This 450 Pro Motocross points chase is the best we have seen in years. Once again, for the third race in a row, the red plate switched hands at Spring Creek. It's almost like Jett and Hunter Lawrence are playing the game Hot Potato with the red plate, neither one of them wants to be caught holding it for too long.
Now it's not even track to track, but per moto that the brothers are each finding their groove. In moto one at Spring Creek Hunter pulled away from Jett and won by over 16 seconds. Then in moto two Jett passed Hunter and set out to do the same thing before going down in a wild crash. It was his third crash on the day, something that at one point was unusual to see from the rider who won the first 24 motos of his 450 career. Jett explained his theory on his recent crashes in the post-race press conference:
“We spoke about it with my dad afterwards and the team and I think it's, throughout the day I am building more and more because during the weeks I’m not riding much because I am trying to save my ankle as much as I can. I think for a little bit it was okay but now when we are changing settings it's not knowing the bike as well. And then when we get to the race weekend the first qualifying you are obviously trying to send it on a track you haven’t rode since the previous year. So, you are trying to ride yourself in, but obviously get a good lap in. And I think I was just not thinking of the soil in the first one. I leaned over to kind of jump across to the inside rut, and I wasn’t looking at the rut, I was looking up ahead. And it just was all slop and it slowed my momentum down and pushed the front end. I gave my head a good wack, you know. Wacked the front of my head and tweaked my neck pretty bad. And the second one was just a weird one. Today was a lot of a hard base into a sand berm and when I landed the rear went in and the front kind of hit bottom.
“So, we made an adjustment for the first moto. And then obviously that last one was a bummer, I was feeling good. The first one [moto] I just didn’t have it for HJ. I picked the smarter route and said ‘Alright, he can have this one.’ And I changed a few things on the suspension, and it felt better for the second one. I was like, ‘Okay I feel good, I feel like Superman.’ Hunter was in front of me and I’m like, ‘You’re not getting it this time!’ I was able to pass him, felt good, I had good lines. I just went through that section, and I have been struggling a little bit with the bike I think it's the new style I have created almost with my foot and kind of being, sometimes a little, almost forward. And most of my weight is there, and I think it put just a little bit too much weight and it pressured the front end going into that soft stuff and it was enough just carve it and then flick me over. I was okay, I got very lucky out of that thing. And then I looked like I got hit by a shotgun because the bike got me in the back of my knee and it collapsed me. So, not ideal, it was a bummer, but I just got to be thankful I’m okay after a rough weekend.”
Take a look at all three of Jett's crashes throughout the day:
Like every top athlete, Jett analyzes his performance after every race. He is coming to the realization that while less riding during the week is saving his foot for the weekend, the lack of riding is also holding him back on race day.
“I think so, spending more time on the track, I think like anything, the more laps you spin at a place the more comfortable. You know the lines and at the end of the day you kind of know what your bike is going to do more. Obviously, it caught me out because I was feeling really, really good. But I think I just need to suck it up during the week because, I need the time during the week because being familiar with your bike and being with it is a big thing. And I think that’s why, today especially why I crashed a lot because I can’t really get into the positions I want to to begin with, and then I'm not ready for them as much. Because when I ride during the week I am not pushing hard. We just need to get some ride time and be careful of my foot and just make it to the weekend. That’s the biggest thing. And I think a little bit each week is kind of taken its toll on me. So, I just need to get back and get to, a little bit closer to the regular schedule I normally do.”
To his credit, Jett seemed to be in good spirits after the race where he went 2-5 for third overall. Maybe it's because he was riding so amazingly before his second moto crash. Maybe it is the confidence of having a plan to change things during the week. This time, he reflected on his attitude in the stressful moments, like when he was seen slamming his helmet down after the first moto at RedBud.
“I was just really frustrated because normally those conditions at RedBud I love. Normally those are my conditions where I would really show my technique, and I could find my way around a track that’s normally so difficult very easily. So, I think I had a spoonful of reality of what it's normally like and I didn’t like it very much. I was pissed off because I couldn’t do what I wanted to do on the track. Obviously after that I kind of lost my cool and during the week I was still bummed because I was not able to do what I wanted to do. I know what is needed to win a championship and I know what I need to do to get that Jett Lawrence that everyone knows, but I physically can't right now because of my ankle and the limitation I have."
After RedBud Jett was concerned enough to go re-visit his doctor.
"So, we got X-rays and I got to meet up with the doctor who did my surgery and I got a step by step, basically where the screws are he put in, everything like that. And obviously asked him a bunch of questions about what I am going through. And he gave me some good hope, he just said, ‘Be patient with it, it's going to get better.’ I asked him, ‘What I’m doing right now is that good?’ He’s like, ‘In the doctor’s world, no! You shouldn’t be racing. But it's going to be pretty hard to convince you not to race.’ He’s happy with it because I have done a good job of keeping it from being really badly hurt. But also, just the day to day of is is probably another reason why I lost my crap at RedBud is, since December 19th I’ve been in pain every single day. Waking up, going to the bathroom when I first wake up, going to brush my teeth, getting food, going to the truck, just having constant pain with walking. So, I think those months and days and days, it kind of takes a toll on you a little bit. So, I think I was allowed to lose my crap a little bit at that stage but obviously got to tune it back a little bit.”
Jett is human, as this season has proven, and human emotions are not only normal but healthy. Especially in a championship where emotions are known to run high. Only this time if Jett doesn’t win, his own brother will be the benefactor. And given everything he is going through, Jett is actually being very pragmatic about it.
“I’m not worried about the points, you know I was six or three points back for Southwick and then I left with the red plate. Obviously, I lost it again. So, it will take its toll and whatever happens, happens. I’m either going to win it or I’m not that’s pretty simple. Obviously, I’m going to do my best to win the races and get the points back but HJ’s riding really well and smart. So, yeah, we’ll see. I’ll either be holding the number one plate, or not.”
| Position | Rider | Hometown | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Hunter Lawrence | Landsborough, Australia  | 320 |
| 2 |  Jett Lawrence | Landsborough, Australia | 310 |
| 3 |  Haiden Deegan | Temecula, CA  | 258 |
| 4 |  Jorge Prado | Lugo, Spain  | 231 |
| 5 |  R.J. Hampshire | Hudson, FL | 221 |
