Back-To-Back In Birmingham
Lawrence, Vialle score second-consecutive AMA Supercross wins on Saturday
Through the first nine rounds of the 2024 AMA Supercross season, no rider had claimed back-to-back wins in the 450SX class.
That trend went by the wayside on Saturday in Birmingham, Ala., as Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence continued his stellar rookie campaign with his second victory in as many weeks. Lawrence wasn’t the only racer to string together wins, as Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle also claimed his second-consecutive victory in the 250SX East class at Protective Stadium.
Lawrence left little to chance on Saturday, as the Aussie secured the holeshot and ran away from the field to cruise to the win. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb earned a second-place finish, while Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen battled his way to third after a slow start.
“I would say this was almost harder than last weekend at Daytona,” Lawrence said. “Here, the rhythm sections were so tricky, and I was trying my best not to make any mistakes and knowing when to back out, where ‘old Jett’ would’ve tried to keep going for it and maybe lost more time.”
With the win, Lawrence tightened his grip on the 450SX class standings — extending his lead to 13 with 185 points on the season. Webb — the only other racer with multiple 450SX wins this season — follows Lawrence with 172 points while Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton sits in third place with 165 points.
Similarly to Lawrence, Vialle surged into the lead on the opening lap and never looked back to claim 25 points and elevate himself to the top of the 250SX East standings. Joining Vialle on the podium were teammates Cameron McAdoo — who held second place from the first lap until the end — and Seth Hammaker of Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki.
“Grabbing another win, I didn’t expect it,” Vialle said. “I love the track and we were lucky with the weather [and so] the track was pretty good and I’m really happy.”
Although the Frenchman jumped into the lead in the overall standings with 74 points, McAdoo is hot on his tail with 73 points through four races. Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GasGas’ Pierce Brown held firm in third place with 69 points, making for a tight race at the top of the 250SX East leaderboard.
The 2024 AMA Supercross season heads back indoors Saturday, March 16, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, with the festivities set for 7 p.m. The action will be livestreamed on Peacock.