With the AMA Supercross series winding down, Team Honda HRC rider Jett Lawrence continues to perform under pressure. At the Philadelphia stop, which was round 15 of 17, the 20-year-old led the 450SX main event from start to finish, notching his second-consecutive victory and stretching his title-fight advantage to 12. Hunter Lawrence finished seventh in the same class, while Chance Hymas turned in the best result of his career, overcoming a poor start to finish fifth in the 250SX East main event. Words: Press Release
Starting the 450SX main event just outside the starter’s box, Jett pulled a high-pressure holeshot and simply never looked back, ultimately winning by over five seconds. Title-rival Cooper Webb sat second for most of the race but was passed late by Chase Sexton and Jason Anderson. Meanwhile, Hunter rode almost the entire race in seventh place. He put a pass on Justin Barcia for sixth with just over a lap remaining, but Barcia got back by shortly after.
The tricky first turn was unkind to Hymas on the 250SX East main-event start, with the Idaho native sitting back in 17th at the end of lap 1. From there, however, Hymas turned in a strong performance, advancing to the top 10 before the midway point and hitting seventh with two laps remaining. He passed two more riders on the final lap to notch his first-ever top-five result. Meanwhile, Fire Power Honda rider Max Anstie put in an impressive ride to tally the second 250SX win of his career.
NOTES
- Team Honda HRC participated in media-day activities on Friday, giving the riders an opportunity to try out the track and be interviewed by the press.
- Phoenix Racing Honda’s Dylan Ferrandis made a return to racing in Philadelphia, following a five-race absence due to a lung infection. The Frenchman finished ninth in the 450SX class.
- Also racing in Philadelphia was Ferrandis’s Phoenix teammate, newly recrowned AMA Arenacross Champion Kyle Peters. Peters finished 12th in the 250SX East main event.
- For the first time in his premier-class career, Hunter Lawrence was the top rider in combined qualifying times. Jett Lawrence was fourth after falling on a hot lap. In the 250SX East class, Fire Power Honda’s Max Anstie was best, while Chance Hymas was eighth.
- Jett went down in turn 1 during the first 450SX heat race, rejoining the race at the very back of the pack. Knowing that a good main-event start would be vital, the Australian marched through the pack, making his way up to fourth by the finish. In the second heat race, Hunter Lawrence exited turn 1 just behind Jason Anderson and followed him throughout the race to notch a second-place result—one ahead of Phoenix Racing Honda’s Dylan Ferrandis. Fire Power Honda’s Dean Wilson was eighth.
- Chance Hymas suffered a poor start in 250SX East heat-race 1, completing lap 1 in 13th, but he was able to climb to sixth by the finish—one ahead of Phoenix Racing Honda’s Kyle Peters, with TiLube Honda’s Henry Miller also making it through. Fire Power Honda’s Max Anstie and privateer Red Rider Ryder Floyd advanced through heat 2 (third and sixth, respectively), and Luhovey Racing-backed CRF250R rider Vinny Luhovey made it through from the last-chance qualifier.
- Jett’s Philadelphia victory was his seventh of the year, and his second in a row. Only one other rider has more than a single victory this season—Cooper Webb, with four.
- Only two rounds remain in AMA Supercross, with Denver this coming weekend and then Salt Lake City next week. Jett carries a 12-point 450SX title-chase lead into the penultimate round, while Hunter sits in 10th place, four points behind Justin Barcia. Hymas is ninth in the 250SX East ranks.
Jett Lawrence: “My start in the heat wasn’t ideal. I had to charge from behind, but I was able to find some pretty good passing spots. We didn’t want to start the same in the main, so we made sure we executed off the start. My Honda hooked up and made my life a lot easier at the end.”
Hunter Lawrence: “It was a pretty good day—my riding was really good all day. It’s our third seventh-place finish in a row—I’m definitely sick of that number! I was a lot closer in the conversation up front all day, which was good. We’re just logging the data, taking steps forward. Like Rocky said, ‘Keep moving forward.’”
Chance Hymas: “Tonight was a really good night for me—a personal best, with a fifth-place finish. I had a terrible start in the main, but a really good ride to finish it off. I’m stoked going into the final race.”
Lars Lindstrom – Team Manager: “What a great weekend, all around. Hunter’s qualifying was so cool to see; the progress has been awesome, and he’s doing exactly what I hoped and thought he would do, which is build consistently through the season. Chance also progressed in the main, finishing strong and getting his best result of the series so far. All I can say about Jett is that he is a legend. That main-event performance just drove another nail into the fact that he is the best rider in world, which I feel confident in saying—especially when someone like Jeffrey Herlings admits it! For these next two races, it’s business as usual, and we all know it’s not over until it’s over.”
Lead Image: HRC
