BUCHANAN, Mich. ― On a weekend where America’s independence is celebrated, two international stars stole the show at the 52nd annual RedBud National Pro Motocross Championship.
Australia’s Jett Lawrence and Japan’s Jo Shimoda won the 450 (cc) class and 250 class titles, respectively, at one of the more prestigious motocross events in the world Saturday, July 5.
Both swept the two moto races within their classes as well. Lawrence was a little more dramatic with it than Shimoda, with the points leader falling as far back as 18th place in the second moto before surging past the competition.
“I didn’t make my second race any easier, stalling back there and going down,” Lawrence said. “I had to work a little harder for it today, but it’s good to get those ones every now and then. … First thing that came to mind was ‘get up and keep going because this isn’t the place you want to be staying.’”
Shimoda hardly broke a sweat in his two races. It was his first sweep of the season, moving him to second place in the overall 250 standings.
“I believe this is my first win with Honda outdoors,” Shimoda said. “Simply, I’m super stoked.”
Jett’s brother, Hunter, finished 2nd, while American Justin Cooper was third. In the 250, a pair of Americans finished 2nd and 3rd in Jalek Swoll and Michael Mosiman, respectively.
All six riders to earn the podium noted how different the track felt this year compared to the past. A deeper surface led to slower turns and not as much momentum carrying over on the straightaways.
“It was tough to get a flow,” Hunter Lawrence said. “I felt like the ruts were really deep and super upright, if that makes sense. Normally, national ruts are cut in a little bit at more of a lean angle, so it was a bit different this year … the track was just heavy all day long.”
2025 RedBud National Pro Motocross Championship – Results
Top 15 in each class. Finish in each moto in parenthesis
450 Class
1. Jett Lawrence (1-1)
2. Hunter Lawrence (2-3)
3. Justin Cooper (4-2)
4. R.J. Hampshire (3-6)
5. Chase Sexton (5-4)
6. Jorde Prado (7-5)
7. Justin Barcia (8-9)
8. Malcolm Stewart (11-10)
9. Cooper Webb (15-8)
10. Harri Kullas (12-11)
11. Benoit Paturel (12-11)
12. Aaron Plessinger (6-DNS)
13. Eli Tomac (34-7)
14. Antonio Cairoli (9-39)
15. Jason Anderson (10-35)
250 Class
1. Jo Shimoda (1-1)
2. Jalek Swoll (6-3)
3. Michael Mosiman (4-4)
4. Mikkel Haarup (8-5)
5. Haiden Deegan (14-2)
6. Ryder DiFrancesco (12-6)
7. Levi Kitchen (2-19)
8. Parker Ross (11-10)
9. Seth Hammaker (5-16)
10. Garrett Marchbanks (10-12)
11. Nate Thrasher (7-15)
12. Maximus Vohland (15-8)
13. Tom Vialle (3-21)
14. Lux Turner (13-11)
15. Dilan Schwartz (39-7)
Austin Hough is a sports editor within the Center for Community Journalism at Gannett. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @AustinRHough. Hough can be emailed at ahough@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: 2025 RedBud Pro Motocross results: Lawrence, Shimoda dominant in title wins
Reporting by Austin Hough, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
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