During today’s AMA Pro Motocross series finale at Ironman Raceway, Hunter Lawrence wrapped up his maiden National Championship with a careful 5-9 moto performance in the 250 class aboard the factory CRF250R. Lawrence had entered the weekend with a 22-point advantage and was able to race conservatively to earn the Gary Jones Motocross Cup with a fifth-overall result.
Words | Press release
Amazingly, this was Team Honda HRC’s fifth professional AMA crown of the year, continuing an unprecedented season for the squad, which has swept every AMA Supercross and AMA Pro Motocross title available. Also today, Hunter’s brother and teammate Jett Lawrence—who had clinched the 450 championship two weeks ago—completed a perfect season in AMA Pro Motocross, as he notched his 11th 1-1 moto sweep in 11 races. This is only the fourth time that a rider has posted a perfect record in the series, and the first time it has been achieved by a rookie.
Hunter joins other Red Riders to have earned the AMA Pro Motocross laurels in the “small bike” class (which is currently campaigned with 250cc four-stroke machinery but used to be for 125cc two-stroke motorcycles); past Honda champs include Marty Smith, Johnny O’Mara, Ron Lechien, Micky Dymond, George Holland, Mike Kiedrowski, Doug Henry, Steve Lamson, Trey Canard and Jett Lawrence. It was Honda’s third consecutive crown in the class, boosting the brand’s total in the category to 17—two more than the next manufacturer on the list.
The Lawrence brothers’ 2023 AMA Pro Motocross Championship sweep marks the fifth time that Honda riders have accomplished that feat, although it had never been achieved by a pair of siblings. This follows a 2023 AMA Supercross series during which Hunter and Jett took the 250SX East and West Region crowns, respectively, while teammate Chase Sexton (second overall in the 450 class today in Indiana) collected the 450SX championship. It all comes during a year when Honda marks the 50th anniversary of its first production motocross bike, the CR250M Elsinore, aboard which Gary Jones rode to Honda’s first AMA Motocross 250 Championship, in 1973.
