead

Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence was back on the top step of the podium with a strong overall win at the SuperMotocross World Championship Playoff 2 inside Chicagoland Speedway. Lawrence’s victory came via 1-2 moto scores in the event’s two-race format.

SMX Chicagoland Speedway

The uniquely created track built inside Chicagoland Speedway was long, fast, and rough. The second-ever SuperMotocross World Championship track challenged the racers and teams in the sport’s first post season racing. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.  

Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen earned an emotional second place overall finish just days after the birth of his second child; the win moved Roczen into third place in points with a clear path to winning the championship next weekend. Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton earned third place overall on the high-speed, SuperMotocross track that stretched across the storied auto raceway. In the 250 Class, Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence was back on top, winning both motos and recapturing the 250 Class points lead.

Jett Lawrence - SMX Playoff 2

Jett Lawrence looked at home on the track that favored motocross technique over Supercross finesse. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc. 

Jett Lawrence grabbed the holeshot in the first 450 Class moto with Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia, Sexton, Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha’s Phil Nicoletti, and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis right behind. Sexton, the winner of both motos at Playoff 1, was quickly on the attack to take the lead, but Lawrence held his spot. Just before five minutes had ticked off the race clock Sexton made a tiny mistake exiting one of the sand turns; that was all it took for Lawrence to break free and sprint out of striking distance. The two Honda teammates put in similar lap times, each taking a different bike set-up approach to their race bikes. Sexton was running a stiff Supercross-style suspension set-up and Lawrence had on his more compliant motocross-style suspension. The difference demonstrated the challenge of all the teams to find an ideal bike set-up for the custom built SMX track. Just past five minutes into the 20-minute plus one lap moto, Ken Roczen took over third place from Barcia in a thrilling back-and forth that had the riders trade the lead multiple times through several sections. The lead group looked mostly settled at that point, but Red Bull KTM’s Aaron Plessinger was on the move after a bad start that had him outside the top ten at the beginning of the race. Plessinger reached sixth place with just over six minutes on the clock and charged after Ferrandis. On the final lap Plessinger made the move into fifth. At the checkered flag it was Lawrence, Sexton, Roczen, Barcia, then Plessinger.

The 450 Class moto two roared off the line and race veteran Nicoletti grabbed the holeshot and led Barcia, Lawrence, Sexton, and Roczen. Lawrence and Roczen were both on the move on the opening lap. Lawrence took the lead from Nicoletti before a minute and a half was off the race clock. Roczen was past Nicoletti forty seconds later and then right on Lawrence’s rear fender and pressing for the lead. Sexton eased into third place but the battle was just out of reach as Lawrence’s and Roczen’s pace pushed the front two into a race of their own. Behind Sexton, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb reached fourth place with Ferrandis right behind. Throughout the race Roczen would fall back two seconds, then make a push and get right back up to Lawrence. With just over eight minutes left on the race clock Plessinger moved into fourth and the front group looked settled. But in the closing laps Roczen closed the gap again and pressured Lawrence. With just over a minute left on the clock Lawrence waved Roczen past, relinquishing the lead but also eliminating the pressure. Fans suspected a mechanical issue, but Lawrence explained later it was an attempt to help Roczen finish ahead of Sexton in the overall results; it was a strategy to gain maximum points on series-leader Sexton. Roczen pulled a comfortable gap while Lawrence maintained his lead over Sexton. Lawrence did earn the overall win and Roczen did finish second overall with Chase taking third. However, Lawrence’s unconventional race strategy did not impact the overall finishing order. Going into the Final next weekend, which pays triple points, Sexton leads Lawrence by just two points and Roczen sits in third only ten points back from the top spot. This creates a ‘winner take all’ finale between Lawrence and Sexton, with Roczen positioned to take the championship if he wins the Final and Sexton fails to finish in second.

Hunter Lawrence - SMX Playoff 2

Hunter Lawrence took back the 250 Class points lead with strong 1-1 moto scores to win at Chicagoland Speedway. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

When the gate dropped for moto one of the 250 Class Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan rocketed into the lead ahead of Red Bull KTM’s Tom Vialle, Hunter Lawrence, and Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Jo Shimoda. Shimoda, Playoff 1 winner, looked aggressive going after third but Lawrence held him off. On the opening lap of the 20-minute plus one lap moto Lawrence made the move on Vialle to take over second at the same time Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire got around Shimoda to push him back to fourth. For the first half of the race all eyes were on the fluctuating gap between Deegan in the lead and Lawrence in close pursuit; it grew and tightened between 1.3 to 2.2 seconds. Seven minutes into the race Shimoda dialed up his aggression and took back fourth place. Thirteen minutes into the race Lawrence pulled up on Deegan’s wheel in a move for the lead. A minute later Deegan made a mistake in one of the track’s deep-rutted corners and wasn’t able to jump the finish line double. Lawrence flew past and soon after pulled a small gap on Deegan. With 2:15 remaining on the race clock Shimoda moved past Vialle and set his sights on Deegan. The racer from Japan put in blistering laps and used momentum from an outside line to jump past Deegan. Shimoda set his sights on Lawrence, who had a two second lead at the white flag. Shimoda quickly closed the gap and got right on Lawrence’s rear tire. Then Shimoda took a hard jolt on an outside rut with a sharp hook in it. Shimoda bit his tongue and cut his chin on his handlebar; and so he dialed back his last-lap attack. Lawrence took the moto one win, Shimoda cruised to second and Deegan held on for third.

The second 250 Class moto provided even more excitement. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper nabbed the holeshot with Shimoda, Lawrence, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Ryder DiFrancesco, and Hampshire in tow. In just the opening lap Lawrence bumped past Shimoda in a corner, only to get re-passed by Shimoda in an immediate counterattack. Shimoda set his sights on Cooper and four and a half minutes into the race Shimoda took over the lead while Lawrence sat third and Deegan had reached fourth. A minute later Lawrence overtook Cooper momentarily, but it took another lap of racing to secure the spot. Lawrence now sat just one second back; between he and Shimoda, the winner of the moto would take the event overall and the $50,000 race win bonus. Vialle put in a strong push and got up to third place with eight and a half minutes left on the race clock. But Vialle broke his shift lever and, with his bike stuck in second gear, was out of the hunt for the race win. With less than five minutes left on the clock the battle for the lead took a dramatic turn when Shimoda sensed something wrong with his bike. He later said that he backed down his pace to take the stress off his bike and ensure a finish. Lawrence rode smooth to the checkered flag, the moto win, and with that the overall victory as well. The win gave Lawrence back the points lead going into the SuperMotocross World Championship Final next weekend.

Carson Wood took the win in the dramatic 112cc Supermini World All-Stars race

Carson Wood took the win in the dramatic 112cc Supermini World All-Stars race.
Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc. 

At the event’s midpoint the Supermini World All-Stars Main Event dropped the gate for the top racers between the ages of 12-16 aboard 112cc-displacement race bikes. Monster Energy Team Green Kawasaki’s Carson Wood grabbed the holeshot with MTF Ogio Dunlop’s Benjamin Moya, B’s Moto Lab JM Racing’s Darren Pine, and Husqvarna Answer Racing’s Vincent Wey ahead of the screaming pack of two-stroke race bikes. Wey moved into third less than a minute into the eight-minute plus one lap race. The battling was fierce and the racer making the most progress was Fasthouse X Hot Wheel’s Max Shane. At the race’s midpoint Shane took over second place. Late in the race Wey shorted a large double and crashed on the landing, taking down KTM Orange Brigade’s Seth Dennis, who was right behind him. With under a minute left on the race clock Wood held control over the race with a comfortable lead. At the checkered flag the podium finishers were Woods, Shane, and Moya with Dennis recovering nicely from his crash to finish fourth.

The inaugural season of the SuperMotocross World Championship wraps up and crowns two champions next weekend on September 23rd inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. The SuperMotocross World Championship Final will pay out triple-points for finishing positions to weigh the final event of the year as the most significant. The purses are the largest in the sport’s history, including a $1,000,000 bonus to the 450 Class champion and $500,000 to the 250 Class champion. Every position pays out more than any other series in two-wheeled off-road racing as part of the total 2023 purse of $10,000,000.

Coverage of the Final begins with the Race Day Live show that covers qualifying, team and rider news, a look at the track, and LCQ live coverage; it starts at 4:30PM Eastern Time on Peacock. Then the event kick-off and updates are covered live on the Pre-Race Show coverage at 9:30PM Eastern Time. Directly following that, the racing will air live on both Peacock and USA Network beginning at 10:00 PM Eastern Time. The race coverage will re-air on September 25th at 1:00 AM Eastern time on CNBC.

Tickets are on sale now to witness the final round of the sport’s first post season with the SuperMotocross World Championship Final at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the same stadium that kicked off the sport of Monster Energy Supercross back in 1972 with the Superbowl of Motocross. For ticket sales, race information, video highlights, updates, track maps, and more about the September 23rd event, please visit SuperMotocross.com.

450SX Class podium - SMX Playoff 2

450 Class podium (racers left to right) Ken Roczen, Jett Lawrence, and Chase Sexton.
Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

450SMX Playoff 2 Results

  1. Jett Lawrence, Australia, Honda (1-2)
  2. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki (3-1)
  3. Chase Sexton, LaMoille, IL., Honda (2-3)
  4. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (5-4)
  5. Dylan Ferrandis, Bedarrides, France, Yamaha (6-5)
  6. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS (4-10)
  7. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha (8-7)
  8. Phillip Nicoletti, Bethal, N.Y., Yamaha (7-9)
  9. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki (13-6)
  10. Colt Nichols, Muskogee, OK, Kawasaki (12-8)

450SMX Class Championship Standings

  1. Chase Sexton, LaMoille, IL., Honda (90)
  2. Jett Lawrence, Australia, Honda (88)
  3. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla. Suzuki (80)
  4. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (74)
  5. Dylan Ferrandis, Bedarrides, France, Yamaha (71)
  6. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha (60)
  7. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS (59)
  8. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki (58)
  9. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha (44)
  10. Adam Cianciarulo, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki (42)

250SX Class podium - SMX Playoff 2

250SX Class podium (racers left to right) Jo Shimoda, Hunter Lawrence, and Haiden Deegan.
Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

250 SMX Playoff 2 Results

  1. Hunter Lawrence, Australia, Honda (1-1)
  2. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki (2-2)
  3. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (3-3)
  4. RJ Hampshire, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Husqvarna (5-4)
  5. Maximus Vohland, Granite Bay, Calif., KTM (8-5)
  6. Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., Yamaha (10-8)
  7. Seth Hammaker, Bainbridge, Pa., Kawasaki (9-9)
  8. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha (6-12)
  9. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki (12-7)
  10. Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Husqvarna (7-13)

250SMX Class Championship Standings

  1. Hunter Lawrence, Australia, Honda (89)
  2. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki (86)
  3. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (82)
  4. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha (63)
  5. RJ Hampshire, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Husqvarna (62)
  6. Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., Yamaha (62)
  7. Maximus Vohland, Granite Bay, Calif., KTM (59)
  8. Tom Vialle, France, KTM (54)
  9. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki (54)
  10. Seth Hammaker, Bainbridge, Pa., Kawasaki (49)

SMX Supermini World All Stars Results

  1. Carson Wood, Zephyrhills, Fla., Kawasaki
  2. Max Shane, Oceanside, Calif., KTM
  3. Benjamin Moya, Santiago, Chile, GASGAS
  4. Seth Dennis, Brooksville, Fla., KTM
  5. Logan Mortberg, Pierson, Fla., KTM
  6. Darren Pine, Montgomery, Tex., GASGAS
  7. Jayce Wolf, Franklin, Wis., KTM
  8. Wyatt Duff, Lexington, Ky., KTM
  9. Carson Millikan, Surprise, Ariz., KTM
  10. Kane Bollasina St. Louis, Mo., KTM

Chase Sexton Wins SuperMotocross Playoff 1 in Inaugural Post-Season Race

Jo Shimoda Claims first 250 Class Playoff Victory

The SuperMotocross World Championship kicked off with Playoff 1 of the inaugural post-season, a culmination of Supercross and Pro Motocross seasons. The racing was thrilling on a racetrack built along and across the four-lane zMAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway. 2023 Monster Energy Supercross Champion Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton earned two convincing Moto wins to take the Playoff 1 event overall victory.

Chase Sexton earned perfect 1-1 Moto scores in Charlotte

Chase Sexton earned perfect 1-1 Moto scores in Charlotte to prove he’s the racer to beat in the sport’s first ever post-season. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen returned to racing after taking most of the AMA Pro Motocross season off; he earned second overall with 3-3 moto scores. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis showed top speed as he took home third overall in Concord with 2-4 moto finishes. In 250 Class racing, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Jo Shimoda earned the event win through 4-1 Moto scores in the highly competitive and aggressive 250 class.

The first-ever post season event treated fans to a great start of the premiere off-road motorcycle series. The SuperMotocross World Championship is composed of two Playoff rounds and one Final, raced over the three consecutive weekends. The points payout will double at Playoff 2 and be awarded at triple their normal payout at the Final. When the dust has settled, the 450 Class SMX Champion will earn a cool $1,000,000 championship win bonus and the 250 Class SMX Champion will take home $500,000. The riders competing were seeded based on their combined points of the two 2023 race seasons and allotted points equivalent to one race prior to the start of the post-season.

Ken Roczen led the early laps of the second moto in the 450 Class

Ken Roczen led the early laps of the second moto in the 450 Class.
Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

In the 450 Class’ first moto Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia grabbed the early lead out of the unique split start that funneled 22 riders together at the corner exits of two separate first turns. HBI Racing’s Ty Masterpool ran in second with Chase Sexton in third, Red Bull KTM’s Aaron Plessinger in fourth, and Dylan Ferrandis rounding out the top five. Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence, who had just completed an undefeated AMA Pro Motocross season two weeks prior, was off to a mid-pack start. Within a few laps of the 20-minute plus one lap moto Sexton used the track’s split lane to take the lead from Barcia. From there Sexton put down smooth, fast laps and pulled clear of the field. Just before the Moto’s midpoint Jett Lawrence tipped over on the track’s off-camber corner and remounted back in tenth place. Roczen was the rider on the move, getting up to third place behind Ferrandis as Barcia found himself back in fourth. As the race clock ticked down, Sexton held a lead of more than eight seconds while behind him the battle tightened up for second place. At the checkered it was Sexton, followed by Ferrandis, Roczen, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson, and Plessinger. Lawrence managed to climb back to seventh at the finish.

The second 450 Class Moto and final race of the day saw privateer Ty Masterpool grab the Holeshot ahead of Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo, Roczen and Plessinger. Roczen wasted no time, slipping into second in the first few turns then taking over the lead in the first pass through the track’s long rhythm section. One lap into the Moto Roczen was pulling a gap on the field of Masterpool, Cianciarulo, Anderson, Sexton, and Barcia while Jett Lawrence sat in tenth. On the next pass through the rhythm lane Cianciarulo crashed, handing third place to Anderson. Sexton was on the charge and moved into third as Lawrence reached seventh place back in the pack. Before five minutes was off the race clock Sexton was into second place and looking up the track at Roczen, who held a 5.5 second lead. Sexton inched up on Roczen, then just after the Moto’s mid-point he quickly closed the gap. Sexton used an inside line on the off-camber turn to take over the lead and pull out a comfortable gap. With just over two minutes left on the race clock Lawrence leapt past Roczen to grab second place. Sexton went unchallenged to the checkers to sweep both Motos, take the event overall win and its $100,000 win bonus, and extend his points lead in the post-season.

Jo Shimoda (#30) used 4-1 moto scores to earn the 250 Class victory

Jo Shimoda (#30) used 4-1 moto scores to earn the 250 Class victory at the sport’s first post-season race. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

In the 250 Class’ first Moto, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker grabbed the Holeshot ahead of three Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing teammates Levi Kitchen, Justin Cooper, and Haiden Deegan, as well as Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Ryder DiFrancesco. Kitchen used the track’s split lane to take over the lead on the first lap. Just two minutes into the 20-minute plus one lap Moto the 2023 Eastern Regional 250SX Class and 250 AMA Pro Motocross Champion, Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence, washed out his front end and fell, going from a mid-pack spot to last place in the 22-rider field. Hammaker was next to crash, in a near replay of Lawrence’s fall the lap before. Hammaker’s slide-out dropped him from second place back to sixth. Five minutes into the Moto, Kitchen held first place ahead of Deegan, DiFrancesco, Red Bull KTM’s Tom Vialle, and Jo Shimoda. Just past the race’s midpoint Deegan started applying heavy pressure on Kitchen for the lead while about eight seconds behind them DiFrancesco and Vialle scrapped for third. With just over five minutes left on the race clock Deegan took the lead via a different option in the split lane. Shortly after, a battle for third place saw Vialle emerge with the spot. At the checkers Haiden Deegan grabbed the first-ever SuperMotocross post-season victory, Kitchen earned second, and Vialle took third.

Ryder DiFrancesco took the Holeshot in the second 250 Class Moto but Vialle was around him just after the holeshot stripe. Shimoda, Hammaker, and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Jordon Smith were close in tow. First moto-winner Deegan was in 13th and post-season favorite Hunter Lawrence was 19th after tipping over in the first corner. Shimoda put early pressure on Vialle but could not break through. Between the two racers, the Moto winner between them would take the overall victory and the $50,000 race win bonus. Deegan reached fifth place before the race’s midpoint and, with the front pack still running very close, had the lead within sight. Further back, Hunter Lawrence seemed unable to climb higher than 12th place. With just over six minutes left on the race clock Shimoda used an outside line to pass Vialle in one of the tracks’ wide, sweeping turns. Shortly after that the top four broke away from Deegan, putting the rookie’s chance at an overall win out of reach. Shimoda built a 2.6 second lead by the final lap and cruised into the sport’s history books as the first event winner in SuperMotocross post-season racing.

Jackson Vick earned the win in the SMX World All Stars race

Jackson Vick earned the win in the SMX World All Stars race, a 65cc class of young racers between the age of 8-12. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Between the 450 and 250 Class motos a 65cc World All-Stars invitational race was run on the full SMX track. Cobra Elite’s Gavin McCoy grabbed the early lead of the 22-racer field composed entirely of riders between the ages of 8-12. Munn Racing’s Brycen DeJonge held second early but JK Cycles’ Jackson Vick was on the move and took over second a few turns into the race in the motocross-style section of the course. Within the opening lap Vick had moved into the front spot and from there he pulled away from the field. Late in the 8-minute plus one lap race, Dunlop’s Easton Graves moved into second place and held it to the end with McCoy earning third place.

The SuperMotocross League holds Playoff 2 next weekend, September 16th, in Joliet, Illinois at Chicagoland Speedway. The same seeded riders are guaranteed a spot on the gate and the same LCQ racers will have to battle their way into the points-paying Motos. The overall finishing positions for Playoff 2 will pay double points to the racers. 450 Class racers will rack up points toward winning the $1,000,000 championship win bonus. 250 Class racers will vie for the championship prize of $500,000. With large finishing bonuses all the way down to the 22nd position, the racers will battle harder than ever on the world’s most challenging tracks for their piece of 2023’s total purse of $10,000,000.

Opening Ceremonies at Chicago’s SuperMotocross World Championship Playoff 2 begin at 7:30PM Eastern Time. The event will be broadcast live on Peacock, with two race re-airs – the first on NBC on September 17th at 12:00PM ET and the second airing on CNBC on September 18th at 1:00 AM ET.

Tickets are on sale now to be a part of the sport’s first post season with Playoff 2 up next and then the Final in Los Angeles at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 23rd, where the sport of Monster Energy Supercross got its start back in 1972 with the Superbowl of Motocross. For ticket sales, race information, updates, track maps, and more please go to SuperMotocross.com.

450 Class podium - SuperMotocross - Charlotte

450 Class podium (riders left to right) Ken Roczen, Chase Sexton, and Dylan Ferrandis.
Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

450 Playoff 1 Results

  1. Chase Sexton, LaMoille, IL., Honda (1-1)
  2. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki (3-3)
  3. Dylan Ferrandis, Bedarrides, France, Yamaha (2-4)
  4. Jett Lawrence, Australia, Honda (7-2)
  5. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki (4-5)
  6. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (5-6)
  7. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS (6-8)
  8. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha (8-7)
  9. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha (10-9)
  10. Colt Nichols, Muskogee, OK, Kawasaki (12-10)

450SMX Class Championship Standings

  1. Chase Sexton, LaMoille, IL., Honda (50)
  2. Jett Lawrence, Australia, Honda (38)
  3. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (38)
  4. Dylan Ferrandis, Bedarrides, France, Yamaha (37)
  5. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla. Suzuki (36)
  6. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki (32)
  7. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., Yamaha (30)
  8. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS (27)
  9. Adam Cianciarulo, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki (24)
  10. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha (22)

250 Class podium - SuperMotocross - Charlotte

250 Class podium (riders left to right) Haiden Deegan, Jo Shimoda, and Tom Vialle.
Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

250 Playoff 1 Results

  1. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki (4-1)
  2. Tom Vialle, France, KTM (3-2)
  3. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (1-5)
  4. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki (7-3)
  5. Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., Yamaha (8-4)
  6. Seth Hammaker, Bainbridge, Pa., Kawasaki (5-8)
  7. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha (2-11)
  8. Hunter Lawrence, Australia, Honda (9-7)
  9. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (12-6)
  10. Pierce Brown, Sandy, Utah, GASGAS (11-10)

250SMX Class Championship Standings

  1. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki (42)
  2. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (42)
  3. Hunter Lawrence, Australia, Honda (39)
  4. Tom Vialle, France, KTM (38)
  5. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha (35)
  6. Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., Yamaha (30)
  7. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki (28)
  8. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (27)
  9. RJ Hampshire, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Husqvarna (26)
  10. Maximus Vohland, Granite Bay, Calif., KTM (25)

SMX World All Stars Results

  1. Jackson Vick, KTM
  2. Easton Graves, KTM
  3. Gavin McCoy, Cobra
  4. Brayton Kreglow, Yamaha
  5. Joseph Vicari, KTM
  6. Carter Gray, Cobra
  7. Jaydin Smart, Cobra
  8. Anderson Waldele, KTM
  9. Beckham Smith, KTM
  10. Brody Bircher, KTM

Jett Lawrence Completes Fourth Perfect Season in Pro Motocross Championship History at Ironman Raceway

Hunter Lawrence Completes Historic Sweep for His Family and Team with First National Title in 250 Class

A multitude of history was made at Indiana’s Ironman Raceway on Saturday as the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, came to a close with the Tucker Freight Lines Ironman National. Headlining the 11th and final round of the summer was the completion of the fourth perfect season in American motocross history as Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence captured moto wins 21 and 22 to put the finishing touch on what will be one of the most memorable championship campaigns the sport has ever witnessed. In the 250 Class, Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence completed his own championship journey to cap off a historic feat for the Australian duo as the first ever siblings to sweep each respective title. To top it all off, Honda became the first manufacturer to successfully claim every championship in a single season following a sweep of the trio of titles up for grabs in Monster Energy Supercross earlier this year.

450 class banner bl

Moto 1

The penultimate moto of the season for the 450 Class kicked off with an incredible start by Jett Lawrence who easily grabbed the MotoSport.com Holeshot ahead of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger and Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton. A torrid pace in the opening laps saw Lawrence move out to a 1.7 second lead while Sexton was able to fight his way around Plessinger for second.

The Honda duo were in a class of their own and easily distanced themselves from the rest of the field. They traded fast laps, and each enjoyed better sections of the track, creating a bit of a yo-yo effect with the gap. Sexton was able to move within just over a second, but Lawrence responded and picked up the pace significantly to move out 4.4 seconds ahead of his teammate. Behind them, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson made moves from a fifth place start to break into podium position with a pass on Plessinger.

Back up front, Lawrence added to his lead over the second half of the moto and soon found himself more than nine seconds ahead of Sexton as time ran out on the moto clock. While the leaders found themselves well ahead of the rest of the field, the battle for third persisted as Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis was on a torrid charge to the podium. The Frenchman started ninth and was impressive in his forward progression, which culminated with a pass on Anderson for third inside the final 10 minutes of the moto.

Lawrence enjoyed another wire-to-wire effort to capture moto win 21, crossing the line 5.8 seconds ahead of Sexton, with Ferrandis a distant third. Anderson followed in fourth, while Plessinger rounded out the top five.

Jett Lawrence - Ironman National

Jett Lawrence became the third rider in Pro Motocross history
to complete a perfect season.
Photo Courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing / Align Media

Moto 2

All the key players emerged at the front of the field to start the final moto of the season, with Ferrandis snagging the MotoSport.com Holeshot ahead of Lawrence, Sexton, and Plessinger. Just a few turns into the race Ferrandis crashed hard, which ended the Frenchman’s race and handed the lead to Lawrence as Sexton and Plessinger settled into second and third, respectively.

Lawrence put the hammer down on the opening laps to establish a 1.5 second lead over Sexton as the rest of the field settled into race pace. As each lap passed, Lawrence’s margin grew, little by little, and soon sat at more than four seconds approaching the halfway point of the moto. Sexton kept his teammate honest, which allowed both riders to distance themselves from Plessinger in third.

As the final 10 minutes of the season approached Sexton had chipped away to gain about a second on Lawrence and was the fastest rider on the track at this point of the moto. The gap between the teammates continued to shrink and soon dipped under three seconds, partially impacted by the leaders navigating through lapped traffic. As the final five minutes approached the gap was just 1.4 seconds, but as he’s done for much of the year Lawrence was able to pick up the pace again and pull back out. As time ran out on the moto clock the lead had grown to 3.4 seconds with just two laps to go.

Lawrence looked to manage the lead on the final lap as Sexton went all out and started to gain ground. However, it was too little too late for Sexton as Lawrence completed the perfect season with moto win 22. The final margin of victory was 1.7 seconds. Plessinger finished in a distant third.

Chase Sexton - Ironman National

Chase Sexton captured his sixth runner-up finish of the season (2-2).
Photo Courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing / Align Media

Overall

The most dominant and impressive rookie season in 450 Class history saw Lawrence join elite company with the sport’s rarest feat. He becomes just the third rider in 52 seasons to go undefeated, joining AMA Hall of Famers Ricky Carmichael, who compiled two perfect seasons, and James Stewart. Lawrence’s 11 career wins already place him into a tie for 15th all time after just one season of competition.

Sexton’s sixth runner-up finish (2-2) of the season capped off an impressive summer for the Supercross Champion, despite missing three races with injury. He failed to finish off the podium just once in eight starts. Plessinger rounded out the overall podium in third (5-3) for his third podium result of the season.

Lawrence’s final margin in the 450 Class standings is 151 points over Ferrandis, while Plessinger earned his best-career championship finish in the premier class in third.

Aaron Plessinger - Ironman National

Aaron Plessinger finished third overall (5-3) at his home race.
Photo Courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing / Align Media

Jett Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“[The perfect season] doesn’t feel real. I started off so nervous hitting the gate [in Moto 2]. I don’t know how I led the first lap. Now we’re undefeated. To all the people who doubted me, here we are now. Also, congrats to Hunter [Lawrence]. No one deserved that [250 Class] title more than him.”

Chase Sexton, Team Honda HRC
“Jett upped the game a bit [this season]. I had to play catch up when I came back [from injury], but then he got better. You haven’t seen the last of me winning [in Pro Motocross]. I’m determined to come back stronger next season.”

Aaron Plessinger, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
“I don’t know what it is, but I love these second motos. I ride way better in the second motos than the first, so I’ve got to get that figured out. I heard these home fans every lap, it was amazing. I’m really happy with what we accomplished this season.”

HRC Team - Ironman National

450 Podium - Ironman National

450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish // Points)

  1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (1-1 // 50)
  2. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda (2-2, 44)
  3. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (5-3 // 36)
  4. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki (4-4 // 36)
  5. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (6-6 // 30)
  6. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha (7-8 // 27)
  7. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., GASGAS (11-5 // 26)
  8. Dylan Wright, Canada, Honda (8-9 // 25)
  9. Phil Nicoletti, Cochecton, N.Y., Yamaha (12-7 // 23)
  10. Harri Kullas, Estonia, Yamaha (9-12 // 21)

450 Class Championship Final Standings

  1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 550
  2. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha – 399
  3. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 386
  4. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda – 338
  5. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 328
  6. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha – 255
  7. Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki – 242
  8. Fredrik Noren, Lidköping, Sweden, Suzuki – 219
  9. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki – 207
  10. Grant Harlan, Justin, Texas, Yamaha – 176

450 Class Highlights – Tucker Freight Lines Ironman National

250 class banner

Moto 1

The first moto of the 250 Class saw Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Ryder DiFrancesco lead the field to the MotoSport.com Holeshot ahead of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing ride of Tom Vialle and the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki duo of Seth Hammaker and Jo Shimoda. Deep in the field was championship point leader Hunter Lawrence, who started 17th aboard after being forced to avoid a crash in the first turn. The early adversity also impacted Lawrence’s primary title rival, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper, who was one of several riders collected in the incident and forced to fight his way forward from well outside the top 20.

With his first opportunity to lead a Pro Motocross moto DiFrancesco took hold of the top spot and managed a lead for the opening nine minutes before Vialle closed in and made the pass. Vialle was followed by Shimoda, who dropped his teammate to third. From there a battle for lead ensued as the international duo engaged in a spirited fight, with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rookie Haiden Deegan lurking in third. As the moto approached its halfway point the top three on the track were separated by a mere 1.5 seconds.

Shimoda ramped up his aggression and managed to make the pass on Vialle, which put the Frenchman into the clutches of Deegan. The battle for second saw both riders swap lines throughout the track, trading bursts of momentum. Meanwhile, Shimoda moved out to a one-second lead. Behind them, Lawrence broke into the top 10, while Cooper remained mired in 15th.

Deegan mounted another charge to make the pass on Vialle and then looked to erase a 2.1 second deficit to Shimoda with less than 12 minutes remaining. Deegan made an initial push to close the gap, but Shimoda responded and continued to build on his advantage as the moto wore on and eventually moved ahead by nearly 7.5 seconds. From there the top three settled into their respective positions while Lawrence’s climb through the field continued to the cusp of the top five in sixth.

Shimoda’s single-best-moto of the season saw the Japanese rider take the seventh moto win of his career and his second of the season, crossing the line 7.6 seconds ahead of Deegan, followed by Vialle in third. Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Austin Forkner finished in fourth, while Lawrence clawed his way up to fifth. Cooper managed to fight his way back to 13th, but it wasn’t enough to keep Lawrence from clinching the championship with his top-five result.

Jo Shimoda - Ironman National

Jo Shimoda wrapped up the season with the first win of 2023 for both he
and Kawasaki following the Japanese rider’s first ever 1-1 outing.
Photo Courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing / Align Media

Moto 2

The final 250 Class moto of the summer started off with a sweep of the MotoSport.comHoleshots by DiFrancesco with Shimoda right on his rear fender ahead of Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Levi Kitchen. A persistent Kitchen went on the attack against Shimoda and made the pass before setting his sights on DiFrancesco. Shimoda bided his time in third, several positions ahead of all his rivals in the battle for the overall as Vialle sat sixth, Deegan seventh, and Lawrence 10th.

After settling into a groove Shimoda’s pace ramped up again. He caught the leaders and made a quick, savvy move to reclaim second from Kitchen. He proceeded to close in on his teammate for the lead and apply pressure. The top three pulled away from the rest of the field and sat more than five seconds clear of fourth.

Shimoda started to look for a way around DiFrancesco, but the rookie withstood the attack initially. However, Shimoda’s persistence paid off and he took control of the lead with 18 minutes remaining. Kitchen then made the move on DiFrancesco for second and looked to track down Shimoda once more. At the turn of the midway point of the moto Shimoda’s lead hovered around two seconds over Kitchen, while Cooper rebounded from his adversity filled first moto with a move into podium position, which dropped DiFrancesco to fourth.

With a little more than 10 minutes to go Kitchen crashed out of second and was forced to retire from the moto, which moved Cooper up to second and Vialle up to third. For Shimoda the dominance continued through the remainder of the race as he wrapped up the first moto sweep of his career, finishing 2.1 seconds ahead of Cooper, while Deegan made a late pass on Vialle to nab third. In his first moto as champion, Lawrence savored the moment and cruised home to a ninth-place finish.

Haiden Deegan - Ironman National

Haiden Deegan wrapped up Rookie of the Year honors with a runner-up finish (2-3).
Photo Courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing / Align Media

Overall

Shimoda’s maiden 1-1 performance and third career win proved significant for Kawasaki, which had yet to win throughout Monster Energy Supercross and the first 10 rounds of Pro Motocross, and helped the manufacturer avoid its first winless season since 1981. Deegan’s late pass for third in Moto 2 allowed the newly crowned Rookie of the Year to finish in the runner-up spot (2-3), while Vialle ended his first year on American soil with his third podium result in third (3-4).

While Shimoda enjoyed the spoils of victory, it was Lawrence who savored the celebration of a championship. The veteran Australian captured seven victories over the course of the summer and eight podium finishes to finish the season with a final margin of 20 points over Cooper, who earned his fourth career championship podium result, while Shimoda earned a second straight championship podium finish in third.

Team Honda HRC is now in the midst of a three-year winning streak for 250 Class titles following back-to-back crowns by Jett Lawrence in 2021 and 2022.

Tom Vialle - Ironman National

Tom Vialle completed his first season of U.S. competition in third (3-4).
Photo Courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing / Align Media

Hunter Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“I saw the chaos in the second turn. I saw blue bikes and then the No. 32 and thought, ‘That sucks.’ I was way, way back, trying to be patient and trying not to rush anything. Man, what a year. Never say die, never give up. It’s unbelievable. So honored to thank the team with five championships, and the year’s not done.”

Jo Shimoda, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki
“I’m so happy to end the last race like this. I got two good starts and it turned into a 1-1. It’s been a long, great season and I’m excited for the SMX rounds.”

Haiden Deegan, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“This year’s been crazy. To be honest, I woke up sick as a dog, but there ain’t no quit in me. I’m going to fight until the end. This year’s been hard, but I never gave up. I’m going to go home, work my butt off, and come back swinging next year.”

Tom Vialle, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
“It’s nice to finish the season on the podium. This track was sick. I’m really looking forward to coming back and having a better season next summer.”

Hunter Lawrence - 250 MX Champ - Ironman National

250 Podium - Ironman National

250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)

  1. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki (1-1 // 50)
  2. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (2-3 // 42)
  3. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM (3-4 // 38)
  4. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (13-2 // 30)
  5. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (5-9 // 28)
  6. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki (9-6 // 27)
  7. Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Husqvarna (11-5 // 26)
  8. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM (8-8 // 26)
  9. Seth Hammaker, Bainbridge, Pa., Kawasaki (6-12 // 24)
  10. Stilez Robertson, Bakersfield, Calif., Yamaha (12-11 // 19)

250 Class Championship Final Standings

  1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 419
  2. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 399
  3. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki – 393
  4. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 371
  5. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha – 322
  6. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM – 302
  7. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM – 295
  8. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna – 288
  9. Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Husqvarna – 221
  10. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki – 208

250 Class Highlights – Tucker Freight Lines Ironman National

While the sport’s regular season has drawn to a close, its first ever postseason awaits in a matter of 14 days. The inaugural SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs will commence with three rounds of postseason competition, beginning on Saturday, September 9, with Playoff 1 from Charlotte’s zMAX Dragway. Playoff 2 will take place one week later, on Saturday, September 16, from Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois, before the SMX Finale on Saturday, September 23, from the hallowed grounds of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Coverage from all three events will be streamed live on Peacock, in addition to network coverage from Charlotte and Los Angeles on USA Network. Tickets can be purchased at www.SuperMotocross.com.

Perfect 2023 Pro Motocross Championship Season Continues for Jett Lawrence with Tenth Win at Budds Creek

Hunter Lawrence on the Cusp of 250 Class Title Following Seventh Victory

One week removed from becoming the eighth different rider in the history of the Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, to capture the 450 Class title his first year in the division, Team Honda HRC pilot Jett Lawrence’s quest for a perfect season moved one round closer to completion at the Yamaha Budds Creek National. The young Australian withstood his toughest challenge to date at Southern Maryland’s Budds Creek Motocross Park, but ultimately prevailed with his 10th consecutive 1-1 outing to move within two motos of the fourth unbeaten campaign in series history. In the 250 Class, Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence once again complemented his younger brother’s victorious effort with his seventh victory of the season, to put the Gary Jones Cup within reach ahead of next weekend’s finale.

450 class banner bl

Moto 1

The first 450 Class moto got underway with the Monster Energy Kawasaki of Adam Cianciarulo leading the way to the MotoSport.com Holeshot, followed my Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Jay Wilson and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger, who soon moved into second. Third was then occupied by Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia. A bit further back, Lawrence started sixth.

The top three settled in through the opening portion of the moto but Plessinger started to chip away at the deficit and was able to make the pass for the lead a little more than eight minutes into the moto. Cianciarulo and Barcia gave chase from second and third, respectively, while Lawrence closed in from fourth. The champ persistently pressured Barcia for a few laps and made the move for third just before the halfway point. He then made quick work of Cianciarulo to move into second.

Less than a second separated Plessinger and Lawrence, but the Australian quickly closed onto the rear fender of the KTM and relied on some savvy racecraft to slip into the lead and seize control of the moto with 13 minutes remaining. From there he quickly moved out to a multi-second advantage. As Lawrence pulled away, the battle for the remaining podium spots tightened up between Plessinger, Cianciarulo, Barcia, and Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson.

Anderson made the first move of the group with a pass on Barcia to drop the GASGAS rider to fifth. The Kawasaki rider’s forward momentum continued with a pass on his teammate for third and continued with a quick push to pass Plessinger for second. This late battle added a new rider in Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis, as the Frenchman was on a charge into podium contention. The former champ marched his way past multiple riders and moved within striking distance of Plessinger as time expired on the moto. Ferrandis went on the attack and completed the pass.

Lawrence easily controlled the second half of the race to bring home moto win 19 by 4.3 seconds over Anderson, followed by Ferrandis in third. Plessinger and Barcia battled all the way to the checkered flag for fourth, with the KTM coming out ahead of the GASGAS.

230820 Jett Lawrence - Budds Creek

Jett Lawrence withstood his toughest challenge to date to keep
his perfect season intact at Budds Creek.
Photo Courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing / Align Media

Moto 2

The final moto of the day began with Lawrence clear of the field to easily grab the MotoSport.com Holeshot over Cianciarulo and Barcia. Barcia quickly slotted into second, followed by Plessinger in third, while Cianciarulo settled into fourth. After a challenging first moto filled with adversity, Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton started fifth but made quick work to jump up to third behind Barcia and his teammate.

Sexton showed patience in his pursuit of Barcia for second but once he went on the attack he wasted no time making the pass and moved into second just a handful of minutes into the moto. From there Sexton inched closer to his teammate and as the moto surpassed the 10-minute mark less than 1.5 seconds separated the Honda duo. As they traded momentum, Sexton appeared to have slightly more speed and closed in to within less than a second. However, the battle ended when Sexton tipped over while navigating one of the track’s many downhills.

The lead duo was well ahead of the rest of the field, but a multi-ride affair for third headlined the halfway point of the moto as Barcia was forced to contend with Plessinger, Cianciarulo, and Anderson. As the moto wore on Barcia and Plessinger were able to inch away from the Kawasakis, but their battle persisted. No matter what Plessinger tried Barcia seemed to have an answer, but as the moto reached its final five minutes Plessinger finally got the upper hand and made the pass, while Barcia stayed close.

Back up front, Sexton’s never-give-up mentality saw him erase an eight-second deficit to close within striking distance of Lawrence. Mere bike lengths separated the teammates on the final lap, but Lawrence did enough to keep Sexton at bay and secure his 20th moto win to extend the perfect season.

230820 Aaron Plessinger - Budds Creek

Aaron Plessinger earned his best result of the season with a runner-up effort (4-3).
Photo Courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing / Align Media

Overall

The 10th overall victory of the season for Lawrence was arguably his toughest of the summer, as he was forced to dig deep to pull out the 1-1 sweep and keep his unblemished record intact. With his third-place finish in the final moto Plessinger was able to secure a season-best runner-up finish (4-3), while Anderson’s resilient charges through the field in both motos was rewarded with third overall (2-5).

Lawrence needs to win the final two motos of the summer to become the third different rider to amass a perfect season, in what has been a historic first season of premier class competition.

230820 Jason Anderson - Budds Creek

Jason Anderson put up a fight across both motos to secure third overall (2-5).
Photo Courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing / Align Media

Jett Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“I had a spot where I could see Chase [Sexton] each lap, but then [one lap] I just didn’t see him there. Then I knew he was closing in. I had a bit of bad luck with lappers, but we got away with it. It was a close one there, but that was good at the end.”

Aaron Plessinger, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
“I knew [Barcia] was going to be hard to pass and this track is a bit one lined. He’s such a great competitor and I really enjoyed racing with him in that second moto. I rode a bit tight in that first moto, but we came out and proved it in the second one. I’m just so grateful to be up here again [on the podium].”

Jason Anderson, Monster Energy Kawasaki
“I feel like I’m getting better. I had to work hard and come from behind a couple times today. It feels good to be back on the podium. We just need to keep piecing it together.”

230820 450 Podium - Budds Creek

450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish // Points)

  1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (1-1 // 50)
  2. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (4-3 // 38)
  3. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki (2-5 // 38)
  4. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda (9-2, 34)
  5. Justin Barcia, Monroe, N.Y., GASGAS (5-4 // 34)
  6. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha (3-9 // 32)
  7. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (7-6 // 29)
  8. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha (6-8 // 28)
  9. Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki (8-7 // 27)
  10. Phil Nicoletti, Cochecton, N.Y., Yamaha (10-11 // 21)

450 Class Championship Standings (Round 10 of 11)

  1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 500
  2. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha – 379
  3. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 350
  4. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 298
  5. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda – 294
  6. Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki – 242
  7. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha – 228
  8. Fredrik Noren, Lidköping, Sweden, Suzuki – 208
  9. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki – 171
  10. Grant Harlan, Justin, Texas, Yamaha – 162

450 Class Highlights – Yamaha Budds Creek National

250 class banner

Moto 1

The opening moto of the day began with the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki of Jo Shimoda leading the field out of the first turn to grab the MotoSport.com Holeshot just ahead of Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rookie Haiden Deegan. The lead pair engaged in a spirited battle on the opening lap, swapping lines throughout the track layout, from which Deegan was able to slip past and take control of the early stage of the moto. Shimoda then settled into second ahead of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle in third and Hunter Lawrence in fifth.

With no pressure from behind, Deegan was able to open up a comfortable margin on the field through the opening 10 minutes of the moto, with more than five seconds between him and Shimoda. The top two asserted themselves at the head of the pack while the battle for third picked up as the moto reached its halfway point. However, the entire complexion of the race changed when the red flag flew for a downed rider and brought the moto to a halt.

With mere seconds before the moto reached the 15-minute mark, the formal halfway point, the red flag resulted in a restart out the starting gate for a 15-minute sprint to the finish.

As the field approached the first turn off the second gate drop Deegan made contact with Vialle, which hampered the Frenchman’s start and sent Deegan to the ground and to the rear of the field. Out front, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jalek Swoll emerged with the lead ahead of Lawrence, with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper in third. With invaluable championship points on the line, Cooper, who sits second in the standings, made an aggressive pass on Lawrence to move into second.

Cooper continued his push to the front and made his way past Swoll, only to have the Husqvarna rider counter to reclaim the position. Cooper looked to recompose himself, which brought Lawrence into the mix from third to initiate a three-rider battle for the lead. Cooper waited for his opportunity and then made a savvy pass with six minutes left in the moto. Not long after Lawrence made his way around Swoll for second. With five minutes to go the championship rivals were separated by 1.3 seconds.

Lawrence closed the gap to within a second of Cooper and started to look for potential lines to mount an attack, but Cooper didn’t flinch and was consistent through the closing stages to keep Lawrence at bay. The lead grew over the final two laps as Cooper brought home his third moto win of the season 2.1 seconds ahead of Lawrence. Swoll completed his best effort of the season in third, with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Daxton Bennick in fourth and Vialle in fifth. Further back, Deegan recovered from the first-turn incident to finish 16th.

230820 Hunter Lawrence - Budds Creek

Hunter Lawrence’s seventh win of the season moved him closer to the 250 Class title.
Photo Courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing / Align Media

Moto 2

As the field stormed into the first turn to start the second and deciding 250 Class moto it was Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Austin Forkner who led the field to the MotoSport.com Holeshot, just ahead of Lawrence and Cooper. Forkner looked to lead his first lap of the season, but he missed an obstacle, which helped Lawrence to take over the top spot. The clear track allowed Lawrence to sprint away from the field.

Each of the top three riders proceeded to settle into their respective positions on the track through the first 10 minutes of the moto until Cooper looked to apply some pressure on Forkner for second. The Kawasaki rider responded and kept Cooper at bay, while Shimoda bided his time from fourth. At the turn of the midway point of the moto Cooper finally made the move on Forkner to grab control of second. Shimoda then proceeded to challenge his teammate for third. A slingshot move on an outside line allowed Shimoda to surge past and give chase to Cooper with less than 10 minutes to go.

Shimoda was one of the fastest riders on the track and soon closed in on Cooper to mount an attack for second. As soon as Shimoda appeared to have the Yamaha in his sights, Cooper responded to stabilize the margin with an increase in his own pace to become the fastest rider on the track. With the drop in his lap times Cooper was able to inch back towards Lawrence but couldn’t gain enough ground to pressure for the lead.

Lawrence closed strong to take his seventh moto win of the season, just 1.5 seconds ahead of Cooper at the finish. Shimoda followed with a solid third-place effort.

230820 Justin Cooper - Budds Creek

Justin Cooper tied for the top spot (1-2) but settled for a runner-up effort.
Photo Courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing / Align Media

Overall

With identical moto finishes Lawrence (2-1) and Cooper (1-2) finished tied atop the overall standings, but the second-moto tiebreaker went to Lawrence for his seventh win of the season and forced Cooper to settle for his sixth runner-up effort of the summer. Shimoda rounded out the overall podium with his third top-three performance of the year (7-3).

Lawrence, Cooper, and Shimoda remain the only riders mathematically eligible for the 250 Class title entering the finale next weekend. With no points lost or gained on Cooper, Lawrence will carry a 22-point advantage into Indiana’s Ironman Raceway in search of his first national championship.

230820 Jo Shimoda - Budds Creek

Jo Shimoda kept his title hopes alive with a third-place finish (7-3).
Photo Courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing / Align Media

Hunter Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“It’s awesome [to get another win]. It was a tough day, but a good day at the end. We went out and made it happen. Looking forward to next weekend to try and close this out.”

Justin Cooper, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“I gave it everything I had today. I got into second, but Hunter [Lawrence] was riding really good. I tried to close the gap and got a bit sketchy out there but did everything I could. We’ll see what we can do next weekend.”

Jo Shimoda, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki
“The track was tough. I chose a paddle tire to try and help with the start, but that made things sketchy out there at times. I’m happy to get another podium and looking forward to closing out the season next week.”

230820 250 Podium - Budds Creek

250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)

  1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (2-1 // 47)
  2. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (1-2 // 47)
  3. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki (7-3 // 34)
  4. Austin Forkner, Richards, Mo., Kawasaki (8-4 // 31)
  5. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM (5-6 // 31)
  6. Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Husqvarna (3-12 // 29)
  7. Daxton Bennick, Morganton, N.C., Yamaha (4-11 // 28)
  8. Carson Mumford, Simi Valley, Calif., Kawasaki (12-8 // 22)
  9. Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM (11-9 // 22)
  10. Seth Hammaker, Bainbridge, Pa., Kawasaki (6-14 // 22)

250 Class Championship Standings (Round 10 of 11)

  1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 391
  2. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 369
  3. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki – 343
  4. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 329
  5. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha – 308
  6. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna – 288
  7. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM – 269
  8. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM – 264
  9. Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Husqvarna – 195
  10. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki – 181

250 Class Highlights – Yamaha Budds Creek National

The 2023 Pro Motocross Championship will come to an exciting and dramatic conclusion next Saturday, August 26, with the landmark 10th running of the Tucker Freight Lines Ironman National from Crawfordsville, Indiana’s Ironman Raceway, located just outside the motorsports mecca of Indianapolis. The 11th and final round of the summer campaign will stream live in its entirety, with uninterrupted motos, on Peacock, kicking off with Race Day Live, presented by MotoSport.com, at 7 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. ET, followed by race coverage beginning at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET.

Jett Lawrence Clinches 2023 Pro Motocross Championship Two Rounds Early with Continuation of Perfect Season at Unadilla

Teammate and Brother Hunter Lawrence Emerges with 250 Class Victory to Cap Off Memorable Afternoon for Family and Team

The three-round stretch run of the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, got underway on Saturday from the hallowed grounds of Central New York’s iconic Unadilla MX. A championship atmosphere was in the air at the Honda Unadilla National as Australian rising star Jett Lawrence entered with a chance to wrap up the 450 Class title in his first summer of premier class competition. When all was said and done, Lawrence extended his perfect season for his ninth straight 1-1 performance to clinch the Edison Dye Cup with two rounds remaining. In the 250 Class, the elder Lawrence, Hunter, made it the sixth sweep for the family and Team Honda HRC, which extended his championship point lead and moved him one step closer to a maiden title.

450 class banner bl

Moto 1

With the 450 Class title within reach Jett Lawrence seized the moment to open the first moto of the afternoon with the MotoSport.com Holeshot, edging out Yamaha mounted veteran Estonian racer Harri Kullas, who was making his Pro Motocross debut. Behind them, Muc-Off/FXR/ClubMX Yamaha’s Garrett Marchbanks slotted into third, with Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton fourth. Both Marchbanks and Sexton were able to make their way around Kullas in the early portion of the opening lap.

The clear track allowed Lawrence to establish an early lead and manage his advantage over Sexton, who made the move on Marchbanks to take control of second. Just over two seconds separated the teammates through the first 10 minutes of the moto. While the Hondas stepped away from the field Marchbanks was forced to fend off Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis, who was on a hard charge from a start just outside the top five. The Yamaha’s engaged in a brief battle before Ferrandis made the pass.

Back up front, Sexton closed to within a second of Lawrence to initiate a battle for the lead. Eager to make a move, Sexton dove to the inside of Lawrence in a corner, which initiated some contact between the two and allowed Lawrence to slip away after Sexton was forced to collect his balance. The lead briefly ballooned to more than 1.5 seconds, but Sexton started to chip away at the deficit once more.

As they entered the final 10 minutes of the moto the HRC duo ran similar lap times, which stabilized the lead. Lapped riders added another layer to the battle and worked into Lawrence’s favor as he moved out to a near three-second lead. Sexton bided his time and made a final push in the closing minutes of the moto. He dropped the hammer and was able to close the gap to within two seconds but as he looked to make quick work of lappers Sexton lost traction and crashed. Ferrandis assumed second as Sexton remounted in third.

Ferrandis was on a charge of his own and closed within less than two seconds of Lawrence on the final lap. Lawrence managed the margin and wrapped up his 17th moto win by 1.6 seconds over Ferrandis, who enjoyed arguably his best moto of the season in second. Sexton followed in a distant third, with Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo fourth and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger in fifth.

Jett Lawrence is the 2023 Pro Motocross 450 Class Champion

Jett Lawrence is the 2023 Pro Motocross 450 Class Champion following the extension of his perfect season with moto wins 17 & 18 and his ninth overall victory.
Photo: Align Media

Moto 2

The final moto began the same way as Moto 1, with Lawrence at the head of the pack for the MotoSport.com Holeshot ahead of Sexton and Cianciarulo. As has been the case throughout the season the clear track allowed Lawrence to set the tone out front which forced Sexton to settle into second, about two seconds behind.

As the Honda teammates once again established themselves up front a battle for third unfolded between the Monster Energy Kawasaki duo of Cianciarulo and Jason Anderson. Cianciarulo held onto the position for the opening 10 minutes until Anderson made the pass. Not long after Cianciarulo lost fourth to Ferrandis, who was battling his way forward from a start deep in the top 10. The Frenchman wasn’t done as he charged onto the rear fender of Anderson. The two riders made contact, which took Anderson to the ground and allowed Ferrandis to continue on in third.

At the turn of the midway point of the moto Lawrence had added significantly to his advantage, which grew to more than five seconds and continued to increase incrementally heading towards the final 10 minutes of the race. The lead approached nearly eight seconds and stabilized for several laps until Sexton appeared to make a final push with just under five minutes to go and got within less than five seconds. However, Lawrence responded and, combined with one of Sexton’s slowest laps, pushed the lead to its largest margin at nearly 10 seconds.

Lawrence went wire-to-wire once more for moto win 18 to complete a perfect afternoon, taking the championship-winning checkered flag 9.2 seconds ahead of Sexton. Ferrandis finished in a distant third.

Chase Sexton helped give Honda another 1-2 finish

Chase Sexton helped give Honda another 1-2 finish
with his fourth straight runner-up effort (3-2).
Photo: Align Media

Overall

Lawrence’s 17th and 18th moto wins of the season, and ninth straight overall victory, move him one step closer to a potential perfect season, with two rounds and four motos remaining. His 18-moto win streak is now only bettered by Ricky Carmichael and James Stewart, the only two riders to amass a perfect season in Pro Motocross history. Lawrence is the fifth different rider to capture the 450 Class crown in his first season in the division and becomes just the second Australian to hoist the Edison Dye Cup, joining Chad Reed.

With identical moto scores Sexton (3-2) and Ferrandis (2-3) finished tied for the runner-up spot, with the second-moto tiebreaker going to Sexton to give Honda HRC its fifth 1-2 finish of the season. It’s the fourth consecutive second-place result for Sexton while Ferrandis’ third-place finish marked his sixth appearance on the overall podium this season.

Lawrence needed a 100-point margin to wrap up the title and now holds a 103-point advantage over Ferrandis, who took another step towards securing the runner-up spot in the final standings. Ferrandis is 35 points ahead of Plessinger in third, following the KTM rider’s fifth-place finish (5-5).

Dylan Ferrandis earned his sixth overall podium

Dylan Ferrandis earned his sixth overall podium result of the season in third (2-3).
Photo: Align Media

Jett Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“This is unreal. I never even dreamed of this because we never thought it was possible to be in this position and be where we are today. Even with the undefeated season, it’s unbelievable with all the hard times we’ve faced [as a family]. I’ve done my best to keep it together and stay focused on the task at hand, but when I crossed the finish line, I was finally able to let it all out. Honda took a risk on us [with brother Hunter] after 2020 and I’m grateful for that, and I’m glad I was able to return the favor.”

Chase Sexton, Team Honda HRC
“I feel like in the first moto my bike was handling really well. I didn’t get the result I wanted with the crash, but I was riding well. Overall, I felt more comfortable today and we’re in a better spot than we were before, which is great.”

Dylan Ferrandis, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“In some races when I’m not really feeling great, I’ll get the holeshot and then today when I’m feeling great, I don’t get the starts. I guess it’s just a lack of luck. It is what it is, and I have to come from behind. Still a good day for me. It was the first race of the season where I felt like myself.”

Team Honda HRC

Jett Lawrence Clinches 2023 Pro Motocross Championship Two Rounds Early with Continuation of Perfect Season at Unadilla

450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish // Points)

  1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (1-1 // 50)
  2. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda (3-2, 42)
  3. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha (2-3 // 42)
  4. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (4-6 // 33)
  5. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (5-5 // 32)
  6. Harri Kullas, Estonia, Yamaha (7-7 // 28)
  7. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha (6-10 // 26)
  8. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki (14-4 // 25)
  9. Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki (9-8 // 25)
  10. Fredrik Noren, Lidköping, Sweden, Suzuki (13-9 // 20)

450 Class Championship Standings (Round 9 of 11)

  1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 450
  2. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha – 347
  3. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 312
  4. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 269
  5. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda – 260
  6. Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki – 215
  7. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha – 200
  8. Fredrik Noren, Lidköping, Sweden, Suzuki – 189
  9. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM – 147
  10. Jose Butron, Cadiz, Spain, GASGAS – 138

450 Class Highlights – Honda Unadilla National

250 class banner

Moto 1

The opening 250 Class moto got underway with the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing machine of Levi Kitchen leading the way for the MotoSport.com Holeshot ahead of Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker, followed by the Star Racing duo of Justin Cooper and Haiden Deegan.

A spirited battle on the opening lap saw Kitchen and Hammaker trade the lead, from which Kitchen asserted himself out front. Behind the leaders a multi-rider battle unfolded in pursuit of third as Deegan lost multiple spots to Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Max Vohland, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Jo Shimoda, and championship leader Hunter Lawrance aboard his Honda. This trio continued their push forward as Vohland led the group around Cooper, putting the KTM rider into third, just ahead of the point leader.

Back up front the battle for the lead renewed between Kitchen and Hammaker approaching the halfway point of the moto, as just over a second separated the pair. Vohland continued to lurk in third but came under fire from Lawrence. The top four then stabilized as the moto entered its final 10 minutes.

A quick surge by Vohland carried the KTM onto the rear fender of Hammaker where he made a quick pass for the position. Lawrence then went on the attack and made an aggressive move for third, which allowed Deegan to close in from fifth and make the pass on Hammaker for fourth. As that unfolded Lawrence made the pass on Vohland for second and set his sights on the lead. Deegan then followed with a pass by Vohland for third. With just a handful of minutes remaining the championship rivals looked to close in on the 3.5 second deficit to Kitchen.

Kitchen’s lead dwindled quickly as Lawrence was on a determined march to the front. Soon the fight for the lead was on as Kitchen and Lawrence battled both each other and lappers. Kitchen withstood the attack and opened up the advantage once more. While running third, Deegan’s motorcycle appeared to expire, which brought the rookie’s moto to an abrupt and heartbreaking conclusion. Kitchen parlayed his holeshot into the third moto win of his career, 3.2 seconds ahead of Lawrence in second, while Shimoda inherited third following Deegan’s misfortune. Vohland was fourth, while Cooper rounded out the top five.

Hunter Lawrence

Hunter Lawrence is back in control of the 250 Class title fight
after his sixth win of the season (2-2).
Photo: Align Media

Moto 2

A red flag for a downed rider initiated a restart for the final race of the afternoon as Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire needed to be attended to. When the field returned to the starting gate and took off for the second time it was Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Ryder DiFrancesco with the MotoSport.comHoleshot, followed closely by Cooper, Shimoda and Kitchen. Lawrence started just outside the top five while Deegan’s late gate pick left him outside the top 20 initially.

Just after the completion of the opening lap Cooper went on the attack and made the pass on DiFrancesco to take the lead, which left the Kawasaki teammates to battle it out for second as Kitchen rode patiently in fourth. Shimoda was persistent and made the pass happen to drop his rookie teammate down to third. As Kitchen looked to apply pressure on DiFrancesco he bobbled slightly, which allowed an opportunistic Lawrence to make the pass for fourth and then make his way around DiFrancesco for third.

A shot at the overall win was on the line as Shimoda and Lawrence engaged in a battle for second, with the Honda rider able to get the better of his rival to move into second. Behind them, Kitchen kept his winning hopes alive with a pass on DiFrancesco for fourth.

Cooper and Lawrence were separated by 5.4 seconds with just under 20 minutes remaining in the moto, but the distance between them continued to grow through the middle of the race as Cooper pushed his advantage to nearly 10 seconds. Lawrence settled into second, a few seconds ahead of Shimoda in third.

Cooper was consistent through to the finish and secured his third moto win of the season, two seconds ahead of Lawrence, who did what he needed to do in bringing home the runner-up result. Shimoda followed closely in third, with Kitchen a distant fourth.

Levi Kitchen (#43) took advantage of a pair of strong starts

Levi Kitchen (#43) took advantage of a pair of strong starts
to earn his third podium finish of the season (1-4).
Photo: Align Media

Overall

Lawrence’s consistent 2-2 finishes were the defining element of his ability to finish atop the overall standings as he edged out Kitchen (1-4) by a single point. Cooper’s win in the second moto vaulted him up to the third and final spot on the overall podium (5-1).

Lawrence’s lead in the championship standings grew to 22 points with two rounds and four motos remaining. Cooper’s podium result moved him into second while Shimoda moved into third, 35 points out of the lead. Deegan’s adversity-filled afternoon saw him drop from second, three points behind Lawrence, to fourth, 36 points out of the lead, after a 17th-place finish (38-10).

Justin Cooper

Justin Cooper’s Moto 2 win helped land him on the overall podium in third (5-1).
Photo: Align Media

Hunter Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“Today was good, but it’s more about my brother [winning the championship]. I’m so proud of him. We were never meant to be here, but we trusted the process and it’s amazing to be in the position we’re in.”

Levi Kitchen Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“I’m glad I finally did [well] in the first moto today. I’ve usually done well in the second moto, so today it was nice to get it done in Moto 1. We got two good starts and made the most of the day, so I’m really happy with that.”

Justin Cooper, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“Sometimes you have to take some chances. We need to put ourselves in the best position each moto and do the best we can. We put ourselves out front to start the second moto and then managed the gap from there. I’m stoked on that.”

250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)

  1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (2-2 // 44)
  2. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha (1-4 // 43)
  3. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (5-1 // 41)
  4. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki (3-3 // 40)
  5. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM (4-6 // 33)
  6. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM (8-7 // 27)
  7. Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Husqvarna (6-14 // 22)
  8. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki (9-12 // 21)
  9. Daxton Bennick, Morganton, N.C., Yamaha (14-9 // 19)
  10. Pierce Brown, Sandy, Utah, GASGAS (12-11 // 19)

250 Class Championship Standings (Round 9 of 11)

  1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 344
  2. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 322
  3. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki – 309
  4. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 308
  5. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha – 290
  6. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna – 288
  7. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM – 252
  8. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM – 237
  9. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki – 167
  10. Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Husqvarna – 166

250 Class Highlights – Honda Unadilla National

The Pro Motocross Championship will host its penultimate round of the 2023 season next Saturday, August 19, with its annual visit to the greater Washington D.C. area and Southern Maryland’s famed Budds Creek Motocross Park. The ninth round of the summer at the Yamaha Budds Creek National will stream live in its entirety, with uninterrupted motos on Peacock, kicking off with Race Day Live, presented by MotoSport.com, at 7 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. ET, followed by race coverage beginning at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET.

Champions Crowned as 2023 Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship Draws to a Close

All 36 Classes in Action on Rain-Filled Final Day at Loretta Lynn’s

A week of fun, excitement, and intrigue came to a fitting conclusion on Saturday at the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship, presented by AMSOIL, as all 36 classes of competition hit the track for the championship-deciding third and final motos. Another day filled with rain added a layer of complexity to the action on the track, but the same grit and determination that has defined this event for more than 40 years was as prevalent as ever with championships on the line.

2023 Loretta Lynn’s Saturday Recap Video

Moto 3: Open Pro Sport

The first two motos of Open Pro Sport proved to be showcases of dominance for Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Daxton Bennick, who entered Saturday with a pair of moto wins and largely unchallenged performances. The odds-on favorite to become the newest Open Pro Sport Champion and latest recipient of the Nicky Hayden AMA Motocross Horizon Award simply needed to keep doing what he’d been doing.

The race didn’t start as cleanly as Bennick would have hoped as Phoenix Racing Honda’s Heath Harrison emerged with the STACYC Holeshot and early lead in the moto. He was followed by Kawasaki rider Jacob Hayes to put a pair of former pros at the head of the pack. Rock River Yamaha’s Avery Long slotted into third while Bennick had some work to do from fifth.

Bennick battled his way into third by the second lap and quickly latched onto the rear fender of Hayes for second. Despite being the faster rider, Bennick needed a couple laps to make a move and was faced with a five-second deficit to the leader once he completed the pass. On the ensuing lap, Bennick laid down the fastest lap of the moto to move within striking distance of the lead. He applied heavy pressure on Harrison, who kept him at bay for a little while before Bennick made the winning pass with just a couple laps remaining.

Bennick completed the sweep of Open Pro Sport by just over two seconds on Harrison, while Hayes was unchallenged en route to third.

Open Pro Sport Moto 3 Results

  1. Daxton Bennick, Morganton, N.C., Yamaha
  2. Heath Harrison, Silverhill, Ala., Honda
  3. Jacob Hayes, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki
  4. Matti Jorgensen Jr., Pompano Beach, Fla., KTM
  5. Preston Masciangelo, Canada, GASGAS

Open Pro Sport Overall Podium (Moto Scores // Event Total)

  1. Daxton Bennick, Morganton, N.C., Yamaha (1-1-1 // 3)
  2. Parker Ross, Herald, Calif., Honda (3-5-8 // 15)
  3. Bryce Shelly, Telford, Pa., Yamaha (7-4-6 // 17)

By virtue of his incredible performance in Open Pro Sport, Bennick became the latest rider to earn the coveted distinction of receiving the Nicky Hayden AMA Motocross Horizon Award, which recognizes the top performing amateur racer on the cusp of graduating into the professional ranks.

Open Pro Sport Overall Results

Daxton Bennick swept all tree motos to capture the Open Pro Sport title

Daxton Bennick swept all tree motos to capture the Open Pro Sport title.
Photo Courtesy: MX Sports / Align Media

Bennick was recognized with the Nicky Hayden AMA Motocross Horizon Award.

Bennick was recognized with the Nicky Hayden AMA Motocross Horizon Award.
Photo Courtesy: MX Sports / Align Media

Moto 3: 250 Pro Sport

With 2-1 moto scores coming into the final moto, GASGAS Amateur Team rider Mark Fineis was in control of his own destiny in 250 Pro Sport. However, incredibly wet and muddy conditions from the rain would ultimately be the biggest obstacle to overcome for the entire field.

As the field emerged from the first turn it was NSA Yamaha Amateur Factory Team rider Gavin Towers leading the way with the STACYC Holeshot. However, he was passed by AEO Powersports GASGAS’ Lux Turner who showed impressive speed early on. Towers was also passed by KTM Orange Brigade’s Julien Beaumer. Fineis was mired deep in the field, completing the opening lap in 18th.

A battle for the lead materialized as Beaumer was flying despite the challenging conditions, which forced Turner to up his pace a bit more. Unfortunately, Turner lost the top spot when he slid out, which handed the lead to Beaumer and moved Towers into second. Turner remounted in fifth and kept pushing to the front. Further back, Fineis’ tough start got even worse when misfortune dropped him to the tail end of the field and eventually out of the race, dashing any aspirations for the title.

With Fineis out, the battle for the class championship came down to Towers and Bennick, who followed one another in second and third, respectively.

Out front, Beaumer’s pace dropped considerably as the moto wore on, which included a tip over that cost him valuable time, but not a position on the track. He piloted his KTM to a second moto win to bookend 250 Pro Sport with victories. Despite being the winningest rider in the class, Beaumer’s 17th-place finish in Moto 2 prevented him from being in the title picture.

Towers brought home a runner-up finish to complete an incredibly consistent weekend that saw him prevail with the 250 Pro Sport Championship. It signifies the first ever Loretta Lynn’s title for Towers, doing so in one of the event’s most high-profile classes.

250 Pro Sport Moto 3 Results

  1. Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City Ariz., KTM
  2. Gavin Towers, Venetia, Pa., Yamaha
  3. Jayden Clough, Elko New Market, Minn., Kawasaki
  4. Lux Turner, Garnerville, Nev., GASGAS
  5. Noah Viney, Murrieta, Calif., Honda

Open Pro Sport Overall Podium (Moto Scores // Event Total)

  1. Gavin Towers, Venetia, Pa., Yamaha (3-3-2 // 8)
  2. Daxton Bennick, Morganton, N.C., Yamaha (7-2-6 // 15)
  3. Parker Ross, Herald, Calif., Honda (6-7-7 // 20)

250 Pro Sport Overall Results

Gavin Towers earned his first career AMA National Championship in 250 Pro Sport [1]

Gavin Towers earned his first career AMA National Championship in 250 Pro Sport [2]

Gavin Towers earned his first career AMA National Championship in 250 Pro Sport.
Photo Courtesy: MX Sports / Align Media

Moto 3: 250 B

With three motos and a week full of racing at Loretta’s, the ability to get hot as the week progresses isn’t uncommon. Perhaps no one personified that ascension better than Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Krystian Janik. The Illinois native took a big step in 250 B with a win in Moto 2 and had all the confidence in the world knowing a championship was within reach.

The final moto began with Yamaha rider Dilon Blecha out front for the STACYC Holeshot, which he sustained for a couple laps before Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green’s Aden Keefer came on strong and successfully made the pass for the lead. However, Keefer’s lead was short lived as well, as his fellow Team Green rider Janik stormed all the way from seventh to first in a matter of a few laps.

Janik closed out the moto emphatically and ultimately won the final two motos to clinch his second career AMA National Championship. KTM rider Jordan Renfro followed in second, while Keefer rounded out the moto podium.

250 B Moto 3 Results

  1. Krystian Janik, Oak Lawn, Ill., Kawasaki
  2. Jordan Renfro, Lake Park, Ga., KTM
  3. Aden Keefer, Hesperia, Calif., Kawasaki
  4. Casey Benard, Jr., Gilbert, Ariz., GASGAS
  5. Dilon Blecha, Fruita, Colo., Yamaha

250 B Overall Podium (Moto Scores // Event Total)

  1. Krystian Janik, Oak Lawn, Ill., Kawasaki (6-1-1 // 8)
  2. Drew Adams, Chattanooga, Tenn., Kawasaki (2-2-6 // 10)
  3. Casey Benard, Jr., Gilbert, Ariz., GASGAS (7-4-4 // 15)

250 B Overall Results

Krystian Janik is the 2023 AMA National Champion in 250 B [1]

Krystian Janik is the 2023 AMA National Champion in 250 B [2]

Krystian Janik is the 2023 AMA National Champion in 250 B.
Photo Courtesy: MX Sports / Align Media

Moto 3: Schoolboy 2 (12-17) B/C

After he was seen pulling off the track with apparent discomfort to his arm earlier in the week, concern surrounded whether Casey Cochran’s pursuit of championships would continue. While the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna rider did forgo 250 B competition, his pursuit of the Schoolboy 2 crown continued.

When the final Schoolboy 2 moto got underway it was Cochran who rocketed out of the gate to easily claim the STACYC Holeshot and grab hold of the early lead. Behind him, GASGAS rider Landin Pepperd slotted into second with NSA Yamaha Amateur Factory Team rider Logan Best in third. With the clear track Cochran was able to sprint out to a multi-second lead on the opening lap and continued to build on that advantage the rest of the way. With the leader slipping away, Pepperd and Best battled it out for second, with Best successfully making the pass before experiencing misfortune and losing several positions.

Back out front, Cochran capped off his championship-winning performance with a wire-to-wire victory to secure two of three moto wins and clinch his sixth career Loretta’s title. Pepperd finished second but did have to withstand a late charge by fellow GASGAS rider Casey Benard Jr. from third.

Schoolboy 2 (12-17) B/C Moto 2 Results

  1. Casey Cochran, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna
  2. Landin Pepperd, Wasilla, Alaska, GASGAS
  3. Casey Benard Jr., Gilbert, Ariz., GASGAS
  4. Collin Allen, Haslet, Texas, Yamaha
  5. Enzo Temmerman, Visalia, Calif., Kawasaki

Schoolboy 2 (12-17) B/C Overall Podium (Moto Scores // Event Total)

  1. Casey Cochran, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna (1-5-1 // 7)
  2. Landin Pepperd, Wasilla, Alaska, GASGAS (6-3-2 // 11)
  3. Enzo Temmerman, Visalia, Calif., Kawasaki (4-2-5 // 11)

Schoolboy 2 (12-17) B/C Overall Results

Casey Cochran is the 2023 AMA National Champion in Schoolboy 2 [1]

Casey Cochran is the 2023 AMA National Champion in Schoolboy 2 [2]

Casey Cochran is the 2023 AMA National Champion in Schoolboy 2.
Photo Courtesy: MX Sports / Align Media

Moto 3: Supermini 1 (12-15) & Supermini 2 (13-16)

All week long the Supermini classes were headlined by impressive performances from KTM Orange Brigade’s Seth Dennis, fellow KTM rider Deacon Denno, and Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green Landen Gordon. This trio made their presence felt once more on Saturday.

The third and final Supermini 1 moto began with Denno out front for the STACYC Holeshot, while the KTM of Logan Mortberg started second. Another KTM, Nathan Hummel, moved himself into the podium mix as well. Despite starting in fifth, Gordon was the rider on the move. He made the pass on Mortberg for third at the halfway point of the moto and posted his fastest lap of the race to get by Hummel for second. He then erased his deficit to Denno, whose pace had dropped off, and made an unchallenged pass for the lead. Gordon charged hard through to the finish to take his first moto win in the class ahead of Denno, while Mortberg followed in third.

Denno’s awareness of the overall classification allowed him to manage the moto as he still wrapped up his maiden AMA National Championship despite losing the lead late. His 2-1-2 moto scored edged out Gordon by a single point to take the Supermini 1 crown.

When the Supermini 2 field launched out the gate for the final time it was Denno at the head of the pack again for the STACYC Holeshot ahead of Dennis and KTM rider Canyon Richards. The early stages of the moto quickly became a three-rider battle amongst this trio as Denno was able to fend off both Dennis and Richards, the latter eventually making the pass for second. Behind this battle Gordon was working his way towards the front after starting in 11th and moved up to fifth entering the closing laps. Back up front Denno and Richards engaged in an exciting battle for the win with Denno countering each Richards attack. Unfortunately, a minor miscue caused Denno to crash out of the lead, which handed the moto win to Richards. Gordon charged all the way to second by the end of the moto while KTM rider Cole Timboe rounded out the moto podium.

Gordon’s late run to the podium put the finishing touches on his second Loretta’s championship, which was defined by podium finishes in each Supermini 2 moto. Gordon also finished on the podium in every Supermini 1 moto, going six-for-six in top-three finishes.

Supermini 1 (12-15) Moto 3 Results

  1. Landen Gordon, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki
  2. Deacon Denno, Malakoff, Texas, Husqvarna
  3. Logan Mortberg, Pierson, Fla., KTM
  4. Cole Timboe, Calimesa, Calif., KTM
  5. Brennon Harrison, Jacksonville, Fla., KTM

Supermini 1 (12-15) Overall Podium (Moto Scores // Event Total)

  1. Deacon Denno, Malakoff, Texas, Husqvarna (2-1-2 // 5)
  2. Landen Gordon, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki (3-2-1 // 6)
  3. Seth Dennis, Groveland, Fla., KTM (1-4-6 // 11)

Supermini 1 (12-15) Overall Results 

Supermini 2 (13-16) Moto 3 Results

  1. Canyon Richards, Estell Manor, N.J., KTM
  2. Landen Gordon, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki
  3. Cole Timboe, Calimesa, Calif., KTM
  4. Deacon Denno, Malakoff, Texas, Husqvarna
  5. Seth Dennis, Groveland, Fla., KTM

Supermini 2 (13-16) Overall Podium (Moto Scores // Event Total)

  1. Landen Gordon, Murrieta, Calif., Kawasaki (1-2-2 // 5)
  2. Cole Timboe, Calimesa, Calif., KTM (3-4-3 // 10)
  3. Deacon Denno, Malakoff, Texas, Husqvarna (5-1-4 // 11)

Supermini 2 (13-16) Overall Results

Deacon Denno captured his first AMA National Championship in Supermini 1 [1]

Deacon Denno captured his first AMA National Championship in Supermini 1 [2]

Deacon Denno captured his first AMA National Championship in Supermini 1.
Photo Courtesy: MX Sports / Align Media

Landen Gordon is the 2023 AMA National Champion in Supermini 2

Landen Gordon is the 2023 AMA National Champion in Supermini 2.
Photo Courtesy: MX Sports / Align Media

Moto 3: Mini Sr. 1 (12-14) & Mini Sr. 2 (13-15)

Highly competitive racing defined both Mini Sr. classes where a multitude of riders emerged with moto wins and spots on each moto podium. The parity made for a pair of hotly contested championships during the final motos.

When Mini Sr. 1 emerged from the first turn for the last time it was the Husqvarna of Vincent Way out front for the STACYC Holeshot in very wet conditions. The second-generation racer led the opening lap over the KTM’s of Kevyn de Pinho and Caleb Wood, but then crashed out of the lead and dropped outside the top 20. That opened the door for de Pinho to take control of the moto. More than 10 seconds separated de Pinho from the rest of the field but misfortune late in the moto allowed Wood to claim the top spot and drop de Pinho well back in second, which would prove costly in the overall classification. Wood wrapped up the moto win over de Pinho with GASGAS rider Austin Camden in third.

The unpredictable results across the division saw KTM rider Colby Lessar emerge with the Mini Sr. 1 title with 5-4-6 moto scores, which narrowly edged out de Pinho by a single point. It signified the first AMA National Championship for Lessar in his third year at the Ranch.

The final Mini Sr. 2 moto got underway with Wood out front for the STACYC Holeshot ahead of de Pinho, Husqvarna rider Kade Bollasina, and Wey. Wood paced the field for the opening lap but a bobble caused him to lose the lead to de Pinho, who opened up at 16-second advantage over the field. That left the battle for second to unfold between Wood and Wey, from which Wey moved his Husqvarna into the runner-up spot after more misfortune for Wood. Back out front de Pinho brought home the moto win ahead of Wey, while Wood soldiered home to a third-place result.

A trio of consistent Mini Sr. 2 finishes helped Wey prevail with his second Loretta Lynn’s title.

Mini Sr. 1 (12-14) Moto 3 Results

  1. Caleb Wood, Donalds, S.C., KTM
  2. Kevyn de Pinho, Hamer, S.C., KTM
  3. Austin Camden, Edmond, Okla., GASGAS
  4. Kane Bollasina, St. Louis, Mo., Husqvarna
  5. Jonathen Getz, Old Town, Fla., GASGAS

Mini Sr. 1 (12-14) Overall Podium (Moto Scores // Event Total)

  1. Colby Lessar, Centennial, Colo., KTM (5-4-6 // 15)
  2. Kevyn de Pinho, Hamer, S.C., KTM (7-7-2 // 16)
  3. Austin Camden, Edmond, Okla., GASGAS (10-3-3 // 16)

Mini Sr. 1 (12-14) Overall Results

Mini Sr. 2 (13-15) Moto 3 Results

  1. Kevyn de Pinho, Hamer, S.C., KTM
  2. Vincent Wey, Murrieta, Calif., Husqvarna
  3. Caleb Wood, Donalds, S.C., KTM
  4. Talan Staggs, Fair Oaks, Calif., GASGAS
  5. Jevan Didier, Nine Mile Falls, Wash., Husqvarna

Mini Sr. 2 (13-15) Overall Podium (Moto Scores // Event Total)

  1. Vincent Wey, Murrieta, Calif., Husqvarna (1-2-2 // 5)
  2. Kevyn de Pinho, Hamer, S.C., KTM (6-10-1 // 17)
  3. Jonathan Getz, Old Town, Fla., GASGAS (2-4-12 // 18)

Mini Sr. 2 (13-15) Overall Results

Colby Lessar emerged with his first ever AMA National Championship in Mini Sr. 1

Colby Lessar emerged with his first ever AMA National Championship in Mini Sr. 1.
Photo Courtesy: MX Sports / Align Media

Vincent Wey captured his second AMA National Championship in Mini Sr. 2

Vincent Wey captured his second AMA National Championship in Mini Sr. 2.
Photo Courtesy: MX Sports / Align Media

Moto 3: Senior (40+) & Masters (50+)

Both the Senior and Masters classes were showcases of the incredible prowess of 52 year old Mike Brown, but if there was ever a major equalizer in the sport of motocross it’s rain. As a result, nothing would be guaranteed for the 11-time Loretta Lynn’s champion as rain and extremely wet conditions greeted riders for the final Senior moto.

The race began with Yamaha rider Robert Fitch at the head of the pack for the STACYC Holeshot, with Brown in tow. Fitch held on to lead the opening lap, but unfortunately saw his moto come to a premature conclusion on the ensuing lap. That allowed Brown to assume the lead, four seconds clear of the field, but it all came to an end when Brown was seen pushing his motorcycle off the side of the track less than one lap later. The latest victim of attrition opened the door for Jeff Emig to claim the top spot aboard his KTM, not far ahead of the Honda of Shane Kelleher. The second to last lap saw Emig post his fastest time, only to be bettered by Kelleher by more than 2.5 seconds. That was enough to give Kelleher the speed advantage he needed to pass Emig on the final lap and carry on to a surprise moto win.

Emig was well aware of his standing in the overall classification and didn’t need to put up a fight in the final moto as his trio of runner-up finishes was more than enough to clinch his first AMA National Championship at Loretta’s since 2006.

By virtue of his bike issues from the Senior moto, class leader Brown was unable to line up for the Masters Moto 3 later in the day. That opened the door for Emig to ride a solid, drama free moto to wrap up his second championship of the day. One of the biggest elements of accomplishing that was to grab a good start, which Emig did by securing the STACYC Holeshot and moving into the early lead. Emig was able to sprint away from the field on the opening lap and establish a gap of more than 10 seconds over the Yamaha of Brian Carroll Jr. From there all Emig needed to do was get his KTM through to the finish. He added to his lead every lap and soon found himself more than a half-minute clear of the field. Emig closed out his title-winning ride with a wire-to-wire victory, followed by Kawasaki rider Gregory Pamart in second and Carroll Jr. in third.

Emig’s 1-2-1 moto scores were well ahead of his rivals to make him two-for-two in championships at the Ranch this summer.

Senior (40+) Moto 3 Results

  1. Shane Kelleher, Cumberland, R.I., Honda
  2. Jeff Emig, Riverside, Calif., KTM
  3. Kris Keefer, Hesperia, Calif., Yamaha
  4. Christopher Hunter, Swarthmore, Pa., Kawasaki
  5. Scott Metz, Brookville, Ind., KTM

Senior (40+) Overall Podium (Moto Scores // Event Total)

  1. Jeff Emig, Riverside, Calif., KTM (2-2-2 // 6)
  2. Kris Keefer, Hesperia, Calif., Yamaha (3-6-3 // 12)
  3. Dennis Stapleton, Lake Elsinore, Calif., Honda (4-5-7 // 16)

Senior (40+) Overall Results

Masters (50+) Moto 3 Results

  1. Jeff Emig, Riverside, Calif., KTM
  2. Gregory Pamart, Birdsboro, Pa., Kawasaki
  3. Brian Carroll Jr., Vineland, N.J., Yamaha
  4. Barry Carsten, Bayville, N.J., Suzuki
  5. Gabriel Guardado, Mexico, GASGAS

Masters (50+) Overall Podium (Moto Scores // Event Total)

  1. Jeff Emig, Riverside, Calif., KTM (1-2-1 // 4)
  2. Gregory Pamart, Birdsboro, Pa., Kawasaki (4-4-2 // 10)
  3. Barry Carsten, Bayville, N.J., Suzuki (3-3-4 // 10)

Masters (50+) Overall Results

Jeff Emig swept both the Senior and Masters titles [1]

Jeff Emig swept both the Senior and Masters titles [2]

Jeff Emig swept both the Senior and Masters titles [3]

Jeff Emig swept both the Senior and Masters titles.
Photo Courtesy: MX Sports / Align Media

2023 Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Champions

Vet (30+): Broc Peterson, Delta, OH, GASAGS
450 B: Jadon Cooper, Baytown, TX, Yamaha
125 C: Makai Olerich, Waddell, AZ, KTM
85cc (10-12): Wyatt Thurman, Burleson, TX, KTM
65cc (7-9) Limited: Jaydin Smart, Berry Creek, CA, Cobra
450 C: Chase Haynes, Scottsdale, AZ, Kawasaki
250 B Limited: Jeremy Fappani, Scottsdale, AZ, KTM
65cc (10-11) Limited: Jackson Vick, Highland Village, TX, KTM
125 Jr. (12-17) B/C: Klark Robbins, Shamong, NJ, KTM
Junior (25+): Heath Harrison, Silverhill, AL, Honda
250 C: Robert Weiss, Woodland, NJ, Husqvarna
WMX: Kyleigh Stallings, Yukon, OK, Kawasaki
College (18-24): Jesse Wessell, East Falmouth, MA, Husqvarna
65cc (7-9): Nico Verhoeven, New Zealand, AL, KTM
250 C Jr. (12-17) Limited: Robert Weiss, Woodland, NJ, Husqvarna
450 B Limited: Leum Oehlhof, Oak Hills, CA, Yamaha
85cc (10-12) Limited: Nolan Ford, Fairfield, CA, KTM
Schoolboy 1 (12-17) B/C: Klark Robbins, Shamong, NJ, KTM
Senior (45+): Ronnie Renner, Floral City, FL, KTM
250 C Limited: Chase Haynes, Scottsdale, AZ, Kawasaki
Girls (11-16): Mayla Herrick, Thornton, CO, Husqvarna
65cc (10-11): Easton Graves, Walker, LA, KTM
Micro-E (4-7) Limited: Jarrett Tincher, Elkview, WV, Cobra
Micro 2 (4-6) Limited: Kameron Buckman, Huntington, NY, Cobra
Micro 3 (7-8) Limited: Kannon Zabojnik, Rowlett, TX, Cobra
Micro 1 (4-6) Shaft Dr. Ltd. Brody Jones, Blair, NE, Yamaha

Saturday drew to a close with the annual awards ceremony at the Ranch, which celebrated the 36 newly crowned AMA National Champions and handed out the respective awards for the 2023 event.

Win Number Seven for Jett Lawrence as Aussie’s Perfection Continues in 2023 Pro Motocross Championship at Spring Creek

Brother Hunter Lawrence Regains Control of 250 Class with Fifth Victory

The second half of the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, got underway on Saturday with the series’ annual visit to the Land of 10,000 Lakes and Minnesota’s famed Spring Creek MX Park. The FXR Spring Creek National, presented by Frescados Tortillas, featured partly cloudy skies and balmy temperatures, which set the tone for a highly competitive afternoon of racing at one of the sport’s most dynamic venues. After four captivating motos Team Honda HRC’s Lawrence brothers prevailed with a sweep of the overall victories for the fifth time this season, as Jett extended his perfect season to 14 moto wins and a seventh overall victory in the 450 Class while Hunter returned to the top step of the podium in the 250 Class with his fifth win.

450 class banner bl

Moto 1

The premier class stormed out the gate for the first time with Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo leading the field through the first turn and to the MotoSport.com Holeshot, with Lawrence on his rear fender. Lawrence applied pressure immediately and was able to take control of the moto before the completion of the opening lap. Lawrence’s Team Honda HRC teammate Chase Sexton started up front as well but went down and lost several positions. He remounted quickly and started to claw his way back into contention. He passed Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger for third and then tracked down Cianciarulo for second, making the pass with ease. Nearly five seconds separated the teammates as the moto completed its opening 10 minutes.

It didn’t take long for the Honda’s to gap the field and pull away by double digits, which left the battle for third to be decided between Cianciarulo and Plessinger, while Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson looked to close in from fifth. As the moto reached its halfway point the battle for third became a three-rider affair as Anderson passed both Plessinger and Cianciarulo.

Back up front, Sexton slowly inched closer and closer to his teammate and soon less than two seconds separated Lawrence from Sexton. For the first time all season Lawrence faced a threat from behind as Sexton moved to within striking distance of the lead. As they approached lapped riders Sexton started to look for an opportunity to make a pass. Lawrence responded and picked up his pace to put the lead back over a second.

Sexton kept Lawrence honest for several laps as the teammates traded momentum, but Lawrence capitalized on a slower rider that held up Sexton and opened the lead to more than 2.5 seconds. The lead briefly grew to more than three seconds, but Sexton gained a second and looked to make one last push in the closing minutes. On the final lap Sexton got within two seconds of Lawrence, but he slid out on a downhill and ended the threat.

Lawrence took his 13th moto win by 11.9 seconds over Sexton, while the battle for third stayed intense all the way to the finish. Anderson fended off heavy pressure from both Plessinger and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis to secure third, while Plessinger settled four fourth and Ferrandis fifth.

Jett Lawrence - Spring Creek National

Jett Lawrence’s perfect season extended to 14 moto wins and seven overall victories.
Photo: Align Media

Moto 2

The final moto of the afternoon got underway with the Hondas of Sexton and Lawrence leading the way, running side-by-side all the way to the MotoSport.com Holeshot, which went to Sexton. After pinching off his teammate Sexton had control of the position but applied too much throttle exiting a corner and lost traction with his rear tire, which allowed Lawrence to assume the lead as Sexton resumed in second. Cianciarulo grabbed another strong start in third, just ahead of Ferrandis. After a third in Moto 1, Anderson was collected in a crash off the start and retired from the moto.

Much like the first moto the Honda teammates easily gapped the rest of the field to set the stage for a head-to-head showdown. Lawrence established a lead of just over a second on Sexton, who bided his time and settled into the moto with no threat from behind. As he gave pursuit Sexton made a costly error that took him to the ground and allowed Cianciarulo to move into second as Sexton remounted in third.

Lawrence enjoyed a double-digit margin following Sexton’s misfortune as Sexton looked to battle back. The Honda rider closed in on Cianciarulo and made quick work of the Kawasaki to reclaim second. A battle for third then started to take shape between Cianciarulo and Ferrandis. As the moto reached its halfway point Ferrandis mounted an attack on Cianciarulo and wasted little time in making the pass for third. Plessinger was able to close in from fifth and also made a quick pass on Cianciarulo for fourth.

It was another uneventful moto for Lawrence out front as he wrapped up his 14th win to extend his perfect season, 16.7 seconds ahead of Sexton. The battle for third came down to the wire between Ferrandis and Plessinger, with the Frenchman able to fend off the pressure for the final spot on the moto podium.

Chase Sexton - Spring Creek National

Chase Sexton’s misfortune in both motos resulted in another runner-up effort (2-2).
Photo: Align Media

Overall

For the sixth time this summer Lawrence led every lap of competition en route to his seventh straight 1-1 performance. His seven 450 Class wins have allowed him to break into the top 20 on the all-time wins list, where he now sits in a tie with three other riders for 20th. Sexton’s runner-up effort (2-2) will lead him to wonder what could have been with crashes in each moto, while Ferrandis earned his fifth podium result of the season in third (5-3).

Lawrence’s lead in the championship standings has grown to 81 points over Ferrandis, while Plessinger further strengthened his hold of third with a fourth-place result (4-4), 104 points out of the lead.

Dylan Ferrandis - Spring Creek National

Dylan Ferrandis rounded out the overall podium in third (5-3).
Photo: Align Media

Jett Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“It’s a bummer for Chase in that one [Moto 2]. He got the start on me and I know he can run my speed, so it’s unfortunate for him to have that bad luck. It was another good weekend [for me] and now we’re on to Washougal, where I know Chase will be fast again.”

Chase Sexton, Team Honda HRC
“We’re close, but I’m sick and tired of getting second place. I’m disappointed going down in both motos. I kind of blew it. That’s not acceptable and I’m going to throw everything I have at it for the final four rounds. I’m going to get one of these [a win] before the season’s over.”

Dylan Ferrandis, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“Tough day for me, but I’m glad to be on the box. It’s tough to accept, but it is what it is. I gave it everything I had and third was the best for me today.”

450 Podium - Spring Creek National

450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish // Points)

  1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (1-1 // 50)
  2. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda (2-2, 44)
  3. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha (5-3 // 36)
  4. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (4-4 // 36)
  5. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (7-5 // 30)
  6. Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki (8-6 // 28)
  7. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha (6-8 // 28)
  8. Grant Harlan, Justin, Texas, Yamaha (9-7 // 26)
  9. Fredrik Noren, Lidköping, Sweden, Suzuki (10-9 // 23)
  10. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki (3-38 // 20)

450 Class Championship Standings (Round 7 of 11)

  1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 350
  2. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha – 269
  3. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 246
  4. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 206
  5. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda – 174
  6. Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki – 162
  7. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM – 147
  8. Fredrik Noren, Lidköping, Sweden, Suzuki – 147
  9. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha – 146
  10. Grant Harlan, Justin, Texas, Yamaha – 116

450 Class Highlights – FXR Spring Creek National

250 class banner

Moto 1

The opening 250 Class moto of the afternoon began with the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki of Jo Shimoda at the head of the pack for the MotoSport.com Holeshot ahead of the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing trio of Haiden Deegan, Justin Cooper and Levi Kitchen. Shimoda looked to sprint away and solidify his hold of the lead while Deegan, the new points leader, tried to do the same in second. Kitchen was able to pass Cooper and move into third, while behind the leaders Lawrence, the class’ winningest rider and previous points leader, started to fight his way towards the top five after a start deep inside the top 10.

Shimoda opened up an advantage of 4.5 seconds through the opening 10 minutes of the moto, while the rest of his rivals continued to wage battle with multiple riders jockeying for a spot inside the top three. Cooper amped up his aggression to reclaim third from Kitchen while Lawrence looked to follow through after passing Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire for fifth. Lawrence was persistent and made his way around Kitchen for fourth. The Aussie’s charge forward wasn’t finished. He bided his time and set up an impressive pass on Cooper to move into third and set his sights on his championship rival in second.

A miscue by Deegan navigating infamous Mt. Martin took the Yamaha rider off track briefly, which handed second to Lawrence and also allowed Cooper to make the pass for third. Lawrence faced a six-second deficit to Shimoda when he assumed the position, with a little more than half of the moto to go. Behind him, Deegan lost another position to Hampshire, which dropped the rookie to fifth.

With no one to contend with, Lawrence was able to log the fastest laps on the track and started to take chunks out of his deficit to Shimoda. The battle for third also heated up as Hampshire mounted an attack on Cooper and took control of the position with a little more than 10 minutes remaining. Back up front, mere bike lengths separated Shimoda and Lawrence as they both navigated lapped riders.

With a handful of minutes left in the moto the battle for the lead was on between Shimoda and Lawrence. The Honda rider had more pace, but Shimoda’s ability to control the preferred lines kept the Kawasaki out front. After some minor miscues Lawrence dropped back and prepared for another push in the waning minutes of the moto. The battle raged on as the gap between the duo was like a yo-yo, with lappers impacting portions of their duel. As time ran out, Shimoda and Lawrence were closer than they had been all moto. Lawrence’s aggression amped up as he hounded Shimoda in every corner with alternate lines.

With two laps to go Lawrence was able to position himself alongside Shimoda and out-accelerated the Kawasaki to seize control of the moto. The Honda rider’s lead grew quickly to about 1.5 seconds and he closed it out with his sixth moto win of the season. He took the checkered flag 2.2 seconds ahead of Shimoda while Hampshire followed in third. Cooper finished in fourth, with Deegan completing the top five.

Hunter Lawrence - Spring Creek National

Hunter Lawrence returned to the top step of the podium with his fifth victory (1-2).
Photo: Align Media

Moto 2

The second and deciding moto got underway with Lawrence edging out Kitchen and Shimoda for the MotoSport.com Holeshot to grab control of the moto as Kitchen slotted into second and Cooper in third, just ahead of Shimoda, who was then passed by his Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rookie teammate Ryder DiFrancesco. Point leader Deegan started outside the top 10.

The clear track allowed Lawrence to sprint through the opening minutes of the moto and build a lead of nearly four seconds over Kitchen and the rest of the field. The Honda rider continued to add to his advantage as Kitchen lost ground to Cooper and eventually lost the hold of second to his teammate. Behind them, Shimoda made the pass on DiFrancesco to take over fourth. The Japanese rider continued his forward push and was able to close in on Kitchen to initiate a battle for third. The pair engaged in a spirited fight for the final spot on the moto podium before Shimoda used an off-camber outside line to slip around Kitchen and take over the position.

Back out front, Lawrence was in a class of his own out front and was able to pull out a double-digit margin on Cooper, who easily controlled the runner-up spot from the moment he made the pass for the position. Shimoda enjoyed a firm hold of third, but Kitchen continued to lurk in fourth.

Lawrence was in full control of the moto until the final lap when he crashed out of the lead and lost the top spot to Cooper after an apparent incident with a lapped rider. Lawrence remounted in second, just ahead of Shimoda. Cooper carried on to a surprise moto win, his second of the season, four seconds ahead of Lawrence, who crossed the line just ahead of Shimoda in third.

Justin Cooper - Spring Creek National

A Moto 2 win vaulted Justin Cooper into the runner-up spot (4-1).
Photo: Align Media

Overall

Despite the misfortune late in Moto 2, Lawrence still secured his fifth overall win of the season (1-2) to rebound from back-to-back races in which he recorded a DNF. Cooper’s triumph in the final moto vaulted him into the runner-up spot (4-1) for his fifth podium finish in a row, while Shimoda secured back-to-back third-place finishes (2-3).

The victory allowed Lawrence to return to the top of the championship standings, where he now enjoys a 13-point lead over Deegan, who finished seventh (5-8). Shimoda and Hampshire, who finished fourth (3-6), are now tied for third, 20 points behind Lawrence

Jo Shimoda - Spring Creek National

Jo Shimoda finished third overall (2-3) for the second straight weekend.
Photo: Align Media

Hunter Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“We came here with a job to do [win the race] and we did it today. We were so close to being perfect [going 1-1] but I’ve got to be more careful around those lappers. I’m stoked. We’ve got four rounds to go with a little break.”

Justin Cooper, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“I wouldn’t say I settled [in Moto 2], but I wanted to maintain the gap in case something happened. That worked out in our favor. We’ll take it. Still have some work to do but we’re making progress and looking forward to next weekend.”

Jo Shimoda, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki
“I feel happy with my starts more than my riding. The riding is getting better too. I feel like the bike is getting pretty dialed in so I’m focusing on volume [practice riding] during the week and I think that will help me for the races coming up.”

250 Podium - Spring Creek National

250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)

  1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (1-2 // 47)
  2. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (4-1 // 43)
  3. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki (2-3 // 42)
  4. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna (3-6 // 35)
  5. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha (7-4 // 32)
  6. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM (6-5 // 31)
  7. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (5-8 // 29)
  8. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM (10-7 // 25)
  9. Austin Forkner, Richards, Mo., Kawasaki (11-9 // 22)
  10. Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Husqvarna (8-14 // 20)

250 Class Championship Standings (Round 7 of 11)

  1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 260
  2. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 247
  3. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna – 240
  4. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki – 240
  5. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 239
  6. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha – 214
  7. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM – 210
  8. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM – 190
  9. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki – 137
  10. Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Husqvarna – 130

250 Class Highlights – FXR Spring Creek National

The 2023 Pro Motocross Championship continues next weekend with its final visit to the West Coast, where the Pacific Northwest’s scenic Washougal MX Park in Washougal, Washington, awaits. The MotoSport.com Washougal National, presented by Peterson CAT, will take place on Saturday, July 22, for the eighth round of the summer season. A total of 4.5 hours of uninterrupted moto coverage from Washougal will be streamed live on Peacock and will kick off with Race Day Live, presented by MotoSport.com, at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET, followed by race coverage beginning at 1 p.m. PT / 4 p.m. ET. An encore presentation of the final motos will air on USA Network on Sunday, July 23, at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET.

Jett Lawrence Stays Perfect Halfway Through 2023 Pro Motocross Championship to Collect Sixth Win of Season at Southwick

Vialle Grabs First U.S. Victory in 250 Class as Championship Battle Shakes Up

The 2023 Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, reached its halfway point on Saturday with its annual foray to the motocross hotbed of New England. The 42nd running of the Crestview Construction Southwick National presented the most challenging test of the season thus far, where high temperatures and humidity combined with the demanding sand track of legendary The Wick 338 resulted in a grueling afternoon of racing. The perfect season by 450 Class rookie Jett Lawrence continued with another dominant outing by the Team Honda HRC rider, who went 1-1 yet again for his sixth straight victory, while two-time MX2 World Champion Tom Vialle emerged with his first win in U.S. competition in the 250 Class.

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Moto 1

It was the Team Honda HRC duo of Chase Sexton and Lawrence leading the field into the first turn to start Moto 1, as Sexton stormed to the MotoSport.com Holeshot only to be passed by Lawrence by the time they reached the second turn. Both riders dropped the hammer to open a gap on the field while Lawrence moved out nearly two seconds ahead of his teammate. Behind them, Sport Clips/Beachview Treatment/HBI Racing Kawasaki’s Ty Masterpool settled into third ahead of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis.

As the lead pair checked out on the field an exciting battle for third unfolded amongst Masterpool, Plessinger and Ferrandis. The Yamaha-mounted Frenchman found himself in an opportunistic position and was able to slip past Plessinger as he pressured Masterpool. Ferrandis then set his sights on Masterpool for third. The privateer racer didn’t flinch and made the former series champion go to work. After a persistent attack Ferrandis finally got the upper hand and took control of third, leaving Masterpool and Plessinger to battle it out for fourth.

Near the halfway point of the moto Sexton had chipped away at the deficit to Lawrence and moved within striking distance of his teammate. However, Lawrence picked up the pace again and built the lead back out to more than four seconds.

Lawrence continued to add to his lead through the remainder of the moto and rode to his 11th straight moto win with ease, crossing the finish line seven seconds ahead of Sexton, who was never pressured en route to second, while Ferrandis finished a distant third. Plessinger was fourth, while Masterpool rounded out the top five.

Jett Lawrence - Southwick National

Jett Lawrence remains perfect halfway through the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship.
Photo: Align Media

Moto 2

The final moto got underway with the Yamaha of Ferrandis leading the field out of the first turn for the MotoSport.com Holeshot, but he was quickly overcome by Lawrence who proceeded to sprint out to an early lead. Plessinger slotted into third, with Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo and Sexton in tow.

While Lawrence took advantage of the clear track it was Sexton who was making moves as he got around Cianciarulo for fourth and then made quick work of Plessinger to take over third. It didn’t take long for him to close in on Ferrandis for second as the lead trio checked out on the rest of the field. Ten minutes into the moto less than 3.5 seconds separated the top three and that’s when Sexton made his move on Ferrandis to grab second.

Sexton was able to gain a few tenths on Lawrence initially, but the Aussie’s advantage grew over the second half of the moto. The lead surpassed double digits in the closing minutes and grew to nearly 20 seconds before he backed down the pace. As has been the case for much of the season, Lawrence led every lap of action across both motos and wrapped up another perfect afternoon 14.7 seconds ahead of Sexton, with Ferrandis well back in third.

Chase Sexton earned his second runner-up finish of the season (2-2).
Photo: Align Media

Overall

Another 1-1 effort gave Lawrence his sixth consecutive overall win and further extended the record start to his 450 Class career. He now sits tied with both Sexton and Ferrandis as the winningest active riders in the division and has led every lap in five of six rounds this season. Sexton earned an assertive runner-up effort (2-2) for his third podium result in three starts, while Ferrandis rounded out the top three overall in third (3-3) with his fourth podium of the summer.

Lawrence’s lead in the championship standings now sits at 67 points over Ferrandis, while Plessinger, who finished fourth (4-4), is third, 90 points out of the lead.

Dylan Ferrandis - Southwick National

Dylan Ferrandis landed on the overall podium for the fourth time (3-3).
Photo: Align Media

Jett Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“I didn’t enjoy that one bit. That was a brutal track, the most brutal track I’ve ridden. It was just survival out there. My legs are shaking right now and I’m really tired, but that’s 12 wins in a row now which is awesome.”

Chase Sexton, Team Honda HRC
“Speed is not a problem. I just wasn’t flowing halfway through the [second] moto. I need to keep working on getting back to [the level] where I was last year. Just gotta keep climbing the ladder.”

Dylan Ferrandis, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“We’ve been pushing really hard in practice and training [during the week] and it’s paying off. Today was just tough. I did all I could to keep up with Jett [Lawrence] but it was a long moto. We’ll keep working and try to be better next week.”

450 Class podium

450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish // Points)

  1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (1-1 // 50)
  2. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda (2-2, 44)
  3. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha (3-3 // 40)
  4. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (4-4 // 36)
  5. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha (10-5 // 27)
  6. Jose Butron, Cadiz, Spain, GASGAS (9-6 // 27)
  7. Chris Canning, Coventry, Conn., GASGAS (8-7 // 27)
  8. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (7-8 // 27)
  9. Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki (5-10 // 27)
  10. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki (6-14 // 22)

450 Class Championship Standings (Round 6 of 11)

  1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 300
  2. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha – 233
  3. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 210
  4. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 176
  5. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM – 147
  6. Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki – 134
  7. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda – 130
  8. Fredrik Noren, Lidköping, Sweden, Suzuki – 124
  9. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha – 118
  10. Lorenzo Locurcio, Valencia, Venezuela, GASGAS – 110

450 Class Highlights – Crestview Construction Southwick National

250 class banner

Moto 1

The opening moto started with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper leading the way for the MotoSport.com Holeshot just ahead of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jalek Swoll and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker. Cooper withstood an early pass attempt by Swoll to hold onto the lead the sprint away, while both Swoll and Hammaker were bypassed by a hard-charging Vialle aboard his KTM. Behind the leaders, the top two riders in the championship, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan and Team Honda HRC mounted point leader Hunter Lawrence, started in eighth and ninth, respectively.

Cooper and Vialle were able to open a gap on the rest of the field and assert themselves at the front of the pack. Cooper comfortably maintained his hold of the top spot, but the Frenchman kept him honest. Meanwhile, Hammaker moved around Swoll into third. Further back, Lawrence made the pass on Deegan and soon broke into the top five while Deegan remained mired in ninth.

At the turn of the moto’s halfway point a three-rider battle emerged for third between Hammaker, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire, and Lawrence. With pressure from behind, Hampshire was aggressive and hounded Hammaker. He successfully squeezed under his Kawasaki rival to take the position, which led to another battle between Hammaker and Lawrence, from which Lawrence prevailed in fourth as Hammaker endured a quick tip over.

The gap between the lead pair was slowly shrinking as the final five minutes of the moto approached but things changed dramatically when Cooper tipped over and gave up the lead to Vialle. The Yamaha rider remounted and continued on without any additional positions lost but faced a near seven-second gap to Vialle when he resumed. Further back, the battle in the championship got more interesting as Deegan was able to claw his way into the top five and started to close in on Lawrence. The Honda rider responded and opened the gap back up until his bike appeared to expire with two laps to go and forced Lawrence to retire.

Back up front Vialle cruised to his first career moto win on U.S. soil and took the checkered flag 17.4 seconds ahead of Cooper, who soldiered home in second, while Hampshire followed in third. Deegan finished fourth following Lawrence’s misfortune as Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Levi Kitchen grabbed fifth.

Tom Vialle - Southwick National

Two-time World Champion Tom Vialle is now a winner in American motocross competition.
Photo: Align Media

Moto 2

Vialle picked up where he left off with a stellar start in the final moto for the MotoSport.comHoleshot, followed closely by Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Jo Shimoda and his teammate Hammaker. Cooper started fifth, with Deegan ninth and Lawrence just inside the top 15.

A clear track allowed Vialle to settle into the lead and Shimoda into second, maintaining an advantage of just over a second. Hammaker did the same in third, but Cooper lurked in fourth. A little deeper in the running order Lawrence broke into the top 10 while Deegan went in the opposite direction and fell back behind Lawrence. Back up front, Shimoda appeared to be faster than Vialle but showed patience and waited for his opportunity to arise. Once it did, he pulled the trigger and made the pass stick to take control of the moto with 18 minutes to go.

Behind the leaders Cooper made his move for third after spending half the moto behind Hammaker, moving into a podium spot with relative ease. As the moto wound down Cooper’s forward progression continued. He started to chip away at the deficit to Vialle and soon found himself within striking distance. With just over five minutes to go Cooper was able to make the pass for second and then looked to erase the 3.7 second gap to Shimoda out front. Meanwhile, Vialle was forced to contend with Hampshire from fourth, a battle that put the overall win in the balance.

As time was about to run out on the moto Cooper had closed in on Shimoda to challenge for the lead, but he tucked the front end and went down. That allowed Shimoda to slip away and while he remounted quickly, Cooper resumed right in front of Vialle, with Hampshire right behind.

Shimoda prevailed with his first moto win of the season, finishing four seconds ahead of Cooper, while Vialle kept Hampshire at bay for third. Further back, Lawrence rebounded from his Moto 1 heartbreak to finish eighth, while Deegan settled for 10th after a late tip over.

Justin Cooper - Southwick National

Justin Cooper overcame a pair of tip overs to finish in the runner-up spot (2-2).
Photo: Align Media

Overall

Vialle’s consistent 1-3 moto finishes were enough to land him atop the overall podium for the first time here in the States in just his sixth Pro Motocross start and makes it back-to-back first-time winners this season. He’s the latest World Champion to make the full-time move to America and achieve success, following in the footsteps of the likes of fellow Frenchman Marvin Musquin and German Ken Roczen. Vialle is the 91st different winner in 250 Class history.

Cooper narrowly missed out on his first win of the year in second (2-2), while Shimoda’s second moto victory vaulted him to his first overall podium result of the season in third (6-1).

With the mixed fortunes of Lawrence and Deegan the championship standings saw a dramatic shakeup with five rounds remaining. Deegan’s sixth-place finish (4-10) was enough to put him atop the 250 Class standings for the first time, where he now holds a five-point lead over Lawrence, who finished 13th (26-8). Hampshire’s fourth place finish (3-4) moved him to within 13 points of the lead in third.

Jo Shimoda - Southwick National

Jo Shimoda earned his first overall podium result of the season in third (6-1).
Photo: Align Media

Tom Vialle, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
“It was a tough one today. I’ve been trying so hard [all season]. I felt really comfortable today and we were able to get the win. It took some time to get here [on top of the podium] but I’m just so happy we were able to achieve this. It’s been so much fun.”

Justin Cooper, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“I’m pretty wasted right now. I’m very tired. I gave it everything. I had to. I was riding a bit over my head [in Moto 2] and pushed it a little too hard [to catch Shimoda]. The way this track is, it’ll bite you quick. We’ll keep pushing and got good points, so an awesome day for us.”

Jo Shimoda, Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki
“I’m not really sure what was different today. For sure a better start [in Moto 2]. All year I’ve been struggling but today it finally worked out. I’m just so happy to finally get on the podium.”

250 Class podium - Southwick National

250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)

  1. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM (1-3 // 45)
  2. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (2-2 // 44)
  3. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki (6-1 // 40)
  4. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna (3-4 // 38)
  5. Seth Hammaker, Bainbridge, Pa., Kawasaki (7-5 // 30)
  6. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (4-10 // 29)
  7. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM (8-6 // 28)
  8. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha (5-9 // 28)
  9. Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Husqvarna (11-7 // 24)
  10. Caden Braswell, Shalimar, Fla., GASGAS (9-11 // 22)

250 Class Championship Standings (Round 6 of 11)

  1. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 218
  2. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 213
  3. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna – 205
  4. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki – 198
  5. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 196
  6. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha – 182
  7. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM – 179
  8. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM – 165
  9. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki – 122
  10. Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Husqvarna – 110

250 Class Highlights – Crestview Construction Southwick National

he second half of the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship will begin next weekend with a visit to the Land of 10,000 Lakes in Minnesota for another challenge at Millville’s famed Spring Creek MX Park. The FXR Spring Creek National, presented by Frescados Tortillas, will take place on Saturday, July 15, for the seventh round of the summer campaign. A total of 4.5 hours of uninterrupted moto coverage from Spring Creek will be streamed live on Peacock and will kick off with Race Day Live, presented by MotoSport.com, at 8 a.m. PT / 11 a.m. ET, followed by race coverage beginning at 11 a.m. PT / 2 p.m. ET. An encore presentation will air on USA Network on Sunday, July 16, at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET.

 

Jett Lawrence Remains Perfect in 2023 Pro Motocross Championship with Fifth Straight Victory at RedBud’s 50th Anniversary Event

Consistency Allows Haiden Deegan to Prevail with First Career Victory in 250 Class

Following its first break in action of the summer American motocross returned to the track for Round 5 of the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, with the sport’s own Independence Day tradition as legendary RedBud MX celebrated its 50th anniversary at the FMF RedBud National, presented by INTENSE Cycles. An overcast morning with some light, intermittent showers gave way to abundant sunshine for the motos as the reign of 450 Class dominance by Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence continued with another perfect outing in which he led every lap to go 1-1 in the motos and capture his fifth straight victory. In the 250 Class, an unpredictable afternoon in which heartbreak befell the championship leader opened the door for a breakthrough performance for Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rookie Haiden Deegan as the second-generation racer emerged with the first win of his promising career.

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Moto 1

The first premier class moto of the day saw a familiar trend as Lawrence prevailed with his seventh MotoSport.com Holeshot of the season ahead of Sport Clips/Beachview Treatment/HBI Racing Kawasaki’s Ty Masterpool and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis. The clear track allowed Lawrence to drop the hammer on the opening lap and establish a lead of more than two seconds from the outset of the moto. He continued to add to that margin through the opening stages of the race.

As the moto completed its initial 10 minutes four different riders sat within striking distance of second as Masterpool had to fend off pressure from Ferrandis, Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton, and Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo. The Yamaha-mounted Frenchman was relentless in his pursuit of Masterpool but couldn’t find a clean enough line to make a pass happen. That ultimately allowed Sexton, making his first start since the opening round, to take advantage of the opportunity to grab third. Sexton then took his turn in battling Masterpool and was able to take control of second just before the halfway point.

The battle for third saw a renewed fight between Masterpool and Ferrandis, while Cianciarulo lurked in fifth. A bobble by Ferrandis briefly halted his momentum and allowed Cianciarulo to slip past for fourth. The front-runners then settled into their respective positions through the heart of the moto.

The final five minutes saw the action ramp up once again as Ferrandis picked up the pace and was able to find a way around both Cianciarulo and Masterpool to fight his way from fifth to third and inch away from his rivals. Cianciarulo looked to get around Masterpool for fourth and as he attempted to make the pass he slid out and went down, contacting Masterpool whose bike flipped over and launched the rider onto his back. The incident allowed both Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger and Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson to get by.

Back out front, Lawrence’s dominance over the division continued with his seventh wire-to-wire outing of the season and his ninth straight moto win. He took the checkered flag 17.9 seconds ahead of Sexton, with Ferrandis completing the moto podium in third. Plessinger followed in fourth while Anderson, in his first start of the summer, rounded out the top five.

230702 Jett Lawrence - RedBud

Jett Lawrence has now amassed the most successful start to a class career in Pro Motocross history with a perfect 10-0 record to open his first 450 Class season.
Photo: Align Media

Moto 2

The final race of the afternoon started with a sweep of the MotoSport.com Holeshots for Lawrence, once again ahead of Masterpool and Ferrandis, who made quick work in making the pass on Masterpool for second and brought both Plessinger and Sexton along with him into third and fourth, respectively. As has been the case all season, the clear track paid big dividends for Lawrence as he completed the opening lap with a 2.5 second advantage on the field.

As Lawrence’s lead continued to grow Sexton looked to put the pressure on Ferrandis, but he lost traction with his front tire and slid out. He remounted quickly but resumed in fourth behind Plessinger, who assumed third. The pressure from Sexton was a spark for Ferrandis who found himself within striking distance of Lawrence. The point leader responded with his fastest lap of the moto to open the lead back up and establish an even larger margin.

Sexton’s recovery from his misfortune saw him reclaim third from Plessinger and set his sights on trying to track down a six-second deficit to Ferrandis. As the moto surpassed the halfway point the top three had settled in and the margins stabilized. When time on the clock ran out the battle for second was on between Ferrandis and Sexton as a showdown between the two headlined the final two laps.

Lawrence’s lead was never in doubt as he wrapped up another wire-to-wire ride to complete the sweep of the motos, finishing 4.8 seconds ahead of Ferrandis, who dug deep to keep his Honda rival at bay and hold on for second. Sexton finished strong in third.

230702 Dylan Ferrandis - RedBud

A strong final moto allowed Dylan Ferrandis to secure the runner-up spot (3-2).
Photo: Align Media

Overall

Lawrence’s unblemished record has him 10-0 in motos this summer, making for a historic start to a class career having surpassed the previous 8-0 mark established by David Bailey in the 500cc division during the 1984 season. Ferrandis’ stand in the final moto was a difference maker in the overall classification as it gave him the tiebreaker for the runner-up spot (3-2) and forced Sexton to settle for third (2-3).

With maximum points thus far through five rounds Lawrence’s lead in the championship standings has increased to 57 points over Ferrandis, giving the Australian a full race advantage over his competitors. Plessinger moved into third, 76 points out of the lead.

230702 Chase Sexton - RedBud

In his first start since the opening round Chase Sexton finished third (2-3).
Photo: Align Media

Jett Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“Another good moto and another good start. That’s key. I didn’t know Dylan [Ferrandis] was there at first but then I saw my pit board. I looked behind and saw he was right there, so I picked it up. The lappers made it difficult, but it was another good day.”

Dylan Ferrandis, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“This is a good step in the right direction. We needed time with the new Yamaha to make it better and the time off helped. We’re improving and that’s good. I was hoping to keep pace with Jett [Lawrence] but he was just too good today.”

Chase Sexton, Team Honda HRC
“It’s nice to be back. That was not a good performance out of me. It was kind of embarrassing and I’ve got to be better. We’ve still got some work to do but I’m looking forward to getting back to the level I know I’m capable of. It’s going to be fun the rest of the season.”

450 Class podium - RedBud

450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish // Points)

  1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (1-1 // 50)
  2. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha (3-2 // 42)
  3. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda (2-3, 42)
  4. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (4-4 // 36)
  5. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki (5-7 // 30)
  6. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha (9-5 // 28)
  7. Fredrik Noren, Lidköping, Sweden, Suzuki (7-8 // 27)
  8. Phil Nicoletti, Cochecton, N.Y., Yamaha (10-9 // 23)
  9. Jose Butron, Cadiz, Spain, GASGAS (11-10 // 21)
  10. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (31-6 // 15)

450 Class Championship Standings (Round 5 of 11)

  1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 250
  2. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha – 193
  3. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 174
  4. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 149
  5. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM – 147
  6. Fredrik Noren, Lidköping, Sweden, Suzuki – 108
  7. Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki – 107
  8. Lorenzo Locurcio, Valencia, Venezuela, GASGAS – 98
  9. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha – 91
  10. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda – 86

450 Class Highlights – FMF RedBud National

250 class banner

Moto 1

The first moto of the afternoon saw the 40-rider field in the small displacement storm out the starting gate under the first glimpse of pure sunshine. As they emerged from the first turn it was championship leader and Team Honda HRC rider Hunter Lawrence at the front of the pack for the first time in the opening moto with the MotoSport.com Holeshot ahead of Deegan and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Rider DiFrancesco.

The clear track allowed Lawrence to sprint out to an early lead over Deegan, who easily asserted himself into second, while DiFrancesco dealt with pressure from multiple riders, including Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle and his Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki teammate Seth Hammaker, making his first start of the season. Vialle carried more pace in the opening laps and started to look for a way around his rookie counterpart. The two-time MX2 World Champion appeared to have the pass made, but as DiFrancesco looked to counter the two riders collided and went down together. That allowed Hammaker to move into second, just ahead of his teammate Jo Shimoda and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper.

Lawrence’s lead continued to grow incrementally and as the race surpassed its first 10 minutes the championship leader enjoyed an advantage of more than seven seconds on Deegan. Behind them, the battle for third intensified between Hammaker, Shimoda, and Cooper. Shimoda successfully got by for third, but Hammaker battled back to reclaim the spot off legendary LaRocco’s Leap. Shimoda regrouped and went on the attack again to reclaim the position, which was followed by a brief dismount by Cooper that saw him lose multiple positions in his pursuit of Hammaker. Shimoda then went down in third and lost multiple positions, which handed the spot back to Hammaker.

As the moto surpassed the halfway point both Lawrence and Deegan were able to check out on the rest of the field, while Hammaker’s hold on third remained tenuous. The next challenger to threaten Hammaker was Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire. The Kawasaki rider withstood the pressure for several laps, but Hampshire’s persistence eventually paid off and he made the pass with about six minutes remaining.

Out front, Lawrence was in a class of his own and secured his first Moto 1 win of the season in a wire-to-wire effort, crossing the finish line 13.3 seconds ahead of Deegan, who was also never challenged. Hampshire finished in a distant third, while Cooper rebounded to finish fourth, followed by Hammaker in fifth.

230702 Haiden Deegan - RedBud

Rookie Haiden Deegan is now a winner at the professional level following 2-3 moto scores.
Photo: Align Media

Moto 2

The second moto began with Deegan leading the field through the first turn for the MotoSport.comHoleshot, but he was surpassed by his teammate Levi Kitchen in the second turn. However, all attention was centered on the first turn where Lawrence was on the ground after being collected in a multi-rider incident. The point leader appeared injured and needed assistance from the Alpinestars Mobile Medical Unit to leave the track and receive medical attention, ending his afternoon.

Out front, Kitchen looked to take advantage of his best start of the season and rode strong in the early laps to solidify his lead over Deegan, which stabilized at around two seconds. Behind them Vialle settled into third, while Cooper and Shimoda battled it out in fourth and fifth, respectively. The top five then settled into their positions in the running order for the majority of the moto.

As time ran out on the 30-minute-plus-two-laps moto the battle for second heated up between Deegan and Vialle. Less than a second separated the two as they took the “2 Lap” board and Vialle pushed the pace to make the pass happen as soon as the opportunity presented itself.

Out front, Kitchen maintained firm control of the moto and led every lap to secure his second career moto win by 8.9 seconds over Vialle, while Deegan brought it home in third.

230702 Levi Kitchen - RedBud

Levi Kitchen’s second career moto win helped him finish second overall (7-1).
Photo: Align Media

Overall

Even though he missed out on either moto win, Deegan’s unparalleled consistency allowed him to prevail with the overall victory with 2-3 moto finishes and break Lawrence’s unbeaten start to the season. Kitchen’s win in the final moto vaulted him into the runner-up spot (7-1), while Cooper made it a clean sweep of the podium for Star Racing in third (4-4).

At 17 years of age, Deegan’s maiden victory in his first full season of competition is the latest accolade for his prominent racing family as he joins his former Supercross and Pro Motocross racing father, Brian, and current NASCAR racing sister, Hailie, as winners at motorsports’ elite level. He’s the 90th different winner in the history of the 250 Class.

At the conclusion of the first moto, race officials reviewed footage to confirm that Cooper had violated Section 2.10, Item b.iii., 9.c.* of the AMA Pro Racing Pro Motocross Rulebook pertaining to the adherence of signal flags. As a result, Cooper was penalized five championship points. Event results were not affected and he retained his podium result.

Despite the DNF in the second moto, Lawrence, who finished ninth (1-40), still holds the top spot in the 250 Class standings after five rounds. He and Deegan are separated by 11 points, while Hampshire, who finished fourth (3-7), sits third, 33 points out of the lead.

230702 Justin Cooper - RedBud

A quiet afternoon for Justin Cooper saw him round out the podium in third (9-2).
Photo: Align Media

Haiden Deegan, Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing
“This is awesome. I knew that consistency would pay off. I’m glad to put America on top at least once this season. This team knows I have a shot at this championship, and they know I have the heart and determination and I can’t thank them enough for all the support they’ve given me.”

Levi Kitchen, Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing
“The first moto was bad on my part. I got a bad start, so I lined up on the far inside for Moto 2. It was a gamble and it paid off. I got by Haiden [Deegan] off the start and then was able to ride my own race. It feels awesome and I’m looking forward to the races coming up.”

Justin Cooper, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“I always want to win but I’ll take [the podium]. We rode hard from the back. I wasn’t able to get the starts I needed but I did my best to close the gap to the guys up front. I kind of hit a wall in that second moto, so I’m happy to be on the podium. We need to keep working and hopefully that win will come.”

250 Class podium - RedBud

250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)

  1. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (2-3 // 42)
  2. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha (7-1 // 39)
  3. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM (9-2 // 34)
  4. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna (3-7 // 34)
  5. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (4-4 // 31)
  6. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM (6-6 // 30)
  7. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki (8-5 // 29)
  8. Seth Hammaker, Bainbridge, Pa., Kawasaki (5-10 // 27)
  9. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (1-40 // 25)
  10. Daxton Bennick, Morganton, N.C., Yamaha (10-9 // 23)

250 Class Championship Standings (Round 5 of 11)

  1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 200
  2. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 189
  3. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna – 167
  4. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki – 158
  5. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha – 154
  6. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 152
  7. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM – 137
  8. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM – 134
  9. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki – 106
  10. Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda – 92

**Rule: 2.10. Signal Flags, b. Warning Flags and Signal Lights: iii. White Flag with Red Cross or Red/White Flashing Lights: 9. If Race Direction determines that there was a blatant violation of this rule, the penalty for non-compliance will be: During a Moto Race, if any positions are gained, the loss of the number of positions gained, plus the points and purse equal to two additional positions in the final results for that race, plus two additional points.

250 Class Highlights – FMF RedBud National

The 2023 Pro Motocross Championship will reach its halfway point next weekend with its annual foray to New England. The Crestview Construction Southwick National from Southwick, Massachusetts The Wick 338 will present one of the most unique challenges of the season with American motocross’ most iconic sand track on Saturday, July 8, for the sixth round of the summer. A total of 4.5 hours of uninterrupted moto coverage from Southwick will be streamed live on Peacock and will kick off with Race Day Live, presented by MotoSport.com, at 6 a.m. PT / 9 a.m. ET, followed by race coverage beginning at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET. The race will also signify the network season premiere on NBC, which will carry live coverage of the first moto of both the 250 Class and 450 Class for the first time ever, beginning at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET.