MOTOCROSS ACTION MID-WEEK REPORT

#WHIPITWEDNESDAY

Rider: Jason Lawrence

The original J-Law Jason Lawrence was always known as the bad boy in motocross. However, he had one of the best amateur careers which helped him have a stellar career for a few short years in the pro ranks. Jason raced for the first time at Loretta Lynn’s on 50cc’s where he rode a LEM 50 to second place back in 1994. From there he raced every year at the ranch until 2004, winning four times and grabbing multiple second and third places along the way. When he went pro he started outdoors in motocross where for the first two years did not find much success, but he did have a personality that others had noticed. In 2008 it all went in his favor when he won the 250SX West division in the Supercross series that year. He beat Ryan Dungey by three points and was known to attempt to get in Dungey’s head with his post-race interviews and games played in the qualifying practices. Jason would not defend the following year, moving directly up to the 450 class and that’s when his trouble began. It’s tough to be a successful racer and even more tough to back it up. Coming from a small town in New Jersey when Jason moved to California he began to get caught up with partying and it showed in his results. After an altercation with a fan after one of the races Jason was banned from racing in the AMA and he had to step away from racing. Sometimes we think, what could he have accomplished in the following years?

TIME FOR MOTOCROSS

Jett Lawrence prior to winning both motos at Fox Raceway 2023.

Last year Jett Lawrence was able to win all twenty-two motos in the 2023 motocross series. Chase Sexton had a great showing and stayed on the back wheel of Jett for multiple motos but never ended up getting the job done. Now we enter the 2024 season, Jett Lawrence is coming off of a win from the Supercross series, and Chase Sexton is on a brand new team. Will Jett continue his dominance through the next motocross series or will one of the other riders break his streak in 2024?

COMBINING THE 250’s

Jeremy Martin has decided to sit out the beginning of the 2024 250 Nationals after suffering two concussions in a short period of time.  He’ll be missed.

One of the great aspects of the motocross series is that the 250 class is combined, unlike East and West in Supercross. Now forty of the best 250 riders in the country will face off head to head with one another. Last year it was Hunter Lawrence who was able to win the series but this year he has moved up to the 450 class leaving the door open for a new rider to step up to the challenge. RJ Hampshire was very quick last year winning the opening moto at Fox Raceway but would drift back in positions as the series continued. Jeremy Martin has his fair share of wins in the series with two championships and two runner-up seasons, but he isn’t ready to race in 2024. This year some of the younger riders like Haiden Deegan have a year under their belt and have a chance to take a win as well. We’ll find out where all the riders stand this weekend at the opening round at Fox Raceway.

GLEN HELEN’S $10,000 PRO MOTOCROSS WARM-UP RACE

MXA PHOTO TRIVIA

Who is this rider? Answer at the bottom of the page.

ARE YOU READY? THE MXA FANTASY LEAGUE STARTS OVER FOR THE AMA NATIONALS

We are headed into motocross for the continuation of the 2024 season. With all new prizes, play weekly for a chance to win.

Apple app download: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mxa-fantasy-league/id6473468112

Android app download: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mxa.fantasyleague&pcampaignid=web_share

Dive into an unparalleled motocross Fantasy experience with MXA’s cutting-edge app, meticulously crafted to deliver all the action directly to your fingertips. Our sophisticated, seamless, and completely free platform allows you to engage in intense competitions, even if you join mid-season. With opportunities to win prizes every weekend based on the most points gained from each race, you’re never out of the running. The season is already in full swing, but you can still challenge your friends, create groups, and immerse yourself in the competition by joining private parties. Enter at any point in the 2024 Supercross series, and stay tuned for our 2024 AMA Motocross Fantasy game. If you’re using Apple click here and if you’re on Android click here

MXA TEST THE YZ450F AT THE 2023 PALA RACEWAY NATIONAL

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: LUCAS COENEN WINS MXGP OF FRANCE

“The first moto I was thinking about using the outside gate start like Kay and then on the second one I gave it a try – and it all worked out. We pulled off two great motos today and the win on Saturday, so I’m super super happy with this result – especially after last weekend in Lugo. I will try to keep building on this, and carry this momentum over to Germany next. I want to say a huge thankyou to the team, and also I want to take a moment to wish Thibault (Benistant) a fast recovery after his huge crash this weekend. 1-1 on Sunday with the changing conditions is awesome; let’s keep it up.”

ASK THE MXPERTS: “GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM”

Jeff Ward wore a React radio on the back of his helmet at the 1988 Motocross des Nations—even though they were banned by the AMA.

Dear MXA,
Are AMA Supercross and motocross racers in touch with their pit crews by radio like in NASCAR, Indy car and Formula 1 drivers?

No. In 1988 several teams experimented with radio communications between their riders and the team, including the 1988 Motocross des Nations team, but the AMA felt that it would be a distraction and that it would force every rider to have radio contact. Given that the radios had to be small enough to fit on the rider’s helmets and each have their own frequency, it was deemed unfeasible for 40 mechanics to be chattering away at the same time—nor could the radios support that breadth of channels needed.

So, midway through the 1988 season, the AMA passed rule 1.15b, which states, “Electronic transmitting of information, including radio communication to or from a moving motorcycle, is prohibited.” There were exceptions for transponders for scoring, video transmitted for television use and electronic timing devices.

Now, you might be asking yourself this question: If radio communication was banned in the middle of the 1988 season, how did Team USA use radios at the Motocross des Nations at the end of the season? Good question. In 1988, the FIM did not ban radio communication. Thus, Team USA could legally use radios in France; however, once Team USA (Ricky Johnson, Ron Lechien and Jeff Ward) won the 1988 MXDN, the FIM banned radio communication with a GP rule that read, “Only the following signals are allowed between riders/motorcycles and persons connected with them: data and images from official timekeeping transponders and on-board cameras, pit board messages displayed in approved areas, and body language communication by the rider. Radio communication is strictly forbidden.”

If you’d like to read more articles from the MXPERTS, Click here.

MXA PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: WORKS CONNECTION “SPECIAL EDITION PURPLE”

Works Connection now offers their Special Edition Purple products, available for most makes and models. These products include Brake Caps (front and rear), Clutch Caps, Elite Axle Blocks, Oil Fill Plugs, Pro Launch Start Devices, Engine Plugs, Elite Clutch Perches, and Rotating Bar Clamps.

ELITE AXLE BLOCKS

These axle blocks features an integrated caliper receiver post for precise chain alignment measurement, an ultra-slim design precision CNC’d from 6061 T-6 billet aluminum, manufacturing with tighter tolerances than OEM parts, and a reversible design to prevent axle adjustment bolts from extending beyond their service range.

ELITE CLUTCH PERCH

This l;ever and perch  boasts durable CNC’d aerospace-grade 6061 T-6 billet construction, chrome finish bolts, a nylon sleeve that allows the perch to rotate under impact, and an adjustable lever reach feature.

ENGINE PLUGS