Jett Lawrence Secures First Victory Of The Season At Anaheim 2 Supercross Event

Published: Wednesday, January 29, 2025, 0:50 [IST]

Jett Lawrence secured his first 450SX main-event victory of the season at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. This win reduced the points gap to five in the AMA Supercross championship. Hunter Lawrence achieved a commendable fifth place, while Jo Shimoda showed determination by finishing sixth despite having broken fingers.

Both Jett and Hunter Lawrence had excellent starts in the 450SX main event, initially taking second and third positions. Although they lost some ground early on, Jett regained control of second place by the race's one-third mark. He then overtook Jason Anderson with a strategic move through the whoops and maintained a lead to win by two-and-a-half seconds.

Hunter Lawrence managed to secure fifth place despite facing tough competition. Meanwhile, Jo Shimoda demonstrated resilience in the rain-affected 250SX main event. Starting eighth, he dropped a few positions but made clean passes to finish sixth, earning crucial points for his championship campaign.

The Lawrence brothers spent time testing in California before returning home to Florida prior to Anaheim 2. Rain limited their riding time significantly. Hunter Lawrence had been unwell but improved with sauna sessions and red-light therapy. Jo Shimoda focused on recovery after breaking two fingers at San Diego Supercross, undergoing PEMF therapy to reduce inflammation.

Shimoda's mechanic installed a Cycra handguard on his bike for added protection. Despite these challenges, Shimoda is expected to avoid riding before round 4 as part of his recovery plan.

Qualifying and Media Engagements

During Friday's Media Day, Jett and Hunter Lawrence familiarised themselves with an abbreviated track version alongside other riders. Jett was fastest overall in 450 qualifying sessions, while Hunter placed eighth. Jo Shimoda ranked tenth in 250SX West qualifying.

The event also featured interactions with fans at Honda HRC Progressive pits, where Huntington Beach Honda displayed motorcycles and engaged with attendees.

Race Highlights and Results

In the first 250SX heat race, Shimoda started strong but finished fourth, securing a spot in the main event. Parker Ross from SLR Honda also advanced through heats. In the first 450SX heat race, Hunter Lawrence finished third after starting fourth. Jett settled into second during his heat race and maintained that position.

Phoenix Racing Honda's Dylan Ferrandis qualified through his heat race along with Quadlock Honda Racing's Shane McElrath and Joey Savatgy.

Post-Race Reflections

"It was a good race," said Jett Lawrence about his victory. "I got my first win of the season...the main goal is obviously trying to get that points lead down." Hunter Lawrence expressed satisfaction with his performance: "Anaheim is probably one of my worst venues...I'm happy I got a good start."

Lars Lindstrom, Team Manager, shared his thoughts: "I'm really happy with tonight's results for all our riders...we're only one point worse than we were after round 3 last year."

Upcoming Challenges

The next challenge for Honda HRC Progressive is AMA Supercross round 4 in Glendale, Arizona—marking this season's first Triple Crown event. The team's trucks will remain on the road for upcoming rounds after spending Sunday in Anaheim for bike maintenance before heading directly to Glendale.