HUNTER LAWRENCE - GRIT 239 450SX

GRIT-239 | 450 SX

Though faced with adversity on many occasions this season, Honda's Hunter Lawrence relentlessly fought back as the series approaches the halfway point. The 450SX class was arguably deeper than it ever has been, but the courage of the ninety-six machine was imminent as engines revved early in the Saturday morning hours. With the day-time format, the 450cc class was set to go first...meaning an optimal track for these athletes to compete on, and as Lawrence managed to squeeze through the opening corner in the realm of a top-five standing, he would garner fourth as the green flag waved. Though Justin Barcia was an opponent who was always making his presence known, situated just behind the Australian while proceeding to rev the engine of the GasGas machine to its highest extent. Lawrence would do his best to safeguard numerous insides from the veteran, but the New York native was able to make his way around on the third lap of the contest. Cooper Webb's crash in the sand was a mistake that allowed him to inherit fourth yet again; and as he sped through the whoop section after the halfway point, he could sense that the Yamaha rider was going to return and try to overtake him. Therefore, Lawrence proceeded to unleash the true power of the Honda motor as he dove into the left-handed bend before the finish-line, scrubbing his way over the final leap and into the small double thereafter. The stiffness of his suspension allowed him to hop into numerous bowl turns amongst the wall of the corner, gaining milliseconds on his opponents en route to an eventual checkered flag. In conclusion, he would defend fourth-place honors from that of Webb; and then begin the main event, with an original eighth position on the leaderboard. Knowing that there was little time to waste, Lawrence managed to combine multiple triple sequences amid the longest rhythm sections together while taking-off, and landing a amongst a sea of ruts. He once again met the match of Justin Barcia, while competing with Shane McElrath while following Aaron Plessinger. As time went on, Barcia and Lawrence appeared to be inseparable...and the Australian was looking for some sort of obstacle, or an opponent to pass in order to divert Barcia's full attention from his rear wheel. At that point, it was Eli Tomac who was in the foreground and approaching rather quickly; therefore when opportunity presented itself on the nineteenth lap, Lawrence did his best to overtake the Yamaha rider and never look back. Residing in the eighth-position as the timer struck zero, and the final lap was completed, Lawrence's performance in Detroit was certainly admirable.

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