At the 2023 Atlanta Supercross, Hunter Lawrence did what he has done at every just about every race so far in the 250SX East Region: got out front early and rode home with a win. The #96 had one close call in the main event, where he almost got bucked off his machine, but otherwise he rode well en route to claiming his sixth win (of seven races so far) and his 11th career 250SX main event win. Hunter has now claimed back-to-back wins in Atlanta Motor Speedway.
After the race, Lawrence spoke to the media in the post-race press conference. Tom Journet and I caught up to Lawrence afterward, so we threw in that text at the bottom of the press conference text.
Note: Lawrence has a 45-point lead on P2 (now Haiden Deegan) in the standings. If he has a 52-point gap by the end of the race next weekend, he will clinch the 250SX East Region title early. That will be something to watch for during the Dave Coombs Sr. East/West Showdown.
Hunter, six of seven, man. We talked about it on the broadcast. Just your journey. Salt Lake City [in 2020] was the first time we saw you. You were just getting your feet wet and learning. But the transformation you’ve made. We talked about Johnny O [O’Mara, trainer] and what you’ve gone through. How does it feel now to be where you’re at where it’s clicking and everything is intact and you’ve won six of seven races this year. how does that feel?
Hunter Lawrence: It feels really good. The sport’s so tough, the lows are unimaginably low, and so are the highs. It’s tough. When you’re struggling and in the trenches, you feel like you’re never gonna get it. But when you have it, you feel like you’re never going to lose it. So it’s cool, the sport is interesting and that’s why we’re emotionally invested in it. It’s good to enjoy these moments cause you work so hard for them. You need to look back at it and remember when you’re leaving the track going 10-12 or something at outdoors, and you’re like trying to say, “We did this good, we did that good.” You’re trying to find the positive, but in reality, you sucked. [Laughs]
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Hunter Lawrence Align Media ![Hunter Lawrence taking the main event checkered flag.]()
Hunter Lawrence taking the main event checkered flag. Align Media
Your 11th win, you’re tied with Ricky Carmichael and Ryan Villopoto in the all-time wins list for tenth. Your average finish is 1.3, but today being a day race and it was 80 degrees. What did you do leading up to the race where everything seemed to click for you?
Yeah, day races are kinda weird. Not a fan of them. I feel like it’s really tough to get the same atmosphere as when you’re in a stadium and it’s at night. I do know the fireworks were a hell of a lot bigger than they are in a stadium. [Laughs] It was hot today. It was warm. People don’t realize, I mean, I think we got lucky today, it was a little more high speed today. When you’re training during the week, and it’s hot in Florida, on a tradition supercross track, there’s not much air flow and wind flow. So the heat really just gets to you. It was tough. But yeah, happy with a good day, and can’t complain.
You touched on the track and the speed of the track being beneficial for airflow. You were up front, but it was very difficult to pass. Not a lot of options to make up time. Did you like the track?
It was. Because it was so high speed. Well it wasn’t crazy high speed, but it definitely was one line. So it definitely does promote close racing and you definitely have to be on the guy and then pretty much go on the inside. There wasn’t really many passes on the outside today. Nothing crazy I don’t think.
Obviously, you’re riding well and you’re winning races. We talked about that development at the begging of this conference. I’ve heard a lot of ex-pros speak very highly that your form is really hard to find flaws in your form. So, take the compliment there. Are you a guy that studies that? Do you work sections? Do you watch videos of other riders and yourself. Or is just you needed reps? Or are you a guy that rally studies the form and fundamentals and things like that?
Yeah, we do take pride in everything we do. Everyone kinda goes about their business in different ways. Some guys and coaches do sprints or this or that technique. I feel like we have a really good balance of everything. And I feel like our technique and how we ride a bike, I saw we regarding to Jett and I, we have a pretty high ceiling of potential in speed. So it’s cool. We put a lot of groundwork in. [Laughs] And honestly, it all started just from when we first ever began riding. Dad just wanted us to be safe on a bike, you know. And good technique obviously promotes being safe on a bike.
About next weekend. Are the gloves coming off? You’re both in a good spot in the championship. Can you guys race straight up? Is that going to be allowed?
Sure, why wouldn’t we be? We both know if we’re stupid enough to jeopardize our own championship hopes, we know what’s coming straight to us from the admin [Dad, Darren]. [Laughs] So yeah, I mean we’re gonna race clean. Ideally, we both get good starts and have a good battle. That would be really cool. But yeah, who knows. Obviously, we’re in for a good week of this brother vs that brother and all the shenanigans. So yeah, can’t wait.
You got him?
[Shrugs] What happened last year? [Laughs]
You can go ahead and drop that mic and we’re out of here. See you guys!
We caught up to Lawrence after the press conference. Here is what he had to say.
Racer X Online: Hunter Lawrence, congrats on the win today. Back-to-back winner here in Atlanta Motor Speedway. Take us through your day.
Hunter Lawrence: It was good. Had a good morning and stuff. Obviously, a lot of rain yesterday. So it was good to come out. Track was as little wet in the morning, which I think was actually perfect cause it was going to get hot later. So a little more wet than normal. It was good, like an outdoor day. Was good.
Qualifying was good. Feeling really well on the bike. Good heat race. Interesting first lap in the main event. Dude like, my [clicks tongue and gestures towards crotch] are very, very sore. Like really painful. But no, happy, happy.
Watch Lawrence's save below:
How was the break in action for you? Motocross testing? What did you get into?
Yeah, no. Foot on the gas. We did outdoors motos and then some testing this week actually. Monday, Tuesday outdoor testing with the team. They were in town. Then I rode supercross Wednesday for the first time since Detroit and then come here. [Laughs] A little bit of a curveball. We were meant to have press day. Obviously, the weather postponed that. But yeah, all good.
Looking forward to next weekend with the East/West Showdown. What are you expecting there?
I am, yeah. It will be cool. It will be cool. it’s fun. We have our little scenarios of like ideal. Our visions of what we’d ideally like to do. So it’s cool. Obviously, both coasts, other guys racing other guys. It’s always fun. I like it. It kinda feels like a real, proper proper supercross cause you’re racing the whole 250 class. So, should be awesome.
