Slaw
It’s hard to imagine the rollercoaster Hunter Lawrence has been on over the last two weeks.
One week after a second-moto DNF at Unadilla left him feeling like he may have thrown away his shot at the title, Hunter responded in about the best way possible at Budds Creek: a 1-1 sweep and the points lead back in his hands.
But getting from one Saturday to the next wasn’t exactly easy. Hunter admitted there were some sleepless nights after his costly mistake in New York.
“You lay awake at night thinking about it and dwell on it and stuff, but it just kind of fuels the fire and I love a little extra motivation,” he said. “I feel like it’s good. Maybe it’s what I needed. Who knows? We’ll see in another weekend.”
For the second consecutive series, Hunter now controls his own destiny entering the final round of the championship. We all remember how Supercross ended–with a heartbreaking loss to Ken Roczen after a crash in the main event–but as Hunter pointed out following Budds Creek, this situation feels quite a bit different.
“I feel like in Supercross you got one shot,” he said. “Outdoors, you have way more time on the track. You got two chances, two motos. So not really déjà vu. I’m up this time. I was down going into Salt Lake, so it’s not the same. I’m going in, give it my all. I’ve proven today that mental side of things is not really an issue with myself being able to bounce back and stuff.”
Hunter enters this weekend’s finale at Ironman just one point ahead of his brother Jett. There are scenarios where Hunter could lose the overall and still win the title, but the simplest path isn’t complicated at all: beat Jett.
After Budds Creek, Hunter talked about the sleepless nights following Unadilla, bouncing back with a statement 1-1 performance, and having another championship come down to the final round.
Congratulations on both the overall win and getting that red plate back. I mean, what a wild turn of events the past couple of weekends. Can you talk to us about that?
Hunter Lawrenc: It’s exactly that, a wild case of events. I mean, last weekend … this week made a lot of points back. A lot more than what I guess maybe myself and anyone thought they would’ve. It doesn’t change a ton, but it does make it a little easier on myself for next weekend. Just kind of put my head down, focus on myself and kind of boring, that’s about it.
I think most of us after even a weekend that you experienced last weekend would just be like, “Ah, it’s Hunter. He’s so even keeled. It probably won’t phase him that much.” You rebounded great this weekend. You do always carry yourself when we talk about that. But what you did experience last week; did it hit a little bit harder? Did you have to dig a little more to keep yourself even keeled?
You lay awake at night thinking about it and dwell on it and stuff, but it just kind of fuels the fire and I love a little extra motivation. I feel like it’s good. Maybe it’s what I needed. Who knows? We’ll see in another weekend.
Some riders tend to downplay when they’re going into one of their best tracks, but obviously you dominated Ironman last year from your first overall win here in America in the 450 class to Motocross of Nations going 1-1. How confident does it make you knowing that one of, if not your best track is the finale in this winner-take-all showdown?
I’m looking forward to it. Obviously great memories from Nations last year at Ironman. So hopefully we can go back and make some more great memories. That’d be unreal.
Going into the last round, winner-takes-all, just like Supercross, are you having déjà vu from Supercross or do you think you learned something from that experience to take in next weekend?It’s a little different. I feel like in Supercross you got one shot. Outdoors, you have way more time on the track. You got two chances, two motos. So not really déjà vu. I’m up this time. I was down going into Salt Lake, so it’s not the same. I’m going in, give it my all. I’ve proven today that mental side of things is not really an issue with myself being able to bounce back and stuff. Whatever the result will be, it’ll be. Hopefully I can come out on top. I’d love that.
I’ve asked everybody from WMX, 250s, who’s it going to be next weekend between you and your brother? And so same question for you.
I’m going to say me. Obviously, Jett’s the popular answer as he should be. He’s one of the most decorated riders in our sport. I feel good if I can have another day like today, execute my starts like we’ve seen, anything can happen. I just got to put myself in the best position. Jett’s thinking the same thing. We’ve got the same coach. If I wanted to liken my odds for next weekend, I’d take dad away from him and hide that during the week because I mean, I think that’s a big crucial part to both our programs.
You mentioned last week, probably sleepless night after what happened. How do you go this week trying to sleep, obviously knowing what’s coming up? But also is there something you learned from that Supercross battle that you’re going to take into this next weekend?
Yeah, definitely. I feel like maybe just kind of being a little more patient, waiting a little longer in the motos if I’m in a situation like that. But like I said before, there’s two motos, so it’s not … first moto doesn’t decide things. You have a little bit more time in outdoors than a Supercross main. You got one shot to make it happen. A lot more risk I think in Supercross. It’ll be a good week ahead. Just kind of go back and treat it the same as what I did this week. Obviously it worked out, so just going to keep trying to do that.
Are you looking around in Moto 1 wondering where your brother is? And when you realize he’s that far back, if you did, are you doing the math points wise in your head already?
No, because even best-case scenario, I go 1-1 at the start of the day, right? If I go 1-1, I still have to do the same thing next weekend. So, it’s a little premature to be thinking about the math on the first moto win when you’ve still got three more to do it, and against Jett. So no, no math in my head yet. Just focus on myself.
You’ve become the most prolific starter in our sport. I heard some interesting conversation this weekend that there is maybe consideration of changing the rules to maybe affect the scoop tire, maybe even take it out of competition in a way. I wanted to get your reaction on that since you are the guy pulling the most holeshots these days. How would you feel about that if they were to change that rule?
Oh, it wouldn’t change anything for me. I’m not the only guy out there on a scoop, so I wouldn’t say the scoop tire is why I’m a good starter. I mean, years and years and years of doing starts on a 250, not the fastest 250, and having to be so perfect and then a hop on equal machinery. And then that’s what you see is the years and years and years of having to be perfect to get inside the top 10 or top five into the first turn. So, the scoop tire is interesting. It definitely breaks the tracks down a lot more. I mean, a lot of areas that are on hard pack, side knob feel, the scoop tire is actually better than the hard pack tire. That’s why I feel like we choose it at tracks like this with a deep start. There’s loamy sections everywhere and a lot of hard pack slippery, chattery bumps. (00:41:06) The scoop’s actually, in my opinion, better across those. It has a little more connection, a little more feeling to, okay, where’s my traction? Where’s my grip? Than the knobby tire. I feel like the knobby tire tends to get away from you a little easier.
Photos: octopi.media
