Jett Lawrence extends 2024 AMA Supercross 450SX class lead with wire-to-wire win in Philadelphia

As the 2024 AMA Supercross season starts to wind down, the 450SX title race might finally have a victor emerging.

After breaking a tie in the overall 450SX class standings with a first-place finish in Nashville last week, Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence tightened his grip on the class with another dominant display at Philadelphia AMA Supercross on Saturday, April 27. With the win, Lawrence rose to 311 points on the season, leading second-place Cooper Webb of Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing by 12 points with two rounds remaining in the 2024 campaign.

Lawrence left little to chance at Lincoln Financial Field, securing the holeshot and maintaining the lead for all 24 laps of the race.

“There’s only really one option with the start is: get a good start and be up there,” Lawrence said. “On this track, that’s a little difficult to pass [on], it definitely helped [to get the holeshot]. [I] nailed my start finally and I know we’re still focusing on each race. I mean, [the] job’s not done yet so we’re going to stay focused and make sure we execute these last two rounds.”

Lawrence was joined on the podium by Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton, who rallied into second place with a late surge through the final few laps, and Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson after he secured third place with a pass on the last turn in the closing lap of the race.

As the 250SX East title chase nears its end, with only one East/West Showdown race remaining in the class, the championship remains unclaimed after a tight race in Philadelphia. To add to the excitement, Fire Power Honda’s Max Anstie overcame a slow start to claim his first AMA Supercross win at Lincoln Financial Field.

Anstie battled back to the front of the pack after exiting the first turn in fifth place, overtaking Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker — a native of Philadelphia — late in the race before leading for the final seven laps en route to the win.

“Obviously it was an exciting race. We needed this, my whole crew,” Anstie said. “I’m happy to get this done and looking forward to the final round in Salt Lake in a couple of weeks.”

250SX East class leader Tom Vialle of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing battled from outside of the top 10 back onto the podium, finishing in second place and extending his points lead to 15 with the East/West Showdown in Salt Lake City looming on May 11. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan followed Vialle to a third-place finish in the City of Brotherly Love.

Vialle and Deegan remain as the final two competitors vying for the 250SX East crown, which will be awarded during the season finale in Salt Lake City. Vialle enters the final race with 158 points on the campaign, while Deegan trails with 143.

With title battles heating up in the final two weeks of the season, the 2024 AMA Supercross caravan heads to Denver on Saturday, May 4, with gate drop set for 7 p.m. EST. The event will be streamed live on Peacock.