Image: Octopi Media.

A dominant second moto performance put Jett Lawrence back on the top step of the overall podium in 250MX for the first time since the season-opening round of Pro Motocross at Fox Raceway.

As the day got underway, momentum appeared to be in 250MX red-plate holder Justin Cooper’s favor, setting the fastest lap in qualifying with Lawrence nearly five seconds off the pace in eighth.

When the gate dropped on moto one, Cooper launched to the lead with a commanding holeshot as Lawrence filed in behind in second. For the opening half of the moto, the duo set a rapid pace and gapped the field, with Lawrence hounding Cooper for the lead.

As the laps wore on, however, Cooper reeled off a series of fast laps, eventually stretching out a five-second lead over Lawrence, and went on to take a wire-to-wire win, with Lawrence and Alex Martin (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) rounding out the podium.

With another flawless start in moto two, Cooper found the front and was flanked by his teammate Martin, with Lawrence making quick work of RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) to take over third.

Martin wasted no time attacking his teammate for the lead, taking the top spot from Cooper for the first time all day just a few laps into the race and leaving him in the clutches of a charging Lawrence.

Lawrence pulled the trigger on an impressive pass around the outside of Cooper almost immediately, the two swapping positions before Lawrence was eventually able to find a way by and set out after Martin at the front.

The lead duo stretched out a sizeable lead over Cooper, and Lawrence then went to work on Martin, eventually making the same outside maneuver near the halfway point.

Lawrence went on to gap the field and maintain the lead to take home the moto win and the overall victory on the day via 2-1 moto scores. Cooper eventually succumbed to pressure from Hampshire, with his 1-4 moto scores giving him second place overall.

Third place on the day went to Martin who’s 3-2 finishes at what was the roughest track of the season so far prove that his early-season injuries aren’t hindering him much as the season wears on.

Hampshire continued his consistent run inside the top five taking home fourth on the day with 4-3 scores, edging out the 6-5 finishes of impressive rookie Max Vohland (Red Bull KTM) who rounded out the top five.

Hunter Lawrence had a quiet day at the office for round eight, the Team Honda HRC man scoring 5-11 in the motos after a mishap in moto two dropped him down the order.

Seventh on the day went to Jalek Swoll aboard his Rockstar Energy Husqvarna. Swoll who won an overall earlier in the season grabbed 8-9 finishes and overcame a mid-pack start in the second moto to put himself inside the top 10.

Fresh off of winning the final two amateur championships of his career, Levi Kitchen (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) took the first overall top 10 of his career with an eighth place. In just his second race in the pro ranks, Kitchen took home 12-7 scores and ran inside the top five late in the second moto.

His teammate Jarrett Frye had his best outing of the season as well, finishing just one place behind his rookie teammate in both motos, with 13-8 moto scores giving him ninth overall.

AEO Powersports GasGas rider Ty Masterpool put together a solid day for his second top 10 overall of the season. The rider out of Texas notched 11-14 finishes to round out the top 10.

The points chase heading into the final four rounds has tightened up to just four points between Cooper and Jett Lawrence as the series heads to Budds Creek next Saturday.

Detailed results