After winning the first moto at Washougal Hunter Lawrence was close to securing his first overall of the year, until a tip over in the second moto cost him the win. Eli Tomac swapped moto scores with Chase Sexton, tying in points for the day but ending the day in second overall. Jason Anderson landed on the podium for the fourth time this season, but still wants more. Here is what the guys had to say in the post-race press conference.
Hunter Lawrence
Hunter, a win in moto one obviously, a fourth in moto two, obviously some great expectations considering in 2021 at this track you had seventh overall so a good start to this one.
Hunter Lawrence: Yeah, not bad. Obviously, I would have liked the overall today, but I left it all on the track. First moto was good, second moto was going really well, and I tried to kind of stick a wheel in there and then I washed the front. On a track that’s really hard to make up ground…it’s kind of weird it’s a very one lined track, and every time you would try to find a different line just to try and get out of the roost and see if there is a passing opportunity on a different line, it felt like you would lose all of the ground you made up. So you’re like “Damn, ok you’ve got to go back again.” So, it was tough. But definitely coming out of here, into the break in better shape than we were last year so it’s a positive. The negative is the guy I am trying to make up points on didn’t even win a moto, but he still got the overall so it’s like “dammit!”
Hunter, you mentioned shadows on the podium, how bad were they?
Uhh… I wont sugar coat it, they were terrible. I mean they are the same every year, it’s not like they change. But it’s such a crazy crazy thing because the track is so high speed and to have vision obstructions and stuff, and to not be able to see the bumps it’s kind of scary. There’s a very big “send it” aspect to this track when you’re trying gain positions. Obviously when you’re in the power position out front it’s a little easier to ride defensive. But yeah, its tough, like maybe when the off-season comes we’ll saw a few branches off [laughs] and kind of open it up a bit because it’s a little frightening at times.
Washougal - 250
July 23, 2022| Rider | Hometown | Motos | Bike | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Jett Lawrence | Landsborough, Australia  | 2 - 2 | Honda CRF250R |
| 2 |  Justin Cooper | Cold Spring Harbor, NY  | 4 - 1 | Yamaha YZ250F |
| 3 |  Hunter Lawrence | Landsborough, Australia | 1 - 4 | Honda CRF250R |
| 4 |  Jo Shimoda | Suzuka, Japan  | 3 - 3 | Kawasaki KX250F |
| 5 |  Max Vohland | Sacramento, CA | 7 - 5 | KTM 250 SX-F |
| Position | Rider | Hometown | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jett Lawrence | Landsborough, Australia | 525 |
| 2 | Jo Shimoda | Suzuka, Japan | 480 |
| 3 | Hunter Lawrence | Landsborough, Australia | 468 |
| 4 | Justin Cooper | Cold Spring Harbor, NY | 415 |
| 5 |  R.J. Hampshire | Hudson, FL | 346 |
Hunter when you went down in moto two what was it? Was it body position?
I need to see the footage again because I felt like my front wheel was in the rut where I wanted to turn, and it wasn’t… I don’t know I need to check again before I comment because it was weird how it kind of just washed out. I just kind of put tried to put a front wheel in there and then it just washed.
Eli Tomac
Eli once again a great weekend for starts, you went three in the first one and second in the second moto. And then it was all out, you two battling it out for a half an hour plus two laps not once but twice. Second moto a lot of times you came close just not able to get it done, especially in that switchback chicane, then it was bonsai down the hill where it looked one line. Talk us through that section and trying to get by Chase (Sexton) in number two.
Tomac: Well, here I feel like, if you’ve got more speed than the guy you can set up the passes, [but] we were just dead even. And again, in moto two it was hard for me to really find something else. Once again all of these moto’s kind of feel the same, we are pushing each other to the limit and it’s kind of who’s out front. It was another good day for starts for me but obviously he holeshotted moto two. It was fun. It was fun racing but here you do funnel in a little bit but no excuses. The first one I was able to get to the front so, it was a good day.
Eli at the end of the second moto, at one point you were within a half of a second of Chase, it was basically front wheel to rear tire. It looked like a lapper gave you trouble and that kind of sucked the wind out of your sails and then it dropped back to two seconds, four seconds. Were you just like, “Hey I’m going to be the best I can but second is okay?”
At that point yes, I had made so many sprint attempts to get right onto his rear wheel and then I could never make anything happen. Then a couple of moments before that I had a little moment over the roller, kind of drug my foot on the jump and almost went over the bars so I was like “you know what, a wash on the day is going to be okay now.” So yeah, the last two laps I kind of sent it in.
Washougal - 450
July 23, 2022| Rider | Hometown | Motos | Bike | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Chase Sexton | La Moille, IL | 2 - 1 | Honda CRF450R |
| 2 |  Eli Tomac | Cortez, CO | 1 - 2 | Yamaha YZ450F |
| 3 |  Jason Anderson | Edgewood, NM | 3 - 3 | Kawasaki KX450SR |
| 4 |  Ken Roczen | Mattstedt, Germany  | 4 - 6 | Honda CRF450R |
| 5 |  Christian Craig | Temecula, CA | 6 - 5 | Yamaha YZ450F |
| Position | Rider | Hometown | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eli Tomac | Cortez, CO | 546 |
| 2 | Chase Sexton | La Moille, IL | 539 |
| 3 | Jason Anderson | Edgewood, NM | 440 |
| 4 | Ken Roczen | Mattstedt, Germany | 394 |
| 5 | Christian Craig | Temecula, CA | 373 |
Eli with your previous championships you have had to face some fierce competition. Where does this stand in your overall view of all the competition? Is it like “Here I am in this season of my career and it just keeps getting harder to fend off some of these young guys?”
This one has been the gnarliest week in week out pace, hands down. If you just go back and watch the motos, for week after week after week it’s been a fun time and it’s been a hard push but this one is not even close. Look, we have been riding on each other’s wheel for what has it been? Nine motos now that we have gone 1-2. It’s crazy.
Very late in the race, I can’t remember if it was moto one or moto two, but you guys pulled your fastest lap of the race, and I believe it was the last lap. Was it just a clear track or was it “He’s going faster, I’ve got to do the same.”
[Laughs] Well we are right on each other’s wheel, and that’s what happens, you’ve got to throw down! We are throwing down all the way until the end.
Jason Anderson
Jason, 3-3 on the day, great as far as points go. They were on a different level today, the gap they had on you. But still you had to fend off the rest of the competitors out there, talk us through your motos.
Anderson: Yeah, for me I just kind feel like I’m third wheeling out there, and its tough. Because even the first lap of the second moto I started out third and I’m kind of on my own. I feel I am with them for maybe 3-4 laps and then I lose touch and that’s it. But I still need to be putting myself up there which I’ve been doing the last couple of weekends to try and see the pace and it’s a little bit faster than what I am right now. But luckily, I feel like I am faster than the rest of the guys. Being on the podium is nice but when it’s been happening like this it’s tough, I’ve just been trying to figure it out. I would like to be closer to the lead group with these two and I would like to try and be battling a bit more. Because they’re making it interesting, and I would like to see what’s going on.
Jason, things are going in the right direction. You’ve got that overall win that took you awhile to get in the outdoor series. Is there something missing from your program, is it just finding the speed by latching onto somebody. What is one thing that you are missing, it doesn’t seem like there is much missing, but do you feel like there is?
Yeah, for me I haven’t really raced outdoors in a few years and right now I am having a career best outdoor season. So, it’s tough. Right now, personally, I want to be better, and I want to be racing with these guys. Sometimes you’ve got to look at the positives to sort of keep yourself going. I’ve had four podiums this year, a win, I am sitting third in points. Which is cool and all but as racers we want more, you know? I don’t know what’s missing obviously, but I feel like I am trending in the right direction. I think this year has been really good for me and if I can just keep the progress going year after year, I am still hoping my better days are ahead of me. So, we will see how it goes, keep working hard and keep our head down and try to stay up here and hopefully get some more podiums and wins in the future.
