Dylan Ferrandis and Jett Lawrence were armed with grit—not titles—when they came to America. That turned them into champions

WORDS: JASON WEIGANDT
PHOTOS: ALIGN MEDIA

Nailed it. That’s what Team Honda HRC did with Jett Lawrence’s title celebration. A few Honda mechanics carried scraps of wood out into the paddock, nailed them into Hangtown’s hard clay surface, then invited Jett to rip some burnouts on his CRF250R. Luckily, those wood scraps stayed down long enough for Jett to roast a rear Dunlop. Just as the smoke cleared, another bike was heard revving in the distance. Dylan Ferrandis appeared around the corner, pinning his YZ450F against the rev limiter. Dylan rode his Yamaha under the Honda tent, and the two 2021 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Champions created a symphony of revs to celebrate their titles.

Jett Lawrence and Dylan Ferrandis are not teammates, they’re nearly 10 years apart in age, one is from Europe and one is Australian. Yet they share a kinship in their American dream, the struggle to get there, and the character it created. They’re not alone.