Hunter Lawrence wins 2023 AMA 250SX East Championship

After two years of coming close to winning an AMA supercross championship in the USA, Hunter Lawrence has broken through to take his first title, wrapping up the AMA 250SX East Region Championship on his factory Honda CRF 250R with one round remaining. The 23-year-old now joins younger brother Jett in winning an AMA title.

Ahead of the ninth round of the 2023 season at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, Lawrence had been victorious in six East Region rounds, winning the main events at Houston, Tampa, Daytona, Indianapolis, Detroit and Atlanta, with moto wins and podiums at Arlington and East Rutherford.

The main event win at Nashville on 29 April gave Lawrence an unassailable 56-point lead in the championship heading into May’s combined region showdown in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Originally from Queensland, Lawrence has been in the US since 2019, initially with the Factory Connection Honda satellite team before stepping up to the full-factory Team HRC squad in 2021.

While his first attempts at an AMA title were blunted by injuries, Lawrence’s pace was obvious. When he was able to stay healthy for a full season, aided by a switch from 250SX West to the 250SX East Region, Lawrence was finally rewarded with the 2023 crown – his first in AMA racing.

“I just want to say thank you, from the bottom of my heart,” Lawrence said on the podium at Nashville. “Everyone that is with me now was with me when I was at my lowest of lows, so this is incredible.

“I can’t say I dreamed of this as a kid, because I didn’t know this was possible. I’m choked up; this is just surreal.

“This weekend has been incredible—the perfect day. I just want to celebrate this with everyone I love and care about—the whole team. This means the world.”

Brandon Wilson, Manager of Sports and Experiential at American Honda, noted the importance of this title to Hunter and the Lawrence family.

“It’s always an incredible feeling for a manufacturer and team to win a championship, but this one is particularly sweet, simply because Hunter has had to overcome so much to earn it.

“His family has made incredible sacrifices, moving first to Europe and then to the United States. As the older brother, Hunter has often had to blaze the trail, but he has consistently maintained a positive attitude, even when dealing with injuries and other setbacks.

“We’re all extremely proud of him, and we look forward to much continued success.”