Image: Octopi Media.

The final race of Jett Lawrence’s 250 career ended with the young Australian out front, bringing the 250SX West champion’s win total to six during the 2023 Monster Energy Supercross season, which Chase Sexton matched with a sixth win of his own as he finalized his first 450SX championship.

Lawrence won his final 250 race by a margin of 4.76s over Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s RJ Hampshire.

Hampshire led early but a charging Lawrence caught and passed the Husqvarna rider, making a bit of contact in the process.

Poor starts for Jett’s brother Hunter Lawrence (Team Honda HRC) as well as Haiden Deegan (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) mired those two contenders down in the running order as Jett grew his lead out front.

Lawrence and Hampshire were joined by Levi Kitchen (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) on the year’s final 250SX podium.

Completing his 2023 Supercross season after joining late due to a preseason injury, Jo Shimoda (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) led Jordon Smith (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) in completing the top five, while Hunter Lawrence could only move forward to sixth before the checkered flag.

A failed pass attempt on Smith for Max Anstie saw both Smith and Lawrence get away, miring the Fire Power Honda rider in seventh and costing him second in the 250SX East points standings.

Deegan, Mitchell Oldenburg (Smartop MotoConcepts Honda), and Carson Mumford (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) completed the top 10, with Enzo Lopes (Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha) just outside this group in 11th after an early tip over.

In his final race as a Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki fill-in rider, Chris Blose came home 12th. Early trouble for Jeremy Martin mired the Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha rider in 19th.

Image: Octopi Media.

The wild turn of events in 450SX over the last few weeks as the 2023 Supercross season marched toward its Salt Lake City finale came to a close at Rice-Eccles Stadium with Sexton winning his sixth race of the year and securing his first premier-class title.

As the third consecutive main event win for the Team Honda HRC rider, Sexton held a comfortable margin of 18.266s over his closest competition when the season’s final checkered flag appeared.

With Ken Roczen (Progressive Insurance Ecstar Suzuki) out midway through the opening lap after dabbing his left leg and growing worrisome of a knee injury, Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM), Adam Cianciarulo (Monster Energy Kawasaki), and Justin Hill (Team Tedder Monster Energy Mountain Motorsports) were next in line to challenge early leader Sexton for the win.

That trio was left to duel for second as Sexton broke away, leading the final 450SX main event of the 2023 Supercross season from start to finish and beating Plessinger to the checkers.

Hill moved past Cianciarulo for the final step of the podium, delivering the first-ever podium result for the Team Tedder organization. Cianciarulo ended his best 450SX season yet with a fourth-place finish inside Rice-Eccles Stadium, while Dean Wilson completed the top five aboard his Fire Power Honda.

Josh Hill (Team Tedder Monster Energy Mountain Motorsports), Shane McElrath (Twisted Tea Suzuki Progressive Insurance), Justin Starling, Devin Simonson (Partzilla PRMX Racing), and Grant Harlan (Rock River Yamaha) rounded out the top 10.

After enjoying a week off, the 450 category will return to competition with the KTM Fox Raceway National on Saturday, May 27. The season-opening round in Pala, California will mark the start of the Pro Motocross season, the continuation of the inaugural SuperMotocross World Championship, and Jett Lawrence’s debut in the top class.

Detailed results