It’s surprising to think that current 250MX red plate-holder Hunter Lawrence only had a single Pro Motocross victory prior to this season, which was at Southwick in 2021, where he claimed a convincing 1-1 score for the overall. In this edition of Rewind, we take a look back at the Team Honda HRC’s performance in those earlier stages of his career.

After four rounds of the Pro Motocross Championship that year, it was looking like the Jett Lawrence (Team Honda HRC) and Justin Cooper (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) show in the 250MX category, with elder Lawrence brother Hunter somewhat struggling during the opening part of the series, only able to manage one podium at Thunder Valley where he went 5-3.

After a bunch of rain in the lead-up to Southwick, it was shaping up to be an action-packed day of racing in the sand. The opening 250MX moto saw RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) jump out to the early lead ahead of Michael Mosiman (TLD RedBull GasGas) and Jalek Swoll (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna). Hampshire looked poised to take the win as he pulled away at the front. But, as we’d seen in prior rounds, another crash would hinder the Husqvarna rider’s result.

Image: Octopi Media.

As a result of Hampshire going down, the lead would be handed to Mosiman, with Lawrence in second at that point of the moto. The number 41 would go to work for a few laps and bridge the gap to GasGas’ Mosiman, eventually pressuring him into a mistake and taking the lead.

Just as you thought it was all smooth sailing for the Australian at the front of the pack, back came a hard-charging Hampshire to put the pressure on Lawrence in the lead. Edging closer and closer as the race wore down, Hampshire would suffer another small wash of the front that would see him on the ground for the second time in the opening moto.

From there, Lawrence would go on to take his first moto win of the season, followed by Hampshire in second, Jo Shimoda (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) in third, Colt Nichols (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) and Jalek Swoll in fourth and fifth, respectively. With the first moto win in the books, the stage was set for Lawrence to take his first career overall win after his brother Jett and Cooper finished down the order in the opening moto, with ninth and sixth place.

As moto two kicked off, it was Hampshire out in front once again, but that wouldn’t last long. A third crash for the day would see him lose the lead to Cooper, who was looking to bounce back from a mediocre opening moto. Cooper would take control of the lead with Lawrence in P2, a few seconds back. As it neared the halfway point, Lawrence had pulled up onto the back of Cooper and was applying pressure.

Image: Octopi Media.

Eventually, moto one winner Lawrence would make a move down the inside of Cooper. With his first overall win in sight, the former grand prix regular in his third season in the US would go on to win the moto, despite a late race charge from Cooper. The perfect scorecard for Lawrence saw him go on to take the maximum 50 points, ahead of Shimoda and Cooper rounding out the podium.

“Ah, man, this feels so good,” said Lawrence post-race. “Huge shoutout to my entire team around me. None of this would be possible without them. This 1-1 feels so good and is such a great way to stamp the weekend here at Southwick. It’s a bit of an emotional win for me with everything that I’ve been through these past few years. I just want to keep building and take this momentum into the rest of the season.”

With the mixed results for the round, Lawrence gained 13 points on Cooper, who was second place in the championship, and 18 points on series leader – and eventual champion – Jett Lawrence. It wasn’t until Fox Raceway’s opening round of the 2023 season that Lawrence would manage to stand atop the 250MX podium again, now five overall victories in the opening seven rounds to open his impressive campaign.