Chase Sexton takes 450SX class, Hunter Lawrence tightens grip on 250SX East title

March 20, 2023

By Keaton Maisano

While AMA Supercross continued its tour of the cold Midwest Saturday, the 450SX title race only heated up with seven rounds remaining.

After the most disappointing finish of his season last week in Indianapolis, Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton collected his second win of the year by fending off this year’s point leaders. In the 250SX East class, Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence continued to distance himself from the pack, claiming his fifth win of the year through six rounds.

For 20 laps, the night looked like it belonged to Red Bull KTM’s Aaron Plessinger, who led a for a total of seven laps in his career prior to Saturday. However, a critical mistake in the penultimate lap ruined what would have been his first career win, and Plessinger settled for 13th.

Sexton took advantage of Plessinger’s misstep, as he led the final two laps to light the torches for the second time this season.

Behind Sexton, Red Bull KTM’s Cooper Webb edged Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac to increase his lead in the 450SX standings to a narrow 3 points. Sexton sits 14 points behind Tomac in third.

While the 450SX title bout remains competitive, Lawrence continued to make the 250SX East race a one-man show. Leading all 17 laps Saturday, Lawrence’s latest win increased his lead in the standings to 35 points.

The AMA Supercross season moves back to the West for Round 11 in Seattle on Saturday.