Up-and-Down Weekend for Team Honda HRC at Hangtown MX

• ・ Another solid second-overall 450 finish for Hunter Lawrence

• ・ Hard moto 1 crash hurts Jett Lawrence’s results

• ・ Chance Hymas matches career-best fourth-place 250 showing

• ・ Improvement for Jo Shimoda, in fifth overall

While the Hangtown round of the AMA Pro Motocross series in Rancho Cordova, California, didn’t go as hoped for Team Honda HRC, there were bright spots for the squad to be happy about as they left round 2. On the one hand, Jett Lawrence saw his undefeated streak in the 450 class ended following a hard crash in moto 1, resulting in a 24-6 12th-overall finish. On the other hand, the team’s other three riders had strong showings, with Hunter Lawrence notching his second runner-up overall result in two premier-class tries, Chance Hymas repeating his strong fourth-overall 250 finish from last week, and Jo Shimoda improving to tally a fifth-overall result.

Continuing a trend started last week in Pala, Jett and Hunter Lawrence put their CRF450RWE race machines in front out of the first turn in 450 moto 1, but shortly after, Jett came up short on a tricky downhill double and went down hard, suffering a contusion to his right thigh in the fall. Hunter assumed the lead spot and retained it until three laps from the end, when eventual moto-winner Chase Sexton got by. While Hunter held on for second, Jett (after pausing to have his mechanic straighten his bike’s front end) attempted to come through the pack but was ultimately unable to advance to the points-paying positions. Hunter and Jett both started moto 2 in the top six, and they sat third and fourth, respectively, after one lap. Jett was up to second seven laps in, but his battered body began to fail him just past the halfway point, resulting in lost positions. He slipped to sixth at the finish, while Hunter rode a steady race for fourth in the moto and second overall.

Hymas nailed the 250 moto 1 holeshot aboard his CRF250R and led for the majority of the race, only succumbing to eventual moto-winner Haiden Deegan with three laps remaining. Hymas held on for a commendable second-place finish, while Jo Shimoda climbed steadily from 12^th on lap 1 to seventh at the finish. Hymas and Shimoda both had decent starts in 250 moto 2, sitting fourth and seventh at the end of lap 1. Hymas lost a spot at about the one-third mark but regained it a few laps later (his eventual 2-4 showing being good enough for fourth overall), while Shimoda worked forward to post fifth-place moto and overall results.

NOTES

・ This week’s pop-up dealer-activation booth in the Team Honda HRC pits was staffed by Roseville Honda Powersports, who engaged with customers and displayed Honda powersports products.

・ On Friday, Saint Helena, California, dealership Parriott Motors Honda Montesa Motorcycles provided several Montesa Cota trials bikes for the Team Honda HRC riders to try out. After a brief demonstration by owner Brian Parriott, the riders faced off in two competitions, with Hunter Lawrence winning the slow race and Jett Lawrence topping the nose-wheelie contest.

・ Jett Lawrence was the fastest 450 rider during timed qualifying, with Hunter Lawrence fifth-best. In the 250 class, Jo Shimoda and Chance Hymas were fourth- and 10^th-fastest, respectively.

・ Chance Hymas notched the fastest lap time in the first 250 moto.

・ Jett Lawrence’s crash proved costly, as he dropped from the 450 title-chase lead to sixth, 24 behind the leader. Hunter Lawrence’s consistent finishes so far this season have him in second, just 8 points back. In the 250 ranks, Chance Hymas and Jo Shimoda are fourth and fifth, respectively, 19 and 35 points back.

・ Next on the AMA Pro Motocross schedule is the Thunder Valley National in Lakewood, Colorado, this Saturday.