With the 41st edition of the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch approaching, we will spend the next few weeks running through some of the names you might not know raced Loretta Lynn’s. Of the thousands of people who have raced at the Ranch, not everyone has gone on to race at the professional level. But, several are industry members, the parents/siblings of current pro racers, people who became well-known outside of the motocross industry. So, in this year’s countdown we are going to highlight some names that make you say, “Wait, they raced at Loretta’s?!”
Let us know in the comments some names of people you recall that raced at the Ranch that might not be as well-known.
We are going to start off the countdown with the top of the current 250 Class Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship standings: Jett Lawrence. Yes, the young Austrailian did in fact race Loretta Lynn’s! The Lawrence family moved to the U.S. in 2018 as their oldest son Hunter Lawrence—an established racer in the FIM Motocross World Championship MX2 Class—would be making his debut in AMA Supercross and Motocross in the U.S with the GEICO Honda team in 2019. His younger brother Jett was 15 years old at the time of his one and only go at the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship.
The Factory Connection Honda rider (GEICO Honda’s amateur program) recorded five podium finishes but came up short in the Open Pro Sport to Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Jalek Swoll and he finished 13th overall in 250 Pro Sport after a mechanical DNF in the third moto while leading.
The highlights of the week for #49 Jett Lawrence included an insanely close finish between himself and Swoll in the first Open Pro Sport moto as the two came across the finish line literally side-by-side! Neither rider knew who had won at the time, but after looking at timing and scoring, the win officially went to Swoll by 0.066 seconds!
“When we went over the line we both looked at each other and we were just confused. It was like, ‘Who got it’?” Lawrence recalled. “If I got first I would have been more pumped, but still getting second in that moto, I knew I was riding good. I was pretty happy with how my riding was, and to be in that finish together was pretty cool. I wasn’t bummed at all.”
“Whether I got second or I won, it would have been a sick moto,” Swoll confirmed. “I asked my mechanic Brandon who won, and he was like, ‘I don’t know, did you not win?’ I was like, ‘I don’t know.’ It was sick!”
Added Lawrence, “We got enjoyment out of racing the track and having a good race. We got more excited with that than getting a trophy.”
Swoll would claim the Open Pro Sport titles that week, as well as the Nicky Hayden AMA Motocross Horizon Award. Husqvarna-mounted Hardy Munoz actually claimed the 250 Pro Sport overall win with 3-4-3 moto finishes over Honda’s Carson Mumford’s 2-8-2, and KTM’s Jesse Flock’s 5-11-1. Although he came up short of either title, Lawrence was strongly considered for the Nicky Hayden AMA Motocross Horizon Award.
Jett also was a hoot on the podium with Jason Weigandt and crew, mentioning—or talking crap on—his brother Hunter, who he referred to as his “sister.” A week later, Lawrence turned 16 and made his U.S. pro debut at the Unadilla National, where he finished 21-8 for 13th overall.
Here are Jett Lawrence’s overall and moto finishes from his only week at the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch:
Jett Lawrence | 2019
2nd overall in Open Pro Sport | 2-1-3
13th overall in 250 Pro Sport | 1-2-DNF
Main image by Jason Michael Watkins
