Hunter Lawrence minimizes damage on a difficult night in Seattle, retains points leads

• Australian finishes a respectable fourth despite poor start and a crash
• Series heads to Arlington, where Jo Shimoda will campaign the first 250SX East round

While round 6 of AMA Supercross in Seattle didn’t go the way Hunter Lawrence had planned, the Honda HRC Progressive rider mitigated the impact from what could have been a more detrimental day, as he ultimately finished in fourth place—good enough for him to hold a one-point lead in the title chase as the series travels to Arlington, Texas.

The 450SX main event saw Lawrence spin his rear tire off the start and exit turn 1 in an uncharacteristic seventh place. He quickly made a pass before making a mistake on the tricky track and losing a spot on lap 3. Ten laps in, the Australian found his rhythm and mounted a charge. He sat in fifth at the race’s midway point and moved up to fourth with eight laps remaining. From there, Lawrence quickly closed the gap to Ken Roczen and made an aggressive move for a podium position in the sand section, an area of the track where he had made some great passes in the previous laps. Unfortunately, the lines came together and he made contact with Roczen, sending both riders to the ground. Lawrence remounted, with only Justin Cooper getting by. With limited time remaining, Lawrence had to settle for fourth. Quad Lock Honda’s Joey Savatgy finished a respectable eighth.

NOTES

• The Seattle race took place less than three days after the Seattle Seahawks held a Super Bowl victory celebration party and parade at Lumen Field. As a result, the supercross track-building schedule was delayed, and the riding portion of Friday’s media activities was canceled. Honda HRC Progressive team manager Lars Lindstrom participated in a media scrum organized by Feld.
• South Bound Honda activated a pop-up booth in Honda HRC Progressive’s pits, featuring a Chance Hymas No. 29 replica CRF110F equipped with team-sponsor parts, and a CRF450R wearing red-on-red SKDA graphics. Both bikes were appropriate for the weekend, as Chance Hymas was attending the race and Hunter Lawrence was wearing the red plate. Dealership staff used the opportunity to connect directly with fans and customers.
• Idaho native Hymas took advantage of the series’ visit to the Pacific Southwest to support his team and spend time with fans. He joined Lawrence for the autograph session and made an appearance on Race Day Live, and he was also interviewed for the main broadcast after the heat races.
• Lawrence placed fifth in 450SX combined qualifying. Quad Lock Honda riders Joey Savatgy, Christian Craig, and Shane McElrath qualified 13^th, 14^th and 15^th, respectively. The other premier-class Red Rider for this weekend was McGinley Clinic’s Zack Williams, who qualified 27^th.
• In 250SX combined qualifying, participating Red Riders included SLR Honda racers Justin Rodbell and Matti Jorgensen, who qualified 22^nd and 32^nd, respectively; Next Level riders Hunter Schlosser and Colby Copp in 19^th and 23^rd; and Lasting Impressions’ Ronnie Orres in 31^st.
• Rodbell and Schlosser both advanced directly to the 250SX main through their respective heat races, each finishing eighth. Jorgensen advanced through the LCQ, finishing fourth. In the 250SX West main event, Jorgensen and Schlosser were 16^th and 18^th, while Rodbell didn’t finish and was credited with 22^nd. 
• Quad Lock Honda rider Christian Craig got tangled up with Jason Anderson in the first 450SX heat race and unfortunately sustained multiple fractured fingers. Craig said on his Instagram account that he will rest during the week and attempt to return this coming weekend in Arlington.
• The second 450SX heat race saw Lawrence battle Cooper Webb for the lead before Webb tipped over, leaving Lawrence out front. The win marked Hunter’s first heat-race victory of the season and the second of his career. Quad Lock Honda’s Joey Savatgy finished fourth, with teammate Shane McElrath eighth.
• Lawrence remains the 450SX championship leader, holding a one-point advantage over Eli Tomac. The Australian will carry the red plate into the next round. 
• Up next for Honda HRC Progressive is AMA Supercross round 7 this Saturday in Arlington, Texas, which is a military-appreciation race. The event marks the first round of the 250SX East Region series, and Jo Shimoda is planning to compete. The Japanese racer suffered a neck injury during the off-season but has made a relatively speedy recovery from surgery. Everyone at Honda is happy to welcome the 2025 SMX 250 Champion back to racing.

Media contact:

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

450SX Results

1. Eli Tomac (KTM)
2. Cooper Webb (Yam)
3. Justin Cooper (Yam)
4. Hunter Lawrence (Hon)
5. Chase Sexton (Kaw)
6. Malcom Stewart (Hus)
7. Aaron Plessinger (KTM)
8. Joey Savatgy (Hon)
9. Dylan Ferrandis (Duc)
10. Ken Roczen (Suz)

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14. Shane McElrath (Hon)

450SX Championship Points (after 6 of 17 rounds)

1. Hunter Lawrence: 124
2. Eli Tomac: 123
3. Ken Roczen: 113
4. Cooper Webb: 113
5. Chase Sexton: 106
6. Justin Cooper: 95
7. Jason Anderson: 83
8. Joey Savatgy: 80
9. Dylan Ferrandis: 75
10. Jorge Prado: 73

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14. Christian Craig: 45
17. Shane McElrath: 32
30. Ryan Breece: 1

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