【AMA-MX 2022 Season Review】Sexton runner-up following fierce title fight
The 24-race / 12-round 2022 AMA Pro Motocross Championship kicked off on May 30, three weeks after the Supercross season ended. For Team Honda HRC, Ken Roczen and Chase Sexton raced in the 450MX class, and the Lawrence brothers Jett and Hunter represented the team in the 250MX class, a mirror image of the Supercross rider lineup entrusted with the CRF450R / CRF250R.
Team Honda HRC’s 450MX dominates season-opener, Sexton takes the early lead
In the season opener at Fox Raceway, Team Honda HRC’s two riders suited in CR-CRF series 50th anniversary commemorative colors, were in full swing. Sexton won both Moto 1 and Moto 2, while Roczen finished second in both races. Roczen, second in Moto 1 was 15 seconds ahead of third place, and nearly 30 seconds in Moto 2. The team’s 1-2 results were the perfect start to the season.
In Round 2, Hangtown, Sexton finished second overall, and Roczen won in Round 3, Thunder Valley, keeping the top two spots in the standings within the team. Sexton was second in rounds 4 to 6, giving Supercross Champion Eli Tomac (Yamaha) the chance to catch up with three consecutive wins. His lead down to a single point, Sexton kicked into high gear to take on the title challenge with Tomac.
Seesawing the title race
In Round 7, Spring Creek, Sexton let Tomac score a double win, and lost the top spot in the championship standings. In Round 8, Washougal, he contained the damage with a Moto 2 win, and then took a double win in Round 9, Unadilla to regain the top spot.
Going into the final three rounds of the season, Sexton had a one-point lead. In Round 10 Moto 1 at Budds Creek, Sexton suffered two crashes and fell back to 29th at one point, but he fought back hard to finish seventh. He won Moto 2 but finished fourth overall, again losing his one-point lead to Tomac, who was second overall (1-5). In the 11th round, Ironman, Tomac won Moto 1 and Sexton was second in Moto 2. The two teams remained one point apart heading into the final round.
Fox Raceway, where Sexton dominated in the opening round, was also the stage for the season finale. In Moto 1, Sexton took the holeshot with Tomac close behind. The two riders powered ahead of the field, locked in a battle all on their own, but Tomac was victorious thanks to his better handling of the backmarkers. In Moto 2, Sexton charged back to second place after three falls, but could not take the lead from Tomac. Despite narrowly missing out on the title, Sexton had a breakthrough year with four overall victories and eight moto wins.
Roczen finished the season fourth overall, with a Round 3 win and a third-place podium finish in Round 10, and was a consistent contender for the top spots throughout the season.
Jett Lawrence Repeats as 250MX Champion
In the season opener, Lawrence scored a perfect win, while teammate Hunter Lawrence was second and second, mirroring the perfect start to the season in the 450MX class. The brothers continued to battle for points, with Hunter taking the lead in Round 5, but Jett ‘s double win in the next round gave him the overall lead. From there, the two brothers held onto the lead, with Jett winning nine rounds to clinch back-to-back championships. Hunter finished the season in third place with three moto wins.
450MX - Standings
| Rank | No. | Rider | Constr. | Pts. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Eli Tomac | Yamaha | 546 |
| 2 | 23 | Chase Sexton | Honda | 539 |
| 3 | 21 | Jason Anderson | Kawasaki | 440 |
| 4 | 94 | Ken Roczen | Honda | 394 |
| 5 | 28 | Christian Craig | Yamaha | 373 |
| 6 | 5 | Ryan Dungey | KTM | 359 |
| 21 | 65 | Grant Harlan | Honda | 47 |
| 23 | 34 | Max Anstie | Honda | 45 |
| 27 | 837 | Bryson Gardner | Honda | 23 |
| 28 | 140 | Cullin Park | Honda | 23 |
| 33 | 63 | Jeremy Hand | Honda | 14 |
| 43 | 682 | Izaih Clark | Honda | 2 |
| 46 | 78 | Cade Clason | Honda | 2 |
| 48 | 429 | Justin Jones | Honda | 1 |
250MX - Standings
| Rank | No. | Rider | Constr. | Pts. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Jett Lawrence | Honda | 525 |
| 2 | 30 | Jo Shimoda | Kawasaki | 480 |
| 3 | 96 | Hunter Lawrence | Honda | 468 |
| 4 | 32 | Justin Cooper | Yamaha | 415 |
| 5 | 49 | R.J. Hampshire | Husqvarna | 346 |
| 6 | 36 | Maximus Vohland | KTM | 303 |
| 32 | 194 | Lance Kobusch | Honda | 18 |
| 37 | 832 | Chance Hymas | Honda | 11 |
Race Reports
Rd.01 Fox Raceway 1：Dream Weekend for Team Honda HRC at AMA Pro Motocross Opener
Rd.02 Hangtown：Jett Lawrence takes 250 Overall Win at Hangtown National MX
Rd.03 Thunder Valley：Dual Wins for Team Honda HRC at Thunder Valley National MX
Rd.04 High Point：Jett Lawrence Extends 250 Win Streak at High Point National MX
Rd.05 RedBud：Second Overall for Chase Sexton, Hunter Lawrence at RedBud MX
Rd.06 Southwick：Jett Lawrence Returns to Winning Ways at Southwick MX
Rd.07 Spring Creek：Another 1-1 Overall Win for Jett Lawrence at Millville MX
Rd.08 Washougal：Team Honda HRC Sweeps Overall Wins at Washougal MX
Rd.09 Unadilla：Sexton Masterful at Unadilla MX
Rd.10 Budds Creek：Overall Podiums for Ken Roczen, Jett Lawrence at Budds Creek MX
Rd.11 Ironman：Team Honda HRC Sweeps Overall Wins at Ironman MX
Rd.12 Fox Raceway 2：AMA Pro Motocross Season Ends With Repeat 250 Title for Jett Lawrence