Top step the goal for Honda rider with four rounds remaining in 2023 season.
Image: Octopi Media.
Despite falling short of his first Pro Motocross win of the season, it was a positive weekend for Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton as he closed the gap to teammate Jett Lawrence, with the Honda rider stating he’s ‘going to throw everything at it’ as he strives to get back to the top step.
The 2-2 results for Sexton aren’t really an indicator of the speed that was shown at Spring Creek, clocking the fastest lap of the race in moto two and being visually closer to the speed of Lawrence throughout the motos.
A fall for Sexton on lap one of the opening moto made it seem like the race was all but over as Lawrence pulled away at the front. But, an impressive charge through the pack saw the number 23 claw his way to only a few seconds behind his teammate, ultimately coming up short after tipping over on the last lap.
In moto two, it was a drag race to the first turn between Sexton and Lawrence, with Sexton taking the early lead. But, a mistake and crash in the early stages would all but hand the win to Lawrence to take his 14th straight moto win of the season.
“In the first moto, I fell on the first lap but had a really good charge to get onto the back of Jett and we went to battle,” said Sexton. “The second-moto start was almost perfect – a drag race between Jett and me. I got into the lead and then got on the gas a little too hard and slid out, so Jett got around me. After the finish line, he made a mistake and I thought he was going to crash, and then I ended up crashing two corners later! From there, it was pretty much over.
“I fell three times today, which is not ideal, but I think that’s just from trying to up the pace,” he added. “My riding is getting better, and I’m not going to quit, I’m going to throw everything at it. The rest of these tracks are kind of my style, and I’m looking forward to some more battles.”
Round eight of the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship heads to Washougal this Saturday, 22 July. Sexton currently sits P5 in the 450MX standings after missing three rounds with a concussion.
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