Image: Octopi Media.

Team Honda HRC riders Chase Sexton and Jett Lawrence overcame their competition and set the pace in their respective classes during qualifying for the 2023 Monster Energy Supercross round inside Glendale’s State Farm Stadium.

Not content with placing second to Eli Tomac (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) as he did in the first timed qualifying session, Sexton turned in a 56.248s lap in Q2, putting 0.732s between himself and Adam Cianciarulo (Monster Energy Kawasaki) in that session.

Tomac’s time from the first session was quick enough for second on the combined timesheet, ahead of Cianciarulo, Ken Roczen (Progressive Insurance Ecstar Suzuki), and Jason Anderson (Monster Energy Kawasaki) in the combined top five.

Extending his season-long speed to the season’s 12th round in Arizona, Justin Barcia put his TLD Red Bull GasGas machine sixth in the premier class, 0.829s off Sexton’s pace but 0.367s quicker than the returning Colt Nichols (Team Honda HRC) in sixth.

Championship contender Cooper Webb (Red Bull KTM) was only quick enough for eighth once the times were combined. He led Dean Wilson (Fire Power Honda) and his KTM stablemate Aaron Plessinger in rounding out the top 10.

Image: Octopi Media.

In the 250SX West division, Lawrence set the pace in both timed sessions, maintaining his control of the class.

The Team Honda HRC rider executed a 56.93s lap in the first outing and a slower 57.306s in the second, setting the only 56s lap in the class entering the night show.

Lawrence’s closest competition in qualifying came from TLD Red Bull GasGas rider Pierce Brown, who landed second on the timesheet in both sessions. Like Lawrence, Brown set his fastest time in the first session and was 0.376s off Lawrence’s pace.

Rockstar Enery Husqvarna’s RJ Hampshire was the third-fastest rider on a 250 and the fastest rider to go faster in the second timed session than the first. At 57.901s, Hampshire was just under a full second slower than Lawrence on their respective best laps.

Enzo Lopes (Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha) and Levi Kitchen (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) completed the top five on the combined timesheet.

Mitchell Oldenburg (Smartop MotoConcepts Racing Honda) was sixth and led Stilez Robertson (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing), Maximus Vohland (Red Bull KTM), Derek Kelley (AEO Powersports KTM Racing), and Hunter Yoder (Partzilla PRMX Racing) in rounding out the combined top 10 after two rounds of qualifying.

Notably, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki fill-in Carson Mumford placed 14th overall, with a best lap 2.219s slower than Lawrence’s.

Detailed results