Jett Lawrence has led 181 out of the 394 total laps so far in the 15 rounds of the 2024 Supercross season. This is good for 45.94%. This is a very impressive rate on its own and especially as a rookie and with the other competition that has remained healthy.
So how does this compare historically?
Unfortunately, we can only go back to 2003, as this is when laps led data is publicly available back to. However, we have over 20 years of seasons to compare to (but again we can’t compare to the McGrath era or early Carmichael premier class years).
The comparison is based on laps led percentage to account for the difference in laps each year, and keep in mind that this is based on the TOTAL laps in the season, not just the laps the rider completed.
Here’s the rankings:
450SX Single Season Laps Led Percentage Records since 2003
| Rank | Rider | Year | Laps in Season | Laps Led | Laps Led % |
| 1 | James Stewart | 2007 | 320 | 225 | 70.31% |
| 2 | James Stewart | 2009 | 340 | 197 | 57.94% |
| 3 | Chad Reed | 2004 | 321 | 176 | 54.83% |
| 4 | Ryan Villopoto | 2013 | 340 | 180 | 52.94% |
| 5 | Ryan Dungey | 2016 | 336 | 171 | 50.89% |
| 6 | Chad Reed | 2008 | 327 | 163 | 49.85% |
| 7 | Ryan Villopoto | 2012 | 336 | 161 | 47.92% |
| 8 | Chad Reed | 2003 | 320 | 153 | 47.81% |
| 9 | Jett Lawrence (thru 15 rounds in 2024) | 2024 | 394 | 181 | 45.94% |
| 10 | Eli Tomac | 2017 | 392 | 180 | 45.92% |
| 11 | James Stewart | 2006 | 307 | 140 | 45.60% |
| 12 | Ryan Villopoto | 2014 | 340 | 154 | 45.29% |
| 13 | Ricky Carmichael | 2005 | 312 | 140 | 44.87% |
| 14 | Ryan Dungey | 2015 | 340 | 148 | 43.53% |
| 15 | Ricky Carmichael | 2003 | 320 | 130 | 40.63% |
| 16 | Ryan Dungey | 2010 | 335 | 130 | 38.81% |
| Ken Roczen | 2021 | 402 | 156 | 38.81% | |
| 18 | Chase Sexton | 2023 | 441 | 166 | 37.64% |
| 19 | Ryan Villopoto | 2010 | 335 | 121 | 36.12% |
| 20 | James Stewart | 2011 | 340 | 121 | 35.59% |
| 21 | Kevin Windham | 2004 | 321 | 114 | 35.51% |
| 22 | Ken Roczen | 2020 | 464 | 163 | 35.13% |
| 23 | Eli Tomac | 2018 | 464 | 158 | 34.05% |
| 24 | Ricky Carmichael | 2006 | 307 | 102 | 33.22% |
| 25 | Eli Tomac | 2023 | 441 | 146 | 33.11% |
| 26 | Jason Anderson | 2022 | 458 | 150 | 32.75% |
| 27 | Ken Roczen | 2016 | 336 | 99 | 29.46% |
| 28 | Cooper Webb | 2019 | 461 | 128 | 27.77% |
| Eli Tomac | 2019 | 461 | 128 | 27.77% | |
| 30 | Cooper Webb | 2021 | 402 | 108 | 26.87% |
- Jett would currently rank 9th if he continues at this rate, he is pretty close to a lot of other riders so based on how the next two rounds go he could move up or down a few spots
- James Stewart’s 2007 season is insane. Of the 95 laps Stewart didn’t lead, 47 of those were led by Ricky Carmichael – imagine if Carmichael didn’t race part time in 2007 how many more laps Stewart would have led!
- Chad Reed’s 2004 and 2008 championships were quite dominant putting him high on the list.
- Villopoto’s 2012 would in all likelihood have been even higher had he not gotten hurt for the last few rounds. Until his injury, RV had completed all the laps on the season and was sitting at 161 laps led out of 276 – 58.33%. This would have been the second best overall if he maintained this rate.
- You see some non-champions pretty high up on this list – more on that later
Here is the breakdown for laps led percentage for 2024 through 15 rounds:
2024 450SX Laps Led Percentages (through 15 Rounds)
| Rank | Rider | Year | Laps in Season | Laps Led | Laps Led % |
| 1 | Jett Lawrence | 2024 | 394 | 181 | 45.94% |
| 2 | Eli Tomac | 2024 | 394 | 52 | 13.20% |
| 3 | Ken Roczen | 2024 | 394 | 49 | 12.44% |
| 4 | Chase Sexton | 2024 | 394 | 46 | 11.68% |
| 5 | Cooper Webb | 2024 | 394 | 36 | 9.14% |
| 6 | Aaron Plessinger | 2024 | 394 | 15 | 3.81% |
| 7 | Jason Anderson | 2024 | 394 | 13 | 3.30% |
| 8 | Justin Cooper | 2024 | 394 | 1 | 0.25% |
| Hunter Lawrence | 2024 | 394 | 1 | 0.25% |
Nine different riders have led a lap so far in 2024, this tracks close to the average from 2003-2023, where an average of 8.62 different riders lead a lap each year.
How do champions rank for their season’s since 2003?
450SX Single Season Laps Led Percentage Records Among Champions since 2003
| Rank | Rider | Year | Laps in Season | Laps Led | Laps Led % |
| 1 | James Stewart | 2007 | 320 | 225 | 70.31% |
| 2 | James Stewart | 2009 | 340 | 197 | 57.94% |
| 3 | Chad Reed | 2004 | 321 | 176 | 54.83% |
| 4 | Ryan Villopoto | 2013 | 340 | 180 | 52.94% |
| 5 | Ryan Dungey | 2016 | 336 | 171 | 50.89% |
| 6 | Chad Reed | 2008 | 327 | 163 | 49.85% |
| 7 | Ryan Villopoto | 2012 | 336 | 161 | 47.92% |
| 8 | Ryan Villopoto | 2014 | 340 | 154 | 45.29% |
| 9 | Ricky Carmichael | 2005 | 312 | 140 | 44.87% |
| 10 | Ryan Dungey | 2015 | 340 | 148 | 43.53% |
| 11 | Ricky Carmichael | 2003 | 320 | 130 | 40.63% |
| 12 | Ryan Dungey | 2010 | 335 | 130 | 38.81% |
| 13 | Chase Sexton | 2023 | 441 | 166 | 37.64% |
| 14 | Ricky Carmichael | 2006 | 307 | 102 | 33.22% |
| 15 | Cooper Webb | 2019 | 461 | 128 | 27.77% |
| 16 | Cooper Webb | 2021 | 402 | 108 | 26.87% |
| 17 | Eli Tomac | 2022 | 458 | 117 | 25.55% |
| 18 | Ryan Villopoto | 2011 | 340 | 85 | 25.00% |
| 19 | Ryan Dungey | 2017 | 392 | 97 | 24.74% |
| 20 | Eli Tomac | 2020 | 464 | 98 | 21.12% |
| 21 | Jason Anderson | 2018 | 464 | 75 | 16.16% |
- The champion has averaged 39.80% of the laps led from 2003-2023
- Pretty significant range from 1st to 21st
- Tomac’s championship year’s are on the lower end – and even lower than Webb’s championship years.
- Even if Webb were to lead significant amount of laps the next two rounds (and win the championship), he likely still would be behind Anderson for lowest season percentage. Of Webb’s 36 laps led this year, 23 came from just one race.
- Anderson is the only rider to not be in the top 2 on the season for laps led as a champion. Both Eli Tomac and Marvin Musquin led more laps than Anderson in 2018.
How often does the rider with the most laps led on the season win the championship?
450SX Single Season Laps Led Percentage Leader 2003-2023
| Year | Rider with Most Laps Led | Laps Led % | Champion? |
| 2003 | Chad Reed | 47.81% | No |
| 2004 | Chad Reed | 54.83% | Yes |
| 2005 | Ricky Carmichael | 44.87% | Yes |
| 2006 | James Stewart | 45.60% | No |
| 2007 | James Stewart | 70.31% | Yes |
| 2008 | Chad Reed | 49.85% | Yes |
| 2009 | James Stewart | 57.94% | Yes |
| 2010 | Ryan Dungey | 38.81% | Yes |
| 2011 | James Stewart | 35.59% | No |
| 2012 | Ryan Villopoto | 47.92% | Yes |
| 2013 | Ryan Villopoto | 52.94% | Yes |
| 2014 | Ryan Villopoto | 45.29% | Yes |
| 2015 | Ryan Dungey | 43.53% | Yes |
| 2016 | Ryan Dungey | 50.89% | Yes |
| 2017 | Eli Tomac | 45.92% | No |
| 2018 | Eli Tomac | 34.05% | No |
| 2019 | Cooper Webb / Eli Tomac | 27.77% | Yes / No |
| 2020 | Ken Roczen | 35.13% | No |
| 2021 | Ken Roczen | 38.81% | No |
| 2022 | Jason Anderson | 32.75% | No |
| 2023 | Chase Sexton | 37.64% | Yes |
The laps led leader averages 44.68% of the laps led over the season.
This is a championship rate of 13/22 for 59.09%. Which I’m not sure if that seems low or not. But what is interesting is that from 2003-2016, there were only 3 instances of the laps led leader not winning the title. Two of which were James Stewart and the other was Reed in 2003 with his championship battle with Ricky Carmichael.
From 2017-2023, 6 of the 8 laps led leaders didn’t win the title (one extra for quantity with Webb and Tomac tying in 2019). The two riders that did win…one was tied for the most laps led – Webb in 2019 and then Sexton in 2023.
So what changed in 2017? Well, this was the first season of the 20 minutes + 1 Lap format. And in 2018 Triple Crowns started. Look at the laps per season changes:
2003-2007 was a 16 round series, since 2008, the series has been 17 rounds. Also note that 2021 didn’t have any Triple Crown rounds. We are at 394 laps in 2024 through 15 rounds.
From 2011-2014 we had the Villopoto era, and then Dungey from 2015-2017. If the format changed back in 2011, I still think Villopoto and Dungey would have won those titles from 2011-2016 regardless of whether it was 20 laps vs 20 minutes +1 lap.
So, is it something with the tracks?
With more laps and the tracks breaking down more at the end, this is where Cooper Webb really excels. As of writing, Webb has a 20.66% career win percentage, however, he only has a 12.35% career laps led percentage. This is a pretty strong overachievement; think of the numerous times we saw Webb chase down Ken Roczen late for example.
Tomac is similar: 29.21% career win %, 23.14% career laps led %.
For perspective, James Stewart had a 40.65% career win % and a 41.56% career laps led %, a small underachievement.
I think the question now is, where does Jett (or Webb) finish the year on laps led percentage and what do we see going forward? Do we see the a return to the champion leading the most laps over the next few year? And does that percentage increase or decrease? Something to watch over the coming years!
Thanks for reading! Any questions, hit me up on Twitter or Instagram @MXReference
