The Hangtown “Keys to the Moto” on the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross broadcast included three words: Beat Lawrence Brothers.
While it’s mainly a message to the viewers watching on MAVTV, it’s also a common thought among the 38 other 250 class riders lined up against Jett and Hunter Lawrence.
The siblings from Australia started the season strong, with Jett taking first place and Hunter following with a second overall at Fox Raceway. Perhaps even more meaningful than their joint success with Team Honda HRC was their victory as brothers.
“Obviously individual results, but at the same time . . . we’re still family,” Hunter said. “It’s a really unique kind of thing.”
In comparison to an opening round that went as picture perfect as they could’ve hoped, their day at Hangtown in week two of the series turned out to be a difficult test of character.
Jett finished third in the first moto of the day after an irregular performance that was attributed to a brutal cold he’d been battling leading into the event.
Hunter Lawrence (96) chases Justin Cooper (32) in the second moto at Hangtown. (Rob Hargraves photo)
Meanwhile, Hunter took the opportunity to lay down a charge on his brother in the early stages of the race. However, a mid-moto mistake cost Hunter the podium and he finished fourth.
In the second moto, Jett fared better with track position and spent a majority of the race in the lead, though it was obvious that his sickness was affecting his performance. Hunter remained in fourth behind Jo Shimoda and Justin Cooper who were caught up in a fight to the finish line.
The Lawrence brothers ended the weekend with a first and second overall at Hangtown, once again sweeping the top steps on the podium.
“Not a bad day for a bad day,” Hunter said in his podium interview, admitting he was also feeling a bit under the weather.
So far this season, the bad days and good days of the Lawrence brothers have looked exactly the same in regard to results.
While that might worry the rest of the field, it’s a sweet realization for Jett and Hunter to know they can be one of each other’s biggest competitors and still live out their lifelong dreams together.
“We’re really respectful and normal after we race, we always like congratulate each other, say good job. There’s never any venom in our words,” Hunter said.
Despite the high stakes they race for, the brothers keep tensions low off the race track and resume a “pretty normal” sibling relationship when they aren’t racing, according to Hunter.
The two train together on a daily basis and share a similar approach to racing, but likewise aren’t afraid to joke around with each other in the effort of keeping things entertaining.
“Really, we’re just a team,” Hunter said.
The Lawrence brothers have also taken on their fans as a team, embracing their growing following as much as their schedules allow.
At Fox Raceway, Jett and Hunter designed a unique hospitality booth for 175 of their fans to experience, occasionally even stopping by to take pictures and talk with their VIP guests. Jett’s personal brands, Jettson Donuts and Jettson Co., were involved in the pop-up as well.
Though it’s partly about providing a way for fans to enjoy races apart from the track, it’s also about showing appreciation for the people who make the sport what it is.
Without fans, “the atmosphere’s gone, the adrenaline on the start line’s gone,” Hunter said. “We just want to give back to our sport, give back to the people who support us and look up to us. It’s nothing crazy, it’s just what we’re into.”
Beyond that, it’s a tribute to their own childhood memories of wandering around the pits at races, hoping to catch a glimpse of the athletes they looked up to.
Hunter said, “We were that exact kid one day.”
Jett and Hunter will continue their championship battle in Thunder Valley, Colo., on June 11, facing off with other 250 class competitors who are united under one goal: Beat Lawrence Brothers.
Keyword: A Lawrence Brothers Summer?