HUNTER LAWRENCE MAKES HISTORY WITH HIS BROTHER: INTERVIEW

Although he may be slightly overshadowed by younger brother Jett’s perfect season, Hunter Lawrence clinched the 2023 250 outdoor Motocross Championship after a first-round fifth in Moto One at Ironman Raceway. Both Hunter and primary points rival Justin Cooper of the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing Team went down in a second turn pile-up; it was Lawrence who worked his way through Moto One the best. With the Honda HRC racing rider then capturing the title, he rode to ninth in Moto Two. With Hunter’s championship win, Brother Jett’s perfect season win, and the Lawrence brother’s 250 Supercross Championship, it was truly a historic day for everyone involved. We ran down Hunter after the day as he was surrounded by friends and fans everywhere he went.

BY JIM KIMBALL

With seven overall wins this season, Hunter was able to make up any points lost after his malfunction at Southwick and Red Bud.

CONGRATULATIONS ON THE 250 OUTDOOR TITLE HUNTER! Thank you. It feels awesome to win it. Overall, it was a great day!  

YOU HAD YOUR LOW POINTS WITH A CRASH AT RED BUD AND A BIKE BREAK AT SOUTHWICK. Absolutely. It has been a tough year. To have two DNFs, and a seven-point loss at Mt. Morris was difficult. We still won, but losing seven points and two DNFs while still winning the Championship a moto early is unreal.  

Hunter only had two wins in the first motos this year but was able to capitalize in every second moto to come out on top.

CAN YOU TOUCH ON THE LINGERING INJURIES YOU HAD MUCH OF THE SUMMER? Yes, it was tough. I mean, it is tough as I’m still feeling them. My ribs hurt so much in the first half of the outdoor series. I could not train or ride because it was doing so much damage on the weekends, so I just tried to get them ready for the weekends.

HAS THE AUSTRALIAN MXON TEAM BEEN TALKED ABOUT? Absolutely. The team has not been announced, but obviously, I would love to.  Whenever there is a chance to race for our country, regardless of our chances of winning, we will always be there.  

Hunter rode this season very maturely, as he was not someone with blazing-fast times. Hunter did not force the moto win if it wasn’t at hand. 

YOU ARE IN A GOOD POSITION FOR THE SMX PLAYOFFS.  LET’S HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS. I have not even gotten to thinking about that yet. No one really knows what to expect because we have never done it before. We don’t really know what the track is going to be like or the actual format. It is going to be interesting for sure.  

MAYBE IT HAS NOT BEEN OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED, BUT YOU WILL BE RACING A HONDA CRF450 ALL SEASON IN 2024 RIGHT? Absolutely.  I am looking forward to it, and it will be fun to be racing against Jett.

YOUR BROTHER AND YOU MADE HISTORY FOR YOURSELVES, HONDA AND AUSTRALIA. For our family, for our country, it is unreal.  To do this is special, winning both 250 titles in Supercross as brothers. Then, taking both outdoor titles, with Jett going undefeated this summer is something very special. It is a dream and seems unreal. I am super proud of him and myself. It is epic.

Hunter was the best 250 rider this outdoor season. Though rivals Justin Cooper and Haiden Deegan put up a fight, they ultimately had to give way to the new Champion.

 

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