The Lawrence Brother's Show at Hangtown!

One week after the season opener in Pala, the AMA Pro Motocross Championship has received a clear indication of its intentions. Jett Lawrence is back.

At the prestigious Hangtown Motocross Classic in Rancho Cordova, the Honda rider celebrated his first overall victory of the season, displaying the same dominance as in his prime. Two race wins, the fastest qualifying time, and a perfect points haul made it clear that the reigning Pro Motocross and SMX champion, despite his winter injury, once again poses a serious threat to all his title rivals.

Jett is in control of the situation

Lawrence made a statement right from qualifying. He was the only driver to break the 1:50 mark, clearly relegating rookie Haiden Deegan to second place.

In the first race, the Australian left no doubt about his dominance. After taking the holeshot, he controlled the race from the start and managed his lead confidently to the finish. Behind him, his brother Hunter Lawrence and Haiden Deegan battled for the remaining podium positions.

While Hunter overtook Deegan shortly before the end of the race, Jett drove towards an unchallenged race victory.

Even in the second race, there was ultimately no getting past the Honda star. Although a race stoppage followed by a restart added extra excitement, Lawrence once again took the lead early and prevailed against the strong competition.

The duel of the brothers

The second race proved particularly interesting. For much of the race, Hunter Lawrence seemed to be within striking distance of his brother. The championship leader repeatedly closed the gap and put Jett under pressure.

But it was precisely in this phase that the younger Lawrence showed his class.

“I knew that Hunter would be right there if I went all out from the start. That’s why I first found my rhythm and then later did a short sprint to disrupt his rhythm. That worked,” Jett explained after the race.

Within just a few laps, the gap grew from just under a second to several seconds. The race was decided. "It's harder to race against Jett than against anyone else. He's my toughest opponent," Hunter admitted afterward.

Deegan continues its advance

Even though victory remained out of reach, Haiden Deegan could be pleased with another strong weekend.

The Yamaha rider, in only his second Pro Motocross race in the 450cc class, once again stood on the podium and gained valuable experience against the established top riders. Notably, Deegan rode two almost identical races. With third-place finishes in both, he avoided mistakes and consistently collected points.

“I want to improve from weekend to weekend. That’s the goal. We’ll keep working and try again next week,” said the rookie.

With third place in the championship, Deegan is already in the middle of the title fight after two events.

Hunter remains top of the table

Despite the defeat against his brother, Hunter Lawrence was able to leave Hangtown with a positive feeling. Following his double victory in Pala, he now secured an equally convincing 2-2 result. This keeps the Honda rider leading the championship.

However, the lead has shrunk considerably. Only six points now separate the two brothers after two of eleven races. This sets up exactly the scenario many fans had hoped for: a direct title fight between Hunter and Jett Lawrence.

Title fight picks up speed

While Jett Lawrence celebrated his first victory of the year in Hangtown, the weekend also provided another insight: the Honda brothers currently appear to be the ones to beat in the 450cc class.

Behind them lurk drivers like Haiden Deegan, Chase Sexton and Jorge Prado, but in Rancho Cordova no one managed to keep up with the pace of the two Australians over the full race distance.

After two races, the season is still long. However, Hangtown has shown that the reigning champion has returned to where the competition least wanted to see him: right at the front.

Coenen Tops Latvia

Belgian sensation, Lucas Coenen has gone 1-1 today in Latvia, but the big news was another DNF for Jeffrey Herlings and the championship, although just in the eighth round, seems over for the Dutchman. The Belgian now has a huge points advantage and is showing no signs of losing his momentum. A 62-point lead for Coenen in the MXGP championship chase.

JP/KTM and Bavo Swijgers/Honda Images

It is also the first time in the history of the sport in Europe, that two brothers not only lead both MXGP and MX2 championships, but also both won a GP on the same weekend to extend their championship points lead (Pourcel brothers had won GPs on the same day, but not leading the championship). Similar to the Lawrence brothers in USA, these brilliant brothers keep entertaining the motocross world.

Of course, both Belgian brothers will get on a plane tomorrow and fly to Colorado in America to battle the best 450 and 250 riders in the third round of the AMA Nationals. While it will be a tough task for Coenen to win the 450 class, little brother Sasha must be a chance to battle for an overall win in the 250 class at Thunder Valley.

Lucas Coenen: Amazing. I was thinking about it, because he (Sasha) did it. The team worked their ass off and they did everything. Finally 1-1 and my brother also did it. I was super pumped. Now heading stateside. I mean moto one was crazy what happened, but they worked hard to fix it. The second moto I just wanted to do consistent laps and so amazing to see us win and my brother is dominant here. Looking forward to USA now.

Kay De Wolf: It was good riding in the first moto and the second I got pushed wide and made it hard on myself. Not the moto I hoped for, but in general a good weekend and we are happy and we keep working.

Romain Febvre: First moto I had a good start, but they were pushing on me and I lost the pace. Second moto I felt better, but they passed me straight away and then Jeffrey had an issue with the bike, but I was right behind him. I was thinking about the podium and good things for the championship.

MXGP Moto Two

Febvre with the lead in the second MXGP moto, with Coenen second, third Herlings, then Oliver, Jonass, Gajser, Adamo, Fernandez, de Wolf, and Renaux 10th. Coenen into the lead and Herlings also passed Febvre, with the Frenchman third, then his team-mate, Jonass fourth.

Coenen flying and Herlings all over him for the lead. You can see Herlings is desperate to stay with the Belgian kid. Coenen though on another level as he gets away from the Dutchman. Lap two the lead by Coenen was less than a second, with Febvre in third place some 3.5 back, then Jonass 6.5 back.

Five laps and Herlings still following Coenen and only a second between them, with Febvre 3.8 back, then came Jonass, Gajser, de Wolf, Adamo, Geerts, Pancar and Talviku. The 31-year-old really having to push hard to keep with Coenen and its gotta be taking it out of him.

De Wolf and Jonass in a great battle, with the Dutchman moving into fifth place and both chasing Gajser in fourth. The Slovenian some 11 seconds off the lead of Coenen. Coenen getting away from Herlings a little and no doubt this intense racing is easier if you are 19 years old than 31.

Coenen opens to a two second lead and Febvre closing up on Herlings, with Gajser several seconds back from the Frenchman. Herlings a good lap and closes up on Coenen a little. 13 minutes remaining and will we see a Herlings charge as he brings it down to 1.2 seconds.

Herlings all over Coenen and Febvre a similar distance back and maybe the new era takes on these two older, more experienced riders. Coenen again opens the distance a little, but this race is entering the 10 minutes to go time and this is often when Herlings can make progress.

Gotta give respect to Coenen, who despite the pressure from Herlings and Febvre just stays so cool and calm and no mistakes. De Wolf into fourth with a pass on Gajser and Febvre moved past Herlings and again Herlings with a moto problem. Out of the race is the Dutchman.

Coenen now four seconds ahead of Febvre, with de Wolf third, then Gajser, Jonass, Pancar, Adamo, Horgmo and Talviku. Coenen wins the moto, the GP and breaks the heart of five time world champion, Jeffrey Herlings.

Hangtown MX Advantage...Ask the Lawrence Boys!

This may be the most important product for success Saturday at Hangtown.

WHAT IS IT? Works Connection has been a market leader in holeshot devices since they came out with the Pro Launch in 2002. This is the second-gen Pro Launch, and it’s a must-have for serious motocross racers. This is the same device used by Star Racing Yamaha, HRC Honda, MotoConcepts Honda and the MXA wrecking crew. 

CONTACT? www.worksconnection.com or info@worksconnection.com.

WHAT STANDS OUT? Here’s a list of things that stand out with Works Connection’s Pro Launch device.

(1) History. The original starting device was invented back in 1979 by Husqvarna rider Arlo Englund. It was a simple trigger device, but Arlo only used it for one season. It wasn’t until 22 years later that Arlo’s idea was rediscovered at the Yamaha Grand Prix team that Chad Reed raced for in 2001. When Chad moved to America in 2002, he told Yamaha USA about the idea and Chad showed up at Anaheim 1 with the starting device (that Yamaha tried unsuccessfully to hide from prying eyes). From that time on, the holeshot device became the thing to have.

(2) System. Works Connection started out like everyone else with a spring-loaded device but soon replaced the old-fashioned spring and plunger with a magnetic locking system. This new design was more consistent and less likely to malfunction and catch mid-race because of the strong magnet. 

(3) Activation. Because of its lever-style mechanism and chamfered engagement point, the Pro Launch glides over the receiver on the way down and catches on the way up. Some riders can set the device by themselves, but most MXA test riders have a friend engage it for them. To set it, the rider has to hold the front brake on while he or his mechanic compress the fork by pushing down on the handlebars with a rocking motion. There is a learning curve to mastering it. 

(4) Installation. Works Connection provides an aluminum template with pre-drilled holes, plus three different paper templates in the shape of each brand’s fork guard to align the aluminum template at 90mm, 100mm and 110mm. Once you choose the location of the device, you tape the metal template to the fork guard and use the supplied drill bit to make the mounting hole. It’s easy.

(5) Consistency. Historically, starting devices have been difficult to set, disengaged unexpectedly, refused to disengage, or broke the fork guard off the bike. The new Pro Launch is a different story; it works consistently every time. Works Connection holeshot devices are bike and brand specific to ensure each model has a perfect fit. 

(6) Setting. MXA test riders typically run their Pro Launch devices at 100mm, which is in the middle of Works Connection’s recommended settings; however, tackier dirt behind the starting gate might require setting the device lower because of the increased traction on launch. In Supercross and MXGP races, where they use a metal starting grate, we’ve seen riders set the device as low as 160mm. 

WHAT’S THE SQUAWK? No complaints. 

MXA RATING: Works Connection’s magnetic Pro Launch raised the bar far beyond the old-school button-style devices, and it continues set the bar for holeshot devices in motocross today.

Hangtown 2026 Pro Motocross 450

Hangtown 2026 Pro Motocross 250

Jett's Back!

Race One: Jett Lawrence got the holeshot and ran into the distance. Haiden Deegan was sitting second but had Hunter Lawrence for company, it took the Aussie about twenty minutes to make a move but one he did he pulled away. 

Jorge Prado then got the gap down to Deegan but with a couple of laps to go had a mechanical issue causing a DNF – a huge blow for his title hopes. 

Dylan Ferrandis had a great ride on the Ducati finishing in fourth ahead of RJ Hampshire. 

Mikkel Haarup was running in the top five after another good start before coming home in a solid seventh. 

Race Two: The Lawrence Brothers were right at the front of the pack, Jett was under pressure from Hunter but at around the mid-way point, he then pulled away and dominated the moto – very impressive. 

Deegan didn’t get the best of starts but worked his way through to third for his first podium. Chase Sexton ended up fourth on the Kawasaki ahead of his team mate, Marchbanks. 

Prado was outside the top thirty at the start after having a terrible gate pick after his first moto DNF. But he didn’t ride his best either as he got back to thirteenth behind Haarup and Guillod!

What makes Hangtown National so special

After the season opener in Pala, the AMA Pro Motocross Championship remains in California. For the second round of the season, however, the caravan moves approximately 800 kilometers further north to Rancho Cordova, where the Hangtown Motocross Classic, one of the most prestigious races in American motocross, is on the schedule.

While Pala is considered a modern season opener, Hangtown represents the roots of the sport. The event has existed since 1969, making it older than the Pro Motocross Championship itself. To this day, the race remains one of the most prestigious stops on the calendar.

A track that punishes mistakes

Winning Hangtown requires far more than just pure speed. The Prairie City SVRA track is one of the most classic natural circuits in the entire championship. Long climbs, challenging descents, off-camber corners, and deep ruts create a completely different race experience each year compared to the previous week in Pala.

Then there's the surface. The dry, hard Californian soil regularly develops into one of the most challenging surfaces of the season as the day progresses. Visibility problems, deep braking bumps, and changing lines are practically standard fare in Hangtown.

It is not uncommon for the wheat to be separated from the chaff early on.

Hunter Lawrence arrives with a tailwind.

In the 450cc class, the focus after the season opener is primarily on Hunter Lawrence.

The Honda rider surprised many observers with a dominant performance in Pala, securing his first 50 championship points of the year with two race wins. While Jett Lawrence, Jorge Prado, Eli Tomac, and rookie Haiden Deegan were frequently mentioned before the season started, it was Hunter who made the first statement of the new season.

The Australian is now traveling to Hangtown with the Red Plate.

But the competition should be warned. Jorge Prado showed in his strongest performance yet on American soil that he is becoming increasingly comfortable in the US series. The Spaniard even led a race at one point and appeared significantly closer to the front than during the Supercross season.

Jett Lawrence should also be significantly stronger a week after his comeback. The reigning champion is still struggling with the effects of his serious foot and ankle injury from the winter, but in Pala he already showed the fighting qualities that have made him so successful in recent years.

The first real fitness test

The weather forecast adds extra spice to the weekend. Temperatures well above 30 degrees Celsius could turn the Hangtown National into the first real heat battle of the season. Especially in the early stages of a championship, it often becomes clear which riders have best prepared.

For many teams, Hangtown is therefore traditionally considered one of the first real benchmarks of the year.

Surprise man Hammaker leads the MX2 class

Pala also produced an unexpected winner in the 250cc category. Seth Hammaker secured his first overall victory in the Pro Motocross Championship for Kawasaki and travels to Rancho Cordova with a 13-point lead. The key to his success was less about sheer speed and more about consistency across both races.

However, a whole host of drivers are waiting behind them for their chance.

Levi Kitchen already demonstrated his potential with a race win, while Yamaha riders Caden Dudney and Cole Davies secured podium finishes with strong performances. The competition at the top is fierce, meaning the standings could change completely after just the second race of the season.

Tradition meets title fight

The Hangtown National is a special race every year. Not only because of its history, but also because of the challenges the track presents to both rider and equipment.

Based on initial impressions from Pala, there are strong indications that the second round could provide some crucial answers. Can Hunter Lawrence maintain his dominance? Will Jorge Prado take the next step? How close is Jett Lawrence to returning to his best form despite his injury?

And in the 250cc class, it will become clear whether Seth Hammaker can defend his surprising lead in the standings or whether his pursuers are already striking back.

The season is still young. However, Hangtown has often proven that early trends for the further course of a championship can be identified here.

Malcom Sits Out Hangtown

Knee injury puts Stewart out of Hangtown National

Section: Competition Post: Alex Gobert

Not expected to return to Pro Motocross until RedBud weekend.

A knee injury from the Pro Motocross season-opener will put Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Malcolm Stewart out of this weekend’s Hangtown National and likely the next month of the 2026 season.

Stewart, who is currently ranked eighth overall in the SMX World Championship, finished 12th in moto one at last weekend’s season-opening round.

After dabbing his leg in the early stages of moto two, Stewart opted to exit the race as a precaution, and it was discovered this week upon further evaluation that his knee was unfortunately impacted in the incident. An intensive rehabilitation program is scheduled over the coming weeks.

“Unfortunately, Malcolm dabbed his knee in the second moto at Pala this last weekend,” commented Nathan Ramsey, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team manager. “Luckily, there is no major damage, so he will rehab for a couple of weeks and be back as soon as possible.”

Pending his recovery, Stewart and the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team have tentatively targeted RedBud as a potential return date on the weekend of July 4, marking Round 5 of the 2026 Pro Motocross Championship.

Haiden Deegan!

If there is anyone in this current era that is as old school as you get, its American sensation, Haiden Deegan. The now 20 year old talks as much crap as anyone the sport has seen, and that included 1970s legend, Bob Hannah, who tried to break bones and didn't mind calling out his rivals.

Love it or hate it, we all want him to either lose, or crash and burn and he has given us both. A fifth overall at the opening round in Pala sure brought him back down to earth and his self belief might have been bruised somewhat, but do not be surprise if he comes out at round two in Hangtown and wins.

“Nobody in the sport knows how to get people talking like I do. No-one in this sport knows how to get people talking like I do. No matter if you guys like me or not, isn't anyone ever talked about someone like this before, everyone has an opinion no matter if you like me or not, it’s emotion. This shit is gonna do numbers, shares. We are doing this as troll stuff, this isn’t to heart, we are doing this as trolls because I know the media is going to take it to another level, but then again.

In five hours, this video alone had 50,000 views, and it isn't surprising to see a Deegan video have a million views, which for the sport of motocross, is unheard of (despite what some media might like to tell you about their own videos). Yes, this little brat sure gets people interested and like Jeffrey Herlings or James Stewart over the last 20 years, he is as polarizing as any rider the sport has seen.

Tom Vialle to sit out the MXGP of Latvia

Unfortunately, Tom Vialle won’t be amongst those riders as the Frenchman is sitting out the MXGP of Latvia. The #16 tried his best in Germany to fight through the pain, but after missing those races, he has now taken the hard decision to miss Kegums as well. It had been an excellent start to the season for Vialle, so he definitely didn’t want to have to make this call, but his health is paramount and now the goal is to make sure he’s back and fully fit for Montevarchi on June 20-21.

It is sad news to say that I won’t be lining up in Latvia this weekend. I was in too much pain in Germany to be able to race, and I don’t think things have got sufficiently better for me to be riding at Kegums. It is a big shame because I really feel like I had done well in the opening rounds of the season and had adapted well to the bike and to riding in the MXGP class. The plan now is to try and make sure I am as close to 100% for Montevarchi as possible, and challenge up front like I had at every GP previously.