AMSOIL Swapmoto Race Series Profile | Jett Lawrence

Jett Lawrence

Age: 15

Classes: Pro Open & 250 Pro

Hometown: Landsborough, Queensland, Australia

Sponsors: GEICO Honda, Shift MX, 100%, Freeway Honda, Fox, AMSOIL, Alpinestars, ARC, Athena, D’Cor, D.I.D, Dunlop, Carbon Raptor, Ogio, Factory Connection, Motostuff, Renegade Fuels, TwinAir, Wiseco, Hinson, Vortex, Yoshimura

AMSOIL Honda has stacked their roster with talent recently, including Jett Lawrence. While many know Jett as the younger brother to professional racer Hunter, the other Lawrence has already made his mark around the world with his resume in the EMX feeder series of the Monster Energy FIM Motocross World Championship and success at amateur events in the United States. A recent injury sidelined the young rider and with a summer of big races on the way, Lawrence decided that lining up at a recent round of the AMSOIL Swapmoto Race Series would help him prepare. “I just needed to get more gate drops. I have been injured for four weeks, so this helps. I need to get a good feeling with the racing,” he explained in the shade at Milestone MX Park.

The United States is the third different continent that the Lawrence family has lived on in pursuit of professional racing, as they initially moved from Australia to Germany, then from Germany to Southern California. Jett said that the shared language and similar weather of the United States and his native Australia made the move very easy.  “Living-wise, it’s close to Australia, so it was easy to move into. It’s pretty good because it’s similar to Australia,” he explained. “The competition, especially around my age, there is a lot more. He got a contract here and then I got a contract.”

But Lawrence doesn’t love everything about racing here, particularly the differences between American amateur racing and the European EMX events. “Amateur races here are so short, they are like sprints. But in the EMX races, you have time to get into a good flow and make passes,” he explained. “Over here, it’s really fast and you have to go for it and send everything. I don’t like it much, but it is what it is.”

We were thrilled when Hunter joined us at Perris Raceway a few weeks ago and at Milestone, bother Lawrence brothers lined up in the Pro classes and faced off for the first time. While we know of some racers that dislike competing against their siblings, Jett viewed Hunter as just another rider. “It’s not too bad. I’ve never really raced him, this was the first time, so it’s a little bit different,” he shared.  “I just think of him like another racer that I’m trying to beat. And if he beats me, he does, but if he doesn’t it’s good for me [Laughs].”

At Milestone Jett and Hunter traded wins in the 250 Pro class, with Hunter nabbing the overall thanks to his second moto triumph. The Open Pro class, however, was a surprise as Brayden Lessler nabbed the win in Moto One and Jett slid out while chasing the front-runners. Regardless of the results, the day at the track was helpful for Lawrence, especially before the long summer that is about to start. “We’re going to do all of the usual amateur stuff this summer and then do the last three Nationals because they’re going to allow the amateurs the chance to race the 250 class,” Lawrence explained of a new MX Sports rule. Here’s hoping that the Jett manages to make it to the starting line a few more times with us this year!