The 2025 Pro Motocross Championships in the United States marked round nine at Ironman Raceway near Indianapolis, also round 26 of the SMX World Championship regular season.
The day’s hot and humid conditions set the stage for dramatic racing in both the 450 and 250 classes.
A wild afternoon of 450 Class competition saw Hunter Lawrence emerge with his maiden victory in the top division. In the 250 Class, Haiden Deegan reasserted his dominance of the division with an emphatic sweep of the motos that moved him another step closer to successfully defending his title.
In the premier 450 class, Colorado’s Eli Tomac grabbed the holeshot at the start, with Hunter Lawrence settling into second. However, early troubles struck defending champion Chase Sexton and points leader and Hunter’s younger brotrher Jett Lawrence.
Jett’s start was compromised after he flinched forward before the gate dropped, hitting the gate and causing it to fall backward – an incident that ultimately slowed his launch and dropped him deep in the field. Sexton also fell just before completing the opening lap but remounted inside the top 10, while Jett was stuck outside the top 20.
Up front, Tomac held a slight lead, but Hunter Lawrence began applying pressure and made the pass about 10 minutes in, soon extending his lead to more than 3.5 seconds.
Behind them, Sexton and Jett Lawrence recovered to fifth and sixth, respectively, while a fierce battle developed involving Justin Cooper, RJ Hampshire, Sexton and Jett. Sexton made passes to move up, including overtaking Tomac for second. Jett Lawrence also fought his way around rivals to grab third with eight minutes remaining.
The closing minutes saw an intense fight for second between Sexton and Jett Lawrence, with several side-by-side battles and slight contact forcing Jett to back off slightly.
Sexton then caught and passed Hunter Lawrence to take the lead just as the moto ended. Sexton won by 4.7 seconds over Hunter, with Jett Lawrence third, Hampshire fourth, and Cooper fifth.
At the conclusion of the moto, race officials determined that Jett Lawrence’s incident involving the start gate was in violation of the rulebook [Section 1.8.9, C.1.*], with a resulting penalty of one lap, which dropped Lawrence to 17th place. That moved Hampshire up to third, Cooper into fourth, and Tomac into fifth.
*1.8.9 Starting Procedures; C. Defined Start Violations and Penalty Options, 1. Jumping or fouling the gate may result in a penalty of one lap or disqualification.
The second moto saw Tomac once again take the Holeshot but quickly lost the lead to Hunter Lawrence’s aggressive charge. Jett Lawrence surged forward, overtaking both Cooper and Tomac before passing Hunter to take control of the race.
A sibling duel briefly ensued, but Jett established himself in front. Sexton fought back from outside the top 10 but crashed after locking his front wheel off a jump, ending his race. Hunter Lawrence also crashed but recovered to reclaim third.
With half the race remaining, Jett Lawrence held an 11-second lead over Tomac, with Hunter Lawrence trailing in third. Late in the moto, Tomac stalled his bike, allowing Hunter to move up to second. Jett Lawrence won the moto by 6.4 seconds over Hunter, with Tomac third.
Hunter Lawrence’s consistent 2-2 finishes earned him his first 450 Class overall victory in his 20th start. Hampshire earned his debut overall podium in second (3-4), and Tomac secured the 78th podium of his career with third (6-3). Jett Lawrence’s penalty dropped him to sixth overall (17-1), while Sexton finished 10th after his DNF (1-40).
Reflecting on his first 450 win, Hunter Lawrence admitted, “I haven’t got the energy to be emotional or happy. It’s hot and I’m finished. I’m just happy to get one [a win]. A lot of second-place finishes, but it’s good to get the monkey off my back.”
RJ Hampshire said, “This just shows I’m a man of my word. I said I’d be on the podium by the end of this [season]. My speed is getting better, my bike is getting better, my health is getting better. I’m just so happy riding this 450 and being able to show what I’m capable of.”
Tomac acknowledged a tough day physically but was glad to finish on the podium. “I’m surprised I’m on the podium. I’ve been having a rough day. Physically, I’m not well at the moment and I’m just glad I was able to hold on there in the end and keep fighting. It was a bit of a rough one for us, but I’ll take the podium.”
The 450 championship standings tightened slightly, with Jett Lawrence now holding a 47-point lead over Hunter Lawrence. If Jett gains three points at the next race, he will secure the title and the Edison Dye Cup for the second time in three years.
© Photo courtesy Honda
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