Jason Thomas raced plenty of times at Spring Creek Motocross Park in Millville, Minnesota, and was on hand this weekend reporting for NBC Sports/Peacock. We fired off a few questions regarding the track and the riders on Saturday.
Spring Creek has a little bit of everything. Sand whoops, huge up and downhills, off cambers, hardpack, a righthand first turn, you name it and it can be found at Spring Creek. Does this make it a struggle to get setup just right? Did you see anyone out there not named Jett Lawrence who looked like they’d nailed setup?
Jason Thomas: I don’t necessarily think so. The track is agreeable and fun to ride. The great traction helps riders confidently raise their aggression level. A track like Southwick, which has a hard base covered with sand and sharp bumps in conjunction with sand rollers, is much more difficult to figure out.
You’ve raced Spring Creek many times. Take us through that start. Not only does it end with a right turn, but it’s extremely long. How fast are you coming into turn one, and does it, being a right-hander, really complicate things that much?
It’s a scary one. I have found myself laying in a heap there more than once. The corner doesn’t force riders to brake, so everyone wants to carry momentum into and through it. The trouble is, things narrow significantly and the physics of that many motorcycles trying to fit into a much narrower area doesn’t pencil out. Unless some are willing to finally relent, there will be contact and inevitably, heartbreak. I love this track overall, but I can’t say I care for the first turn all that much.
Chase Sexton gave Lawrence a run in that first moto! Had he not crashed, was he riding well enough to potentially put an end to the streak?
He was! I would say Jett knew that also. The tricky part is that it’s one thing to catch Jett, but it’s an entirely different thing to overtake him and make it stick. We have seen many riders able to close down Jett’s gap, but as for finishing, Godspeed. Chase deserves a ton of credit, though, because he was absolutely ripping.
With Sexton being able to catch up to, and hang, with Lawrence, does this mean we finally saw Lawrence’s top speed?
I don’t think so. Even when Chase was closing, I didn’t detect any panic in Jett’s riding. I believe he has another gear that he rarely exposes because he knows that the risk factor grows exponentially when utilized. We will see it eventually, but he’s going to avoid that risk if at all possible. He is a master race manager, even at this young age. He won’t use his entire arsenal unless absolutely necessary.
Jason Anderson seemed to have found another gear in the first moto. Were you surprised at how fast he was able to go after struggling the last couple races to hang with the guys he sliced by in the first moto?
I knew the progress would begin to show, but I wasn’t expecting it this weekend. I was more expecting a big improvement after the upcoming break and see him back to 100% at Unadilla. Hopefully he didn’t set himself back too much with that second moto crash. He needs continuity in his riding and training to fully return to form.
Was there anything specific you noticed about his performance that you found extra impressive?
We all know he has the speed to be a podium contender. That’s not news. But I was impressed that he was able to pass up into a podium spot. Starting there and finishing there is one thing. Moving forward past your rivals and then holding it is another thing altogether.
After Hunter Lawrence gave up the points lead last week, he let guys like Haiden Deegan, Jo Shimoda, RJ Hampshire, and Justin Cooper back into the title fight. Then today, he shut ‘em all down. How important was it for him to crush their momentum?
The messaging was very important. The entire group got a boost of confidence and hope leaving Southwick. The points chase was completely turned on its head. Those that were feeling down and out now had new life. Hunter couldn’t let that hope fester. He needed to send a clear message that he was the best guy before the drama and is still the best guy today. He did that. He gave a few points back in that second moto was the point was made. He is the best overall rider in this series, in my opinion, but that isn’t always enough to win the title. He has to keep putting in performances like Spring Creek to realize this dream.
![Jo Shimoda and Hunter Lawrence]()
Jo Shimoda and Hunter Lawrence Align Media ![Levi Kitchen and Hunter Lawrence]()
Levi Kitchen and Hunter Lawrence Align Media
On the flipside, how tough is it for those guys to see Lawrence, who’s still riding somewhat hurt, crush their momentum?
I thought RJ’s podium comment was very revealing. He said that Hunter “crushed” him and his drive when he went by and pulled away. The mental aspect of this game can’t be overstated. It’s a constant battle for confidence and determining who is the alpha. Hunter took a big step towards reestablishing himself as just that.
What happened with Tom Vialle? After winning last week and seemingly riding a newfound wave of confidence, he went 6-5 for sixth overall at Spring Creek. Does something like take a mental toll on a rider?
I still believe it’s a tall order to win these races with the lack of track time before the opening moto. Riders like Justin Cooper know exactly where the lines will form throughout the day. They don’t have to “learn” the track really at all. While Vialle is still trying to commit the track to memory, Cooper is working on his setup and lowering lap times. Cooper and others are able to completely remove a time consuming step each weekend. The job of winning these races is hard enough without entering each Saturday at a deficit.
How frustrated is Justin Cooper? He had a brilliant second moto, but it seems like no matter what, there’s something getting in the way of him claiming an overall win. Do things like this weigh on your mind?
I don’t think he’s too bothered by it. I think he’s more relieved and excited that, despite his High Point debacle, he’s still in this thing. In almost every title chase, if you completely miss a round, it’s over. He’s lucky to still have a real shot. I’m sure he would love to rack up a few wins, and it’s logical to think that he will need to do so to win this title, but I don’t think it’s something that keeps him up at night.
![Justin Cooper]()
Justin Cooper Align Media ![Justin Cooper after his moto two win.]()
Justin Cooper after his moto two win. Align Media
Austin Forkner, who at one point wasn’t expected back until the very end of the season, went 11-9 for ninth overall. Was this about what you expected from him, or was he better or worse than you thought he’d be?
I didn’t have any expectations for Forkner, honestly. I wasn’t sure how prepared he was so it would be foolish to pretend I knew how it would go. The goal, in my opinion, is to take incremental steps towards being his best self. It’s incredibly hard to sit out for nearly seven months and think you’ll be a threat while your competitors are improving all the while. There has to be an understanding that getting back to form is a process. Even Chase Sexton has taken a few weeks to find that form again and he was only out for a month. Forkner will be a force again if he can stay healthy. That’s not up for debate in my mind.
