2023 Unadilla Motocross Photo Gallery

2023 Unadilla Motocross Recap

One Championship down another almost wrapped up.

As was expected, Jett Lawrence clinched the 450 class Pro Motocross Championship on Saturday at Unadilla MX two rounds early and remains undefeated in his rookie season.

And as usual, Lawrence had little trouble sweeping the day. He grabbed both MotoSport.com Holeshots continuing to plague the rest of the field with his good starts as he somehow someway slips right into the lead even when crossing the Holeshot second and rides away for the win.

Chase Sexton, always good for a crash, had a chance to ruin the perfect season as a pretty good race ensured in Moto 1 which also started Round 9 of the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship season. Usually, the 250 class begins the day with a friendly roar but the 450 class, pretty much a snooze fest all season thanks to some of the best riders nursing injuries, got the gatedrop first. In Moto 1, Sexton got on Lawrence's fender after 11 minutes and no sooner than he looked to make the pass did he stall the bike. Quickly back in the race, he caught up again, not nearly as close this time, but enough to make it interesting, then with three laps remaining Sexton hit the dirt putting Dylan Ferrandis into second. Sexton remounted in third but finished 44 seconds after Lawrence crossed the checkers.

Lawrence (1-1) rode a 97 point lead over Ferrandis heading into Moto 2, needing just three points to clinch the title early. He grossed 25 for Moto 2, again with little competition, which meant no matter where Ferrandis finished the title belonged to Lawrence. Sexton (3-2) stayed upright and crossed the checkers in second, the 10th time he finished runner-up to Lawrence this season. Ferrandis took third for the 11th time this year. He was closest in points to Lawrence for much of the season after Sexton missed three early rounds and was no longer in contention for the 450 class Championship. Sexton's return at Round 5 and subsequent second-place finishes helped drop Ferrandis (2-3) further back in points allowing the early title grab for Lawrence.

"It's un unreal opportunity. I didn't even dream of this because we never thought it was possible to be where we are today and to do it like that being undefeated so far," Lawrence said. "It's very emotional for me with all the hard times we've gone through. The hard work.

"Once I got that start (in Moto 2) I felt good, I'm not stopping this one. As soon as I went over the finish line the emotions came out."

Lawrence joins a small but elite group of riders to win the 450 class title as a rookie and he has an opportunity now to join James Stewart and Ricky Carmichael as the only riders to go undefeated a feat clinching the Championship early might impact.

Elsewhere, Justin Barcia returned to action for the first time this Outdoor season after recovering from an injurious Supercross season and barely got a lap in when he got involved in a crash, needed a pit stop and after a few laps called it a race. He returned in Moto 2 for a 14th place. Harri Kullas of Estonia who competes overseas in the World Motocross Championship series finished sixth overall on a (7-7) day in his first Pro Motocross race.

2023 Motocross 450 Class Standings after Round 9

Jett Lawrence - 450 - 2023 450 Class Champion
Dylan Ferrandis - 347
Aaron Plessinger - 312
Adam Cianciarulo - 269
Chase Sexton - 260

The 250 class was close, at least in in terms of a Championship fight, until a mechanical made all things equal.

Riding hot off a sweep at Washougal three weeks ago, rookie Hunter Deegan had closed to within three points of Hunter Lawrence, who at one time was also on pace to wrap the 250 Championship early. But Lawrence got caught in a pile-up in Moto 2 at RedBud then suffered a mechanical in Moto 1 at Southwick which allowed the field to get within reach. Deegan held the Red Plate for one round before handing it back and probably won't hold it again this season, because...

A mechanical in Moto 1 at Unadilla after the clock expire with two laps left negated a likely third-place finish for Deegan. Lawrence already had worked his way from ninth to second, briefly battled with Levi Kitchen for the lead before settling for second and ultimately adding 22 points to his lead over Deegan.

In Moto 2, Lawrence (2-2) finished second again, good enough for the overall win while Deegan (DNF-10) struggled with a 10th place finish and just like that he drops from second in the standings, three points out of first, to fourth 36 points back. The mishap proved, in some respects, what a meek and humble attitude afford considering recent glimpses into premature swagger. Meanwhile, Justin Cooper (5-1) moves into second place and despite a Moto 2 win, his fifth in Moto 1 gave him third overall and dropped him further in points back from 19 entering Unadilla to 22. Kitchen finished second overall on a (1-4) day.