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 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.

Another 1-1 at Washougal Extends Jett Lawrence’s Perfect Season Through Eight Rounds in 2023 Pro Motocross Championship

Rookie Haiden Deegan Captures First Career Moto Sweep in 250 Class to Tighten Championship Battle

The 2023 Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, made its final appearance on the West Coast on Saturday with its annual visit to the Pacific Northwest and the scenic landscape of Washougal MX Park. Abundant sunshine and temperatures in the mid-80’s provided ideal conditions for the MotoSport.com Washougal National, presented by Peterson CAT, as the perfect season by Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence in his first 450 Class campaign continued with another assertive performance from the young Australian for his eighth straight overall win and 15th and 16th moto victories. In the 250 Class, rookie Haiden Deegan enjoyed the best outing of his young career with an impressive effort that saw the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rider go 1-1 for the first time to tighten up the championship battle with his second win of the season.

450 class banner bl

Moto 1

The opening moto of the premier class began with the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing machine of Dylan Ferrandis out front just ahead of Lawrence while his Team Honda HRC teammate Chase Sexton battled his way into third. Ferrandis kept Lawrence at bay to lead the opening lap, which made him just the third different rider to do so this season and ended a 105 laps-led streak by Lawrence.

The Frenchman maintained his hold of the lead for another lap but Lawrence was able to make the pass and grab control of the moto. Ferrandis gave pursuit from second as Sexton looked to close in from third. As the moto continued the lead trio settled into their respective positions on the track while Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson kept them honest in fourth.

At the 15-minute mark Sexton mounted his attack on Ferrandis and seized the moment to grab second. At that point, Sexton sat 6.5 seconds behind his teammate and looked to log his fastest laps of the moto to try and close the gap. However, Lawrence didn’t let up and extended the lead to 7.5 seconds.

Lawrence maintained his lead the rest of the way and extended his undefeated streak to 15 motos, crossing the finish line 7.9 seconds ahead of Sexton, who was never challenged in second. Ferrandis fended off a pair of challenges by Anderson to secure third, while Anderson settled for fourth and his Monster Energy Kawasaki teammate Adam Cianciarulo in fifth.

Jett Lawrence - Washougal National

Jett Lawrence captured moto wins 15 and 16 to continue his perfect
season with his eight straight overall victory.
Photo: Align Media

Moto 2

The second and final moto of the afternoon got underway with a gate malfunction, which necessitated a red flag and restart for the 40-rider field. On the restart it was Plesssinger out front for the MotoSport.com Holeshot as Lawrence and Sexton duked it out for second, from which Lawrence grabbed control of the position. Anderson slotted into fourth with Ferrandis in fifth.

The clear track paid dividends for Plessinger as he was able to maintain his hold of the lead through the opening five minutes as Lawrence appeared to settle in and bide his time, maintaining his advantage over Sexton in third. With about 10 minutes down in the moto Lawrence closed in, looked for a way by and made a quick and decisive pass on Plessinger to take control of the moto. Plessinger then waged battle with Sexton for second, with the Honda rider able to make a quick pass to try and keep his teammate within reach.

About 2.5 seconds separated the Honda riders as the moto approached the halfway point, with both riders trading momentum. Sexton appeared to be the slightly faster rider and was able to cut the gap to under two seconds. The distance between the duo continued to tighten as the moto surpassed the 15-minute mark.

The lead stabilized between 1.3 to 1.5 seconds through the heart of the moto as both riders continued to play the on-track chess match. As they approached lapped riders the battle shifted into Lawrence’s favor as the lead grew to two seconds. With three minutes to go the teammates were closer than they’d been all moto, separated by just over a second. Both riders waited for the moment to pick up the pace for one final push, but the potential battle ended when Sexton briefly tipped over.

The lead grew to nearly 10 seconds by the time Sexton resumed, which allowed Lawrence to keep the unbeaten streak intact. Lawrence wrapped up moto win 16 by three seconds over Sexton, while Plessinger parlayed his holeshot into a third-place effort, just ahead of Anderson.

Chase Sexton - Washougal National

Chase Sexton settled for his fourth straight runner-up finish (2-2).
Photo: Align Media

Overall

Lawrence’s latest 1-1 performance signified his first ever moto wins at Washougal as his quest for a perfect season has surpassed eight rounds, with three remaining. His eighth career win breaks the Aussie into the top 20 on the all-time wins list. Sexton settled for his fourth straight runner-up effort (2-2), while Anderson became the newest rider this season to finish on the overall podium in third (4-4).

Lawrence’s massive lead in the 450 Class standings has grown to 95 points over Ferrandis, who finished fourth overall (3-5), while Plessinger’s fifth-place finish (7-3) allowed him to maintain his hold of third, 120 points behind Lawrence.

Jason Anderson - Washougal National

Jason Anderson earned his first podium finish of the season (4-4)
in his fourth start since returning from injury.
Photo: Align Media

Jett Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“There’s a first time for everything [winning at Washougal]. I was pumped to make my way around Chase [Sexton] on the start. I was a little down on myself [in the final moto] and I was hoping [Sexton] was feeling as [tired] as I was. Then he went down, so that’s a bummer. This has been a surreal season so far.”

Chase Sexton, Team Honda HRC
“I was starting to get closer [to Lawrence] in the later stages of that [last] race. I came into a corner and stalled it. I felt like I had good speed and could put in a charge to catch him, but I didn’t know where I’d pass him. Another solid weekend, not what I wanted, but we’ll keep trying to get better.”

Jason Anderson, Monster Energy Kawasaki
“It’s been a long year, getting hurt and coming back. These outdoors don’t get any easier as I get older, but I’m enjoying it. I want to be battling those guys up front, but I’m so happy to be up here.”

450 Podium - Washougal 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. Jason Anderson, Edgewood, N.M., Kawasaki (4-4 // 36)
  4. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha (3-5 // 36)
  5. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (7-3 // 34)
  6. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (5-7 // 30)
  7. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha (8-6 // 28)
  8. Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki (6-8 // 28)
  9. Phil Nicoletti, Cochecton, N.Y., Yamaha (11-9 // 22)
  10. Colt Nichols, Muskogee, Okla., Kawasaki (10-10 // 22)

450 Class Championship Standings (Round 8 of 11)

  1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 400
  2. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha – 305
  3. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 280
  4. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 236
  5. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda – 218
  6. Ty Masterpool, Fallon, Nev., Kawasaki – 190
  7. Garrett Marchbanks, Coalville, Utah, Yamaha – 174
  8. Fredrik Noren, Lidköping, Sweden, Suzuki – 169
  9. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM – 147
  10. Jose Butron, Cadiz, Spain, GASGAS – 132

450 Class Highlights – MotoSport.com Washougal National

250 class banner

Moto 1

The first 250 Class moto began with Deegan leading the field through the first turns and to the MotoSport.com Holeshot aboard his Yamaha, followed closely by Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing teammate Justin Cooper and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Max Vohland. Further back, championship leader and Team Honda HRC rider Hunter Lawrence looked to move forward from a start deep inside the top 10.

A clear track serves as a major advantage at Washougal, and it allowed Deegan to quickly establish a multi-second lead over Cooper, who soon settled into second. As the moto surpassed its first 10 minutes Deegan extended his lead even further, to more than five seconds on the field. Cooper continued to maintain control of second, while Vohland gave chase from third. Not far behind Lawrence was on a march to the front, picking off riders to break into the top five.

Just past the halfway point of the moto Lawrence made the pass on Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker for fourth and quickly closed in on Vohland to apply pressure on third. Lawrence was patient and made the pass to take control of third and then looked to close in on Cooper. As they entered the final five minutes of the moto Lawrence’s pursuit of Cooper allowed both riders to erase some of the deficit to Deegan.

A determined Lawrence made a savvy pass on Cooper to move into second and had just over two minutes and two laps to try and catch Deegan as the leaders started to navigate heavy lapped traffic. Deegan’s lead stabilized at around four seconds during the final two laps, and he carried on to capture his second career moto win. He crossed the finish line 2.7 seconds ahead of Lawrence, with Cooper in third. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire followed in fourth, while Vohland held on for fifth.

Haiden Deegan - Washougal National

Haiden Deegan enjoyed the best outing of his young career,
going 1-1 to capture the second victory of his rookie season.
Photo: Align Media

Moto 2

The second and deciding moto kicked off with a trio of Monster Energy Yamahas at the head of the pack as Cooper secured the MotoSport.com Holeshot just ahead of Washougal native Levi Kitchen and Deegan, who gave up third to Hammaker. Lawrence started just outside the top five in sixth behind Hampshire.

After Deegan made the pass on Hammaker for third the field settled in through the opening five minutes of the moto until Hampshire tucked his front end and tipped over, which allowed Lawrence to assume fifth. The battle back up front intensified as Kitchen looked to put pressure on Cooper, which allowed Deegan to close in from third. Behind the leaders Lawrence made the pass on Hammaker for fourth and quickly closed in on Deegan’s rear fender to establish a four-rider battle out front, separated by less than four seconds.

In his pursuit of Deegan as miscue by Deegan put Lawrence on the ground. He remounted quickly but dropped to fifth as Hammaker re-assumed fourth. Back up front, Deegan refocused his attention on his teammates and looked to mount an attack on Kitchen for second. The rookie showed patience and took advantage of an alternate line to cut under Kitchen and take over the runner-up spot for a pass that was significant in the overall classification.

Just past the halfway point of the moto 4.9 seconds separated Cooper and Deegan. A few positions behind Lawrence was able to track down Hammaker and reclaim fourth. As Kitchen and Lawrence engaged in a battle for third, Deegan started to chip away at his deficit to Cooper.

As the moto clock entered its final three minutes Deegan had closed in to within just over two seconds of Cooper. He continued to inch closer as his late charge got the rookie within a second of Cooper. Once there Deegan posted the single-fastest lap of the entire event to storm past Cooper and seize the lead with less than a minute remaining.

Deegan closed out the moto emphatically, with lap times multiple seconds faster than anyone else on the track. His lead surged to nearly double digits as he took the white flag. Deegan cruised home to wrap up his first career moto sweep, taking the checkered flag 7.9 seconds ahead of Cooper, while Kitchen completed the Yamaha sweep of the moto podium in third, just ahead of Lawrence.

Justin Cooper - Washougal National

Justin Cooper captured his fourth straight runner-up finish (3-2).
Photo: Align Media

Overall

The first ever 1-1 effort by Deegan was also the first in the division for the 2023 season. The rookie’s second career victory came on a day in which Yamaha kicked off the global 50th anniversary celebration of its YZ motocross model, Deegan’s YZ250F adorned in white, purple, and pink plastics that harkened back to the vibrant aesthetic of the 90’s era of the sport. Cooper earned his fifth runner-up finish of the season (3-2), while Lawrence held on for third (2-4).

Deegan’s dominant afternoon allowed him to gain 10 points on Lawrence in the 250 Class standings, as now just three points sit between the two most successful riders in the division this summer with three rounds and six motos remaining. Cooper’s second-place finish vaulted him up to third, 19 points out of the lead.

Hunter Lawrence - Washougal National

Hunter Lawrence settled for third overall (2-4) to retain the points lead.
Photo: Align Media

Haiden Deegan, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“Those last few laps I put my heart into this thing. It’s nerve wracking [for me] and I’m sure it is for Hunter [Lawrence] as well [as we battle for the championship]. I’m glad to put America back on top of the podium.”

Justin Cooper, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“I felt good all day during the motos. All the way up until 25 minutes in the second moto. I was pushing and trying to pull a gap, but I could tell I was fading to Haiden [Deegan]. I did all I could, but he was flying, so I just settled in from there.”

Hunter Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“Tough day at the office. I’ve just got to be better. This is a very tough track. I didn’t get a great start, so we got to go back, get back to 100-percent health, and come out swinging for the final three rounds.”

250 Podium - Washougal National

250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)

  1. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (1-1 // 50)
  2. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (3-2 // 42)
  3. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda (2-4 // 40)
  4. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna (4-5 // 34)
  5. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha (8-3 // 33)
  6. Seth Hammaker, Bainbridge, Pa., Kawasaki (7-6 // 29)
  7. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki (6-7 // 29)
  8. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM (5-8 // 29)
  9. Carson Mumford, Simi Valley, Calif., Kawasaki (9-9 // 24)
  10. Pierce Brown, Sandy, Utah, GASGAS (12-11 // 19)

250 Class Championship Standings (Round 8 of 11)

  1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld., Australia, Honda – 300
  2. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 297
  3. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 281
  4. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna – 274
  5. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki – 269
  6. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha – 247
  7. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM – 219
  8. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM – 210
  9. Ryder DiFrancesco, Bakersfield, Calif., Kawasaki – 146
  10. Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Husqvarna – 144

250 Class Highlights – MotoSport.com Washougal National

The Pro Motocross Championship will observe its final break in action for the 2023 season before returning for its three-round stretch run, which will begin on Saturday, August 12, from one of American motocross’ most storied venues. The iconic rolling plains of Central New York’s Unadilla MX, in New Berlin, will welcome the world’s fastest racers at the Honda Unadilla National for Round 9 of the summer campaign, which 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. A live network showcase of the final 250 Class and 450 Class motos will air on NBC, beginning at 12 p.m. PT / 3 p.m. ET.

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.

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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.

 

Australia’s Lawrence Brothers Make American Motocross History at Opening Round of 2023 Pro Motocross Championship

Jett Lawrence Captures Victory in 450 Class Debut While Hunter Lawrence Prevails with Second Career 250 Class Win

The 2023 Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, got its 11-round summer season underway on Saturday at Fox Raceway under sunny Southern California skies for the KTM Fox Raceway National, presented by Fox Racing. The centerpiece of the new SuperMotocross World Championship began with heavy fanfare to see which riders would make the first statement in the grueling battles that lay ahead for the Edison Dye Cup (450 Class) and Gary Jones Cup (250 Class). After a memorable winter in Monster Energy AMA Supercross, the Australian siblings of Jett and Hunter Lawrence kept the momentum rolling to open the outdoor season with a landmark outing that saw them make American motocross history as the first siblings in more than a half century of the championship to win on the same day. Jett enjoyed an flawless afternoon in his 450 Class debut with a 1-1 sweep, while Hunter’s experience and consistency allowed him to emerge triumphant in the 250 Class with 3-1 finishes.

450 class banner bl

Moto 1

The opening 450 Class moto of the 2023 season saw the division’s newest face put himself out front off the start as Lawrence easily grabbed the MotoSport.com Holeshot and stormed out to an early lead ahead of Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Dylan Ferrandis, the 2021 titleholder, and Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton, the newly crowned Monster Energy AMA Supercross Champion.

Lawrence’s lead continued to grow as the moto wore on, as the young Australian looked comfortable and in full control in his first premier class race. As a result, the focus shifted to the battle for second between Ferrandis and Sexton. The Frenchman held control of second for nearly half of the moto, but Sexton showed patience and persistence and eventually made his move into the runner-up spot.

Out front, Lawrence enjoyed a carefree wire-to-wire performance and cruised to the moto win by 10 seconds over his teammate for a Honda 1-2, while Ferrandis finished with a firm hold of third. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Cooper Webb followed in a distant fourth, with teammate Aaron Plessinger fifth.

Jett Lawrence

Jett Lawrence amassed a flawless afternoon in his 450 Class debut,
leading every minute of both motos.
Photo: Align Media

Moto 2

The second and deciding moto once again saw Lawrence leading the field through the first turn to sweep the MotoSport.com Holeshots for the afternoon, but he immediately came under fire from Ferrandis. A couple of bobbles by the Yamaha rider saw him lose some momentum, which allowed Sexton to make the pass and give chase to his rookie teammate. Behind the lead trio, the KTMs of Webb and Plessinger added themselves into the mix.

It didn’t take long for the Hondas to inch away from Ferrandis and the KTMs, and the race soon turned into a one-on-one battle between Lawrence and Sexton. About two seconds separated the pair, with Sexton keeping Lawrence honest and settling in through the middle portion of the moto. As they entered the final 10 minutes Sexton picked up the pace and was able to decrease the deficit to about a second. They traded momentum at various points on the track and both navigated their way through lapped riders efficiently. As time ran out on the moto the teammates were closer than they had been all race.

A mere seven tenths of a second separated Lawrence and Sexton as they took the white flag, but Lawrence dug deep to open up just enough distance to manage the final push. Lawrence took the checkered flag a second ahead of Sexton, while Ferrandis, who never factored into the battle, finished a distant third, nearly 44 seconds off the lead.

Chase Sexton

Chase Sexton followed his teammate across the line each time,
going 2-2 for a runner-up finish.
Photo: Align Media

Overall

Lawrence led every lap and every minute of his first 450 Class race, which was complemented by the top time in both qualifying sessions, to complete perhaps the most impressive premier class debut in the history of Pro Motocross. Sexton was with Lawrence every step of the way en route to a runner-up effort (2-2) to cap off the second consecutive 1-2 sweep by Team Honda HRC at the Fox Raceway opener. Ferrandis’ 3-3 results rounded out the overall podium in third.

An unprecedented undefeated streak for Lawrence at Fox Raceway now extends to six races, across two classes, having won the previous five 250 Class events in Pala dating back to his first career win in 2020. He becomes the 75th different winner in 450 Class history and the first Australian since Brett Metcalfe won at Round 10 of the 2011 season.

Lawrence and Sexton are separated by six points after the first two motos of the summer, while Ferrandis sits 10 points out of the lead in third.

Dylan Ferrandis

Dylan Ferrandis made a successful return to action with a solid 3-3 effort for third overall.
Photo: Align Media

Jett Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“It’s awesome. I can finally smile. I’ve been trying to stay serious all day, but I’m too excited and can finally let loose. That one [Moto 2] was a little harder than the first one. I could keep hearing [Sexton]. It was a bit of a chess match. It’s great for Honda to have such a great day and hopefully that can continue. It’s going to be a war this summer. I can’t wait.”

Chase Sexton, Team Honda HRC
“I had some decent lines to where if I got close enough I could maybe make a move. I did try at one point with about 10 minutes to go, but I messed up. Jett was riding good and he had a good pace. It’s a great start and we’ve got a lot to build on from here.”

Dylan Ferrandis, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“I think it’s good to be in podium position. It was a long second moto, AP [Plessinger] was pushing me. I had to dig deep, so it was good for me and the team to have that experience.”

450 class podium - 2023 Pro Motocross Championship

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 (5-4 // 34)
  5. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (4-5 // 34)
  6. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki (6-7 // 29)
  7. Grant Harlan, Justin, Texas, Yamaha (9-6 // 27)
  8. Jose Butron, Cadiz, Spain, GASGAS (10-8 // 24)
  9. Lorenzo Locurcio, Valencia, Venezuela, GASGAS (7-11 // 24)
  10. Fredrik Noren, Lidköping, Sweden, Suzuki (13-9 // 20)

450 Class Championship Standings (Round 1 of 11)

  1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld.,Australia, Honda – 50
  2. Chase Sexton, La Moille, Ill., Honda – 44
  3. Dylan Ferrandis, Avignon, France, Yamaha – 40
  4. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM – 34
  5. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM – 34
  6. Adam Cianciarulo, Port Orange, Fla., Kawasaki – 29
  7. Grant Harlan, Justin, Texas, Yamaha – 27
  8. Jose Butron, Cadiz, Spain, GASGAS – 24
  9. Lorenzo Locurcio, Valencia, Venezuela, GASGAS – 24
  10. Fredrik Noren, Lidköping, Sweden, Suzuki – 20

250 class banner

Moto 1

The first 250 Class moto of the summer began with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jalek Swoll at the head of the pack with the MotoSport.com Holeshot ahead of Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Jo Shimoda and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire, who both quickly passed Swoll to grab early control of the moto. Shimoda led briefly, but then gave way to a hard-charging Hampshire as Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle slotted into third.

Hampshire controlled the first 10 minutes of the moto then tipped over in a rut, which subsequently forced Shimoda to come to a stop with no way around. Both riders resumed quickly with no positions changed, but the incident allowed Vohland to close in from third. Not long after, Shimoda went on the attack and made the pass for the lead briefly, but Hampshire responded to regain control. As he looked to remount another attack Shimoda went down and lost multiple positions, which allowed Vohland and his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Tom Vialle, the 2022 MX2 World Champion, to move into second and third, respectively.

With no pressure from behind Hampshire opened a lead of nearly 10 seconds entering the final phase of the moto, which allowed Vohland to settle firmly into second. Behind them, the battle for the final spot on the podium continued as Shimoda clawed his way back into contention and brought Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence with him. Both riders were able to make their way around Vialle to drop the Frenchman to fifth and set their sights on Vohland in the closing minutes.

It was smooth sailing for Hamshire the rest of the way as the Husqvarna rider captured the third moto win of his career by 6.1 seconds. A torrid battle for second unfolded on the final lap as Shimoda and Lawrence closed in on Vohland. A lapped rider allowed Lawrence to get by Shimoda, from which the Australian rider continued his charge onto Vohland’s rear fender. However, the KTM rider withstood the challenge to secure the best moto result of his career in second, with Lawrence third, Shimoda fourth, and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper rounding out the top five.

Hunter Lawrence

Hunter Lawrence overcame soreness from a hard practice crash
to prevail with his second career win.
Photo: Align Media

Moto 2

The final moto saw Lawrence put his Honda out front with the MotoSport.com Holeshot as Vialle gave chase in second. Behind them, both Hampshire and Vohland were involved in incidents that dropped each of the top-two finishers deep in the 40-rider field. Shimoda didn’t fare well either and started outside the top 15 in the running order.

With a clear track ahead Lawrence easily built a multi-second lead over Vialle, who started to receive pressure from Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing rookie Haiden Deegan. As the top three settled in, the attention shifted to the recovery efforts of the riders that ran at the front of the field with Lawrence in Moto 1. Both Vohland and Shimoda soon found themselves racing one another in a climb up to the top 10, while Hampshire valiantly looked to overcome a pair of tip-overs on the opening lap. Vohland and Shimoda continued their march up the standings, which put both back into contention for the overall podium. The KTM rider was able to reestablish his spot in the overall classification, only to make contact with a rider and go down, which dropped Vohland outside the top 10.

Vohland’s misfortune shifted the momentum to Vialle and Cooper, who engaged in a late battle for third in the moto that would ultimately decide which rider would also secure that position in the overall standings. That was until Hampshire’s slow and methodical recovery saw him break into contention by approaching the top 10 in the running order. Hampshire was able to move himself onto the overall podium, only to watch it slip away with a third incident. The Husqvarna rider lost a couple positions but remounted and made one final push. He needed to pass a pair of riders on the final lap and was successful in doing so.

Back out front, Lawrence enjoyed a wire-to-wire performance that saw him cap off the afternoon with a convincing win, 8.4 seconds ahead of Deegan, with Vialle not too far behind in third.

Haiden Deegan

Haiden Deegan landed on the overall podium for the first time
in just his third start, securing 6-2 finishes.
Photo: Align Media

Overall

Lawrence’s consistent 3-1 moto finishes not only gave the Australian the second victory of his career, but allowed him to establish a solid point lead after just one round. Deegan earned the first overall podium finish of his career in the runner-up spot (6-2), while Hampshire’s valiant late-race effort and impressively resilient moto as a whole allowed him to steal the final spot in third (1-11).

The opening round win established an eight-point lead for Lawrence atop the 250 Class point standings over Deegan, while Hampshire sits 10 points behind in third.

RJ Hampshire

RJ Hampshire showed grit and determination on an up and down day
for hard-fought podium finish in third after 1-11 moto finishes..
Photo: Align Media

Hunter Lawrence, Team Honda HRC
“The start was crucial. I had a massive crash Monday and could barely ride press day. I was in so much pain. This one goes out to Dr. G [H. Rey Gubernick]. He’s got magic hands and has taken care of me. I can’t thank [him] enough. He is an asset to our team.”

Haiden Deegan, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing
“I’m actually kind of surprised. Some people said I wouldn’t have been close to this. I guess we’re kind of proving people wrong and that’s what I’ve got to do. Second place in my first season of outdoors, I’m hyped.”

RJ Hampshire, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
“Didn’t have a great start and it kind of got mayhem and in that second corner I went down. I picked up in last and made some really good passes and then going up the hill someone took my front wheel out and then I was dead last again. I didn’t know if I had a shot at the podium. I just started digging deep and making passes, then I threw it away again and had to get those back [once more]. Hey, I’ll take the podium.”

250 class podium - 2023 Pro Motocross Championship

250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)

  1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld.,Australia, Honda (3-1 // 45)
  2. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha (6-2 // 37)
  3. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna (1-11 // 35)
  4. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM (7-3 // 34)
  5. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha (5-4 // 34)
  6. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM (2-9 // 34)
  7. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki (4-6 // 33)
  8. Guillem Farres, Balsareny, Spain, Yamaha (8-5 // 29)
  9. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha (10-7 // 25)
  10. Carson Mumford, Simi Valley, Calif., Kawasaki (11-8 // 23)

250 Class Championship Standings (Round 1 of 11)

  1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Qld.,Australia, Honda – 45
  2. Haiden Deegan, Temecula, Calif., Yamaha – 37
  3. RJ Hampshire, Hudson, Fla., Husqvarna – 35
  4. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM – 34
  5. Justin Cooper, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Yamaha – 34
  6. Max Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., KTM – 34
  7. Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Kawasaki – 33
  8. Guillem Farres, Balsareny, Spain, Yamaha – 29
  9. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha – 25
  10. Carson Mumford, Simi Valley, Calif., Kawasaki – 23

The 2023 Pro Motocross Championship will continue next Saturday, June 3, from Prairie City SVRA in Sacramento, California, for the Carson City Powersports Hangtown Motocross Classic. The oldest race in American motocross will be streamed live, exclusively on Peacock, beginning with Race Day Live, presented by MotoSport.com, at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. PT, and followed by 4.5 consecutive hours of uninterrupted race coverage beginning at 1 p.m. PT / 4 p.m. ET.

Chase Sexton Wraps Up 2023 Supercross Title with Utah Win

Jett Lawrence Tops 250SX Class Racers in East/West Showdown

Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton nabbed the final win of the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Supercross indoor stadium season to cap his first 450SX Class championship with a victory in front of a sold-out crowd of 49,871 fans inside Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Salt Lake City Supercross

Rice-Eccles Stadium hosted its 22nd Monster Energy Supercross, and its fourth Supercross season finale, in Utah’s inspiring “State of Sport” spirit. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Red Bull KTM’s Aaron Plessinger took the race’s runner-up spot at the Supercross Championship Final Presented by Utah Sports Commission. And Team Tedder Monster Energy Mountain Motorsport’s Justin Hill took third place and his career-first 450SX Class podium to conclude the Supercross season and also earn points toward the inaugural 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship. In the 250SX Class season finale, Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence earned his sixth victory of the season in the Dave Coombs Sr. East/West Showdown that pit both regions against each other for the second time in 2023.

Chase Sexton - Salt Lake City Supercross

Chase Sexton used speed and determination to take his first Supercross Championship. He finished the season on top with a nearly 20-second win at the finale in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

On the podium, the AMA awarded Chase Sexton the Monster Energy Supercross Champion title. He entered the race with the championship mathematically won but received the official #1 plate after the race. With Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence and Jett Lawrence wrapping the two 250SX Class championships at previous rounds, 2023 marked only the third time ever, and second time for Honda, that a manufacturer has captured all three Supercross championships in the same season. The 2023 season marks the 50th Anniversary of Supercross racing in America.

When the gate dropped Chase Sexton grabbed the holeshot ahead of Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo, FXR General Grind & Machine’s Justin Starling, Twisted Tea Suzuki Progressive Insurance’s Kyle Chisholm and Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen. Roczen was on the move early but just a few turns in he injured his knee in a rutted corner. Roczen’s injury took him out of the race and he lost a chance to earn the two points needed to secure third overall in the championship.

Cianciarulo was into second place just a few laps into the race with Chisholm right behind. Just over three minutes into the 20-minute plus one lap race Aaron Plessinger took over third and set his sights on Cianciarulo while Justin Hill was into fourth place and on the charge. As the race clock ticked past 12 minutes Plessinger moved past Cianciarulo to take over second, and a lap and a half later Justin Hill was around Cianciarulo and into third place.

As Sexton stretched out his lead up front, Cianciarulo mounted a charge to take back third. But with five minutes left on the race clock the final positions appeared settled. Chase Sexton took his sixth win of the season and brought Honda its first Supercross title since 2003. Sexton’s late-season surge was one of the sport’s great title comebacks, with parallels to David Bailey’s 1983 season that also included a third-to-first drive in the final five races of the season.

Jett Lawrence - Salt Lake City Supercross

Jett Lawrence took the win in what is likely his final 250SX Class race. He moves up to race the 450SX Class next year. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

In the final 250SX Class race of the season, Phoenix Racing Honda’s Coty Schock grabbed the holeshot but Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire was quickly into the lead ahead of Red Bull KTM’s Tom Vialle, Jett Lawrence, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Levi Kitchen, and Fire Power Honda’s Max Anstie as heavy rain came down in the stadium. Hunter Lawrence found himself with a mid-pack start and then got tangled up when Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha’s Enzo Lopes crashed. As Hampshire, Jett Lawrence and Kitchen slotted into the top three spots, Hunter Lawrence and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan worked their way up from outside the top ten.

Three minutes into the 15-minute plus one lap race Jett Lawrence began applying pressure on Hampshire for the lead. At the same time, back on the track, Deegan broke into the top ten. Two minutes later Jett Lawrence was in striking distance of the front spot as his brother Hunter Lawrence climbed into the top ten. As the race clock ticked down to eight and a half minutes Jett Lawrence charged through the whoops and cut under Hampshire in the following corner. The riders made contact; Lawrence accelerated away clean but the disturbance led to a Hampshire mistake down the next rhythm lane.

From there Jett Lawrence was unchallenged for the lead. The win gives the Australian racer the distinction of being the winningest Honda rider in the 250SX Class, surpassing racing legends Eli Tomac, Jeremy McGrath and Hunter Lawrence. Hampshire held second to the checkered, and Kitchen took the final 250SX Class podium of the season.

With the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Supercross indoor stadium season wrapped up, the racers have a two week break before the start of the 11-round AMA Pro Motocross outdoor season. Points earned from the Supercross season will combine with points earned in the motocross season to determine the top 20 riders who will gain entry into the all-new SuperMotocross World Championship. Riders in spots 21-30 in overall points, as well as single event winners not in the top 20, will get a spot on the line in the Last Chance Qualifier to battle for the final two spots on the 22-rider starting gate. In September two Playoff races and one Final, with increasing points payouts, will determine the first SuperMotocross World Champion and deliver a $1,000,000 win bonus to that rider. The 250 class racers will battle for a $500,000 win bonus. It’s the first ever playoff season for the sport and delivers a three-race post season that will be all-new for the fans, teams, and racers.

Before the Monster Energy Supercross season closes its books, one great event is yet to conclude: the 2023 St. Jude Love Moto Stop Cancer Supercross Auction. The online auction offers unique, autographed, one-of-a-kind memorabilia donated by the teams, partners, and athletes. The auction runs until Monday, May 15th at 8:00 PM ET. 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. To bid on the auction items please go to: St. Jude Love Moto Stop Cancer Supercross Auction.

St. Jude

All rounds of the 2023 SuperMotocross World Championship will be streamed live on Peacock; rounds 29 and 31 will also be broadcast live on USA Network. Both Playoffs and the Final will be re-broadcast on CNBC. For the full race schedule and ticket sales, as well as 2023 Supercross highlight videos, recap race reports, and post-race press conferences, please go to SupercrossLIVE.com.

450SX Class podium - Salt Lake City Supercross

450SX Class podium (racers left to right) Aaron Plessinger, Chase Sexton, and Justin Hill.
Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

450SX Class Results

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

450SX Class Championship Final Standings

  1. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda (372)
  2. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha (339)
  3. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (304)
  4. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki (304)
  5. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS (267)
  6. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki (242)
  7. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (236)
  8. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM (212)
  9. Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki (210)
  10. Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Honda (200)

250SX Class podium - Salt Lake City Supercross

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

East/West Showdown Results

  1. Jett Lawrence, Zephyrhills, Fla., Honda (West)
  2. RJ Hampshire, Minneola, Fla., Husqvarna (West)
  3. Levi Kitchen, Havana, F., Yamaha (West)
  4. Jo Shimoda, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki (East)
  5. Jordon Smith, Ochlocknee, Ga., Yamaha (East)
  6. Hunter Lawrence, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Honda (East)
  7. Max Anstie, Cairo, Ga., Honda (East)
  8. Haiden Deegan, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha (East)
  9. Mitchell Oldenburg, Godley, Tex., Honda (West)
  10. Carson Mumford, Simi Valley, Calif., Kawasaki (West)

Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship Final Standings

  1. Hunter Lawrence, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Honda (241)
  2. Haiden Deegan, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha (183)
  3. Max Anstie, Cairo, Ga., Honda (182)
  4. Jordon Smith, Ochlocknee, Ga., Yamaha (159)
  5. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki (143)
  6. Jeremy Martin, Rochester, Minn., Yamaha (132)
  7. Nate Thrasher, Livingston, Tenn., Yamaha (120)
  8. Tom Vialle, Murrieta, Calif., KTM (120)
  9. Cullin Park, Clermont, Fla., Honda (117)
  10. Coty Schock, Dover, Del., Honda (94)

Western Regional 250SX Class Championship Final Standings

  1. Jett Lawrence, Zephyrhills, Fla., Honda (223)
  2. RJ Hampshire, Minneola, Fla., Husqvarna (186)
  3. Levi Kitchen, Havana, Fla., Yamaha (156)
  4. Enzo Lopes, Chesterfield, S.C., Yamaha (149)
  5. Mitchell Oldenburg, Godley, Tex., Honda (131)
  6. Max Vohland, Granite Bay, Calif., KTM (121)
  7. Cameron McAdoo, Sioux City, Iowa, Kawasaki (101)
  8. Pierce Brown, Sandy, Utah, GASGAS (98)
  9. Derek Kelley, Riverside, Calif., KTM (87)
  10. Cole Thompson, Brigden, Ont., Yamaha (87)

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)

Chase Sexton Wins Nashville Supercross and Takes Over Second Place in Championship

Hunter Lawrence Grabs Western Regional 250SX Class Title with a
Win in the Music City

Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton took the Round 15 win in a rare daytime Monster Energy AMA Supercross race in Nashville, Tennessee.

Nashville Supercross - Photo Credit- Feld Motor Sports, Inc

The Supercross series returned to Nashville. Daytime opening ceremonies kicked off the second-ever Supercross race in the Music City. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac led early but earned second at the checkered flag at Nissan Stadium. Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen delivered another podium performance and earned third place points toward both the 17-round 2023 Supercross season as well as the inaugural 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship. In the penultimate round of the Eastern Regional 250SX Class season, Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence was picture-perfect for the race win and the points needed to seal his first Monster Energy AMA Supercross championship.

Chase Sexton – Nashville Supercross - Photo Credit- Feld Motor Sports, Inc

Chase Sexton’s Nashville Supercross win moved him into second place in the championship standings. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Eli Tomac grabbed a clear Holeshot and sprinted early to establish some breathing room on the pack of Tank Masters Red Line Oil Next Level KTM’s Kevin Moranz, Team Honda HRC’s Colt Nichols, Chase Sexton, Twisted Tea Suzuki Progressive Insurance’s Kyle Chisholm and Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia. Team Tedder Monster Energy Mountain Motorsport’s Justin Hill got an incredible drive down the first rhythm lane and was into third place before the second corner. Absent was Red Bull KTM’s Cooper Webb, second in the championship points; Webb had been taken out of the event earlier by a tough crash in his Heat Race.

Tomac distanced himself from the pack as Sexton moved past Justin Hill to take over second just three minutes into the race. Sexton sat over four seconds back but set his sights on Tomac. A minute later Tomac had a near-crash in the whoops. The challenging track had created a lot of crashes through qualifying and racing. Tomac’s scare convinced him to lower his aggression, as he reported on the podium after the race.

Just over five minutes into the 20-minute plus one lap race Barcia moved forward into third place. Up front, Sexton steadily cut down the lead. The next few laps shook up the race as Sexton made it to Tomac’s rear fender just as Barcia crashed hard off the Dragon’s Back. Barcia was out just as Roczen nabbed third from Justin Hill. From there the race leaders held their spots on the slick, dry track. Sexton earned his fourth win of the season and moved into second in the championship standings. Tomac lost three points to Chase but extended his points lead to 18 due to Webb earning zero in Nashville.

Hunter Lawrence – Nashville Supercross - Photo Credit- Feld Motor Sports, Inc

Hunter Lawrence made it a Team HRC Honda sweep by taking the Nashville win and also the 2023 Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

When the gate dropped for the Eastern Regional 250SX Class, Hunter Lawrence grabbed the Holeshot but Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Jordon Smith quickly charged up to him. In the third corner Smith bumped his way past and into the lead ahead of Lawrence and Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin. A minute and a half into the 15-minute plus one lap race Smith held first ahead of Lawrence, Smith, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Jo Shimoda, and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan. With a 49-point lead and only one Eastern Regional 250SX Class round remaining after Nashville, Lawrence could finish as low as 20th and still claim the title. But Lawrence looked like he wanted to go out with a win, and hounded Smith up front. Shimoda moved into third behind them and Deegan fought to get past Martin for fourth.

With 9:30 remaining on the race clock Smith overcooked a turn in the sand section and went off the track and into the Tuff Blox. He didn’t fall, but the mistake and correction to get back on the track cost him two positions. Lawrence took over the lead but suddenly Shimoda was on a tear and looking like he might soon fight for the front spot. Fire Power Honda’s Max Anstie, the winner at the previous round, had made his way into sixth and reached Deegan’s rear wheel just before Deegan made his own move and passed Martin for fourth place.

Late in the race Lawrence had built a comfortable lead while Shimoda, Smith, and Deegan ran close enough that each of their positions were in jeopardy. The riders circled the final laps without major mistakes. Lawrence brought home the race win and with it his first Monster Energy AMA Supercross title. Shimoda earned his first podium of the season after missing most of it due to injury, and Smith took the final podium spot.

Only two rounds remain in the season. The 450SX Class racers line up again inside Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado next Saturday, May 6th before the 2023 Supercross Championship Final Presented by Utah Sports Commission at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah on May 13th. Two champions remain to be crowned, one in the 450SX Class and one in the Western Regional 250SX Class.

The two rounds will also pay points toward the all-new SuperMotocross World Championship which encompasses the Supercross season, the AMA Pro Motocross season, two Playoff races and a Final to determine the sport’s first SuperMotocross World Champion in September.

All 31-rounds of the SuperMotocross World Championship are streamed live on Peacock and select rounds are broadcast on NBC, USA Network, and CNBC. The 450 class racers battle for a one million dollar payout to the winner, and the 250 class racers all battle in a single class for a $500,000 prize to the winner in that class.

Tickets are available now alongside video highlights, race results, the complete SMX schedule, and more at SupercrossLIVE.com.

450SX Class podium – Nashville Supercross - Photo Credit- Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

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

450SX Class Results

  1. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda
  2. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha
  3. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki
  4. Colt Nichols, Murrieta, Calif., Honda
  5. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM
  6. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki
  7. Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Honda
  8. Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki
  9. Kyle Chisholm, Valrico, Fla., Suzuki
  10. Josh Hill, Huntersville, N.C., KTM

450SX Class Championship Standings

  1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha (338)
  2. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda (320)
  3. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (304)
  4. Ken Roczen, Clermont, Fla., Suzuki (280)
  5. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS (267)
  6. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki (242)
  7. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (213)
  8. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM (172)
  9. Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki (170)
  10. Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Honda (165)

250SX Class podium – Nashville Supercross - Photo Credit- Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

250SX Class podium (riders left to right) Jordon Smith, Hunter Lawrence, and Jo Shimoda.
Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

Eastern Regional 250SX Class Results

  1. Hunter Lawrence, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Honda
  2. Jo Shimoda, Menifee, Calif., Kawasaki
  3. Jordon Smith, Ochlocknee, Ga., Yamaha
  4. Haiden Deegan, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha
  5. Max Anstie, Cairo, Ga., Honda
  6. Jeremy Martin, Rochester, Minn., Yamaha
  7. Tom Vialle, Murrieta, Calif., KTM
  8. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki
  9. Henry Miller, Rochester, Minn., Honda
  10. Cullin Park, Clermont, Fla., Honda

Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship Standings

  1. Hunter Lawrence, Wesley Chapel, Fla., Honda (224)
  2. Haiden Deegan, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha (168)
  3. Max Anstie, Cairo, Ga., Honda (166)
  4. Jordon Smith, Ochlocknee, Ga., Yamaha (141)
  5. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki (132)
  6. Jeremy Martin, Rochester, Minn., Yamaha (128)
  7. Nate Thrasher, Livingston, Tenn., Yamaha (120)
  8. Tom Vialle, Murrieta, Calif., KTM (111)
  9. Cullin Park, Clermont, Fla., Honda (109)
  10. Coty Schock, Dover, Del., Honda (89)