Hard-Fought Second-Place Result for Hunter Lawrence in San Diego

• Australian challenges for the 450SX win and finishes strong 
• Up-and-down day for Chance Hymas, who finishes sixth in 250SX West 

After posting a calculated fourth-place result at last week’s season-opening AMA Supercross, Honda HRC Progressive rider Hunter Lawrence was more aggressive at San Diego’s round 2. The Australian led much of the 450SX main event before taking a close second-place finish, showing that he has the pace to match anyone, particularly in the late stages. Lawrence’s teammate Chance Hymas showed strong form at times during the day, but a close call in the 250SX West main event meant he ultimately had to settle for sixth. 

Lawrence nailed the holeshot in the 450SX main and led the first portion aboard his CRF450RWE. He fended off repeated challenges from Ken Roczen, with Eli Tomac soon joining the battle, and the racing between the top three was aggressive but clean. Roczen and Tomac both got by Lawrence on lap 8, but the Honda rider regrouped and stayed in contact. As the race entered its final quarter, Lawrence mounted one of his signature late surges, passing Roczen before the whoops with six laps remaining. He then reeled in the leading Tomac and attempted a last-lap pass before finishing just 1.6 seconds behind. Also impressive was Quad Lock Honda’s Joey Savatgy, who finished a solid fifth. 

Hymas was third across the holeshot line in the 250SX West main event before running fourth early on and challenging Cameron McAdoo for much of the race. Both riders picked up a position when Max Anstie went down, but Hymas made a mistake over a jump; while an amazing save kept him on two wheels, the Idaho native lost three positions and held on to cross the finish line in sixth place. 

NOTES 

• Hunter Lawrence and Chance Hymas were featured in Friday’s media day, and afterward the Honda HRC Progressive teammates both participated in a riding session on the track. 

• San Diego dealership Fun Bike Center staffed a pop-up activation booth in the Honda HRC Progressive pits, where they displayed a CRF450R and engaged with fans and customers. 

• For the second week in a row, Jett Lawrence and Jo Shimoda—both recovering from injuries—were on hand at the event, signing autographs and supporting their Honda HRC Progressive teammates. 

• Justin Brayton’s No. 10 CRF450WE was displayed under the Honda HRC Progressive tent this weekend after the 2018 Daytona Supercross winner hit the track Friday for a preview with Adam Cianciarulo, which aired Saturday on Race Day Live during a full track breakdown. 

• Chance and Hunter each qualified fourth in their respective combined qualifying sessions. Other Red Riders in the 250SX class included SLR Honda’s Justin Rodbell in 17th and Western Honda’s Hunter Schlosser in 23rd. SLR’s Matti Jorgensen finished 26th, Ty Freehill Racing’s Ty Freehill placed 40th, Lasting Impressions’ Ronnie Orres ended the session in 42nd and Next Level’s Colby Copp qualified 35th. In the 450SX class, additional Red Riders included Quad Lock Honda Racing trio Shane McElrath (12th), Joey Savatgy (14th) and Christian Craig (17th), along with McGinley Clinic’s Zack Williams, who qualified 31st. 

• Hymas nearly grabbed the holeshot in his heat race, but he lost a couple positions in the first rhythm section, putting him in fifth. After fending off some attacks and making passes, he finished in third, giving him a decent gate pick for the main event. 

• After starting his heat race in fourth, Lawrence lost a position to fellow Red Rider Joey Savatgy, while yet another Red Rider, Shane McElrath, sat behind him in sixth. The positions remained that way until the checkered flag. 

• Hunter helped the family of Honda HRC Progressive 450 crew chief Grant Hutcheson with a special gender reveal during the San Diego race day. As the seconds counted down before the starting gate dropped for Hunter’s heat race, the broadcasting team zoomed in on his Alpinestars goggles, with the strap’s pink color revealing that Hutcheson will soon have a new niece. 

• Formula One driver Liam Lawson—a racer for the Racing Bulls team—was in attendance at San Diego and took time to meet with fellow Red Bull athletes Hunter Lawrence and Chance Hymas. 

• Hunter participated in the post-race media scrum organized by Feld.  

• Hunter remains third in the 450SX standings, just two points behind second-place Ken Roczen. Chance sits third in the 250SX West points, four behind second-place Max Anstie. 

• Next up for Honda HRC Progressive is AMA Supercross round 3 this Saturday, back at Angel Stadium in Anaheim.  

Media contact: 

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

450SX Results 

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

 — 

15. Christian Craig (Hon)
16. Shane McElrath (Hon)

450SX Championship Points (after 2 of 17 rounds) 

1. Eli Tomac: 50 
2. Ken Roczen: 42 
3. Hunter Lawrence: 40 
4. Chase Sexton: 32 
5. Justin Cooper: 32 
6. Cooper Webb: 29 
7. Jason Anderson: 28 
8. Aaron Plessinger: 27 
9. Jorge Prado: 26 
10. Joey Savatgy: 26 

— 

12. Christian Craig: 18
13. Shane McElrath: 9

250SX West Region Results 

1. Haiden Deegan (Yam) 
2. Cameron McAdoo (Kaw) 
3. Michael Mosiman (Yam) 
4. Levi Kitchen (Kaw) 
5. Max Anstie (Yam) 
6. Chance Hymas (Hon) 
7. Ryder DiFrancesco (Hus) 
8. Maximus Vohland (Yam) 
9. Dilan Schwartz (Yam) 
10. Anthony Bourdon (Kaw) 

 — 

15. Hunter Schlosser (Hon)
16. Ty Freehill (Hon)

250SX West Region Championship Points (after 2 of 8 rounds) 

1. Haiden Deegan: 43 
2. Max Anstie: 42 
3. Chance Hymas: 38 
4. Michael Mosiman: 37 
5. Ryder DiFrancesco: 35 
6. Levi Kitchen: 34 
7. Maximus Vohland: 29 
8. Dilan Schwartz: 25 
9. Avery Long: 23 
10. Cameron McAdoo: 22 

 — 

18. Hunter Schlosser: 7
19. Matti Jorgensen: 4
20. Justin Rodbell: 3
21. Ty Freehill: 2

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