JETT LAWRENCE | GRIT-217 | 250SX

JETT LAWRENCE | GRIT-217 | SX 250

Knowing what was at stake when the round fourteen came to fruition, Honda's Jett Lawrence would seem excited to know that he was racing the best from both coasts while stationed at MetLife Stadium. For practice, the number eighteen was demonstrating a skillset that was world-class; navigating from rut to rut with momentum that was unlike anything many had ever seen, sweeping through grooves with fortitude while keeping the throttle of his Honda 250F pinned. And as many hypothesized, that mantra would carry into his heat race (which in all actuality, was a condensed main event with fellow riders on his coast). Nevertheless, Jett's initiation to the nine-lap sequences wasn't as desired; where he was stationed around seventh, but seemed rather composed while slicing through the field in the laps to follow. Making passes in bundles while acknowledging RJ Hampshire in the lead, the Australian would prove that his talent was "next-level" with a blazing sense of momentum through the whoops and split-lane rhythm section beforehand. This would lead third being obtained with only two laps left, where an opportunity to work around Max Vohland would present itself. With patience, he made the move "stick" on the number thirty-four, while gunning for RJ Hampshire in the final moments. Though a last lap charge would be conducted, it was too little too late on behalf of the red-plate holder...as he headed to the finalé with a second place score. There was little that could prepare the field for the conditions they were about to embark on after the rain, with the racing surface now drenched with moisture; making the surface unrecognizable, yet Lawrence would keep the throttle pinned anyway! Beginning the moto inside the top-five, it was a game of chess, per se, in order to navigate through the remaining riders of the field. Disaster could strike at any moment, though Lawrence again showed patience in working his way to fourth, where he saw the Husqvarna of RJ Hampshire in the distance. He would hound the Floridian (albeit at a smart distance) until roughly eight and a half minutes were left on the clock. At that point, it was time to strike, as Jett cut to the inside of the split lane rhythm section prior to pushing RJ wide in the turn that followed. Now third, it was only a matter of time before he "tracked-down" KTM's Max Vohland; whom he eventually conducted the same move upon (as he and Hampshire) by cutting down in the corner before the whoops, solidifying the pass with around four and a half minutes to go. It was then a race against the clock as he attempted to make a move on Anstie, which would nearly occur in the last time through the whoop section! However the bold maneuvering of Anstie would prevail when racing to the checkered flag, leaving Jett to seemingly take second...prior to being rammed into by RJ Hampshire with only feet to go! With both competitors now down on the ground, it was a scramble to see who would remount first! Luckily for Jett, he was able to sprint to the finish line in only a matter of seconds; claiming runner-up, once and for all!

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