Second Straight AMA 450SX Championship for Team Honda HRC
Team Honda HRC earned its fourth premier-class championship in a row (following 2023 crowns in AMA Supercross, AMA Pro Motocross and SuperMotocross), with Jett Lawrence finalizing the accomplishment at Salt Lake City’s Rice-Eccles Stadium. The 20-year-old rode to a steady seventh-place main-event result, which was more than enough to secure his seventh AMA crown in a row. Hunter Lawrence rode well all day, but after being knocked down early in the 450SX main event, 15th place was all that he could manage. The finale was also a 250SX East-West Showdown, which meant Team Honda HRC riders Jo Shimoda and Chance Hymas were both in action. In the end, the duo tallied fourth- and seventh-place finishes, respectively.
Jett knew that even if title rival Cooper Webb were to take the win in the final 450SX main-event start of the year, all he needed to do to secure the crown was finish in 17th place or better. The Australian ran seventh after turn 1, with Webb only one position better, while Hunter sat in third place. Buoyed by the momentum of his best-ever finish the previous week, Hunter was pressuring for second when he was run off the track by Jason Anderson on lap 2. He remounted near the back of the pack and eventually rode to a 15th-place result. Meanwhile, Jett ran as high as fourth for a while but opted to avoid potentially dangerous battles and settled for seventh at the finish.
Shimoda managed a third-place start in the 250SX East-West Showdown, while Hymas was back in 19th place. An early miscue by Shimoda cost him a couple positions, and he ran in fifth for the first few laps. He made a pass and spent laps 4 through 15 in fourth place, then overtook Jordon Smith for third. Unfortunately, the Japanese rider was passed on the last lap, and he finished just out of the podium positions. Meanwhile, despite his inauspicious getaway, Hymas rode well throughout the main event, climbing steadily through the pack to eventually notch a seventh-place result.
Jett Lawrence 18
“I’m so excited we won the championship, but I’m also feeling grateful that the season’s over. The whole main event, all I could think was, ‘Don’t mess up.’ I just wanted to get a decent start, settle into a comfortable pace, and ride my race. It’s felt like a long season, but it’s gone very fast. I’m sure the emotions will set in more this week; right now, I’m happy about it, but even more happy for the team.”
