Honda HRC Progressive Sweeps Budds Creek MX, Clinches Manufacturers and 450 Riders Championships
Budds Creek Motocross Park
・Hunter Lawrence, Chance Hymas take overall wins in 450, 250 classes.
・Hunter leads Jett Lawrence by one point—title to be decided at finale.
・Honda clinches Riders and Manufacturers Championships one round early.
Honda HRC Progressive had plenty to celebrate following this weekend’s penultimate round of AMA Pro Motocross at Budds Creek MX Park in Mechanicsville, Maryland. Despite muddy conditions, the team swept the overall wins in both classes, clinched Honda’s fourth AMA Pro Motocross Manufacturers Championship in the past five seasons and secured the premier-class Riders Championship as well. The only question left to answer is which Honda rider—Budds Creek-winner Hunter Lawrence or defending champion Jett Lawrence—will claim the title, as third place in the standings is out of mathematical contention.
The first 450 moto saw Hunter get a good start, while Jett momentarily veered off the track on the start straight, an unintentional move that resulted in him being assessed a license point. Hunter took over the lead by the end of the opening lap, while Jett was forced to battle from the back of the field. Hunter controlled the race from the front to take the checkered flag with a five-second advantage, while Jett charged through to finish fifth.
Hunter continued his momentum in moto 2, grabbing the holeshot aboard his CRF450RWE, while Jett began the race in 11th before moving into third within the first five minutes. Hunter completed the moto sweep with another five-second victory, while Jett continued his charge late in the race, passing Jorge Prado on the last lap for second and securing valuable points.
Hymas put in a strong performance in both 250 motos, finishing second in the opening race after leading early and closing to within 2.2 seconds of the winner. With improved track conditions in moto 2, the Idaho native grabbed the holeshot aboard his CRF250RWE and led from start to finish, managing late pressure from Levi Kitchen to secure his second moto win of the season and first overall victory, with a 2-1 tally. The result vaulted Hymas forward in the championship standings, moving him from fifth to fourth, within five points of third with one round remaining.
NOTES
・On Friday, Hunter and Jett Lawrence participated in Budds Creek press-day activities, speaking with media and taking part in the single 20-minute riding session.
・As was the case last week, SMX Friday Live Presented by Honda streamed Friday’s AMA Pro Motocross press-day session, along with the opening WMX moto.
・In addition to the normal Peacock coverage, NBC broadcast the second 450 and 250 AMA Pro Motocross motos, along with the second WMX moto.
・Honda’s Brandon Wilson and Jeff Weiner (Manager of Powersports Racing & Experiential Marketing and Assistant Manager of Racing, respectively) were interviewed, highlighting Honda’s support of the Friday programming and the continued growth and exposure of the sport.
・Honda HRC Progressive Team Manager Lars Lindstrom appeared on Race Day Live, discussing the season-long championship battle between Hunter and Jett Lawrence, who have exchanged the red plate throughout the summer, as well as the impact of the weather heading into the weekend.
・Atlantic Cycle & Power, a Honda dealership located a half-hour north of the track, joined Honda HRC Progressive in the paddock with a pop-up display, engaging with fans and showcasing the 2026 CRF110F and CRF50F.
・Between qualifying sessions, and despite the rain, Honda HRC Progressive hosted a fan autograph session featuring all three active factory riders.
・Budds Creek hosted the penultimate round of the Women’s Motocross Championship, with Honda-supported riders delivering strong results. After setting the fastest qualifying time, Quad Lock Honda’s Charli Cannon posted a 2-2 moto tally for second overall, while SLR Honda’s Mikayla Nielsen followed with a consistent 3-3 score for third overall. SLR Honda’s Mayla Herrick rebounded from a difficult first moto to finish fifth in moto 2, while Phoenix Honda Racing’s Tayla Jones earned 10th overall with a 10-11 tally. With one round remaining, Cannon sits second in the championship standings, 21 points off the lead and 50 points clear of third.
・Heavy rain impacted Saturday-morning activities, including the second qualifying session, which was limited to only a few laps. Jett Lawrence qualified second in the 450 class, with Hunter Lawrence fourth. Quad Lock Honda’s Christian Craig was 16th, Valley Motorsports’ Jeremy Hand was 19th, SLR Honda riders Justin Rodbell and Matti Jorgensen were 24th and 37th, respectively, Short Racing’s John Short was 43rd, Scotty Clark was 45th, Lasting Impressions’ Ronnie Orres was 49th, 110 Racing’s Brett Heirdorn was 55th, Feine Tune Racing’s Gavin Tilford was 67th and Lennon Racing’s Michael Lennon was 72nd.
・Honda HRC Progressive’s Chance Hymas qualified fifth in the 250 class. Quad Lock Honda riders Brodie Connolly and Alex Warwood were 15th and 36th, respectively, Phoenix Racing Honda riders Gavin Towers and Aden Keefer were 20th and 31st, and SLR Honda riders Caden Bradley and Alvin Hillan were 33rd and 37th.
・Thanks to the combined efforts of all three Honda HRC Progressive riders throughout the season, Honda clinched its fourth Manufacturers’ Championship in the past five AMA Pro Motocross seasons, securing the title one round early.
・Hunter’s overall victory marked his sixth of the year (seventh of his 450 career) and brought his season moto-win total to 12. The premier-class overall win also extended Honda’s total at Budds Creek to 11, three more than the next-closest manufacturer. Hymas’ overall win was his first of the year and the second of his career.
・At the conclusion of Saturday’s racing, Hunter’s and Jett’s mechanics, Cameron Camera and Christien Ducharme, were interviewed by Will Christien, discussing the unique experience of seeing their riders share the red plate throughout the season, as well as their close working relationship during the championship battle.
・The 2026 AMA Pro Motocross season concludes Saturday at Ironman Raceway in Crawfordsville, Indiana. The championship will come down to Honda HRC Progressive teammates and brothers Hunter and Jett Lawrence, with Hunter carrying a one-point advantage into the final round. In the 250 class, Hymas sits fourth in the standings, just five points behind third place.
Media contact:
Zoe Vargas // Jonnum Media // zoe@jonnummedia.com // 619-971-6440
“I made a lot of points back this weekend, a lot more than what people would’ve thought—myself included! It does make it a little easier on myself for next weekend, but it doesn’t change things, really. I keep putting my head down, focusing on myself. Maybe this is what I needed, who knows? I have great memories from Ironman last year, so hopefully we can go back and make some more great memories—I’m going to give it my all. I’ve proven today that the mental side of things is not really an issue, with being able to bounce back and stuff. Whatever the result will be, it’ll be. Hopefully I can come out on top.”
“I made a lot of points back this weekend, a lot more than what people would’ve thought—myself included! It does make it a little easier on myself for next weekend, but it doesn’t change things, really. I keep putting my head down, focusing on myself. Maybe this is what I needed, who knows? I have great memories from Ironman last year, so hopefully we can go back and make some more great memories—I’m going to give it my all. I’ve proven today that the mental side of things is not really an issue, with being able to bounce back and stuff. Whatever the result will be, it’ll be. Hopefully I can come out on top.”
“Obviously, the starts were my biggest thing this weekend. The first one, I had a great jump, but I was so over to the inside that you almost face off the track. They kind of angle the gates weird, and I got off balance on the left; I went off track, lost positions and went down on the first lap as well, but was able to come back to fifth. I knew I had the speed to get back there, and I was just thinking, ‘I’m just going to take my time, not try and risk it.’ Once everyone gets settled, then I try to click off passes. On this track, if you’re not up with the top guys, you lose distance so fast. But I was happy to get back to fifth, after being outside the top 20—I was able to salvage some points. In the second one, I started behind again, but I was able to come through and get second on the last lap, which is important. It’s shaping up to be a pretty fun last weekend—one point down from Hunter, so I’m looking forward to it.”
“Obviously, the starts were my biggest thing this weekend. The first one, I had a great jump, but I was so over to the inside that you almost face off the track. They kind of angle the gates weird, and I got off balance on the left; I went off track, lost positions and went down on the first lap as well, but was able to come back to fifth. I knew I had the speed to get back there, and I was just thinking, ‘I’m just going to take my time, not try and risk it.’ Once everyone gets settled, then I try to click off passes. On this track, if you’re not up with the top guys, you lose distance so fast. But I was happy to get back to fifth, after being outside the top 20—I was able to salvage some points. In the second one, I started behind again, but I was able to come through and get second on the last lap, which is important. It’s shaping up to be a pretty fun last weekend—one point down from Hunter, so I’m looking forward to it.”
“I feel like I got a flash of just everything from January, honestly—going through the rehab with my shoulder, the amount of pain I was in, and really questioning if I was still meant for this. Then I started feeling pretty good getting back to it, but got my teeth kicked in at the first four nationals, and my confidence was really low. I stuck with it, got back to figuring out some things that worked good for me in the past and tried to implement some things from that. Seeing how I’ve adapted to all those hard times, and now having consistent podiums and finally getting an overall win, it’s been a long time coming, for sure. It’s a reward for the work we’ve been putting in, and it’s really special. I’m thankful for the group of people around me. I really noticed things started to click on my practice days, when I was doing fast times and feeling like my old self again. Having the good last four rounds I’ve been having, being on the box and now having an overall win, it’s definitely been a buildup. I’m already looking forward to next weekend and ending it strong. I really want third in points—that’s my goal right now—and obviously, I’d still love to win out.”
“I feel like I got a flash of just everything from January, honestly—going through the rehab with my shoulder, the amount of pain I was in, and really questioning if I was still meant for this. Then I started feeling pretty good getting back to it, but got my teeth kicked in at the first four nationals, and my confidence was really low. I stuck with it, got back to figuring out some things that worked good for me in the past and tried to implement some things from that. Seeing how I’ve adapted to all those hard times, and now having consistent podiums and finally getting an overall win, it’s been a long time coming, for sure. It’s a reward for the work we’ve been putting in, and it’s really special. I’m thankful for the group of people around me. I really noticed things started to click on my practice days, when I was doing fast times and feeling like my old self again. Having the good last four rounds I’ve been having, being on the box and now having an overall win, it’s definitely been a buildup. I’m already looking forward to next weekend and ending it strong. I really want third in points—that’s my goal right now—and obviously, I’d still love to win out.”
“I’m really happy that Honda has won the 450 championship. I’m not sure how many times in our sport this has happened, where a manufacturer has two riders that can win the championship, but everyone else has been eliminated; it’s a unique and very cool position to be in. It would be awesome to see Hunter win his first championship, but it would also be awesome to see Jett win his third outdoor championship on a 450—it all comes down to next week. It was also incredible to see Chance win today. It’s been a little bit longer than we expected, because he was so strong last year. I think it was a lot to get over those injuries and get his confidence and speed back, especially with the competition being strong. I’m really excited for him, and to get here is really cool. The whole team has been working hard to improve 250 performance, and it seems to be paying off. Hopefully next weekend we’re able to get another great result and move into third in the championship!”
“I’m really happy that Honda has won the 450 championship. I’m not sure how many times in our sport this has happened, where a manufacturer has two riders that can win the championship, but everyone else has been eliminated; it’s a unique and very cool position to be in. It would be awesome to see Hunter win his first championship, but it would also be awesome to see Jett win his third outdoor championship on a 450—it all comes down to next week. It was also incredible to see Chance win today. It’s been a little bit longer than we expected, because he was so strong last year. I think it was a lot to get over those injuries and get his confidence and speed back, especially with the competition being strong. I’m really excited for him, and to get here is really cool. The whole team has been working hard to improve 250 performance, and it seems to be paying off. Hopefully next weekend we’re able to get another great result and move into third in the championship!”
250MX Overall Results
1. Chance Hymas (Hon)
2. Cole Davies (Yam)
3. Landon Gordon (Yam)
4. Julien Beaumer (KTM)
5. Levi Kitchen (Kaw)
6. Kayden Minear (Yam)
7. Lux Turner (Yam)
8. Caden Dudney (Yam)
9. Daxton Bennick (Hus)
10. Drew Adams (Kaw)
—
23. Gavin Towers (Hon)
27. Alex Larwood (Hon)
32. Aden Keefer (Hon)
38. Brodie Connolly (Hon)
40. Alvin Hillan (Hon)
42. Cade Bradley (Hon)
250MX Championship Points (after 10 of 11 rounds)
1. Cole Davies: 378
2. Levi Kitchen: 364
3. Julien Beaumer: 322
4. Chance Hymas: 317
5. Ryder DiFrancesco: 291
6. Kayden Minear: 269
7. Carson Mumford: 244
8. Jo Shimoda: 194
9. Casey Cochran: 166
10. Michael Mosiman: 162
—
29. Brodie Connolly: 31
35. Gavin Towers: 26
36. Alex Larwood: 19
WMX Overall Results
1. Lachlan Turner (Yam)
2. Charli Cannon (Hon)
3. Mikayla Nielsen (Hon)
4. Taylah McCutcheon (Kaw)
5. Brandy Richards (KTM)
6. Kaylie Kayer (Yam)
7. Lilly-Ann Pettus (Tri)
8. Piper Bell (KTM)
9. Jamie Astudillo (Gas)
10. Tayla Jones (Hon)
—
13. Mayla Herrick (Hon)
25. Hannah Cole (Hon)
30. Gizele Spoor (Hon)
33. Michelle Anaya (Hon)
WMX Championship Points (after 5 of 6 rounds)
1. Lachlan Turner: 232
2. Charli Cannon: 211
3. Taylah McCutcheon: 161
4. Mikayla Nielsen: 158
5. Jordan Jarvis: 158
6. Piper Bell: 133
7. Lilly-Ann Pettus: 124
8. Ava Silvestri: 91
9. Emma Milesevic: 83
10. Mayla Herrick: 80
—
20. Tayla Jones: 42
36. Jenna Jansen: 7
41. Hannah Cole: 1
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