Image: Octopi Media.

A spirited opening lap at Daytona International Speedway for Team Honda HRC’s points-leading 250SX East rider Hunter Lawrence culminated in his third victory of the 2023 Monster Energy Supercross season and the eighth of his career, moments before Eli Tomac earned his 49th career victory and seventh at the famed venue.

Along with Max Anstie (Fire Power Honda), Nate Thrasher (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing), and Tom Vialle (Red Bull KTM), Lawrence found himself at the front as the field funneled through the first turn and rhythm section.

Keen to take control, Lawrence was in second during the race’s first half lap and contacted Thrasher’s front wheel in the sand section, putting his title rival on the ground.

From there, the points leader grew a significant lead, ultimately capturing the victory over Anstie by a margin of 9.127s.

Facing reduced competition for the position after a massive get-off for French rookie Vialle, Anstie claimed second. More than 15s further back, Haiden Deegan beat his Star Yamaha teammate Smith to the final podium position, capturing the first top-three result of his young career.

After tangling with Deegan into a corner aboard his Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha around the race’s midway point, Jeremy Martin came home fifth. Chance Hymas (Team Honda HRC), Blose (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki), Coty Shock (Phoenix Racing Honda), and Cullin Park (Phoenix Racing Honda) earned positions six through nine, while Thrasher recovered from his altercation with Lawrence and a heavier crash later to round out the top 10.

On the strength of his latest victory, Lawrence heads next to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis with a 14-point lead over Anstie. Deegan holds third in the points standings, 25 back from Lawrence.

Image: Octopi Media.

The trio battling for the 450SX championship — Tomac, Cooper Webb, and Chase Sexton — assumed positions at the head of the field after the gate drop for the premier class at the 53rd Daytona Supercross.

Webb led the opening laps as a light rain fell and owned the points lead as they ran on track, surprisingly sticking to blitzing the whoops aboard his Red Bull KTM while Tomac (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) took an inside line in the preceding corner and jumped through the section.

Tomac soon sped past Webb entering the high-speed finish line section as Team Honda HRC’s Sexton maintained an effort to join this lead battle but instead fell into the clutches of TLD Red Bull GasGas rider Justin Barcia.

Sexton and Barcia made contact on successive laps, with Barcia ending up off the track the first time and on the ground the second.

Webb rode hard to keep Tomac within range but couldn’t come close enough to mount a challenge for the lead and ultimately settled for second, 1.791s back at the checkered flag.

Despite their issues, Sexton and Barcia maintained third and fourth in the running order, 6s up the track from Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Jason Anderson at the race’s conclusion.

After Anderson, Justin Cooper (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) and Ken Roczen (Progressive Insurance Ecstar Suzuki) were next in sixth and seventh, with RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) taking the checkered flag 2.295s in arrears of Roczen in his first 450SX main event. Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM) and Christian Craig (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) completed the top 10.

Now a five-time winner in 2023, Tomac carries a five-point lead over Webb into the season’s ninth round in Indianapolis. Sexton maintains third in the points, 10 markers back from Tomac.

Detailed results