News 15 Jul 2023

Lawrence stays undefeated despite Sexton challenge at Millville

Another 1-1 result sees talented teenager continue to extend 450MX points lead.

Image: Octopi Media.

Despite a concerted challenge from his team-mate Chase Sexton, Team Honda HRC’s series leader Jett Lawrence continued to dominate the 450MX field, finishing the seventh round of the Pro Motocross Championship at Spring Creek with another 1-1 result.

Lawrence has now won 14 motos in a row, and stood atop the round podium flanked by Sexton and Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha’s Dylan Ferrandis.

Lawrence survived a serious challenge from Sexton to win the opening 450MX moto.

Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo scored the holeshot, closely followed by Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM) and Lawrence, but the series leader wasted no time moving into the lead.

A fall on the opening lap saw Sexton drop from third to seventh, but remounted and angrily worked his way back up and closed down the five-second lead that Lawrence had stretched out.

The 2023 450Sx Supercross Champion mounted a challenge for the lead, but got held up by a lapped rider with five minutes remaining and lost valuable time. Sexton then he slid out again on the final lap, allowing Lawrence to cruise to an 11.9-second lead and keep his perfect season intact.

Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson put in a great moto to finish third ahead of a Plessinger, while Ferrandis – who also spun out on the last lap – finished fifth.

Garrett Marchbanks (Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha), Cianciarulo, Ty Masterpool (Kawasaki), Grant Harlan (Manluk Rock River Racing Yamaha) and Fredrik Noren (Twisted Tea HEP Suzuki) completed the top 10.

Lawrence coasted to an easy win in the second moto and kept his perfect season win streak intact for at least another week.

Sexton led a Team Honda HRC 1-2 off the start and scored the holeshot from Lawrence, but a mistake in the third corner handed the lead to the young Australian.

Sexton managed to claw his way back onto Lawrence’s rear wheel, but then lost the front end and went down again, allowing Lawrence to coast to another easy 17-second win and remain undefeated in 2023.

Ferrandis finished the moto in third after a lengthy battle with Plessinger, while Cianciarulo completed the top five positions.

Masterpool, Harlan, Marchbanks, Noren and Jose Butron (Wildcat Race Team) filled positions fifth through 10th.

In the championship standings, Lawrence now sits on 350 points with Ferrandis 81 points behind in second, and Plessinger 104 markers back in third.

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