race recap
HUNTER LAWRENCE - GRIT 246 450SX
May 21, 2024 · Hunter Lawrence
GRIT-246 |450 SX
May 20, 2024 9:45 am
Returning from injuries and various instances of misfortune thus far in the 2024 series, Honda's Hunter Lawrence was ready to give it his all as starting gates arose in St.Louis. Knowing that a summer of scores were a means for an overall result, Lawrence aspired to begin on the strongest of sequences as gate(s) crashed to the ground in the opening main event. He would take the lead following an enormous crash amongst various opponents in the field, long before the first full lap was completed. However, his residency at the head of the pack wouldn't last long, where a miscalculation in latter stages of the whoops would fling him off of the motorcycle! Managing to rebound in ninth, he would unfortunately lose a few positions before regaining his flow while beginning to battle with Malcolm Stewart. All the while, he was being pressured from Justin Cooper with relentless speed being displayed by the Yamaha opponent. The ability to embody a grit, and sense of tenacity, was a defining factor in the Australian's concluding pursuit of eighth though...keeping Cooper at bay when the checkered flag was thrown. Beginning the second main event in ninth, he would move to eighth on lap three where the position was maintained through the eighth circuit, too. Inheriting a position after the unfortunate mistake from Justin Cooper, Lawrence's critical thinking and ability to remain vigilant with the red cross flag being thrown (at the checkered flag) helped him acquire second in the concluding standings of the moto due to the plethora of penalties given to the competition! He was in an optimal spot after the second-place position had been garnered, and proceeded to unleash an array of speed onto the circuit for the final round...especially amongst the first few minutes of action. A strong start helped him avoid chaos, which would actually deter his brother in the positions behind him...yet as he acquired fourth, he did his best to mimic Yamaha's Cooper Webb (who was third). Continuing to maintain the gap between he and Webb, would enable him to distance his machine from Ken Roczen and Aaron Plessinger as the moto neared conclusion. He was exceptional, and thrived amongst the pressure of an overall podium. Ultimately finalized in fourth, his assembly of scores would help him acquire one of the strongest feats of his career thus far - via third overall, for this Triple Crown showcase!