Storybook Weekend for Honda HRC Progressive at Unadilla
Unadilla MX
・Jett Lawrence secures premier-class crown one round early with 1-1 moto sweep
・Steady 2-2 moto tally for Hunter Lawrence earns second overall
・Jo Shimoda dominates 250 class with his third overall win of the season
Round 10 of AMA Pro Motocross at Unadilla MX in New Berlin, New York, saw Honda HRC Progressive celebrate a milestone achievement as Jett Lawrence clinched the 450 championship one round early with a perfect 1-1 performance. Brother and teammate Hunter Lawrence joined him on the podium with consistent runner-up finishes for second overall, while Jo Shimoda delivered a flawless ride in the 250 class to capture his third overall win of the season.
Hunter and Jett started the first 450 moto in second and seventh, respectively. By lap 3, Jett had taken over the lead, and although he briefly traded positions with RJ Hampshire, he solidified the front spot on lap 5. Hunter moved from third to second a lap later, and the brothers comfortably held those positions to the finish.
Hunter rode his CRF450RWE to the moto 2 holeshot, with Jett two positions behind. In order to clinch the championship at this round, Jett needed to finish ahead of Hunter and secure a lead of 50 or more points before the finale. Jett quickly moved into the lead but was pushed hard by his older brother, as the two rode in 1-2 formation for much of the moto, with Jett’s sweep sealing the crown.
Shimoda started the first 250 moto in eighth place but ripped to the front of the pack on the first lap! From there, the Japanese native never looked back, riding to a wire-to-wire win with a remarkable margin of nearly 40 seconds over second place. Shimoda started fifth in moto 2, but once again put in an aggressive early push, leaping into the lead on lap 2. He steadily pulled away, finishing over 13 seconds clear of the field. The result marked his third overall victory of the season.
NOTES
・Amsterdam, New York, dealership Outdoor Motor Sports joined Honda HRC Progressive in the team pits at Unadilla, showcasing a CRF300L, a TRX90X and a Dax 125, while engaging with fans throughout the day.
・Jett Lawrence was fastest by over a second in 450 combined qualifying, with Hunter Lawrence seventh. Phoenix Racing Honda’s Dylan Ferrandis was eighth, while Quad Lock Honda Racing teammates Kyle Webster and Shane McElrath were 10th and 14th, respectively. Valley Motorsports’ Jeremy Hand was 18th, followed by Rodbell Racing’s Justin Rodbell in 27th, Raylentless Racing’s Brandon Ray 28th, The McGinley Clinic Privateer Support Program’s John Short 29th, and Ace Motorcycles’ Brad Todd 31st. Williams Racing’s Zack Williams earned his spot in the motos with a second-place finish in the 450 LCQ.
・Jo Shimoda was eighth overall in 250 combined qualifying. Quad Lock Honda Racing’s Brodie Connolly was 20th, Phoenix Racing Honda’s Cullin Park 27th and TiLube Honda Racing’s Izaih Clark 29th.
・The WMX series returned for its penultimate round at Unadilla, with Red Riders again well represented. Quad Lock Honda Racing’s Charli Cannon went 1-2 for second overall, while SLR Honda Racing’s Mikayla Nielsen finished third overall with consistent 3-3 results. Jaylie Gallacher (MotoSport Hillsboro) tallied 9-9 finishes for ninth, followed by Kaitlyn Jacobs in 10th (11-10), Joanne Fake in 15th (15-15), Sydney Plath in 16th (16-16), Kayla Alexander in 17th (18-17) and Addie Clouse in 19th (19-19).
・Jett once again recorded the fastest lap times in both 450 motos, underscoring his pace on the way to the overall win and championship clinch. Shimoda matched the feat by posting the quickest lap in both 250 motos during his dominant 1-1 performance.
・With this weekend’s 450 success, Honda moves into a tie with Kawasaki for most premier-class overall wins at Unadilla, with 10.
・This was Jett’s second premier-class overall win at Unadilla. Other Red Riders to win at the venue include Mike LaRocco, Ricky Carmichael (twice), Kevin Windham (twice), Ken Roczen (twice) and Chase Sexton.
・With his 250 win this weekend, Shimoda joins other Red Riders to have scored the support-class overall win at Unadilla, including Steve Lamson, Trey Canard, Eli Tomac, Jeremy Martin, Jett Lawrence and Hunter Lawrence.
・Next, AMA Pro Motocross heads to Budds Creek MX in Mechanicsville, Maryland, for round 11—the final stop of the AMA Pro Motocross season—set to take place August 23.
I think the biggest moment in this championship was round 1. Leading up to it, I was dealing with my knee injury. It was my first one, so mentally it felt horrible, and I was originally told I’d be out four months. I didn’t think I was going to make the opener at all. Just making it to the first round had me stoked, and to go there and win made it one of my best races ever. To wrap up the title one round early makes it even more rewarding.
I think the biggest moment in this championship was round 1. Leading up to it, I was dealing with my knee injury. It was my first one, so mentally it felt horrible, and I was originally told I’d be out four months. I didn’t think I was going to make the opener at all. Just making it to the first round had me stoked, and to go there and win made it one of my best races ever. To wrap up the title one round early makes it even more rewarding.
Another 2-2, and I’m riding well. We’ve got some momentum going, and that should carry over nicely into SMX. I feel like things are coming together at the right time. I’m looking forward to carrying this form into the playoffs.
Another 2-2, and I’m riding well. We’ve got some momentum going, and that should carry over nicely into SMX. I feel like things are coming together at the right time. I’m looking forward to carrying this form into the playoffs.
It was a good day. I think we made a massive improvement with the motorcycle. I’ve been struggling a little bit at the end of the motos with the bike’s character changing, so today was a big step forward. It was really good for the team, and it put me in a much better position. I’m happy and proud of everyone.
It was a good day. I think we made a massive improvement with the motorcycle. I’ve been struggling a little bit at the end of the motos with the bike’s character changing, so today was a big step forward. It was really good for the team, and it put me in a much better position. I’m happy and proud of everyone.
I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of some incredible moments in our team’s history, and today was another one of those moments. When you show up to these races with three riders, and they take the top spots possible, it’s something special. Jo was absolutely unreal today. For some reason his riding style and dominance reminded me of James Stewart back in 2002-2003 125 MX; it was awesome to watch, and his new nickname might need to be Jo ‘Bubba’ Shimoda! I literally don’t have enough good things to say about the Lawrence brothers, and I feel so fortunate to have them both on the team. Hunter is awesome in all ways, and I’m so happy and proud to see him climb his way to becoming one of the top 450 racers in the world. I’ve said this before, but when someone like Jett wins as much as he has, it starts feeling normal, and that’s something that I really don’t like. Winning a race in 450 MX is incredibly difficult, but winning a championship is a whole other level. Jett has made it look relatively easy, and it’s something that I just have to sit back and marvel at. Everyone on the race team, American Honda, HRC, and Honda Japan are extremely proud to have him be a part of Honda history.
I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of some incredible moments in our team’s history, and today was another one of those moments. When you show up to these races with three riders, and they take the top spots possible, it’s something special. Jo was absolutely unreal today. For some reason his riding style and dominance reminded me of James Stewart back in 2002-2003 125 MX; it was awesome to watch, and his new nickname might need to be Jo ‘Bubba’ Shimoda! I literally don’t have enough good things to say about the Lawrence brothers, and I feel so fortunate to have them both on the team. Hunter is awesome in all ways, and I’m so happy and proud to see him climb his way to becoming one of the top 450 racers in the world. I’ve said this before, but when someone like Jett wins as much as he has, it starts feeling normal, and that’s something that I really don’t like. Winning a race in 450 MX is incredibly difficult, but winning a championship is a whole other level. Jett has made it look relatively easy, and it’s something that I just have to sit back and marvel at. Everyone on the race team, American Honda, HRC, and Honda Japan are extremely proud to have him be a part of Honda history.
250MX Standings
Pos. | Rider | Num. | Team | Constr. | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Haiden DEEGAN | 1 | Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha | Yamaha | 460 |
2 | Jo SHIMODA | 30 | Honda HRC Progressive | Honda | 417 |
3 | Garrett MARCHBANKS | 36 | Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki | Kawasaki | 320 |
4 | Levi KITCHEN | 47 | Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki | Kawasaki | 289 |
5 | Tom VIALLE | 16 | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | KTM | 282 |
6 | Mikkel HAARUP | 107 | Triumph Racing Factory Team | Triumph | 239 |
18 | Chance HYMAS | 10 | Honda HRC Progressive | Honda | 132 |
31 | Mark FINEIS | 62 | Tilube Honda Racing | Honda | 12 |
33 | Cullin Park | 59 | Phoenix Racing Honda | Honda | 8 |
34 | Brodie Connolly | 788 | Quad lock honda | Honda | 7 |
36 | Lance KOBUSCH | 195 | SPR | Honda | 6 |
39 | Gavin TOWERS | 115 | Phoenix Racing Honda | Honda | 4 |
