Super Stats: Single Season Motocross Laps Led Percentages

So far through 2025, both Jett Lawrence and Haiden Deegan have led more than 50% of the laps in their respective classes this summer.

Jett has led 183 of 287 laps so far – 63.76%.

Deegan has led 152 of 292 laps so far – 52.05%.

Since laps led data is available back to 2004, this has only happened twice before. First in 2004 and again in 2008.

In 2004, Ricky Carmichael led an incredible 359 of 371 laps in the premier class. Good for 96.77%. Meanwhile, in the 250MX class (125MX class at the time), James Stewart led 319 of 368 laps – 86.68%.

In 2008, it was James Stewart’s turn in the premier class to put up insane numbers. Stewart led 369 of 382 laps in the 450 Class – 96.60%. In the 250MX class, Ryan Villopoto led 226 of 347 laps* – 65.13%.

*2008 Hangtown data missing for 250MX class. Villopoto went 1-1 that day so his stats are probably even better than that rate.

Pretty insane figures from those years, so I wanted to break down the highest laps led percentages by year in both classes dating back to 2004.

One note: Laps led data is missing for several rounds: 2006 Hangtown, 2006 Steel City, 2007 Budds Creek, 2007 Freestone, 2008 Hangtown (250 Class). I’ll note when this impacts numbers I am showing.

450MX Single Season Laps Led Percentage Leaders since 2004

Rank	Year	Rider	Laps on Season	Laps Led	Laps Led %	Notes
1	2004	Ricky Carmichael	371	359	96.77%
2	2008	James Stewart	382	369	96.60%
3	2023	Jett Lawrence	357	329	92.16%
4	2005	Ricky Carmichael	357	300	84.03%
5	2016	Ken Roczen	390	324	83.08%
6	2006	Ricky Carmichael*	300*	196*	65.33%	Hangtown and Steel City Data Unavailable
7	2013	Ryan Villopoto	401	257	64.09%
8	2025	Jett Lawrence	287	183	63.76%	Currently in progress
9	2012	Ryan Dungey	387	224	57.88%
10	2010	Ryan Dungey	383	187	48.83%
11	2020	Adam Cianciarulo	300	131	43.67%
12	2019	Ken Roczen	383	151	39.43%
13	2015	Ryan Dungey	391	153	39.13%
14	2022	Eli Tomac	384	149	38.80%
15	2011	Ryan Villopoto	385	144	37.40%
16	2021	Ken Roczen	386	144	37.31%
17	2018	Eli Tomac	375	138	36.80%
18	2022	Chase Sexton	384	137	35.68%
19	2014	Ken Roczen	396	140	35.35%
20	2007	Ricky Carmichael*	309*	103*	33.33%	Budds Creek and Freestone Data Unavailable

Ricky, Stew and Jett all having over 90% in a season is insane – those 3 seasons were their perfect seasons too.
- James Stewart finished 2008 leading 221 consecutive laps as well!
Ken Roczen’s dominant season in 2016 comes in with 83.08% of laps led, I’ve said this before but I think Roczen’s outdoors career is already underrated, he shows up three times again on this Top 20 list!
Ricky Carmichael’s 2006 would likely have an even higher percentage since of the 4 motos with data missing, he won 3 of them.
Ryan Villopoto in 2013 led 64.07% and that was competing against Ryan Dungey and James Stewart all year.
Jett current sits at 63.76% for 2025, this is subject to get higher or lower.
Next is the pair of Dungey’s 2010 and 2012 titles, both dominant seasons from Dungey.
Adam Cianciarulo is the highest on here without a this being a championship season (assuming Jett wins this year, a pretty safe assumption IMO). AC had an incredible 2020 season showing his potential and speed. Good chance he wins the title if not for a DNF early in the season. Remember this was the 9 round covid season.
Interesting to see that Eli Tomac’s highest season is the one he faced the steepest title fight challenge in 2022. The 2022 championship battle came down to the final moto with Chase Sexton. Interestingly, Sexton’s 2022 season is higher than his 2024 title year.

I was surprised to see Sexton’s 2024 season not in the top 20 here, Sexton led 28.53% of laps. But when considering Jett led a lot of laps early before injury and a lot of Sexton’s wins came from moving up and passing Hunter Lawrence for overalls this makes sense.

The lowest laps led percentage for a champion is Grant Langston at 6.15%, however, some data is unavailable for this season so its not a complete percentage. For a season we have all the data, the lowest is Zach Osborne in 2020 with 24% of laps led.

250MX Single Season Laps Led Percentage Leaders since 2004

Rank	Year	Rider	Laps on Season	Laps Led	Laps Led %	Notes
1	2004	James Stewart	368	319	86.68%
2	2008	Ryan Villopoto*	347*	226	65.13%	Hangtown Data Unavailable
3	2025	Haiden Deegan	292	152	52.05%	Currently in progress
4	2007	Ryan Villopoto*	309*	135	43.69%	Budds Creek and Freestone Data Unavailable
5	2007	Ben Townley*	309*	127	41.10%	Budds Creek and Freestone Data Unavailable
6	2009	Christophe Pourcel	364	148	40.66%
7	2014	Jeremy Martin	388	157	40.46%
8	2018	Aaron Plessinger	373	149	39.95%
9	2011	Dean Wilson	378	150	39.68%
10	2013	Eli Tomac	396	154	38.89%
11	2022	Jett Lawrence	380	147	38.68%
12	2021	Justin Cooper	383	146	38.12%
13	2020	Dylan Ferrandis	298	112	37.58%
14	2013	Ken Roczen	396	145	36.62%
15	2012	Justin Barcia	384	138	35.94%
16	2024	Haiden Deegan	347	106	30.55%
17	2006	Ryan Villopoto*	295*	90	30.51%	Hangtown and Steel City Data Unavailable
18	2015	Marvin Musquin	385	117	30.39%
19	2019	Dylan Ferrandis	375	112	29.87%
20	2023	Hunter Lawrence	354	103	29.10%

There are three (as of now) seasons above 50% compared to 9 in the 450 class.

James Stewart’s 2004 is way ahead here, makes sense given he won 23/24 motos that summer.
Villopoto’s 2008 comes in second here, it is likely higher with the one round missing – Hangtown. He went 1-1 that day.
Interesting to see how close Ryan Villopoto and Ben Townley were in 2007 with the data we have. Both nearly combining for nearly 85% of the laps led that year.
Christophe Pourcel’s 2009 season ranks pretty highly here, unfortunately for Pourcel he narrowly lost the title to Ryan Dungey who led 23.90% of the laps that year.
Ranks 7-11 is a string of title years for Jeremy Martin (2014), Aaron Plessinger (2018), Dean Wilson (2011), Eli Tomac (2013) and Jett Lawrence (2022).
Ranks 12, 14, 15, 18 and 19 are all runner up championship finishes for Justin Cooper (2021), Ken Roczen (2013), Justin Barcia (2012), Marvin Musquin (2015), Dylan Ferrandis (2019).
- All of these except for Ken Roczen in 2013, these riders led more laps than the champion that year.
Hunter Lawrence in 2023 finishes out the Top 20 here.

The lowest percentage for a 250MX champion? Ivan Tedesco in 2005 – 13.33% of laps led.

Despite there being many dominant 250MX championships over the years, it doesn’t show up as much in the laps led statistic vs the 450 class. I’m not sure why this is the case, perhaps getting starts is a key driver and its maybe harder in the 250MX class? My example for that would be Jett Lawrence, a good starter in the 250MX class…an incredible starter in the 450MX class. Did he really get all that better compared to his 250MX days?

Maybe its just the 450MX class is a bit skewed towards the top with the perfect seasons. For example, the 50th rank for both these classes is pretty close:

450MX Class – Rank 50: Mike Alessi 2008 – 14.02% of laps led.

250MX Class – Rank 50: Blake Baggett 2012 – 15.63% of laps led.

The striking difference here? Blake Baggett was the 250MX champion in 2012!

Outside of 2007 where Grant Langston was the champion with 6.15% of laps led, every 450MX champion has been at 24.00% or higher. Meanwhile the 250MX class has three champions under 20%: