Jett Lawrence Remains Undefeated in 2023 Pro Motocross Championship with Fourth Consecutive Win at High Point

Hunter Lawrence’s Moto 2 Prowess Continues for Fourth Straight 250 Class Win

Famed High Point Raceway hosted the East Coast debut of the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, on Saturday, which featured the sport’s own unique Father’s Day celebration at the GEICO Motorcycles High Point National. The 46th running of the legendary event welcomed its largest crowd ever as rain on Friday coupled with dense morning cloud cover resulted in wet conditions that continued to evolve as sunshine emerged and started to dry out the racing surface. The most competitive afternoon of racing of the young season ended with the same result, as Australia’s Lawrence brothers both stood atop the overall podium for the fourth time to remain unbeaten and continue the dominance by Team Honda HRC, as Jett Lawrence remained perfect  in the 450 Class and Hunter Lawrence continued his unbeaten streak in the 250 Class.

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Moto 1

The first moto of the day began with Jett Lawrence out front for his sixth MotoSport.comHoleshot ahead of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Cooper Webb and Muc-Off/FXR/ClubMX Yamaha’s Garrett Marchbanks. Behind them, Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen, making his first start of the season, slotted into fourth but made several quick moves on the opening lap to claw his way up to second.

Lawrence’s lead was three seconds at the completion of the opening lap, but Roczen went to work on chipping away at the deficit. While the German veteran was able to keep the Aussie upstart honest, Lawrence comfortably maintained the advantage until the halfway point of the moto. Roczen closed to within 1.5 seconds and as Lawrence looked to respond he tucked his front end on a downhill and went down. That allowed Roczen to take control of the moto and Marchbanks to move up into second as Lawrence remounted in third. With Roczen out front, it marked the first time this season that a rider other than Lawrence led a lap.

Lawrence went into rebound mode and was able to wrangle second from Marchbanks. At that point, with about a dozen minutes left in the moto, Roczen and Lawrence were separated by 5.1 seconds. Lawrence rode consistent, clean laps to close back in on the Suzuki and with six minutes to go the lead pair was separated by less than a second. Lawrence was patient and was able to reclaim the lead, but Roczen countered to put himself up front again. The Honda rider mounted another attack about a half lap later and secured the top spot for a third time. The battle was poised to continue with two laps to go, but Roczen tucked his front end and went down. He got back up quickly, but needed an extended period of time to get his Suzuki restarted, which cost him multiple positions on the track. He eventually resumed in seventh.

With the pressure gone, Lawrence cruised home to his seventh moto win in a row, which established a new record to open a 450 Class career. He took the checkered flag 26.2 seconds ahead of Marchbanks, who earned a career-best finish in second, while Webb rounded out the moto podium in third. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo was fourth, followed by Sport Clips/Beachview Treatment/Airline Vacuum Kawasaki’s Ty Masterpool in fifth.

Jett Lawrence - High Point National

Jett Lawrence is off to a historic start in his 450 Class career
with eight moto wins and four straight overall victories.
Photo: Align Media

Moto 2

The deciding moto saw Roczen storm out to the early lead with the MotoSport.comHoleshot, followed by Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger and Cianciarulo, while Lawrence experienced his worst start of the season in fourth. Known for his first lap speed, Roczen put the hammer down to open the moto and build a gap on the field. Cianciarulo was able to pass Plessinger for second, while Lawrence felt the pressure from Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis from fifth.

A three-rider battle soon started to unfold between Cianciarulo, Plessinger and Lawrence. As Plessinger looked to make a move on Cianciarulo he slid out, which caused Lawrence to stop to avoid hitting him. That moved Ferrandis into third, briefly, before Lawrence reclaimed the position.

As the first 10 minutes of the moto passed, the top three had distanced themselves from the rest of the field and were separated by 10 seconds. As the race carried on through the middle portion and approached the final 10 minutes Lawrence closed in on Cianciarulo for second and made the pass with relative ease. The lead duo were separated by 3.5 seconds as Lawrence sought to track down the top spot. Lawrence continued to ride the fastest laps on the track and it allowed him to make big gains on Roczen, which was further aided by lapped riders.

With six minutes to go Lawrence was within striking distance of Roczen and went on the attack as soon as the opportunity presented itself. An outside line on an uphill off-camber gave Lawrence the momentum he needed to surge past Roczen and put another moto win within reach. Roczen kept him honest for a while, but Lawrence closed out the moto strong to keep his undefeated record intact by 2.4 seconds over Roczen, with Ferrandis in third.

Ken Roczen - High Point National [2]

In his first race of the Pro Motocross season
Ken Roczen finished in the runner-up spot (7-2)
Photo: Align Media

Overall

Lawrence’s fourth straight 1-1 sweep equals the single-most-successful class start in the history of the sport as his eight consecutive moto wins to open his 450 Class career is shared with Hall of Famer David Bailey, who accomplished the same feat to start his 500cc career during the 1984 season. In his first start of the summer Roczen finished in the runner-up spot (7-2), while Cianciarulo finished in third (4-4) for his first podium result since the 2021 High Point National.

Lawrence added even more to advantage in the championship standings, which now sits at 49 points after four races over Ferrandis, while Webb sits third, 53 points out of the lead.

Adam Cianciarulo - High Point National

Adam Cianciarulo’s consistent 4-4 effort landed him
on the overall podium for the first time since the 2021 season.
Photo: Align Media

Jett Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“It was tricky. You had to wait and be patient [with the track conditions]. It was sick being able to race with Kenny [Roczen]. I used to look up to him and now I got to race him, so I checked that off the list. It was a tough day. I didn’t feel too comfortable on the track with the ruts and everything, but I held on to go 1-1. It was a struggle of a day, but I’m pumped.”

Ken Roczen, Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki
“I am beyond stoked. I appreciate all the support from the fans today. This was a tough one to come back to with the track conditions. I can’t believe I got second [overall] after that first moto with the crash. I felt good at the beginning [of Moto 2], but I struggled with lines and Jett was riding great. I think I’m going to have to do some more of these.”

Adam Cianciarulo, Monster Energy Kawasaki
“That’s back-to-back weeks where the track was really difficult. You had to be 100% focused the whole time out there. It really was a mental battle as much as it was a physical battle. I had good pace early in the moto and that almost means more to me than the result. I still have a long way to go but I’m so excited to be up here.”

450 Class podium - High Point National

450 Class Overall Results (Moto Finish // Points)

  1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld.,Australia, Honda (1-1 // 50)
  2. Ken Roczen, Mattstedt, Germany, Suzuki (7-2, 36)
  3. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (4-4 // 36)
  4. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha (6-3 // 35)
  5. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (3-6 // 35)
  6. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha (2-8 // 35)
  7. Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki (5-7 // 30)
  8. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (8-5 // 29)
  9. Grant Harlan, Justin, Texas, Yamaha (11-9 // 22)
  10. Derek Drake, San Luis Obispo, Calif., Suzuki (9-12 // 21)

450 Class Championship Standings (Round 4 of 11)

  1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 200
  2. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha – 151
  3. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM – 147
  4. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 138
  5. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 134
  6. Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki – 92
  7. Lorenzo Locurcio, Valencia, Venezuela, GASGAS – 85
  8. Fredrik Noren, Lidköping, Sweden, Suzuki – 81
  9. Derek Drake, San Luis Obispo, Calif., Suzuki – 79
  10. Grant Harlan, Justin, Texas, Yamaha – 78

450 Class Highlights – GEICO Motorcycle High Point National

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Moto 1

The opening moto began with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire out front with the MotoSport.com Holeshot, just ahead of his teammate Jalek Swoll and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Jo Shimoda. However, Shimoda tipped over in the second turn and caused a log jam for the rest of the field, including Hunter Lawrence, the championship point leader. Both riders resumed with starts outside the top 10.

The clear track proved to be a major advantage for Hampshire who sprinted out to an early multi-second lead over Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing’s Haiden Deegan, who passed Swoll for second. Behind the leaders, Lawrence and Shimoda began a climb through the field, with Lawrence able to carve his way up the running order.

Despite the tricky conditions Lawrence made it look easy as he picked off riders, one by one, and broke into the top five nearly halfway into the moto. Back out front, in full control of the moto, Hampshire crashed out of the lead, which allowed Deegan to assume the top spot as Hampshire quickly remounted in second, more than three seconds behind his Yamaha rival.

The  final minute of the moto saw Hampshire erase his deficit and mount a late attack for the lead. The rookie rider responded as Deegan looked to run clean, defined lines and force Hampshire to venture elsewhere. As a result, some minor bobbles by Hampshire allowed Deegan to extend his advantage. Hampshire closed in once more as they took the white flag. The Husqvarna rider bided his time and pulled the trigger on a pass with about a quarter lap to go. Their lines came together and resulted in some contact, which briefly halted Deegan’s momentum and allowed Hampshire to continue on.

Hampshire rebounded from his early misfortune to nab his second moto win of the season, 2.6 seconds ahead of Deegan, while Lawrence battled his way into podium position in third. Swoll followed in fourth, while Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Ryder DiFrancesco rounded out the top five.

Hunter Lawrence - High Point National

Hunter Lawrence’s fourth Moto 2 win of the season
vaulted him to a fourth overall victory with 3-1 finishes.
Photo: Align Media

Moto 2

The final moto got underway with several of the sport’s newest faces out front, as Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Levi Kitchen grabbed the MotoSport.com Holeshot, but was quickly overcome by Team Honda HRC rookie Chance Hymas, which dropped Kitchen to second ahead of DiFrancesco. Behind them, many of the lead riders from the first moto found themselves on the ground, which included Hampshire, Deegan, and Swoll. Lawrence was also deep inside the top 20 off the start, but it didn’t take long for the point leader to move forward and slot into the top 10.

The clear track allowed Hymas to sprint out to a multi-second lead over the field, as Kitchen and DiFrancesco settled into second and third, respectively. As this unfolded, Lawrence put in a charge to break into the top five. He continued his push and eventually worked his way around DiFrancesco into third within the first 10 minutes.

Hymas continued to control the moto as it surpassed the halfway point, but Lawrence was on a tear forward, catching and passing Kitchen for second. Once there, it didn’t take long for the Australian to make big gains on the deficit to his teammate. Once he got within striking distance Lawrence wasted little time in making the move. He took advantage of some lapped riders to make an easy pass and seize control of the moto.

As Lawrence pulled away Hymas was forced to deal with pressure from behind from two-time world champion and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Tom Vialle. The Frenchman looked comfortable in the conditions and was able to make a quick, clean pass on Hymas to move into second. The Honda rookie continued to lose ground to his competitors and eventually lost hold of third to Kitchen late in the moto.

Out front, Lawrence continued to build on his lead in the closing stages of the moto and soon found himself more than 10 seconds clear of the field. He took his fourth straight Moto 2 victory by 18.6 seconds over Vialle, while a last-lap battle for third unfolded between Kitchen and Shimoda, from which the Japanese rider prevailed.

RJ Hampshire - High Point National

Another resilient outing for RJ Hampshire earned
him a runner-up finish following 1-7 moto scores.
Photo: Align Media

Overall

Lawrence’s impeccable Moto 2 efforts once again landed him atop the overall podium to remain unbeaten. It marked the third time this season that 3-1 finishes proved to be the winning formula for the Australian, who now has five career wins. After a resilient ride to recover from his first-lap crash, Hampshire secured the runner-up spot [1-7], while Deegan earned his third podium finish in four races this season in third [2-6].

At the conclusion of the race, officials reviewed footage to confirm that Lawrence 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, Lawrence was penalized seven championship points. Event results were not affected.

The impressive winning streak to open the season has put Lawrence 28 points ahead of Deegan, who moved into second, and 42 points ahead of Hampshire, who now sits third. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper, who entered the day second in points, was forced to miss the afternoon motos following a crash in practice and dropped to fifth in the championship standings.

Haiden Deegan - High Point National

Rookie Haiden Deegan captured his third podium finish in four rounds with 2-6 results.
Photo: Align Media

Hunter Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“It’s a good habit I guess [winning Moto 2]. I’m stoked. This track was wild. This is the country club of motocross so we’re going to watch Jett [Lawrence in Moto 2] and then we’ll go cheer on our buddy [golfer] Rickie Fowler at the U.S. Open. He loves moto and we should all support him.”

RJ Hampshire, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
“That’s all me [in the Moto 2 crash]. I got a decent start but I guess I came in too hot into the second corner. It’s a bummer I took out my teammate too. I’ll take it though. Second moto win of the season and another podium.”

Haiden Deegan, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“That was some crazy racing. I crashed on the start and got ran over. Kind of the whole nine yards. My thought after that was either crash or get on the podium today. I gave it my all and it paid off.”

250 Class podium - High Point National

250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)

  1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld.,Australia, Honda (3-1 // 45)
  2. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna (1-7 // 39)
  3. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (2-6 // 37)
  4. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki (7-3 // 34)
  5. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM (11-2 // 32)
  6. Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda (8-5 // 29)
  7. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki (5-8 // 29)
  8. Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Husqvarna (4-11 // 28)
  9. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha (12-4 // 27)
  10. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM (6-12 // 24)

250 Class Championship Standings (Round 4 of 11)

  1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld.,Australia, Honda – 175
  2. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 147
  3. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna – 133
  4. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki – 129
  5. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 121
  6. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha – 115
  7. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM – 107
  8. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM – 100
  9. Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda – 92
  10. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki – 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 – GEICO Motorcycle High Point National

The 2023 Pro Motocross Championship will observe its first off weekend of the season before a return to action during the Independence Day holiday weekend. The annual FMF RedBud National  from Buchanan, Michigan’s RedBud MX will celebrate 50 years of racing at one of American motocross’ most iconic venues on Saturday, July 1, for the fifth round of the summer. Coverage from RedBud will be streamed live, exclusively on Peacock, beginning with Race Day Live, presented by MotoSport.com, at 7 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. ET, and followed by 4.5 consecutive hours of uninterrupted race coverage beginning at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET.

Monster Energy Kawasaki Announces Contenders for 2023 AMA Pro Motocross Championship

Monster Energy® Kawasaki and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki are ready for this year’s Pro Motocross Championship. The riders will line up for 11 grueling rounds across the nation to take on the best of the best, in hopes of clinching the 2023 AMA Pro Motocross Championship and secure their spots for the 2023 SuperMotocross Championship.

Monster Energy® Kawasaki will begin the 2023 Pro Motocross season with Adam Cianciarulo in his 18th year riding for Kawasaki.  In 2020, Cianciarulo finished runner-up in the championship standings capturing two overall victories and is looking to return to the podium in 2023. Kawasaki teammate Jason Anderson will sit out the season opener while he continues his recovery following the injury he sustained in Supercross and will return as soon as possible. In the 250 class, Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki will continue with its roster of talented riders and proven race winners with Jo Shimoda, Ryder Difrancesco, Carson Mumford and making his professional debut, Jett Reynolds.

“We are ready for the Pro Motocross season and looking forward to continuing the momentum from Supercross.” said Kawasaki Racing Senior Manager, Dan Fahie. “Adam and the team have been putting in the hours and we are looking forward to lining up on Saturday aboard the KX™450SR. We are optimistic about Jason’s return to the gate once he is physically ready to showcase the work and dedication that he’s put in during his time off.”

The No. 9 KX450SR of Cianciarulo looks to maintain the momentum gained from the Supercross season to come into the Pro Motocross Championship and fight for the top step at each round. The KX450SR rider has shown massive growth over the last few Supercross rounds and is ready to be a top contender for the 2023 Pro Motocross season.

”I’m going into this season with a positive mindset. I’ve proved to myself that I can battle for the podium and I’m more motivated than ever. I am confident in my progression and I’m looking forward to a great summer with the whole Monster Energy® Kawasaki Team.” said Cianciarulo.

KX450 sponsor banner

Monster Energy Pro Circuit banner

Monster Energy®:Pro Circuit:Kawasaki race team

A partnership with more than 30 years of professional racing history, the Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki race team will enter the 2023 AMA Pro Motocross season with a strong lineup of up and coming racers. Shimoda, DiFrancesco, Reynolds and Mumford will be on the hunt weekly battling for a chance at glory at the 11 rounds of Pro Motocross.

“Coming into the first round of Pro Motocross we feel prepared. We have a great team that has been putting in long hours to get us where we are today.” said Mitch Payton. “Jo had strong finishes in Supercross so we are expecting front running results from him. Both Jett and Ryder have been hard at work to be top contenders this year and we look forward to helping them continue to progress for the rest of the season.”

After recovering from an injury sustained in the early 2023 season, Shimoda returned to Supercross and immediately placed himself in the top-five in Atlanta. From then on he continued to improve and round out the remainder of the Supercross season on a high note with multiple top-five finishes including a podium in Nashville. Shimoda is ready to carry on his momentum and success into the Pro Motocross season at Pala where he has previously shown consistent success.

After another successful Supercross season in the futures class, DiFrancesco looks to return to the Pro Motocross Championship on his KX™250 as one of the riders to watch this season. Coming off multiple top-three finishes, the No. 75 looks to start strong at Fox Raceway.

The remarkable amateur, Reynolds is back up to speed showing tremendous growth and ready to head to Pro Motocross to make his professional debut with the Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki race team in 2023.

Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki is looking forward to having Carson Mumford on the Pro Motocross team for the 2023 season after showing consistent results and progress throughout the Supercross season.

KX250 sponsor banner

Chase Sexton Wins Denver Supercross and Likely the Championship Crown

RJ Hampshire Grabs Denver Win, Jett Lawrence Wraps 250 West Championship

Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton took his fifth win of the year at a hugely-significant Round 16 of the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross season. The win, coupled with what is likely a season-ending injury for Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac, put Sexton as the 2023 champion if Tomac cannot line up at the final round next Saturday.

Denver Supercross

The 51,691 fans packed into Empower Field at Mile High witnessed one of the most dramatic Supercross championship reversals the sport has ever seen. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen took second place with an incredible charge from the back of the pack inside Empower Field at Mile High. And Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo earned his first podium finish since Round 3 of 2021 in the race that also pays points to the all-new, 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship. In the Western Regional 250SX Class, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire earned his first win of 2023 with his own thrilling charge. Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence took a hard-fought third in the Main Event to win the Western Regional 250SX Class Championship.

Chase Sexton - Denver Supercross

Chase Sexton was picture perfect on a night that changed everything and most likely made him the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Champion. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Adam Cianciarulo grabbed the holeshot ahead of Twisted Tea Suzuki Progressive Insurance’s Shane McElrath, Eli Tomac, and Team Tedder Monster Energy Mountain Motorsport’s Justin Hill. Ken Roczen, on a recent podium streak, slid out in the first corner and started the race in dead last position while his teammate Shane McElrath leapt into the lead down the first rhythm section. Within three corners Tomac had moved into second, then took over the top spot before reaching the green flag. With his hometown race fans going wild, and with Chase Sexton back in sixth, it looked possible that Tomac could earn enough points to wrap up his third Supercross title. But Supercross is one of the toughest sports on the planet, and that fact took over the night, and the title chase, just two and half minutes into the race.

While leading, Eli Tomac stressed his left ankle on a jump take-off. He didn’t crash but instantly lifted his foot from the peg while airborne. After landing he quickly brought down his bike’s speed to roll the rest of the section. He immediately pulled off the track, holding his left ankle away from the bike, then rode instantly to the on-site Alpinestars Medical Rig. Before the race had ended the news was out: Eli Tomac had suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon and was out for the season.

Eli Tomac lost the points - Denver Supercross

In one instant Eli Tomac lost the points lead and most surely the title after a non-crash injury down one of the track’s rhythm lanes. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Inside the stadium, Cianciarulo held the lead over Sexton. Five minutes into the 20-minute plus one lap race Sexton took over the lead. By then Roczen had already made his way up to sixth place. Sexton steadily pulled clear of Cianciarulo while Roczen continued his charge, passing McElrath for third just eight and a half minutes into the race and gaining on Cianciarulo.

With 8:15 on the race clock Justin Hill took over fourth. Three and a half minutes after that Roczen was up to Cianciarulo and pressuring for the second place spot. Roczen quickly made his move and looked ahead 6.8 seconds to the leader. Roczen started to gain a little time on Sexton, but not at the rate he’d need to make a run at the win.

Interestingly, in a season that saw Sexton give up some big leads with unforced errors, the Honda rider remained composed and smooth. With the full pressure of the race and the title on him, he rode like a champion. Sexton took his fifth win of 2023 and with it jumped into the points lead by seven. If the early injury assessment of Tomac is accurate and he’s truly out for the season, Sexton is mathematically the champion once Tomac officially does not show up and qualify for the final race.

RJ Hampshire - Denver Supercross

RJ Hampshire put the pieces together and turned his incredible track speed into his first win of the season. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

When the gate dropped for the Western Regional 250SX Class Main Event, Red Bull KTM’s Max Vohland jumped out ahead of Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha’s Enzo Lopes, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Levi Kitchen, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Carson Mumford, and RJ Hampshire. Jett Lawrence, after a difficult Heat Race, was back in tenth as the riders crossed the holeshot stripe. Just over two minutes into the 15-minute plus one lap race Kitchen had taken over the lead and Hampshire was up to second. Further back in eighth, Lawrence was carefully picking off riders but showed no panic – he needed only to finish in tenth or better to take the title with one round remaining in the 250SX Class.

Five and a half minutes into the race Lopes moved past Vohland to take over third position. The riders made contact in a tight corner, and Vohland tipped over. Lawrence seemed to benefit from the chaos and soon got into fourth place. As the race clock ticked down under eight minutes Lawrence overtook Lopes for third place but was over 12 seconds back from the leaders.

Hampshire used the race’s midpoint to make a drive on Kitchen for the lead. The Husqvarna rider closed in, then leapt past when Kitchen made a small mistake in a short rhythm section. Kitchen recovered and retaliated immediately. Kitchen got back the spot as Hampshire went wide then shorted the track’s big double jump. Hampshire was off the track, but he kept his bike upright. Over the closing laps Hampshire put in a heroic charge. He was the fastest rider on the track and quickly made up the five seconds his off-track excursion had cost him. With 40 seconds on the clock Hampshire blitzed the whoops and took the lead from Kitchen.

Kitchen had one last surge of speed on the final lap, but never got into position to make a pass attempt. Hampshire took the checkered flag and the Denver Supercross win. Kitchen was right behind in second, and Lawrence brought his Honda home in third to win the division title with one race – an East/West Showdown – left on the schedule.

Jett Lawrence became the 2023 Western Regional 250SX Class Champion - Denver Supercross

Jett Lawrence became the 2023 Western Regional 250SX Class Champion just one week after his brother and teammate, Hunter Lawrence, took the Eastern Regional 250SX Class title. Jett Lawrence becomes one of only four riders to win 4 125/250 Class titles. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Between now and the Supercross Final in Salt Lake City, fans have an incredible opportunity at some one-of-a-kind memorabilia in the 2023 St. Jude Love Moto Stop Cancer Supercross Auction. All money raised goes directly to the children at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the St. Jude mission of Finding Cures. Saving Children. The auction runs until Monday, May 15th at 11:59PM ET. The items in the auction were donated by the racers, teams, partners, and supporters of Monster Energy AMA Supercross. To see what’s available to support the incredible St. Jude efforts and take home a piece of the 2023 season, please go to St. Jude Love Moto Stop Cancer Auction.

230502 St. Jude Love Moto Stop Cancer Supercross Auction

All-new for 2023 racing, the top 20 racers in combined championship points from the Monster Energy Supercross season and the AMA Pro Motocross season – scheduled for eleven rounds this summer – qualify for a spot in the all-new SuperMotocross World Championship. Riders who finish 21st – 30th in combined points, or those who earn a win yet don’t have the points for a direct qualification, will race a Last Chance Qualifier for the final two spots on the SuperMotocross League starting gate. The all-new series creates the sports’ first playoff season with two Playoff races and one Final race. The 450 class SuperMotocross World Champion will win a cool $1,000,000 payout along with the top spot in the history books. The 250 class champion will take home a $500,000 prize with their SuperMotocross World Championship title.

Tickets for next weekend’s Supercross Final are on sale now. If you can’t make it to Utah, each race of the 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship streams live on Peacock with select events also broadcast on NBC, USA Network, and CNBC. To purchase tickets, watch video recaps of the season, and get feature stories, race results, and streaming and broadcast airtimes please go to SupercrossLIVE.com.

450SX Class podium - Denver Supercross

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

450SX Class Results

  1. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda
  2. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki
  3. Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki
  4. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM
  5. Shane McElrath, Oakland, Fla., Suzuki
  6. Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Honda
  7. Josh Hill, Huntersville, N.C., KTM
  8. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Suzuki
  9. Grant Harlan, Decatur, Tex., Yamaha
  10. Justin Starling, Riverview, Fla., GASGAS

450SX Class Championship Standings

  1. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda (346)
  2. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha (339)
  3. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (304)
  4. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki (303)
  5. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS (267)
  6. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki (242)
  7. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (213)
  8. Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki (191)
  9. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM (191)
  10. Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Honda (182)

250SX Class podium - Denver Supercross

250SX Class podium (riders left to right) Jett Lawrence, RJ Hampshire, and Levi Kitchen.
Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Western Regional 250SX Class Results

  1. RJ Hampshire, Minneola, Fla., Husqvarna
  2. Levi Kitchen, Havana, Fla., Yamaha
  3. Jett Lawrence, Zephyrhills, Fla., Honda
  4. Enzo Lopes, Chesterfield, S.C., Yamaha
  5. Mitchell Oldenburg, Godley, Tex., Honda
  6. Max Vohland, Granite Bay, Calif., KTM
  7. Derek Kelley, Riverside, Calif., KTM
  8. Carson Mumford, Simi Valley, Calif., Kawasaki
  9. Cole Thompson, Brigden, Ont., Yamaha
  10. Robbie Wageman, Newhall, Calif., Suzuki

Western Regional 250SX Class Championship Standings

  1. Jett Lawrence, Zephyrhills, Fla., Honda (197)
  2. RJ Hampshire, Minneola, Fla., Husqvarna (163)
  3. Enzo Lopes, Chesterfield, S.C., Yamaha (137)
  4. Levi Kitchen, Havana, Fla., Yamaha (135)
  5. Max Vohland, Granite Bay, Calif., KTM (121)
  6. Mitchell Oldenburg, Godley, Tex., Honda (117)
  7. Cameron McAdoo, Sioux City, Iowa, Kawasaki (101)
  8. Pierce Brown, Sandy, Utah, GASGAS (98)
  9. Cole Thompson, Brigden, Ont., Yamaha (87)
  10. Derek Kelley, Riverside, Calif., KTM (86)