Hunter Lawrence Scores 2-1 Second-Overall Result at Budds Creek
・Lawrence has scored two moto wins in four starts aboard 2025 CRF450R
・Fourth overall in 250 class for Chance Hymas
For the second week in a row—this time at Maryland’s Budds Creek MX—Team Honda HRC rider Hunter Lawrence won a moto and finished second in the other, and while again the performance wasn’t quite enough to earn the Australian his first premier-class overall win, it confirmed that it’s only a matter of time. In the 250 class, Chance Hymas tallied 8-2 moto finishes for fourth overall, and he surely would have been on the overall podium were it not for a last-lap miscue in the first moto.
The first 450 moto saw Lawrence nail the holeshot aboard his 2025 CRF450R, but early contact with Justin Cooper slowed him momentarily, resulting in a couple of lost positions. The Australian was quickly back up to second, and on lap 4 he moved by Aaron Plessinger to retake the lead. From there, Lawrence was never headed, winning by seven seconds.
Moto 2 saw Lawrence take yet another holeshot, and he ran at the front until Chase Sexton moved by with five laps remaining. Lawrence rode it in for second in the moto and the same position overall.
An inside line helped Hymas avoid a turn 1 pileup after the first 250 moto start, and he came out in sixth place. He was up to fourth by the end of lap 1, moved up another spot on lap 7, and took over second with five laps remaining, only for an unfortunate last-lap fall to put him in eighth at the checkered flag.
Hymas got an eighth-place start in moto 2, but the Idaho native surged forward to second place on the first lap. He pressured Levi Kitchen for the lead throughout most of the moto but ultimately settled for a runner-up result, good for fourth overall.
NOTES
・With Jo Shimoda having broken his collarbone at the previous round, and Jett Lawrence still recovering from a thumb injury, Team Honda HRC was down to just two riders at Budds Creek—Hunter Lawrence in the 450 class and Chance Hymas in the 250 division.
・Both active Team Honda HRC riders attended the Budds Creek Media Day on Friday, getting some track time and participating in media interviews.
・Virginia, dealership Fredericksburg Motor Sports staffed a pop-up activation booth in the Team Honda HRC pits at Budds Creek.
・Honda Vietnam brought its top dealers to attend the Budds Creek race, and after the first moto, the group posed for a photo with Hunter Lawrence. The large, animated Vietnamese contingent was thrilled to spend time in the Team Honda HRC pits.
・Hunter Lawrence notched the second-best time in 450 qualifying, while Chance Hymas was seventh-best in the 250 class.
・Everyone at American Honda and Team Honda HRC extends their congratulations to Yamaha and Star Racing Yamaha upon Haiden Deegan clinching the 250 Championship at Budds Creek.
・Hymas turned the fastest lap time during the second 250 moto.
・Next up for Team Honda HRC is the final round of AMA Pro Motocross, held in Crawfordsville, Indiana, on Saturday.
250MX Standings
Pos. | Rider | Num. | Team | Constr. | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Haiden Deegan | 38 | Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing | Yamaha | 445 |
2 | Levi Kitchen | 47 | Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki | Kawasaki | 383 |
3 | Tom Vialle | 16 | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM | 369 |
4 | Chance Hymas | 48 | Team Honda HRC | Honda | 311 |
5 | Jo SHIMODA | 30 | Team Honda HRC | Honda | 289 |
6 | Ty MASTERPOOL | 29 | Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki | Kawasaki | 283 |
31 | Parker Ross | 302 | SLR Honda | Honda | 9 |
36 | Jake Cannon | 359 | Mobile X Firepower Honda | Honda | 4 |