450SX Class podium (riders left to right) Jason Anderson, Jett Lawrence, and Hunter Lawrence. Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
Denver, Colo., (May 4, 2024) Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence grabbed his eighth win in his rookie season at Round 16, inside Empower Field at Mile High. The victory extended Lawrence’s championship lead to 20 points with one round remaining in the 2024 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season.
Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence Holeshot and led the first half of the race; Hunter finished second, marking the first time in Supercross history that brothers finished 1-2 in the premier class. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson was close in third but was never in position to challenge for the lead. Second-in-points, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb, struggled with a left thumb injury and finished fifth; Webb lost eight more points to Jett Lawrence. In the final standard-format Western Regional 250SX Class race prior to the Dave Coombs Sr. East/West Showdown finale, Team Honda HRC’s Jo Shimoda took first place to become the fifth winner of the year in only nine races so far in the regional championship.
“I was screaming in my helmet the first lap when it was [Hunter] and I out front. I was so pumped and he was riding awesome that one, and it’s so awesome to go 1-2 in the 450 class. I mean, it’s the top of the class, it’s an awesome feeling, awesome accomplishment for our family… super pumped and excited to go to the last round. Hopefully we can repeat it.” – Jett Lawrence
“It was a good night. Just more happy to get this for the team, honestly. They work so hard and we love those guys so much and this is the only way we can really, really repay them. And yeah, unreal, I think that was history for brothers going 1-2. So yeah, big night for Jett as well points-wise … [asked if he considered a strategy for helping his brother and possibly not pushing for the win] …the championship’s not about me right now, you know, it’s about Jett and Cooper. And the point of having a teammate is to, you know, help you out and stuff. You’ve seen over the past decade, so I was glad I was just able to help Jettson out for once. And yeah, it was cool, but just stoked for the team and yeah, I’ll get that win soon enough.” – Hunter Lawrence
“…just being on the podium feels good. It’s cool to do it here in Denver. This is a close one for me, I’ve got a lot of family here, so that’s awesome. But just in general, you know, I am a little bit better on these dry, hardpack tracks but it was still not enough for those two guys up front. But it was a good night, you know. Thanks to the whole team and I’m ready to get up there and hopefully get a better start so I can make it a little harder on these guys and maybe knock off a win at the end of the season. But yeah, trying my best and we’ll see how it goes next week.” – Jason Anderson
Jo Shimoda Grabs Victory in 250SX Class with One Round Remaining in Season
In the Western Regional 250SX Class, Jo Shimoda grabbed the Holeshot and led every lap to take the second Main Event win of his career. Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen nabbed a top-three start, moved into second, and closed in on the lead on the final lap. His second place finish moved him into a tie for the title going into the final round – the Dave Coombs Sr. East/West Showdown. After a fifth-place start, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire was aggressive early and finished in third place, not far from Kitchen. Hampshire sits tied with Kitchen with one race remaining to determine the championship.
“Honestly, I didn’t know where he was catching me so I kind of had no idea where to push a little bit farther. But, oh my God. I mean, switching teams from last year, we fought some struggles earlier. But we never gave up. And I know it’s late in the season, I get it, but I’m just stoked to win. Let’s go! Thanks to all the HRC guys, my mechanic Ben, trainer Nick, Jordan, my family back home, well, actually a couple of them is here, but thank you so much.” – Jo Shimoda, when asked if he was aware Levi Kitchen was getting close in the final laps.
“…the fans had to have enjoyed that one. And man, at the end of the race, it was like: we’re all strong and we’re all fit and we were all just sending it at the end. RJ got up close to me, it kind of lit a fire under my butt, and I had to go. And then I got to Jo. Man, if that would have been 20 minutes I would’ve been curious to see how that went. But yeah, it was a good race. Gotta give it up to the whole Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki team, my mom and dad, all my family, and I want to just… I don’t know, man, Damian from Toyota Escondido, everybody keep him in your thoughts. He’s going through a pretty tough time… Thank you Denver, it’s a good night.” – Levi Kitchen
“We’re going to give the fans a show… It’s awesome, awesome to be in this position and be going for a championship. I’m honestly pretty frustrated with that main event. [I] had a decent start and then someone brought me high in that second turn and Levi got back around me. And then, yeah, I got hit so hard by – I got hit really hard in that opening lap, kinda threw me off a bit. Ran into a couple lappers but, man, those guys are riding good. I just didn’t have enough to make a pass or try to put it in… [I] got the red plate, both of us do headed into Salt Lake, and man, it’s going to be fun. Just a huge thanks to my whole Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna Racing team and all the supporters. It’s going to be a fun one.” – RJ Hampshire, when asked about racing next weekend tied for the championship.
The 2024 Monster Energy Supercross Championship wraps up next Saturday, May 11th, inside Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah. All three championships: the 450SX class and as well as both the East and West Regional 250SX Classes will be determined at the Final race in Utah. The race is also Round 17 of the 31-rounds of the SuperMotocross World Championship, which combines the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross season and the 11-round AMA Pro Motocross season. In September the combined points from both seasons seed the riders into two Playoff Rounds, and the SMX World Championship Final.
All 31 SuperMotocross World Championship rounds are streamed live on PeacockTV, with select rounds also broadcast or streamed domestically on NBC, USA Network, CNBC, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app. An encore presentation of the Denver Supercross will be broadcast on NBC on Sunday, May 5 at 4:00 p.m. ET. CNBC airs next-day encore presentations of all 31 rounds. Live audio coverage for each Supercross race can be heard via NBC Sports Audio on SiriusXM Channel 85. The final round of the Supercross, Motocross, and SuperMotocross championships will also be broadcast domestically in Spanish language on Telemudo Deportes’ YouTube channel as well as on the NBC Sports app. For live and on-demand international coverage of every round, the SuperMotocross Video Pass (supermotocross.tv) provides coverage in both English and Spanish languages.
The partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital continues with the Love Moto Stop Cancer auction, where fans can bid on race-worn gear from the sport’s top racers to help raise money for the fight against childhood cancer. The partnership extends this year to include the inaugural Love Moto Stop Cancer Golf Tournament which takes place on Thursday, May 9th in Salt Lake City, Utah. There is also a bike giveaway for a chance to win Ken Roczen’s actual Suzuki RM-Z450 race bike through the Kickstart for a Cause campaign. For more information on how you can get involved and bid on auction items, please go to SupercrossLIVE.com/St-Jude.
Tickets are on sale for the Monster Energy Supercross Championship final in Utah. For ticket purchases or to see point standings, race results, video highlights, and airtimes on Peacock, NBC, USA Network, and CNBC please go to SupercrossLIVE.com.
Supercross Media | Photos: Feld Motor Sports
