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HUNTER LAWRENCE GRIT-223 250MX

June 14, 2023 · Hunter Lawrence

HUNTER LAWRENCE GRIT-223 250MX

HUNTER LAWRENCE | GRIT-223 | 250MX

Knowing what was at stake as racing came to fruition at Thunder Valley, Hunter Lawrence was able to turn his focus toward the bigger picture, in regard to claiming an overall championship. He was aspiring for the number-one plate to be clenched as early as possible, but with riders like Justin Cooper, Haiden Deegan, and various other athletes all aiming to divert him from achieving the highest honors, Lawrence knew that the path to victory would be anything but easy. His momentum would be on the rise as practice concluded, where he was one of the fastest throughout each session before embarking on stellar trajectory to begin moto number one. He would round the first corner in a rather mediocre standing (according to his standards), but would work his way to sixth by the time the first lap was completed. It was evident that Lawrence's patience was going to be a standout characteristic amongst his arsenal of traits, where he waited for riders to make mistakes while garnering clear lines in order to make moves. Passing opponents like Ryder DiFrancesco and Jordon Smith prior to completing lap five, he would then hound the rear wheel of Levi Kitchen in while trying to obtain third. Lawrence was crafty in his pathways amongst the elevation, and would edge his front wheel ahead of Kitchen which ultimately forced the Washington native to oblige. He was now amid a battle with Haiden Deegan, and once he had closed in on the rookie, the pathways of the Californian would become a bit defensive...leading to the frustration of Lawrence as he attempted to make a pass. It would be amongst one of the toughest downhills on the circuit when Hunter would divert to the inside and force Deegan to nearly come to a halt in the rut, by hitting the Honda's rear tire! It would solidify Lawrence into the second place position as lap number eight was finalized, leading to a quest to try and overtake Justin Cooper (who led). But the Yamaha rider was flourishing at the front of the field, and throughout the rest of the sixteen-lap contest, it would be the Australian who was forced to occupy second prior to concluding the moto. Hunter's start to the second moto would be spectacular, where he made his way into a runner-up standing behind Justin Cooper, prior to Cooper crashing in the corner before the finish-line! He would try to avoid running over the Yamaha rider, and as a result would have to go off course for a brief moment...but took the green flag in the number one spot, prior to breaking away from the field. He would focus on his own race, and line selection; battling only the thought(s) of concentration and lapped riders as they came into view. But by the halfway point, it seemed as though Lawrence was well on his way to being crowned victorious. And throughout the rest of the fifteen lap contest, where no-one would rival him, he would eventually crest the finish-line tabletop with victorious honors - taking both the moto win, and overall accolade!

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