Honda HRC Progressive enjoyed a standout Independence Day at the legendary RedBud Motocross National, as Hunter Lawrence took over the coveted red plate that signify the championship lead.

“I was super gutted after the first moto," Hunter Lawrence said. "I felt like I did everything right, and to not get that win was a bummer. So I was like, ‘I’ve got to make it right in the second one.’ I didn’t get the best start, but I kind of let it come to me. The track was extremely difficult this weekend; it was sandy, muddy, sloppy, hard packed, slippery—everything in one. It was tricky, but it was probably the coolest RedBud for me. I mean, July 4 was today, not Friday or Sunday—it was America’s 250th birthday, and it’s epic. How many people have tracked down Jett, made the pass and put a gap on him? That in itself I was really happy with. I had the first-moto win,but then a bunch of sand got blocked in the chain guide, stopping the rear wheel, and then the bike cut out—so that’s just because the conditions were so damn tough. It could happen to anyone, but I’m very happy—just proud of my day.”

For the third time this season and the second time in a row, Hunter secured a premier-class overall victory, while Jett Lawrence added another moto win and an overall-podium finish, despite experiencing an uncharacteristic challenging day.

"Normally I really like these conditions and can ride them well," Jett Lawrence said. "But I just struggled with my foot today; there’s muddy sand, and it just pulls you in. I have all my weight on my left foot, so I struggled a lot with my balance. It’s hard right now because I normally love riding, and lately it’s been a struggle with my foot—it’s kind of taken away one of the things I love doing. It’s tough because I can have a good flow on the track, but in the back of my mind I’m always thinking, ‘Imagine if I had another good ankle’—I know I could be going faster, and things would come a lot easier because I’m having to work so much harder. We’re just putting up with it, but today just wasn’t an ideal track for my situation. Hunter deserved that first one; he caught me and passed me, and I just wasn’t in a really good flow. I’ll take the moto win, but deep down I know it was gifted. It was a rough day at the office, but we’ll go back, get better, and try to be a little stronger for Southwick.”

Heavy rainfall during the previous 24 hours left the track in an extremely challenging condition for the motos, with deep ruts developing throughout much of the course. After starting third in moto 1, Hunter overtook Jorge Prado and then caught and passed Jett for the lead in the closing laps. While Hunter was navigating one of the deepest ruts, dirt and debris became lodged in his bike’s chain guide and rear-sprocket area.

This caused the rear wheel to momentarily lock, resulting in an unfortunate tip-over that allowed Jett to regain the lead, and Hunter was forced to settle for second. In moto 2, Hunter started sixth but quickly worked his way through the riders ahead of him. With just over three laps remaining, he passed Prado for the lead and pulled away to a convincing 12-second victory, securing the overall win. Meanwhile, a pair of early tip-overs dropped Jett outside the top 10 in moto 2, but the defending champ responded with a determined charge back to fifth, securing third overall.