Image: Octopi Media.

The best laps from Jett and Hunter Lawrence as on-track action began at the 2023 Honda Unadilla National for the Pro Motocross Championship set up a familiar Team Honda HRC sweep of the top qualifying positions in 450MX and 250MX.

Hitting the track for the season’s ninth round yet to lose a moto, Jett Lawrence paced the premier 450MX division with a best revolution of the Unadilla track of 2:09.109s.

His factory Honda stablemate Chase Sexton came only as close as 1.113s on his own best lap, but it was quick enough for second on the combined timesheet.

Jason Anderson (Monster Energy Kawasaki) was a further 0.188s back at 2:10.41s as he led the returning Justin Barcia (TLD Red Bull GasGas) and Derek Drake (BarX Suzuki) in comprising the final top-five positions.

Privateer Ty Masterpool (HBI Racing Kawasaki) had the sixth-fastest 450MX qualifying lap, going quicker than Dylan Ferrandis (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing), Adam Cianciarulo (Monster Energy Kawasaki), Stephen Rubini (TPJ Racing Kawasaki), and Phil Nicoletti (Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha) in the top 10.

With best laps of 2:14.855s in the first session and 2:15.487s in the second, Red Bull KTM’s Aaron Plessinger was mired in the 18th position on the qualifying timesheet, earning himself an unideal gate pick for the opening moto around the notoriously rocky track.

Image: Octopi Media.

Hunter Lawrence sent his Team Honda HRC-prepared Honda CRF250R to the top of the timesheet leading into the motos at Unadilla with a best lap of 2:13.018s around the New York venue.

Chart-topping speed at various moments from the Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki quartet of Seth Hammaker, Austin Forkner, Jo Shimoda, and Carson Mumford in the second 250MX qualifying outing saw those riders land second, third, fifth, and sixth on the combined results, with Justin Cooper (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) splitting the group in fourth.

Maximus Vohland (Red Bull KTM) turned in the seventh-fastest time ahead of Jalek Swoll (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna), Pierce Brown (TLD Red Bull GasGas) and Haiden Deegan (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) in the top 10.

Forkner in third and Swoll in eighth were the only two riders in the top 10 to set faster times in the first session than the second.

Returning to action aboard his Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing machine, Stilez Robertson was 11th, with RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna), Ryder DiFrancesco (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki), Tom Vialle (Red Bull KTM), and Levi Kitchen (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing) notably placing 12th, 13th, 14th, and 16th when best times were combined across the two 250MX outings.

Detailed results