Image: Octopi Media.

Red plate holder Jett Lawrence (Team Honda HRC) has strengthened his championship lead after earning a second-consecutive 450SX main event victory at the ninth round of Monster Energy Supercross in Birmingham.

The Australian squeezed Cooper Webb (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) for the hole-shot, while a bizarre opening lap incident saw the multi-time 450SX champion make contact with the 30-second board card holder, who found themselves on track as the field charged through.

Lawrence was unstoppable from the get-go, maintaining a comfortable lead for a majority of the 20-minute plus one-lap encounter to earn his fourth win of the season, and his second in as many weeks.

It was largely an eventful main event in what were technical conditions following poor weather leading up the round, with Webb ultimately securing second as a hard-charging Ken Roczen (Progressive Insurance Ecstar Suzuki) stormed to the final spot on the podium.

Reigning champion Chase Sexton (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was fourth after a back-and-forth battle with Justin Cooper (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha), who completed the top five.

Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson was sixth, followed by Eli Tomac (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha), Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Justin Barcia (TLD Red Bull GasGas), and Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing).

Lawrence now leads Webb by 13 points in the championship standings as Monster Energy Supercross heads to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis next weekend for the 10th stop of the series.

Detailed results