Image: Octopi Media.

Handily setting the pace in their respective classes, Chase Sexton and Hunter Lawrence delivered a Team Honda HRC sweep of all four timed qualifying sessions inside Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium.

Sexton led the first timed 450SX qualifying session over Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo and Jason Anderson.

He again fended off a challenge from a green bike by lapping 0.044s quicker than Anderson to top the second session.

A further 0.156s back from Sexton’s 48.555s, points leader Eli Tomac was third for Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing, while Cianciarulo backed up his first-session speed in session two and landed fourth among the combined best times.

Cooper Webb was the fastest Red Bull KTM qualifier in fifth ahead of Justin Cooper aboard his Star Racing-prepared Yamaha YZ450F.

Ken Roczen (Progressive Insurance Ecstar Suzuki), Christian Craig (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna), Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM), and Benny Bloss produced the remaining lap times quick enough for the day’s combined top 10.

Rick Ware Racing privateer rider Joey Savatgy could not back up his seventh-place speed from the first session due to a crash in Q2 that bent the handlebars of his Kawasaki KX450SR and relegated him to the 22nd position.

Image: Octopi Media.

After settling for fourth in qualifying for the season opener in Houston, Lawrence dominated 250SX East qualifying in Tampa with the fastest times in both timed sessions.

The points-leading Australian found himself on the ground after the practice start in the early moments of Q2 but recovered to turn in a 49.380s time to top the class.

Jordon Smith was a considerable 1.701s back aboard his Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing machine. Houston qualifying leader Max Anstie was third, with Smith’s teammate Nate Thrasher fourth and Honda rookie Chance Hymas claiming fifth.

TLD Red Bull GasGas representative Michael Mosiman was sixth in both timed sessions in Tampa and led Jeremy Martin (Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha), Tom Vialle (Red Bull KTM), Haiden Deegan (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing), and Cullin Park (Phoenix Racing Honda) in completing the top 10 after combining the fastest times from both sessions.

Detailed results