450 Pro Champion Lawrence on path to title

Hunter Lawrence speaks with SMX Insiders Jason Thomas and Jason Weigandt about being the newly crowned 450 Pro Motocross Champion.

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Video Transcript

Okay, this is the big interview.

This is Hunter Lawrence.

Normally I start with the first question, but I can't do it this time because you don't even know that we, we've gone through this for, like, 18 months of JT saying, "I hate having to interview Hunter when he finishes a close second.

Please, dear Lord, let me interview him when he wins one."

So you go first, JT.

Thanks, guys.

Thank you.

I Well, thankfully our team let me interview him on the podium because, listen, the last thing I want to do is have to go ask Hunter questions when he loses championships like that.

I know he's already in agony having to wait around in that moment- Yeah right?

Like, he's so respectful of everyone, but it- he's in pure agony, and then we have to ask him the hardest questions we can think of in that moment.

So this was the opposite side of that.

You come out the victor, and I was so excited.

I, I don't have a vested interest in this, but I was so excited to be up there for you.

But seriously, I know we've asked you about this throughout the day, but letting this sink in for an hour- Yeah what, what does this mean to win the Premier Motocross Championship, at least Stateside, that we have to offer?

It's been a hell of a year.

I look back at all the races where I was clutch.

I look back at the, the bad races, you know, if you wanna dub them that.

I, I look back at I really look back at Budds Creek last weekend, going 1-1.

I, I feel like that's where I won the championship, coming in with the points lead and, and a little wiggle room, let's say.

I think my It didn't even feel like we battled for a championship today because, I mean, both our riding, like, sucked.

Like, we all seen how the first moto started out, and then second moto felt like the slowest championship battle and, and Yeah, I don't even, I don't even know, man.

I don't even know.

Right.

I'm gonna go back to the first round of the series because I remember thinking like, "Jett's not in a great place," and I watched you just really kind of dominate the day with ease.

And I'm like, "If he's coming in off of that horrific Salt Lake moment, dominates this easy at the opener," I'm like, "There's your champion right, right there."

So I ended up being right.

Thank you for that.

Yeah.

It wasn't how I really drew it up.

There's a lot more drama along the way, but when you were leaving that opening round, were you like, "Yeah, I, I think this is, this is gonna be my championship," or truly, like, what was in your heart about this series that moment?

Yeah, I, I wasn't thinking championship.

I mean, I was just thinking one round at a time.

Like, even at that race, like, even with Jett coming off his injury, like, Jett's an alien, so, like, it, it just always felt like it was me versing Jett.

There's 40 guys on the line, but it just, every race feels like it's me against Jett.

I would get a good start, he'd be right there.

He would get a good start, I'm right there.

Yeah.

So it just always felt like it was always gonna be us battling for the title.

I mean, that's how it's been the past few years in SMX as well, and last year motocross.

So yeah, I mean, just, I don't even know what I thought of at that time.

I'm just trying to be perfect every race, and obviously it doesn't go that way, so.

It did feel like that.

There were moments where I'm like, "Uh-oh, Jett's coming."

Like, I, like that, Hangtown, the second race, I'm like, "Uh-oh, that's problematic for Hunter," because if Jett is back to 100%, now it's on, right?

So we were feeling the same things you were, Weech.

And then we gotta get to today.

Look, man, not only you go down, not your fault, but you get up and it w- you're not back at the race pace immediately.

So we were wondering, is it the bike?

Is it you?

Was there an actual issue?

And did you already think hope was lost one minute into the day?

Yeah.

I mean, yeah.

I'm sure you can imagine what I thought of that moment.

Yeah.

I mean, hey, keys to the race, put yourself in a good position on the start.

Yeah.

We're going into a smooth, prepped corner, and then that happens and I'm like, "You can't be serious."

Like, "Of course, this would happen to me.

Like, what the heck?"

and then I get up, you know, and yeah, it's, my bike's all mangled.

My wrist is really sore.

It's super swollen right now, and I'm like hurting.

I'm obviously like, "Great.

All right, long moto.

Let's just see what we can do and maybe push to the second moto," and going, you know, feeling sorry for myself around the first lap, and my mechanic goes, "Jett P18," and I'm like, "All right, suck the tears up" and- Oh, okay.

All right, like, okay, maybe he crashed or, like, jeez, I don't know.

Like, and then, you know, I'm coming through the pack and I didn't know, but obviously he hurt his ankle, like, really bad on the first lap.

So I come up behind him, I get around him and, you know, he didn't fight a great deal and I'm like, "Okay, yeah, something's obviously wrong," and I mean, yeah, like, he's, he's pretty damn hurt.

So just a rollercoaster, man.

And then I tried to get as many positions in front of him as I could in that first moto.

I felt like if I could do as much as I possibly could, I can finish behind him in the second moto or, or just in front of him, you know?

So just so everybody knows, going into that moto in the gate drop, you had no idea there was a problem.

He was not hurt.

It wasn't like after practice or on press day.

You had no idea what his situation was until in the race.

No.

I mean, a- after the race.

I, I just- Yeah I, I didn't know.

I didn't know.

Yeah.

And I mean, he said on the first lap in, in going into the woods, like, two ruts come together and he twisted his ankle out, the bad one, and, and he said he had some moments and it just, it, the pain, he couldn't, couldn't obviously ride with it.

I mean, but we both, both kind of very, very subpar performances for us today.

That's why, I mean, it doesn't feel like we battled for a title because, I mean, we sucked today, so.

But I will say in some ways it's symbolic.

Way back when you were having your struggles, injury, you used to talk about your dad always said, "The Lawrence way, it's not gonna be easy," and you somehow summed it all up in two motos today, this path you've been on.

Yeah.

Li- literally.

Yeah.

I'm like, "Jeez, we've been through some stuff, man."

Been through some crap.

Just happy to I'm just relieved it's over, honestly.

Yeah.

I feel like every weekend I feel I would hold a standard that I had to be perfect, because I know the guy I'm going up against.

I mean, he, he's already, I think, a Hall of Fame career at such a young age, you know?

So I mean, I, I know I have to be the best version of myself.

I was sick Sunday through Tuesday, like, championship week, like But again, you just have to stay in it mentally, 'cause you never know what can happen, and Unadilla's a perfect example of that.

Budds Creek, another great example.

These last three rounds were insane.

Yes.

That made it exciting for us.

Little too stressful, I'm sure, for you.

Yeah.

Maybe the next time it'll be easy.

Look, you got a lot to do.

Just thanks for the time and congratulations.

Thank you.

Thank you for- Yep.

Absolutely.

Well earned, mate.

Thank you.

JT got to interview Hunter Lawrence as the champion.

Yeah, thank you from me.

Yes.

Yes.

Thank you for me and from me.

You know, just trying, trying Congrats to Hunter.

We're done.

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