Spring Creek did not come to disappoint in terms of white-knuckle motos. Saturday was rich in wheel-to-wheel, bar-to-bar battles the entire day. The Lawrence brothers sure came prepared to further prove their strength, but their championship contenders weren't going to let them off so easy. Though Jett Lawrence's perfect streak persists, his fellow 450 Class members, such as Dylan Ferrandis, are gearing up to continue to battle for race wins.
And while Hunter Lawrence fought his way up in the first 250 Class moto, Jo Shimoda kept him back, only giving up his place due to a tip-over in the final few laps. In moto two, however, a crash by Hunter Lawrence in the late moto lead Justin Cooper to pass the #96 and take over first and the race win, although Hunter earned the overall win on the day. In the post-race press conference, Ferrandis, Cooper, and Shimoda recapped their motos with the media, each discussing their day, track conditions, Washougal, and more.
Dylan Ferrandis | 5-3 for 3rd overall in 450 Class
Dylan, a very hard-fought third place overall, you went 5-3 for third place. Congratulations for getting up on the podium, but it was a lot of work and then you had to fend off Aaron Plessinger a couple of times in that second moto there and rode really, really well. So tell us how you assess your day and tell us about your thoughts on the track.
Dylan Ferrandis: Difficult day for me, struggled a lot with the track myself, the bike. Don’t really know why, but yeah, it was difficult. First moto was behind AP [Aaron Plessinger] and never found a way to pass and second moto he was behind me and never, never found a way. Yeah, I don't know, not really a good day for me but yeah, we, we’re still here, we’re still on the podium at the end of the day, so it's still okay. But yeah, obviously we want more but it's not an easy situation right now. Yeah, to me, the track was a terrible today. I really didn't like it. I think I’ve rode this track pretty much every year the last seven years, yeah, since I'm in the U.S. And, yeah, it was, the worst this year. I don't really know why they prep the track with a ski machine, I think. Yeah, the wrong sport, I don't know. [Chase Sexton and Jett Lawrence laugh] I don't understand that. Maybe I need to ask Jim, my buddy Jim [Perry, from MX Sports], and tell him what's wrong. Why did they do that? So, I didn't really like the track. It was very scary, very tricky. And, yeah, very hard to find, to do different lines and find a way to pass. But, yeah, anyways the same for everyone. Just a difficult day for me today.
When you talk about the track, what particular things did you not like about the track? Is it too fast or it just wasn't dug up deep enough?
I think it's just they stop digging like they used to the years before or like, when I was watching when I was a kid, like, this track was one of the best and big, big ruts and deep everywhere. And even me, the last few years, at the start it was like so deep, like we couldn't get speed and, right now, I don't know, they tried to make every track faster and, I think it's more dangerous. We arrive at the first, I don't know, maybe 60 MPH and to me it's not really safe. So, I think, yeah, not enough deep and too fast, I think, today the track is too fast and that's why we see a lot of guys getting injury. But anyway, like, maybe for some guys they like it. I personally don't like it, but it's fine.
Okay, next week we go to Washougal, another track that has some fast sections on it but it's a completely different style of dirt. Dylan, where does it fit in your tracks?
Like Jett said, I think, it's one of the most beautiful track surroundings and everything is super nice or riding by yourself is very fun. But yeah, in racing, it's tough. It's tough one to race, get a lot of roost, a lot of sun between the trees and you have some very shadowy sections. But it's a very nice track. It's one of the most beautiful tracks in the series, difficult to race for sure, but, it's still very nice.
And after Washougal, we have a couple of weeks for you guys to relax, anybody have to go to Loretta Lynn’s as part of your duties for your job or what are you gonna do in your couple weeks off there?
[Jett Lawrence]: Well, I know after Washougal, Lucas [Mirtl, agent], Hunter [Lawrence, brother], and I are gonna go to, for his birthday to play some golf, we might even bring our friend Dylan here into golf.
[Ferrandis shakes his head no]
You know, his driver, if he gets an invitation he might just drive the bus over there because he likes to golf.
[Ferrandis shakes head no again]
Jett Lawrence: Might just change his plane tickets. He doesn't like it but I reckon deep down he, he practices and stuff.
[Ferrandis laughs]
What about yourself, Dylan? What are you going to do for your couple of weeks off?
I think, go on an island and take some surf, some sun and, work physically off the bike because when we ride every week and we train all the time, sometimes it’s hard to do dirtbike and working out. So, yeah, do, maybe one week off the bike and work physically. But yeah, for sure, not in Tallahassee, Florida, but probably on the island, somewhere in the Caribbean.
Justin Cooper | 4-1 for 2nd overall in 250 Class
How was it today?
Justin Cooper First moto, I just couldn’t go. I was just going through the motions, and it was frustrating. I really had to kick my butt into gear for the second moto. I feel like I’m still recovering from Southwick! I just put so much out there, and I’m still recovering. But that’s no excuse, you’ve got to show up every Saturday, no matter how you’re feeling. Just a pretty poor performance in the first moto, but hey, we got gifted second moto, so we’ll take that.
Well, your misfortune [Hunter], Justin took advantage of there and Justin, to be able to win that second moto like that, and one of the other things that I noticed was—when you did you see Hunter laying on the ground? Right away or not? I noticed on the TV monitor you checked over your shoulder a few times.
Yeah, I had just seen the yellow flags, I didn't know who was down or if it was a lapper or anything like that, but once I got up closer I had seen him, on the side and, I figured he got up right behind me, so I was pushing pretty hard the last lap. Yeah, I took a look back. I didn't know if he was right behind me or like, if I had some room to take it easy. But once I saw there was a little bit of a gap, I kind of toned it back. It was just, I had to stay close on that one and hope for that.
![Justin Cooper]()
Justin Cooper Align Media ![Cooper finished second overall.]()
Cooper finished second overall. Align Media
So now, coming into these points Justin, it's very, very close between the second and fifth place. There's only, I believe, eight points separating second and fifth, So you've moved pretty darn close to the second place position and not too far out of the lead. So, considering missing a race like High Point, you’ve got to feel pretty good about where your season is going.
Yeah, it's, I feel like we've all had our misfortunes this year and, yeah, I couldn't do much. There was no way I was gonna race at High Point the way I was feeling, I was just happy to be in good hands in the hospital. So, luckily it wasn't anything too serious and we were able to get back racing with the weekend off. Definitely helped me out a lot and, yeah, we’ve just got to keep pushing, still got a lot of racing to go and anything could happen.
What is the toughest part of this track—what’s the toughest section of this track?
I would say the sand rollers were really tough today. Levi [Kitchen] in front of me in the second moto had a big moment and I was honestly— it scared me how bad it was. So, yeah, they were short and steep like Hunter said and it was, I don't know, it was like you had to let off and reengage the throttle in like, a weird way to stay on top of them. It was definitely challenging and I could only imagine how the 450 guys were feeling out there in the second moto. So, they were definitely tricky. I would say today that part of the trickiest part of the track for sure.
How about the Washougal track—how do you like that track, Washougal, and obviously you have a teammate [Levi Kitchen] that, grew up—born and raised in the area—so you're gonna be jumping in on his rear wheel for practice?
Sounds like a good idea to me, I mean, [Laughs] he definitely, his house is up on the hill there so it doesn't come much closer than that. I'm pretty sure he rides from his house down to the track. But yeah, I enjoy it. It is hard to pass there. The start is crucial. And, yeah, I always seem to do good there, probably because I'm a good starter and I'm usually up front, so, hopefully we'll get out front there and make our life a little bit easier.
Jo Shimoda | 2-3 for 3rd overall in 250 Class
So, Jo Shimoda, speaking of winning a moto—first win last week at Southwick, coming here with what seemed like a lot of confidence, riding really, really well, getting the holeshot and leading almost until what, the last three laps there? And #96 came battling, but you gave it your all. How do you feel about your riding today and your result?
Jo Shimoda: I feel, honestly, I'm feeling happy on the starts more than the riding. But yeah, riding is getting better throughout the week. I feel like I have my bike getting pretty dialed in so more focused on the volume during the week, I think that's going to help me a lot on the next few races and I'm excited.
Well, you've moved yourself into a tie for third place with RJ Hampshire, 240 points sitting third in the championship, and you’ve got a one point cushion on Justin in fifth there, so, looking forward to Washougal? How's that track for you?
I just treat the race the same way, so it doesn't really matter where, I just kind of focus on myself. I just, all I need is good starts right now.
What is your favorite, and what is your least favorite part of the Spring Creek track?
Funny story this morning, actually, I went off the track right by Hunter, and me and him were laughing because it, it was quite sketchy. [Laughs] I don't know how I saved it, but I feel like I'm alive!
