Spring Creek MX National Runs Red

450MX Moto 1

AMA MX 2026

Round 7

Monday, 20th July 2026

Spring Creek MX National Runs Red

Spring Creek MX Park

・With his fourth overall-victory of the year, Hunter takes back points lead

・Third overall in premier class for Jett Lawrence

・Chance Hymas takes first 250 moto win of the season, earns second overall

The AMA Pro Motocross Championship traveled to the Land of 10,000 Lakes for round 7 at Spring Creek Motocross Park, where Honda HRC Progressive topped three of the four motos. Hunter Lawrence delivered a perfect 1-1 performance in the premier class, earning his fourth overall victory of the season and reclaiming the championship lead, while Chance Hymas earned his first 250 moto win of the year and took second overall. Meanwhile, Jett Lawrence once again showed incredible speed in the 450 class but suffered a moto-2 crash that limited him to third overall.

Hunter grabbed the moto-1 holeshot aboard his CRF450RWE and quickly opened a four-second advantage over his brother in the opening laps. With both of their main competitors having been caught up in a first-turn incident, the Lawrences were able to pull away from the field. Hunter earned the wire-to-wire victory with a comfortable margin over Jett, while third place finished another 29 seconds behind.

The second moto started with Hunter once again at the front, before Jett applied pressure and the brothers engaged in an exciting battle for the lead. They quickly separated themselves from the rest of the pack, and Jett eventually found an opening to make the pass before the halfway point. Unfortunately, the defending champ later crashed while leading and, with his handlebar lodged in his boot, he lost valuable time. After remounting in fifth, Jett maintained his position to secure third overall. Unaware that his brother had gone down, Hunter crossed the finish line to earn his eighth moto win of the season, as well as the overall victory.

In the first 250 moto, Hymas exited turn 1 in 15^th position after narrowly avoiding two big crashes, but immediately began working his way forward, moving into seventh by the halfway mark. The Idaho native was in a group of riders battling over fifth, but he ultimately crossed the finish line in ninth, a result that did not reflect the strength of his performance. Hymas improved his start in moto 2, quickly positioning himself inside the top five before taking advantage of mistakes from riders ahead. He eventually moved by Julien Beaumer for second, then took over the lead from Kayden Minear. Hymas maintained his pace throughout the second half of the race and crossed the finish with an 11-second margin. Given the depth of competition in the class, Hymas’ 9-1 scorecard earned him a hard-fought second-overall result and his first podium of the year.

NOTES

・Following the previous week’s crash and shoulder injury, Jo Shimoda visited his doctor in Florida for further scans, confirming that his clavicle had been fractured beneath the plate from a previous injury. Surgery is not required (or possible, due to the plate), and the Japanese racer is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks, with a hopeful return for the SMX Championship.

・Moon Motorsports, a Honda dealership located north of Minneapolis, staffed a pop-up booth in the Honda HRC Progressive pits at Spring Creek, engaging with fans while showcasing a 2026 CRF450RX and CRF50F.

・Between qualifying sessions, Honda HRC Progressive hosted a fan autograph session featuring all three active riders.

・AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductee Johnny O’Mara, who works as Hunter and Jett Lawrence’s trainer, served as Grand Marshal for the Spring Creek National.

・In 450 combined qualifying, Honda HRC Progressive racers Hunter and Jett Lawrence qualified first and third, respectively. SLR Honda riders Justin Rodbell and Matti Jorgensen were 21^st and 31^st, while Phoenix Racing Honda’s Angus Riordan was 24^th. Valley Motorsports’ Jeremy Hand was 26^th, Short Racing’s John Short was 30^th, 110 Racing’s Brett Heidorn was 39^th and McGinley Clinic’s Zack Williams was 40^th. Lasting Impressions’ Ronnie Orres qualified 41^st, Bloxom Racing’s Ashton Bloxom 42^nd, Storm Lake Honda’s Deegan Hepp 52^nd, Feine Tune Racing’s Gavin Tilford 53^rd, Trinity Motorsports’ Mitchell Prescott 55^th, Sun Powersports’ Raice Hernandez 56^th, Prier Racing’s Travis Prier 58^th, Honda of the Ozarks’ Brett Grennley 63^rd and Ryan Diezic 65^th.

・Honda HRC Progressive rider Chance Hymas finished 10^th in 250 combined qualifying. Phoenix Racing Honda’s Gavin Towers and Aden Keefer were 24^th and 28^th, Sun Powersports’ John Douglas was in 55^th and McGinley Clinic’s Kyle Czworkowski was 58^th.

・Hunter recorded the fastest lap time in 450 moto 1, while Jett did likewise in the second moto.

・In addition to Spring Creek marking the fourth overall victory of Hunter’s season, it was the fifth of his premier-class career. It also moved Honda into sole ownership of Spring Creek’s premier-class overall-win record, with 10—one more than the two manufacturers who are tied for second. Other Red Riders to have won the premier class at the venue include Bob Hannah (twice), Ron Lechien, Ricky Carmichael (three times), Eli Tomac and Jett Lawrence (twice). Hunter also topped the Spring Creek 250 race in 2023.

・Hunter currently holds the top seed for the SMX Playoffs, with four rounds remaining in the AMA Pro Motocross season.

・The AMA Pro Motocross Championship continues this Saturday in Washougal, Washington, with Hunter carrying the 450 red plate and a 10-point lead over Jett—the biggest advantage either of them has enjoyed so far this year.

Media contact:

Zoe Vargas // Jonnum Media // zoe@jonnummedia.com // 619-971-6440

Hunter Lawrence ⁹⁶

Honda HRC Progressive

“It was a good day. The first moto, I was happy with my riding. The second moto was interesting—we got off to a good start, but Jett had a really good flow and pace. I was trying to catch on and do the same lines, but I just wasn’t able to make it click like I did in the first one; sometimes it just comes a little easier than others. I actually didn’t know that Jett crashed; he was up there inching away, and all of a sudden I couldn’t see him. I didn’t have a great lap, and I was like, ‘He’s on another level this moto!’ I think it just comes down to small things making a big difference—the first moto went my way, and the second moto went his way before his crash. We’re at a very similar level, and that level is so high, so it’s just kind of, ‘Which brother is it going to be this weekend?’ We just focus on what we think we need, preparation-wise, to be as ready as possible for the weekend. We don’t work against each other during the week, trying to get an edge, because you don’t get to work on your craft as much in that kind of atmosphere.”

Jett Lawrence ¹

Honda HRC Progressive

“It was a rough day in the office. The first moto, I was feeling good but I just didn’t quite have it for HJ [Hunter]; I picked the smarter route and said, ‘You know what, you can have this one.’ I made some changes for the second moto, and I felt like Superman; I had good lines, and I was able to get around Hunter. I just made a small mistake in that soft section—put a little bit too much weight on the front, and it was enough to put me down. It looked like I got hit by a shotgun because the bike got the back of my knee and it collapsed me. I got very lucky, and I’m just thankful to be okay after a rough weekend. I think I just need to get back closer to my normal schedule during the week. Being familiar with your bike and being comfortable with it is a big thing, and I think that’s why I crashed a lot today. I know what I need to do to be the Jett Lawrence everyone knows, but physically I’m not able to do that right now because of my ankle. I’m just trying to do the best I can and keep building.”

Chance Hymas ²⁹

Honda HRC Progressive

“It’s definitely been a long time coming; it’s been a pretty frustrating start to the summer for me, but it’s all about being here every weekend. My results have been one spot better each weekend, and that’s just how my mindset’s been. Winning this moto doesn’t change any of that—I’m still in that rebuilding process. I was finally out front for the first time all year, and I’m like, ‘Alright, I’m winning this moto.’ It’s awesome to confirm I can still do it, I can still be that guy, and it’s nice to have that light at the end of the tunnel now. The team has honestly put no pressure on me, coming back from my injury. We’re making gains, we’re seeing the progress, and we’re seeing the old Chance come back.”

Lars Lindstrom ^{Team Manager}

Honda HRC Progressive

“For Chance, I think the biggest thing was getting a good start in the second moto and catching the tow of the leaders. He found some really good lines and was able to get a nice flow, which is something he and Trey Canard had discussed. Then, once he got clear track, he could do his own thing. It was a big difference for him, even after the race—he wasn’t even that tired, so that kind of shows you how the mental state plays a role in racing. I’m really happy for him. It’s not fun seeing someone that you know can race for wins not performing at their best; it makes it really hard to know how to solve the problem. The Lawrence brothers are at such a high level, and it’s incredible to watch. Hunter was amazing in the first moto, and then for the second moto, Jett looked like the Jett of old, putting his bike wherever he wanted to and just absolutely ripping. I was smiling from ear to ear watching them battle, because how lucky am I? Both my guys are running away in front of the pack. They do a really good job of treating the whole thing like brothers and family first. The most heated they’ll be is under the tent right after the race, but after that it’s just fun jabs and jokes. They both want to win, but they’re not going to do anything to jeopardize each other’s race.”

250MX Overall Results

1. Julien Beaumer (KTM)

2. Chance Hymas (Hon)

3. Levi Kitchen (Kaw)

4. Kayden Minear (Yam)

5. Carson Mumford (KTM)

6. Drew Adams (Kaw)

7. Daxton Bennick (Hus)

8. Ryder DiFrancesco (Hus)

9. Dilan Schwartz (Yam)

10. Lux Turner (Yam)

—
21. Gavin Towers (Hon)
29. Aden Keefer (Hon)