Catching Up With Jason Lawrence
swapmoto
- March 31 2009
- 9,500 views
- 47 comments
CATCHING UP WITH JASON LAWRENCE
By Donn Maeda
If there’s one thing that’s for certain on the World Wide Web, it’s that Jason Lawrence draws a lot of attention. Love him or hate him, J-Law is a “click” magnet, so we thought we’d fill you in on what’s been going on with the Boost Mobile/ampm/Monster Energy-backed rider. From the nonsense that surrounds him to his DNS in Toronto, we covered it all…well, most of it, at least.
Every time we post anything that has to do with you, the Internet explodes with feedback both for and against you. Let’s give them something to talk about…
Yeah! (Laughs) Let’s keep it going!
Ok. So how has the transition been from the 250 to the 450?
It’s been easy. I thought the competition would have been closer, no disrespect to anyone, but it looks spaced out after James and Chad. It seems like the class has close racing and everyone is close in speed, but starts are more important here than in the 250 class. After James and Chad, third place is up for grabs.
What’s the biggest difference between the two? It seems like the 450 class has more privateers doing well than the 250 class. Is that because you can get more performance from a production 450 for less cash than a 250?
I think that’s it, exactly. I know we don’t have too much money in our 450 bikes development-wise, but our bikes are really competitive. They just stand a better chance with the bigger guys and that’s one thing that makes the class cooler. I mean, our YZ250F is the best bike out there, but the amount of money that is invested into it is ridiculous. My 450 is modified, but not like that.
Was it intimidating sitting on the line at Daytona in your first 450 race after years in the Lites class?
Oh yeah for sure. It felt like going pro all over again because I was, like, stepping up to the next level. It was fun and I kinda thrive off that, but in the moment right before that gate dropped, it was kinda scary. But I’m over that now from being up front, and now when I’m on the line I know I can get the holeshot and do well in the 450 class.
At Daytona, it was obvious after Chad got by, that you mellowed out and settled for second place. But during all those laps that you lead, did you ever feel like you had the chance to win?
It’s weird; I never really believed 100 percent that I was going to win the race during the race. Looking back at the situation, it’s “how could I have not won that?” But at the moment, I was thinking, “How is this happening in my first race?” A lot of it was how the cards fell, but that’s racing. A lot of what happened with me was just me being tired and mentally strained from leading, and that was tough. I made a few big mistakes which could have cost me the race or even my life (laughs), but after halfway I just decided to turn it down. I didn’t even see Chad coming at me until like a lap before he got by, so he wasn’t really pressuring me. I just knew everyone was coming and I didn’t want to keep pushing.
Is that the most tired you’ve ever been?
No, training with Ryno (Ryan Hughes) pushes you until complete muscle failure! (Laughs) So it wasn’t too bad. It’s weird when I came over the finish line, though. It was like, “BOOM! Energy boost!” I was so pumped! So I think I’m going to have my mechanic wave a checkered flag in the pit area every lap the next time I am leading (laughs).
Let’s talk about the start. You obviously cut to the inside of the track to avoid the pileup. Though the AMA didn’t penalize you, there were plenty of Internet bandits that tore you apart on the message boards. Let’s address that topic…
Yeah, that’s a funny topic and there is some more to it from my side. I was right next to Josh Hill on the starting line and we had a plan to go tight around the inside and then come out as two of the top-five guys. And I told him, “I’m not going to just come right in and smash you!” We are such good friends that he’s almost like a brother to me. He hit James and fell right in front of me, and I’m not going to hit my friends, so I’d have rather cut that little bit and gotten in trouble than to maybe just hit someone’s pinky toe. I’m not trying to hurt my friends or anyone else, and I’d have taken the consequence for being safe.
You had a rough day here in Toronto. You posted quick time in the first session until Reed topped it later on, but that was after you got busted in the face with a rock…
You know when you get hit in the mouth and have that numb feeling? I thought I knocked out my two front teeth, I couldn’t even feel them with my tongue. I’m riding away thinking, “this is so shitty, what am I gonna do?” We went to the pit, and my teeth are fine and my lips aren’t even cut or swollen, so we walked back out to watch and Reed still hadn’t topped it. But I posted my fast time right after they groomed the track, and Bubba didn’t do his until later on when the track got vicious. Still, that was pretty cool.
In practice two, you did only a handful of laps…
I was out there following Nick and we went over the finish and down the straight, and I ducked to stay out of his roost, but I got blasted with a big rock to the hand. So I went into the Asterisk Mobile Medic Unit, thinking it’s broken and they told me it wasn’t, so I went out to race. It was hard to make a fist but I got up to sixth, but there was no way I was going to do 20 laps in the main when the heat was an issue. I couldn’t even pull in the clutch.
On track walk today, people were pulling debris out of the dirt…
Yeah! Alessi took what had to be an 18-inch long piece of metal out!
I even took a full sized brick out of it…
Oh yeah I know. Down there on the starting line, Nate Dawg (Nathan Ramsey) was asking the AMA guys to move pieces of slate away from his gate. This dirt is crazy; they need to send it back to wherever they got it.
What’s the plan for rest of the Supercross season? You have Seattle in a few weeks, so will you drop back down and run the East-West Shoot out to make a point?
I’m hitting Jacksonville for the 450, but yeah, I’m dropping down to finish the West Coast. My sponsors like the red and white number one, so I’ll run it a few more times to make them happy. After that who knows, maybe I’ll get another or be 338 for the rest of my life.
And then there’s always the East vs. West Shootout in Las Vegas. Historically, neither champion wins that one. Maybe that’s where you will pull it all together…
But I’m gonna need to tone it down to grab that. (Laughs)
What about outdoors? What are you riding and what goals are you setting?
I will be on a 450 for sure. I heard Reed and Stewart are part time at most, so that leaves the door open for Villopoto and Alessi. I know after them it’s a ton of guys, but I see top three. I am looking forward to racing the Nationals because that is where I am strongest, and who knows, anything can happen…
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March 31st, 2009 at 10:55 pm
first
March 31st, 2009 at 11:27 pm
I love J-Law
April 1st, 2009 at 12:45 am
J-law is so co0o0oL
April 1st, 2009 at 1:26 am
my boy right there.
April 1st, 2009 at 3:06 am
if only there was no bubba..
April 1st, 2009 at 4:08 am
ama should of fixed the problem if there was bricks and metal in the soil. they shouldnt have let them ride on the track with that shit.
April 1st, 2009 at 6:33 am
i wanna see lawrence riding a 250 2-stroke in the nationals in 2010, that would be sweet!!!
April 1st, 2009 at 7:40 am
Dam, sick pictures! , Look at pic #20, totally gooned out on the throttle hand.
April 1st, 2009 at 7:41 am
GO J-LAW!!
April 1st, 2009 at 7:58 am
His finger tip is just barely on the clutch lever lol that must have been fun.. Fu*k it, I wouldnt wanna ride another 20 laps on that junkyard either. I hope he makes the Dunge cry in seattle! lol jk.. hes already made his point I think. Lawrence for president!
badass pic sequences twmx, j law makes every frame look good
April 1st, 2009 at 8:12 am
If there was no Bubba. What da hell!? what you jealous dat your not dat good
April 1st, 2009 at 9:12 am
me on a bike? wooooooooooowwwww good one..you must be well edujimikated
April 1st, 2009 at 9:51 am
You are a retard
April 1st, 2009 at 10:25 am
Well you should look the reason hes saying that is because the ama was going to passa rule saying 250 2strokes ride against 250 four strokes but that fell through for 09 but possibily 2010 so how is he a retard Mr. Anonymous?
April 1st, 2009 at 11:21 am
michael
thats prolly one of the dumbest things ive heard in a while.. if there was no bubba… all those crazy fights for third place would be for second or maybe even first which would only make it better. and more exciting
April 1st, 2009 at 12:22 pm
J law is the man of the outdoors.. forget bout bubba he makes it boring for everyone
April 1st, 2009 at 2:11 pm
actually that would be awsome if he was racing lites, but he said hes gonna run the motocross class
April 1st, 2009 at 2:32 pm
way to uh change my comment there. what i meant to post was a polite request to mr Anonymous here to stop the whole first thing.
April 1st, 2009 at 3:11 pm
i love the april fools joke of lawrence to honda over in MX1
April 1st, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Why do you guys do so many interveiws with J-Law?
April 1st, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Catching up with JLaw… Haven’t heard what he’s been up to in like 2 days. If everyone admits to how cool he is and is the fastest ever can we move on? Catch up with Townley or somebody else- anybody else.
April 1st, 2009 at 4:00 pm
first reply
April 1st, 2009 at 4:51 pm
no bubba no racing? your stupid..if there was no bubba there would be wayy better races..not the same boring thing every weekend
April 1st, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Townley!? haha I’d be pumped to see another cathing up with jlaw tommorow! The kids the sh*t, Im glad we got to hear about him after toronto, most riders would hide after sitting out a round. Keep up the coverage guys! Maybe if he gets enough good exposure and stuff he can get factory backing again. The kid tools on factory riders, wtf is Townley doing? Who cares, I’m busy reading about LAWRENCE FOR PRESIDENT!
April 1st, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Man, Jason is great for our sport. He must have something for keeping those damn shoes clean… Down in Stl he was scrubbing those things clean with Aquafina!
April 1st, 2009 at 8:24 pm
J-law is sick! He hasn’t even started to gain weight for the 450’s, or spent that much time racing them. Wait till’ he gets a little more muscle and he is gonna smoke reed and bubba!
April 1st, 2009 at 9:23 pm
April Fools? Uh…we are videoing him tomorrow on his Honda…
April 1st, 2009 at 11:22 pm
anonymous; you are a tool.
April 1st, 2009 at 11:25 pm
Bubba gains this sport a lot of exposure. Unanimously you are WRONG about a lot of things ANONYMOUS.
April 1st, 2009 at 11:28 pm
Marketing, exposure, gaining more subscriptions; BUSINESS. J-LAW makes money you dumbazz.
April 1st, 2009 at 11:55 pm
If JS-7 isnt riding out doors which i think he will!! J-law pop your collar and kick ASS!
April 1st, 2009 at 11:56 pm
its so weird to believe, just all of sudden. whatever works the man
April 1st, 2009 at 11:58 pm
its just to weird to believe right now. all of sudden. whatever works for the man i guess
April 2nd, 2009 at 12:06 am
him and zachy osbourne are going to share numbers. BS
April 2nd, 2009 at 12:33 am
In the MXGPs, there are different sets of numbers for each class. For instance, Jonathan Barragan is #7 in the MX1 class, and Stephen Sword is #7 in the MX2 class. Osborne is #338 in the MX2 class, so I would imagine it would be no trouble for Lawrence to hold onto his number in MX1.
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:06 am
There is a lot of stuff about J-law, but I say keep it comming! Its really interesting to read so.. MOAR
April 2nd, 2009 at 5:44 am
If j-law goes to europe what reason will there be to watch the 450’s. Give me the lites class or a ticket to england…………Go B. Wharton! I will accept a neck pillow to sleep through the450 class though.
April 2nd, 2009 at 7:31 am
Swap, if the Lawrence to MX1 and Honda is NOT an April Fool’s Joke you are eliminating from the story the answer to the primary question – WHY? Does this mean he was dropped by Yamaha and could not find a ride here? Unless the AMA has another suspension in mind it would seem foolish for Lawrence to make the switch to MX1 or MX2 in Europe with so much interest in his moving to the 450 class here. As you say, love him or hate him he generates interest. Though I am not a fan of Lawrence I admit he makes things interesting and he is one of only a couple of riders that can/may challenge Reed and Stewart.
April 2nd, 2009 at 7:34 am
well if some one could for surly beat
bubba u wouldnt have to see the same thing
every weekend
April 2nd, 2009 at 9:07 am
if this is true he will rece in burgaria?
April 2nd, 2009 at 1:59 pm
swap u lier u
April 2nd, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Bwaaahahahahaha!
I see a Red #1 on a White YZ450F at the Nat’s in 2010. I mean, damn, this is gonna be better than fiction.
April 2nd, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Where abouts is the story about JLaw going to GP’s? Anyone?!
April 2nd, 2009 at 5:28 pm
j laws gotta be more confident man.. he can take the nationals if he gets his act together. which ithink that he pretty much has. i think hes gott the speed hands down to run with RV and alessi.
April 2nd, 2009 at 9:09 pm
april fools
April 2nd, 2009 at 10:30 pm
Townly is done man. Done. COmpletely done. He’s been out to long in this sport, which has so much talent coming in and out everyday. He’s no Stewart or Carmichael.
April 5th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
I LOVE LOVE LOVEEEEE, J-LAW.
He’s AMAZINGG;
:)<3