Honda HRC Progressive left Thunder Valley with overall victories in both the 450 and 250 classes, Jett Lawrence and Jo Shimoda doing the work at the Colorado venue where Honda has now won six straight premier-class rounds dating back to 2021.
Jett swept both 450 motos wire-to-wire, nailing both holeshots and leading every lap aboard his CRF450RWE despite managing an ankle injury that still limits his range of motion. The Australian is the only rider to have won four consecutive premier-class overalls at Thunder Valley, and the victory moved him into the championship points lead over brother Hunter, who now trails by eight points.
Hunter topped combined qualifying times and ran at the front early in both motos but fell twice across the day, finishing 4-4 for third overall. He crossed the moto 1 finish line in third but was docked a position for cutting a corner. The result does not reflect the pace Hunter showed before the crashes.
In the 250 class, Shimoda broke through for his first overall victory of the season with consistent 3-3 moto scores. He started 13th in the opening moto and crashed early but worked forward methodically to secure third. His moto 2 start was better at seventh, and he advanced into podium position around the midway mark before overtaking Ryder DiFrancesco near the end. The result vaults Shimoda to third in the 250 championship, six points out of the lead.
Chance Hymas entered the weekend under the weather and finished 20-13 for 11th overall. The results are a departure from his prior success at Thunder Valley, where he swept both motos for his career-first 1-1 performance in 2025.
Jett posted the fastest lap times in both 450 motos. The win extends his premier-class overall-win record at Thunder Valley to four and pushes his career AMA Pro Motocross winning percentage to 86.7 percent across 30 events, with 26 overall wins. Twenty of those wins were two-moto sweeps.
Shimoda’s overall win was the seventh of his career and Honda’s seventh 250 overall victory at Thunder Valley, joining past Red Riders including Justin Barcia, Eli Tomac, Jeremy Martin, and both Lawrence brothers. Honda now has eight premier-class overall wins at the venue, three more than the next manufacturer.
The team heads to High Point Raceway in Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania, for Round 4, where Jett will carry the red plate. The event also marks the third round of the WMX Championship.
Source: Honda. Images courtesy of Honda.
