Ryan Nitzen | August 19, 2023
‘Sup bud?! We’re live from Budds Creek for the Budds Creek Pro National! Today marks the penultimate round of the summer series. With the 450 championship already wrapped up, we’re waiting to see if Jett Lawrence can hold onto the perfect season. The 250 title is still up for grabs as well.
In the end both of the Lawrence brothers took their overall wins with Jett continuing his perfect season.
The notoriously tricky Budds Creek first turn. Photos: Brown Dog Wilson
450MX
450 Moto 1
This is the first time all season that we’ve seen Jett Lawrence really come through the pack. The newly-crowned champ started outside the top five and crossed the line sixth on lap one. From there he put down a series of fast laps and worked his way to the lead in a matter of a few minutes. By the half way point, Jett was in the lead and continuing his perfect season.
Jett came through the pack to win moto one.
Jason Anderson looked arguably his best all season. The Kawasaki rider marched his way through the field and only got stronger as the time wore on. He passed the early leaders as they faded and logged a second place finish.
Anderson ran up front and finished second.
Dylan Ferrandis charged to a third in moto one. The Yamaha rider is openly riding with an illness but it sure didn’t look that way as he got stronger throughout the race. Ferrandis is looking better and better as the season continues and sets himself up nicely for an overall podium.
Dylan Ferrandis clawed up to third.
Aaron Plessinger and Adam Cianciarulo led laps early in the moto. Strong showings for riders before they dropped out off the podium.
Both Adam Cianciarulo (9) and Aaron Plessinger (7) led laps in moto one.
450 Moto 2
Jett Lawrence kicked things off with a huge holeshot in moto two. He led every lap of the race but fended off two hard charges from Chase Sexton in the beginning and the end of the moto. Lawrence was forced to roll a jump late in the race due to a red-cross flag which allowed Sexton to close in the final laps. They crossed just under a second apart but Lawrence keeps the perfect season alive.
Jett made things easier with a good start in moto two.
Sexton stayed close in second for the first half of the race but eventually went down in one of the tricky ruts. He remounted and looked like he’d settle for second. But late in the race, Sexton put on a charge and cut the lead down to less than one second. They were wheel to wheel on the final lap but Sexton just couldn’t make a pass happen. He’d go 9-2 on the day to finish fourth overall.
Sexton put in two strong charges and finished less than a second behind Lawrence.
Aaron Plessinger rounded out the podium in third. He rode up front all day and battled with Justin Barcia for the duration of the second moto before taking hold of the spot. A fourth and a third earned AP second on the overall podium.
Plessinger held off Barcia to take third.
Jason Anderson rounded out the overall podium in third.
450 Podium.
450MX Overall Results (Top 10)
| 1. |
Jett Lawrence |
(Hon) |
1-1 |
| 2. |
Aaron Plessinger |
(KTM) |
4-3 |
| 3. |
Jason Anderson |
(Kaw) |
2-5 |
| 4. |
Chase Sexton |
(Hon) |
9-2 |
| 5. |
Justin Barcia |
(GG) |
5-4 |
| 6. |
Dylan Ferrandis |
(Yam) |
3-9 |
| 7. |
Adam Cianciarulo |
(Kaw) |
7-6 |
| 8. |
Garrett Marchbanks |
(Yam) |
6-8 |
| 9. |
Ty Masterpool |
(Kaw) |
8-7 |
| 10. |
Phil Nicoletti |
(Yam) |
10-11 |
250MX
250 Moto 1
What a race! The first 250 moto started with Jo Shimoda and Haiden Deegan duking it out for the lead. Deegan eventually took over and opened a seven second lead. He was easily en route to a moto victory until a red flag forced a gated restart with 15 minutes left on the clock.
Shimoda leads Deegan early in 250 moto one.
On the restart, Deegan sent it too hard into turn one and fell to dead last. This put Jalek Swoll up front as he led his first laps of 2023. Behind him, Justin Cooper laid down an aggressive pass on Hunter Lawrence for the second spot.
Deegan went down on the restart.
Swoll led for about half of the shortened moto before Cooper forced the issue and passed for the lead. Lawrence followed suit shortly after but never managed to make a pass on Cooper. J-Coop backed up his fastest qualifying time with a big moto win to start the day.
Justin Cooper held on for the win in moto one.
250 Moto 2
No hiccups in the second 250 moto. Hunter Lawrence took over the lead on the opening laps and ran away with the race victory. In the closing stages of the championship, Hunter is making sure his competitors know he’s the man to beat. A solid 2-1 earned him the overall with just one round to go.
Hunter Lawrence put in a clutch ride to take the overall win.
Justin Cooper held on for second but swapped spots with Lawrence. Cooper found himself stuck in third behind Austin Forkner while Lawrence jumped to the lead. Cooper did get close near the end but it was too little too late as he settled for second overall.
250 Podium.
Jo Shimoda worked his way to third in the second moto, earning him third overall. The Kawasaki rider found himself in a heated battle for the final podium and crossed the line about seven seconds back from the leaders.
Jo Shimoda stayed in it for third.
Austin Forkner holeshot and led early on and finished fourth. Meanwhile, Haiden Deegan suffered too many mistakes and found himself on the ground multiple times in the second moto.
Forkner grabbed the holeshot in race two.
250MX Overall Results (Top 10)
| 1. |
Hunter Lawrence |
(Hon) |
2-1 |
| 2. |
Justin Cooper |
(Yam) |
1-2 |
| 3. |
Jo Shimoda |
(Kaw) |
7-3 |
| 4. |
Austin Forkner |
(Kaw) |
8-4 |
| 5. |
Tom Vialle |
(KTM) |
5-6 |
| 6. |
Jalek Swoll |
(Hus) |
3-12 |
| 7. |
Daxton Bennick |
(Yam) |
4-11 |
| 8. |
Carson Mumford |
(Kaw) |
12-8 |
| 9. |
Julien Beaumer |
(KTM) |
6-14 |
| 10. |
Seth Hammaker |
(Kaw) |
16-5 |
QUALIFYING
450MX
Jett Lawrence clinched the 450MX title last weekend at Unadilla but he ain’t slowing down yet. He jumped to the top of the time charts this morning with the best time of the day, 1.5 seconds clear of second place, Chase Sexton. Adam Cianciarulo grabbed the third best time and was the last rider in the sub-two minutes.
Jett Lawrence posted the fastest 450 time. Photos: Brown Dog Wilson
Sexton clocked second.
AC9 had the third best time. Check out that new Fox throwback gear!
Jason Anderson clocked fourth behind his Kawasaki teammate.
Dylan Ferrandis looked fast last weekend. He’s fifth going into the motos today.
450MX Combined Qualifying (Top 10)
| 1. |
Jett Lawrence |
(Hon) |
1:57.084 |
| 2. |
Chase Sexton |
(Hon) |
1:58.500 |
| 3. |
Adam Cianciarulo |
(Kaw) |
1:59.846 |
| 4. |
Jason Anderson |
(Kaw) |
2:00.139 |
| 5. |
Dylan Ferrandis |
(Yam) |
2:00.406 |
| 6. |
Justin Barcia |
(GG) |
2:01.288 |
| 7. |
Ty Masterpool |
(Kaw) |
2:01.782 |
| 8. |
Aaron Plessinger |
(KTM) |
2:01.901 |
| 9. |
Garrett Marchbanks |
(Yam) |
2:01.956 |
| 10. |
Grant Harlan |
(Yam) |
2:02.257 |
250MX
Justin Cooper came in hot to grab the fastest 250 time of the day with a sub two-minute laptime. Haiden Deegan is looking to rebound and logged second behind his Star Racing Yamaha teammate also under two minutes. Max Vohland clocked the best time of the first session and was third overall. Honda Lawrence rounded out the top 10.
Justin Cooper was the fastest 250 rider and third of anyone so far.
Max Vohland was fastest in the first session and third overall in the 250s.
250MX Combined Qualifying (Top 10)
| 1. |
Justin Cooper |
(Yam) |
1:59.545 |
| 2. |
Haiden Deegan |
(Yam) |
1:59.608 |
| 3. |
Max Vohland |
(KTM) |
2:00.994 |
| 4. |
Seth Hammaker |
(Kaw) |
2:01.505 |
| 5. |
Stilez Robertson |
(Yam) |
2:01.617 |
| 6. |
Tom Vialle |
(KTM) |
2:01.676 |
| 7. |
Jo Shimoda |
(Kaw) |
2:01.873 |
| 8. |
Levi Kitchen |
(Yam) |
2:01.874 |
| 9. |
Austin Forkner |
(Kaw) |
2:01.906 |
| 10. |
Hunter Lawrence |
(Hon) |
2:02.001 |
Pics From The Pits
Casey Cochran is making his pro debut today under the Rockstar Husqvarna tent. No he’s not a full-time pro, he’ll race the last two rounds then drop back down to amateurs.
Julien Beaumer is another rookie making his debut today. He’s now full-time pro with KTM.
Star Racing has a stacked lineup. Word on the street is we’ll see some new faces next year.
New Fox gear this weekend. This is another one of the Throwback Strafer kits. Can anyone say Stew ’05?!
Even the boots are retro spec. The nostalgia!
Jay Wilson is finishing the Pro Motocross schedule with Star Racing Yamaha. He crashed in the first moto last weekend but bounced back with a 12th in moto two.
New gear season in full effect. Here’s Kyle Chisholm in some new Fly Racing threads.
Hunter Lawrence still holds the red plate with two rounds to go.
Barcia’s bike getting some special sauce.
The BarX Suzuki team has received some additional support from Toyota of Redlands, a dealership in California.
Cool down zone or party in the pits?
With the title clinched, the question is can Jett complete the perfect season? Also, peep the custom engraving on the Yoshimura exhaust.
Gotta love American Motocross!
