Image: Octopi Media.

250MX red plate-holder Hunter Lawrence extended his advantage in the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship standings after splitting moto wins with Haiden Deegan at Hangtown and earning a second-straight round victory.

Despite qualifying a lowly 13th position earlier on, Deegan powered to the opening race holeshot and managed to stay there for his first outdoor race victory at the professional level.

The teenager kept Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing teammate Justin Cooper at bay throughout moto one, withstanding late pressure to go on and win by 2.118s.

Championship leader Lawrence climbed from P7 at the end of lap one and made his way to third by race’s end, with Jo Shimoda (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) fourth and RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) fifth after starting outside of the top 10.

Positions six through 10 were filled by Guillem Farres (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing), Tom Vialle (Red Bull KTM), Ryder DiFrancesco (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki), Jalek Swoll (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) and Levi Kitchen (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing), who in turn edged Maximus Vohland (Red Bull KTM) for position.

The early stages of 250MX moto two were led by a fast-starting Cooper, but it was Lawrence in tow from the outset and he soon made his way to the front of the pack around the seven-minute mark.

There was no stopping Lawrence from there, quickly establishing himself in P1 and extending a final advantage of 3.111s, which was also enough for him to seal his second overall win in as many rounds.

Cooper managed to hold onto second in a repeat of his opening moto finish, while double world champion Vialle was a big improver for P3 this time out, with first moto winner Deegan rebounding from a slow start to take the checkered flag in fourth position.

A late move from Hampshire – also affected by his start – saw him pass Hymas for P5 with just over two laps to go and that’s how they would finish. Kitchen, Farres, Carson Mumford (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) and Shimoda completed the top 10.

Shimoda had featured toward the front before going down with a lapped rider, as had Swoll until he went off-track on his way to 11th and DiFrancesco, who finished in 13th. Early casualties included Jeremy Martin (Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha) and Michael Mosiman (TLD Red Bull GasGas), both going out of contention on the opening lap of the moto.

Overall for the round, Lawrence took the overall from Cooper and Deegan, while in the standings Lawrence now leads by 10 points over Deegan and with Cooper currently third heading into Thunder Valley, Colorado, next Saturday, 10 June.

Detailed results