Ryan Nitzen | August 12, 2023
Una-friggin-Dilla! After a two week break we’re back at the races for round nine of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Jett Lawrence continues his win streak and with it wins the 2023 450MX championship. His brother Hunter used 2-2 scores to take the 250MX overall win.
450 Moto 1
Try not to hold your breath because these final few races are going to be close. Jett Lawrence grabbed the holeshot and early lead with Chase Sexton hot on his heels. The two stayed within a few seconds of eachother for the entire race, even making contact at the half-way point. Lawrence remained at the front and solidified his lead when Sexton hit the deck with three laps to go.
Big holeshot for Jett Lawrence in moto one. Photos: Alex Kelly
As Sexton crashed, Dylan Ferrandis took over the second spot. With only two laps left in the race, Ferrandis significantly closed the gap to Lawrence. The two crossed the line just 1.6 seconds apart. Lawrence now makes it 17-0 leading into the final moto of the day.
Lawrence and Sexton were this close for most of the race.
Tough race for Jason Anderson and Justin Barcia as both riders crashed in the first turn. Anderson crossed 14th while Barcia did not finish the race.
Dylan Ferrandis took second and was closing in at the end.
450 Moto 2
That’s the championship right there folks. Jett Lawrence simply executed in moto two. A holeshot and leading all 15 laps allowed him to gap Chase Sexton by nine seconds at the finish line. With this win, Lawrence clinched the 2023 450MX championship as his undefeated win streak grows to 18-0.
Jett won the moto and the title. That’s 18-0 now.
Chase Sexton rode a quiet race for second, going 2-2 on the day. He started just behind Lawrence but slowly slipped back as the race wore on. 3-2 finishes saw him swap scores with Ferrandis but put Sexton second in the overall.
A quiet second place for Sexton in race two.
Dylan Ferrandis crossed third to take third overall. The Frenchman did not get the start he was looking for, but clawed his way through the pack. A contact pass with Jason Anderson put the Yamaha rider into podium position where he’d stay for the remainder of the race.
Dylan Ferrandis ate a lot of roost for third overall.
450 Podium.
450MX Overall Results (Top 10)
| 1. |
Jett Lawrence |
(Hon) |
1-1 |
| 2. |
Chase Sexton |
(Hon) |
3-2 |
| 3. |
Dylan Ferrandis |
(Yam) |
2-3 |
| 4. |
Adam Cianciarulo |
(Kaw) |
4-6 |
| 5. |
Aaron Plessinger |
(KTM) |
5-5 |
| 6. |
Harri Kullas |
(Yam) |
7-7 |
| 7. |
Garrett Marchbanks |
(Yam) |
6-10 |
| 8. |
Jason Anderson |
(Kaw) |
14-4 |
| 9. |
Ty Masterpool |
(Kaw) |
9-8 |
| 10. |
Frederik Noren |
(Suz) |
13-9 |
250 Moto 1
Another nail biter in the first 250 moto. For Levi Kitchen, the race couldn’t have gone any better. The Star Racing Yamaha rider got the holeshot and took over the early lead. He swapped the lead on lap one but quickly gained control of the top spot. Despite pressure from Seth Hammaker, and later Hunter Lawrence, Kitchen went on to lead every lap of the first moto.
Levi Kitchen led all of the first 250 moto.
Hunter Lawrences race looked like it would be a tough one after starting outside the top five. The points leader was one to watch as he found himself in a battle for nearly the entire race. He methodically picked his way through the field and eventually found himself knocking on the door of the race win. Lawrence never made his way around Kitchen for the lead and settled for second.
Hunter Lawrence clawed his way to second.
Jo Shimoda took the final spot on the box. The Kawasaki rider ran up front and stayed consistent while other riders faded or dropped out due to mechanical issues. Shimoda kept it consistent to finish on the podium, setting him up for a solid overall result.
Jo Shimoda snuck in for third.
Haiden Deegan stalked Hunter Lawrence for nearly the entire moto but suffered a DNF after a mechanical issue with two laps to go. Unfortunately, he gave up 22 points to Lawrence and likely sees his title hopes slip away.
Bike problems for Haiden Deegan in moto one.
250 Moto 2
After a weather delay and a red-flag restart, Justin Cooper rebounded the best in 250 moto two. The Star Racing Yamaha rider moved into the lead early on and ran away with the race win. The track was full of ruts and the conditions looked similar to Thunder Valley, where Cooper won earlier in the year. After a fifth in moto one, his second moto victory earned him an overall podium in third. Cooper also jumps to second in points.
Justin Cooper ran away with the moto two win.
Hunter Lawrence again made quick work of the field as he moved sixth to second in the matter of two laps. He looked patient and never pushed the issue on the treacherous track. Two seconds on the day earned him another overall win while his title rival, Haiden Deegan, suffered a huge points loss. Lawrence now leads Cooper by 22 in the championship points.
Hunter Lawrence’s 2-2 gave him the overall.
Jo Shimoda rounded out the podium again in moto two. His battle between Lawrence would decide the day’s overall result and Shimoda charged hard for the duration of the second moto. Unfortunately for Shimoda, two thirds were only good enough for fourth overall.
3-3 for Shimoda only gave him fourth overall.
Levi Kitchen finished fourth in moto two. As positions flip-flopped throughout the race, Kitchen’s 1-4 still gave him for second on the overall podium.
250 Podium.
250MX Overall Results (Top 10)
| 1. |
Hunter Lawrence |
(Hon) |
2-2 |
| 2. |
Levi Kitchen |
(Yam) |
1-4 |
| 3. |
Justin Cooper |
(Yam) |
5-1 |
| 4. |
Jo Shimoda |
(Kaw) |
3-3 |
| 5. |
Max Vohland |
(KTM) |
4-6 |
| 6. |
Tom Vialle |
(KTM) |
8-7 |
| 7. |
Jalek Swoll |
(Hus) |
6-14 |
| 8. |
Ryder Difrancesco |
(Kaw) |
9-12 |
| 9. |
Daxton Bennick |
(Yam) |
14-9 |
| 10. |
Pierce Brown |
(GG) |
12-11 |
QUALIFYING
450MX
Jett Lawrence is wasting no time getting to the front of the pack. He put in the best time early in the day, going almost a second faster than anyone else. Chase Sexton was fastest in the second session, but second overall. Jason Anderson grabbed a podium at Washougal and is back on the time charts in third.
Jett Lawrence wasted no time setting the best qualifying time. Photos: Alex Kelly
Chase Sexton had the best time of the second session.
Jason Anderson is carrying the podium from his Washougal podium.
Barcia was fourth in his first race back.
Derek Drake logged the fifth best time.
450MX Combined Qualifying (Top 10)
| 1. |
Jett Lawrence |
(Hon) |
2:09.109 |
| 2. |
Chase Sexton |
(Hon) |
2:10.222 |
| 3. |
Jason Anderson |
(Kaw) |
2:10.410 |
| 4. |
Justin Barcia |
(GG) |
2:11.431 |
| 5. |
Derek Drake |
(Suz) |
2:12.126 |
| 6. |
Ty Masterpool |
(Kaw) |
2:12.238 |
| 7. |
Dylan Ferrandis |
(Yam) |
2:12.438 |
| 8. |
Adam Cianciarulo |
(Kaw) |
2:12.796 |
| 9. |
Stephen Rubini |
(Kaw) |
2:13.445 |
| 10. |
Phil Nicoletti |
(Yam) |
2:14.181 |
250MX
Hunter Lawrence knows it’s go time if he wants to win this title. He topped the 250MX charts with a fast time late in the final session. Seth Hammaker managed to take second just ahead of Austin Forkner in third. Forkner posted the fastest time in session one but third overall. Haiden Deegan was back in 10th, two and a half seconds off Lawrence’s time.
Hunter Lawrence is back with the fastest 250 time.
Seth Hammaker grabbed the second best lap time.
Austin Forkner was fastest in the first session but third overall.
Justin Cooper looked good for fourth.
Another Kawasaki, Jo Shimoda, rounded out the top five.
250MX Combined Qualifying (Top 10)
| 1. |
Hunter Lawrence |
(Hon) |
2:13.018 |
| 2. |
Seth Hammaker |
(Kaw) |
2:13.446 |
| 3. |
Austin Forkner |
(Kaw) |
2:13.475 |
| 4. |
Justin Cooper |
(Yam) |
2:13.552 |
| 5. |
Jo Shimoda |
(Kaw) |
2:13.698 |
| 6. |
Carson Mumford |
(Kaw) |
2:13.977 |
| 7. |
Max Vohland |
(KTM) |
2:14.832 |
| 8. |
Jalek Swoll |
(Hus) |
2:15.328 |
| 9. |
Pierce Brown |
(GG) |
2:15.339 |
| 10. |
Haiden Deegan |
(Yam) |
2:15.464 |
PICS FROM THE PITS
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Hunter Lawrence still holds the 250 points lead over Haiden Deegan.
But Deegan is knocking on the door, only three points back.
Can the Lawrence brothers win both titles?
The Pro Circuit Kawasaki puts the final touches on their rig.
Jimmy Decotis is back for another round, this time on a KTM 125!
Listen for Decotis on the two stroke.
Tom Vialle dials in his KTM.
Chase Sexton looks hungry as he tries break the perfect season.
Pierce Brown is now the only 250 rider for the Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GasGas team.
