Jett Lawrence Kicks Off SuperMotocross World Championship with an Impressive Victory

Haiden Deegan Dominates 250SMX Class at zMAX Dragway at
Charlotte Motor Speedway

CONCORD, NC – September 8, 2024 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – Team Honda HRC Progressive’s Jett Lawrence returned to racing in grand style by taking the overall win at Playoff 1 of the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship Finals, fueled by Monster Energy. After missing most of the Pro Motocross season, the defending SMX Champion showed he hasn’t lost speed or endurance with a thrilling battle for the final moto win and overall victory at zMAX Dragway at Charlotte Motor Speedway

The SuperMotocross Playoff 1 at zMAX Dragway delivered great weather and a challenging track for the top athletes to start their post-season battle for $5.5 million in total prize money.
Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.  

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac dominated the first 450SMX moto on the high-speed, hybrid SuperMotocross track. He led most of the second moto but finished in the runner-up spot after a fierce battle with Lawrence. SuperMotocross event results are determined by a combined two-moto score, so Tomac earned second overall with (1-2) moto finishes. The freshly-crowned AMA Pro Motocross champion, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton, was in the mix in both 20-minute plus one lap motos. Sexton had to settle for a third overall when the two leaders pulled away from him late in the final moto. In the 250SMX Class, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan delivered two impressive moto charges after mid-pack starts in both motos; Deegan took both 250SMX moto wins in convincing fashion to earn the 250SMX overall win.

First place 450SMX Class (2-1) – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

“I surprised myself more than you guys, I think. That race pace [was] a little different than practice. But that’s so cool. I remember back in 2023 I was saying I really wanted to battle Eli in outdoors, and this is as close as we get to outdoors, so it was a really cool thing to do. I could say a goal checked off, or a little check off the bucket list, you could say. I’m just super pumped to be up here again, and yeah, I’m back!” – Jett Lawrence, from the podium after his second moto win.

Second place 450SMX Class (1-2) – Photo Credit: Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

“I felt really good. It was close. The rhythm section got me. [Jett] was better in the sand, too, but I felt like I kind of could have survived that. But that rhythm section, as…