Australian Hunter Lawrence took his Honda to dominate round 10 of the AMA Supercross Champs at Birmingham for his second-consecutive win at the weekend.
The Birmingham AMA Supercross saw Lawrence continue the upward trend he has shown all year.
One month after taking the first premier-class supercross win of his career, he grabbed his third victory and his second in a row, extending his title-fight lead to nine points.
In the 450SX class main event, Lawrence executed his strategy to perfection, launching inside the top three, quickly moving into the lead in the opening corners, and controlling the race from the front.
Demonstrating improved early-race intensity, Lawrence established a comfortable gap and maintained composure, eventually securing the win by 2.4 seconds over German Suzuki rider Ken Roczen.
Lawrence’s team-mate, Japanese rider Jo Shimoda, sat eighth after turn one in the 250SX East-West Showdown, but he quickly advanced into podium contention.
He took over third at the halfway point, passed Levi Kitchen for second soon after, and began closing in on the leading New Zealand rider Cole Davies.
Shimoda briefly took the lead, but a small mistake opened the door for both Davies and Haiden Deegan to get by.
A last-lap, three-way battle saw Shimoda make an attempt to take over second, only to lose traction on the slippery track and allow Seth Hammaker by.
The Japanese rider was fourth at the finish line, but he remains in contention for the East Region crown, just nine points off the lead.
“The track layout was rather simple, but the conditions made it tricky, and we did a lot of laps. Kenny [Roczen] had a really good pace; when he got around Eli [Tomac], he put in some good laps, and I’m like, ‘Alright, this is his really good sprint speed, so I need to kind of push at the beginning.’
“I was trying to push as much as I could. That’s one of the things I find the coolest: a high-pressure moment or high-stakes scenario, and you’re able to deliver. You’ve got to be consistent, precise and just push the whole main.
“I don’t really want to think about the title, because it’s still seven races away and so much racing left to be had. I’m just trying not to be an idiot, and focusing on the week-in and week-out.”
Next up, the riders head to round 11 of AMA Supercross this Saturday in Detroit.
Photo courtesy Honda
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RESULTS & STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 10:
450SX Results
- Hunter Lawrence (Hon)
- Ken Roczen (Suz)
- Eli Tomac (KTM)
- Justin Cooper (Yam)
- Malcolm Stewart (Hus)
- Cooper Webb (Yam)
- Jorge Prado (KTM)
- Colt Nichols (Suz)
- Jordon Smith (Tri)
- Garrett Marchbanks (Kaw)
450SX Championship Points (after 10 of 17 rounds):
- Hunter Lawrence: 221
- Eli Tomac: 212
- Ken Roczen: 190
- Cooper Webb: 187
- Justin Cooper: 158
- Joey Savatgy: 125
- Chase Sexton: 122
- Malcom Stewart: 107
- Jorge Prado: 104
- Aaron Plessinger: 99
250SX East/West Showdown Results:
- Cole Davies (Yam)
- Haiden Deegan (Yam)
- Seth Hammaker (Kaw)
- Jo Shimoda (Hon)
- Levi Kitchen (Kaw)
- Daxton Bennick (Hus)
- Max Anstie (Yam)
- Max Vohland (Yam)
- Coty Schock (Yam)
- Nate Trasher (Yam)
250SX East Championship Points (after 4 of 10 rounds):
- Cole Davies: 89
- Seth Hammaker: 83
- Jo Shimoda: 80
- Daxton Bennick: 71
- Pierce Brown: 63
- Coty Schock: 59
- Devin Simonson: 54
- Nate Trasher: 50
- Cullin Park: 40
- Caden Dudney: 34