At the second SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) race, Hunter Lawrence claimed first overall with 1-1 race finishes ahead of Jo Shimoda (2-2) and Haiden Deegan (3-3) for the overall win. Deegan was leading the first race but was passed by both Lawrence and Shimoda, with the #30 making a last-lap charge for the race win. But the #96 managed to hold on as Shimoda got slowed up in a turn just a few sections from the finish line. Then in the second race, Shimoda was leading, but had to back it down some as he noticed his bike having an issue. Still, he managed a second-place finish, with Lawrence grabbing the overall. Shimoda and Deegan entered the second SMX race with the points lead, but Lawrence (89 points) left Illinois with a slight advantage over Shimoda (86 points) and Deegan (82 points). With all three riders only separated by seven points—and the SMX finale worth triple points, the finale will most likely be a winner-take-all for the first ever 250SMX SuperMotocross World Championship. Read what the trio had to say in the post-race press conference following the racing at Chicagoland Speedway.
Hunter Lawrence | 1-1 for 1st overall
Hunter Lawrence, last week, not the week you want to start off this championship with. You talked about getting better starts, working on them this week, and keeping it on two wheels. You certainly did that. In addition to those two things, what else helped you get up to the top step here in Chicagoland Speedway?
Hunter Lawrence: Yeah, the starts obviously helped a lot. Bit of a unique situation in the second moto with Jo and what was going on with his bike, so, that one was a little unique and stuff. So, yeah, that’s kind of pretty much the key moments, he’s pretty much seen everything that I saw.
Are you happy with the track, the way it laid out? I would imagine that you are after what you just pulled off.
Uh, yeah, it was different for sure! It was very high speed, there was a lot of sections where you couldn’t really see, like the vision was really tricky to see because the dirt was so dark and there was some areas out in the back that were just–there wasn't really lights so it was kind of pretty sketchy, especially how high speed we were going. But yeah, you just gotta SuperMotocross. [Laughs]
![Hunter Lawrence]()
Hunter Lawrence Align Media ![Hunter Lawrence]()
Hunter Lawrence Align Media ![Hunter Lawrence]()
Hunter Lawrence Align Media
Just a quick one for Hunter, I know you obviously have next weekend and then the Motocross of Nations [MxoN]–I imagine that leaves very little time for a break until next year. Can you talk a little bit about anything you have planned?
Yeah, just the last round and Nations, that’s pretty much all that’s planned. It’s one of those things. Obviously, time off would be cool, but it’s, you know, when you get the opportunity to go and race for your country you obviously do it, you know. It’s kind of just, suck up your feelings, no one cares, go and put on a show and race for your country. So, step up and then–yeah maybe a week or so off and yeah just onto the 450 stuff then.
For all three of you, each of you holds your own future in your hands. The winner is probably going to come from you [three]. You're racing everybody in the field, but you're specifically racing the two people sitting next to you. Does that change how you approach next week? Are you going to be paying attention to how the other guys are doing.
Yeah, that’s generally how a championship works, you know, you battle the top two or three and, obviously a little higher risk–well not really higher risk, but it’s just higher risk and rewards because it’s such a short season and in all reality, yeah the last race is the only one that really counts.
You were not able to get a 1-1 in any of the motos outdoors this year, but you did here tonight. Is this the most satisfied you’ve felt leaving a race this season then?
No, because you could go 2-1 and it was the same points, so it was kind of didn’t really matter. This race, everyone up here has just as good a chance at winning the whole deal next weekend. So, yeah, it’s cool but it doesn’t really kind of mean anything the first two rounds as long as you’re in the top five you’re…[got a] pretty decent shot.
The SuperMotocross tracks so far have been pretty different and then going into the next round, which is more supercrossy according to the map–I don’t know if you’re enjoying this, kind of having the big changes, and if so, would you like to see maybe down the road where they mix it up like they used to where there’s a national in the middle of the supercross season and you are going back and forth, just to change things up?
Um, I don’t know. I don’t think I’d like a national in the middle of a supercross season. Yeah, they’re definitely unique, it’s just, no one knows what to expect. Everyone says the same thing, I think it’s just–it kind of is what it is.
| Position | Rider | Hometown | Qualifying Points | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Haiden Deegan | Temecula, CA  | 539 | 157 |
| 2 |  Jo Shimoda | Suzuka, Japan  | 468 | 152 |
| 3 |  R.J. Hampshire | Hudson, FL | 474 | 122 |
| 4 |  Levi Kitchen | Washougal, WA | 478 | 114 |
| 5 |  Jordon Smith | Belmont, NC | 234 | 110 |
Jo Shimoda | 2-2 for 2nd overall
Each of you holds your own future in your hands, there’s less than nine points down and the winner is probably going to come from you [three–Hunter Lawrence, Jo Shimoda, Haiden Deegan]. You’re racing everybody in the field but you’re specifically racing the two people sitting next to you, does that change how you approach next week? You’re going to be paying attention to how the other guys are doing?
Jo Shimoda: Yeah, I mean, I just thought you know, first two races are kind of–I feel like if you can be in the top three, top four maybe, everybody’s gonna have a chance at the end. So, whoever takes an overall at the end basically kind of takes it all, so, I knew it was gonna be like this.
![Jo Shimoda]()
Jo Shimoda Align Media ![Jo Shimoda]()
Jo Shimoda Align Media
The bike issue in the last moto for you–what exactly did you start feeling with it? Was it power loss in the bike or was it something else that you were feeling?
Uh, yeah, we talked about it after the race. We know the issues now but nothing really–it’s nobody’s fault. I’m not even mad about anybody in the team or the bike, I know the team’s working super hard behind me and then all I can do is just bring everything to the table, so, yeah. But I did have to slow down, so yeah just–it’s a bummer but I’ll do next weekend.
You won the final outdoor national of the year, you won last weekend and, of course you got a moto win. You’re really coming on strong, are you kind of disappointed the season’s coming to an end?
[Laughs] You can take this in two ways kind of–part of me want to take a break anytime soon but I mean, I’m feeling pretty good right now. So, a little bit of both.
Haiden Deegan | 3-3 for 3rd overall
Haiden, I think it was yesterday in practice or qualifying. You sent it off the wall jump? Were you kind of testing that out to see if it would make sense during the race?
Haiden Deegan: Oh, no, I lost my rear brake in the first qualifying and I thought I still could do a heater and came into it with no rear brake and wasn't smart. So, got a little air wheelie. But, yeah, it was too steep, you would have lost too much time.
For all three of you, each of you holds your own future in your hands. There's less than nine points down and the winner is probably going to come from you [three]. You're racing everybody in the field, but you're specifically racing the two people sitting next to you. Does that change how you approach next week? Are you going to be paying attention to how the other guys are doing.
Deegan: Oh, yeah, where I'm at right now, I'm just, on the bubble so all I can really do to win this thing is win. So that's all I'm gonna go there to do is try and win. So, yeah. [Laughs]
![Haiden Deegan]()
Haiden Deegan Align Media ![Haiden Deegan]()
Haiden Deegan Align Media
Haiden, in both of the motos, you elected after the sight lap to come in and change the rear tire. What was the decision behind that?
Yeah, just to make sure you have the max traction in that first start, somehow pulled the hole shot from the very outside. I wheeled all the way to the first turn, which is super cool. It felt really cool and then second moto, I had a good start, also. I came out fourth and, yeah, just working on not getting pinched off on the inside and being smart. And this is the stuff we're learning this year. So, yeah, we just had to put it to use.
You really excelled at Daytona this year and this track like, kind of seemed like it was very Daytona style. Do you feel like that translated into your results tonight?
No, and yes, it was kind of cool. I kind of go off a Daytona a little racing at night on a more of a wide-open track, but Daytona is still a little more supercross. This track, they made it pretty much like outdoors as much as you can be. So it was still cool though. It gave off a pretty cool vibe, but, I've been in better positions than this, so I wouldn't say it was the greatest night.
This track, they were saying on TV, that the speeds were some of the highest they've seen, even higher than any nationals. Were there any significant bike changes you did to prepare for the speeds as the day went on?
No, not really. They put that wall jump in the, the roller section which slowed it down a little bit and I feel like that's where you're like fifth gear wide to those rollers, which is pretty gnarly. [Laughs] But yeah, just start on normal outdoor suspension. And, yeah, I just had to adjust myself to the track. So that's basically how it went.
