Press Release | May 9, 2022
Eli Tomac, Christian Craig, and Jett Lawrence Look to Carry Momentum Into Summer
This is a press release from MX Sports…
Morgantown, WV (May 9, 2022) – Following the conclusion of another memorable season, MX Sports Pro Racing would like to recognize the team at Feld Entertainment, Inc. for a successful 2022 Monster Energy AMA Supercross and celebrate the trio of racers who emerged as the three respective class champions—Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing’s Eli Tomac (450SX Class) and Christian Craig (250SX West) as well as Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence (250SX East). These three riders will now turn their focus to the summer, where each will set their sights on continued success in the impending 50th Anniversary of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, which begins on Memorial Day weekend with the Honda Fox Raceway National on May 28 in Southern California.
“The three well-deserving champions that came out on top of what was a superb supercross season should all be in the mix as motocross title contenders this summer,” said Davey Coombs, President, MX Sports Pro Racing. “As a matter of fact, Honda’s Jett Lawrence is our defending Pro Motocross 250 Class Champion and Eli Tomac already has multiple AMA Pro Motocross Championships in his trophy collection. The veteran Christian Craig has not quite been as successful outdoors as he has been in supercross, but now he’s moving up to the 450 Class for the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship this summer and will join forces with his Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing teammates Tomac and Dylan Ferrandis, who is our defending 450 Pro Motocross #1, and that should really benefit and motivate Christian. That whole team is going to be fun to watch this summer!”
The second 450SX Class title for Tomac has brought even more prominence to both the Colorado native, the off-season’s most coveted free agent, and the rapidly ascending Star Racing effort. After the team captured the 450 Class title last summer in its first season of premier class competition it now holds both the supercross and motocross crowns, instantly making it a powerhouse. Tomac certainly saw the trajectory the organization was headed and made a high profile move to blue, determined to add more championship hardware to an already decorated career. He and Star hit the ground running from the moment the season began in January, winning their first race together at Round 4, and had effectively built an insurmountable points lead just past the halfway point of the 17-round schedule. That proved to pay big dividends after Tomac suffered a challenging knee injury at Round 14, as he clinched the title one round early in his home state and sat out the finale. His championship tally consisted of seven wins, including a string of five in a row, and 11 podiums. Now, Tomac will seek a fourth 450 Class Championship in Pro Motocross and look to become the first rider since Ryan Dungey in 2015 to sweep the sport’s most coveted titles.
Newly crowned 450SX Class Champion Eli Tomac will chase a fourth Pro Motocross 450 Class title in his first summer campaign with Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing. Photo: Align Media
After a supercross season riding a 250cc Yamaha for Star Racing, Craig will transition for the 450 Class this summer. The strategic decision to leverage Craig’s experience in the 250SX Class was focused solely on capturing an elusive first championship, and it paid off handsomely. His confidence was unmatched in the Western Regional Championship, where he put on a showcase of speed, patience, and savvy with every gate drop. His control of the championship was never in doubt from the moment he captured the opening round win as he went on to secure four victories and nine podiums in 10 rounds. While Craig’s maiden championship was long overdue, he’s never been better aboard the motorcycle and has all the pieces to put together a breakthrough season this summer, where his teammates Tomac and defending 450 Class Champion Dylan Ferrandis will set a high bar that Craig will surely benefit from.
Fresh off his first career championship, Christian Craig will move up to the 450 Class this summer to round out a formidable three-rider lineup for Star Racing. Photo: Align Media
The surge to stardom for Lawrence took another major step with the Australian’s first supercross title in the Eastern Regional Championship. An injury prior to the start of the season in January resulted in an initial setback that forced Lawrence into the East Region, but when he eventually made his 2022 debut Lawrence established himself as the rider to beat with an impressive opening round victory. He went on to win four of the first five rounds and never finished worse than third en route to clinching the championship one round early. Perhaps even more impressive during Lawrence’s title run was his ability to overcome adversity, showing an all-around skill set that will be advantageous in the demanding 24-moto Pro Motocross season, where he’ll look to become the first rider since Jeremy Martin in 2014-2015 to successfully defend the 250 Class Championship.
Jett Lawrence now has both a motocross and supercross title to his credit at the age of 18 and will look to continue his impressive ascension to the sport’s elite this summer. Photo: Align Media
In addition to this championship trio, an ultra-talented group of race winners from this past Monster Energy Supercross season will look to capture more success this summer. Led by former champion Ken Roczen at Team Honda HRC, the 450 Class will also feature fellow Team Honda HRC rider Chase Sexton and Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson, who finished runner-up in supercross after a resurgence to the forefront of the division with his new team. In the 250 Class, Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence, Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing’s Michael Mosiman, Monster Energy Star Yamaha Racing’s Nate Thrasher, and the Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki duo of Cameron McAdoo and Austin Forkner are all poised to take the next step in their Pro Motocross journeys.
After kicking off the 50th Anniversary of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship in the motocross epicenter of Southern California, the schedule will travel north for the legendary Carson City Motorsports Hangtown Motocross Classic, on June 4, before traveling to Colorado for the Toyota Thunder Valley National, on June 11, with the East Coast debut at Pennsylvania’s High Point National, on June 18, wrapping up the first month over Father’s Day weekend. After the first off weekend of the summer, the action resumes with the famed RedBud National in Michigan, on July 2, during Independence Day weekend, followed by a journey to Massachusetts for the Southwick National, on July 9, then Minnesota for the Frescados Tortillas Spring Creek National, on July 16, before wrapping up the month back out west for the MotoSport.com Washougal National, on July 23, in Washington. After one final break in action, the stretch run will begin in New York with the iconic Unadilla National, on August 13, followed by the GEICO Motorcycle Budds Creek National in Maryland, on August 20, then the Ironman National in Indiana, on August 27, with the finale back in Southern California for the Fox Raceway II National, on September 3, over Labor Day weekend.
Tickets to each round of the 2022 season are now available and can be purchased by visiting the official website of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship.
For more information about the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, please visit ProMotocross.com
