00:00...stars of MonsterNG AMA Supercross in the SMX World Championship.
00:06Ready to go for Heat 2 of the 250s, and there is the most recent winner in the Premier Class.
00:11Hunter Lawrence, the 26-year-old Australian.
00:14That elusive win is elusive no more.
00:18It is not. James, you talked about it at the top of the show,
00:21and what that win meant to him, and would he be able to, will he be able to back it
00:26up here tonight?
00:28Got to find out. You heard Eli say he wanted to watch him.
00:31Let's see if he can get a start like Eli Tomac got.
00:34That tight right-hander, first corner, Heat 2, 450s.
00:38Malcolm Stewart got a great start. Here comes Hunter Lawrence.
00:42And Joey Savace in the mix as well.
00:44Great start by Hunter Lawrence and Malcolm.
00:48I'm going to have to be quiet if Malcolm takes over this lead,
00:50because we've got to have this border crowd go wild.
00:52Here he is. What a switchback from Lawrence.
00:54Wow, you talk about an audible, man.
00:56And I'm going to tell you what, watching.
00:58Oh, whoa.
01:00Whoa.
01:01Ah.
01:03Malcolm was nice to him, but that's what you expect at this level, in the 450 level.
01:08You know, they ain't going to do what they...
01:12We pause for the roar of the crowd.
01:15Yeah, I mean, going epic, like you said, James, your brother, contending,
01:19getting into this lead.
01:20They are loving it.
01:22I brought the kids, Uncle Mal, last time we were here.
01:25That was Tampa. Let's see what you can do.
01:27Good to see him out here.
01:28Talked to him early.
01:29He said his shoulder's feeling a lot better.
01:31In the last couple weekends, you've been seeing the ride.
01:34These guys going back and forth.
01:36What an epic battle on the first lap of this race.
01:39Here comes Malcolm.
01:48Back and forth for the lead of this race on the opening lap
01:52between Hunter Lawrence and Malcolm Stewart.
01:55I'm going to go ahead and say, Ricky, great job at this track design.
01:59We wonder, always wonder how we race.
02:01Well, there you go.
02:01These guys have been passing every corner here.
02:03I appreciate that.
02:05You know, it's tough.
02:06It looks one way on paper, and then you get it in real time.
02:09You're like, oh, no, it wasn't what I really drawed up
02:13or hoped that it would be, and it has become fantastic.
02:16Again, not overly complicated because just this dirt breaks away.
02:20It makes it hard enough, but it's racy, and that's what I'm so stoked on.
02:26You talk about what last weekend was able to do for Hunter Lawrence.
02:29The narrative on him has always been the opening lap speed,
02:33and these heat races, after having that time off in between practice,
02:36you would think that maybe Hunter would struggle,
02:38but, man, I've seen a different rider these last two weekends,
02:41and after last weekend, for him to come out and make those passes,
02:44he is aggressive, and that's just all confidence on the 96.
02:48I think from the beginning of the season, you know,
02:50when he knew that's where he needed to get better,
02:52the beginning of those races, the first 10 minutes,
02:55he has slowly gotten better.
02:56Basically, after week two, I would say,
02:59and he looks really comfortable on his motorcycle tonight.
03:02No Chase Sexton here, but Garrett Marchbanks is
03:06as he fights with Christian Craig.
03:08They go virtually side by side there.
03:10They're fighting over fourth place at the moment
03:12behind Joey Savace, ahead of Colt Nichols.
03:16Yeah, good to see Garrett up here.
03:17He had a tough start to the season,
03:19actually didn't make the main event,
03:20and then kind of struggled, but obviously with his teammate,
03:23they're just working on the motorcycle, getting better,
03:25and Garrett's a rookie.
03:27Good to see him back out here.
03:28Yeah, I hate to see the news from Chase Sexton.
03:31Hopefully, he will be back sooner than later.
03:33The sport is a better place with him in there.
03:35He's had a rough season, but how about this guy,
03:39Joey Savace, man?
03:40I mean, the last three weeks on this quad lock Honda,
03:44he has been bringing it.
03:46I mean, he is like another guy.
03:47Reminds me of the days when he was on the 250
03:50contending for championships.
03:52Prior to tonight, just a few hours ago,
03:54I spoke to team owner Yurif Konski.
03:56He said he is so proud and pleased with this guy
04:00and his ability to grow and lead.
04:03He's listening.
04:04He's learning.
04:05He's growing, and he's taken a leadership role
04:08within the team and is flourishing.
04:09He also acknowledged some extra assistance from Honda.
04:13Yeah, he got a, whoa.
04:15Malcolm just makes a slight mistake
04:18and isn't able to get through that rhythm lane,
04:21and that allows Joe to get by and make the move.
04:23But this is an impressive ride,
04:25not only for Malcolm, but Joey as well,
04:27because Joey's more of a precise,
04:29not necessarily a bulldog on the motorcycle.
04:32So for him to show this speed
04:35and look that aggressive is very impressive.
04:38I mean, you just go back
04:39to what he was able to do last weekend,
04:40having all those guys
04:42and get around Eli Tomac in that heat race.
04:45And even though he had the trouble in the main event,
04:47he's still real good, but I'm with you.
04:49I was joking around with Lee earlier.
04:50I call him Joey Versace.
04:52How good he's been looking.
04:53I love it.
04:54He's looking that stylish.
04:56He was third quickest in qualifying
04:58on this quad lock Honda.
04:59And things this 2026 season is going so well for him.
05:03James, you talk about it a lot.
05:05I hear you mention it about confidence.
05:07What a certain ride does for these athletes.
05:12And I feel like, you know,
05:14talking about that confidence,
05:15Joey now is, he's believing in himself.
05:17He's having these good rides.
05:19He's running up front.
05:20He's getting better starts.
05:22And I think, again, it's just his confidence.
05:24No, I agree.
05:25And just like the guy up in front,
05:27sometimes you have those injuries
05:29and it wears on you.
05:31But now you're starting to see it.
05:32And a guy that can survive through that,
05:34like Joey Hunter Lawrence,
05:35it just makes him so much better riders
05:37as we're watching Kristen Craig
05:39and Colt Nichols battling 6th and 7th back here.
05:42This is a great ride for Colt Nichols.
05:46You know, we haven't seen a whole lot of him up here.
05:48And this is a past champion, okay,
05:51divisional, 250 divisional champion.
05:52So to see him up here finally battling,
05:55it's great to see.
05:57Look at that.
05:57Check out that graphic on the left of your screen.
05:59Christian Craig and his speed through the whoops.
06:02It has always been his specialty and his strength.
06:05And it has not left him.
06:07Quick look there.
06:08Justin Hill is fighting to try and get by Tristan Lane
06:11to make it in and get that final transfer position.
06:13Here is Justin, and that's the gap that he's got to make up.
06:17Yeah, but having the rider in front of Tristan
06:20might help him out.
06:21And you don't want to do any more extra laps on here
06:24on this racetrack.
06:26So be nice if Justin can get him.
06:28And he needs to do it while Tristan's stuck behind Lane right here.
06:32Or actually, that's Vince Freeze right ahead.
06:34Yep, Vince Freeze.
06:35So Tristan's gone up the position.
06:39JT.
06:40Just watching Justin Hill.
06:42Ricky, you mentioned 250 Divisional Champs.
06:44Well, think about this class.
06:45Justin Hill, your 2017 Divisional Champ.
06:48Colt Nichols, your 21.
06:49Christian Craig, 22.
06:51Hunter Lawrence, 23.
06:52And Joey Savace almost won himself.
06:55So basically, to succeed in this class,
06:57you better bring a Divisional Championship with you.
06:59Well, and that's a great point.
07:01And I think, you know, a lot of people say maybe they don't win a 250 championship
07:05and they're getting antsy.
07:07They want to go to that premier level.
07:08And I hear it quite a bit.
07:10James and Lee is like, I'll be better on the 450, be better on the 450.
07:14But like Jason Thomas just told us, a lot of these guys in the 450 are multi-time 250 champs
07:22and have won championships.
07:24And then, whoa, hold on to it.
07:26Anxious moment there for Malcolm Stewart.
07:28Here comes Justin Cooper.
07:29Yeah, a lot of mistakes from a lot of these guys in that sand section.
07:33It looks like Malcolm's struggling a little bit.
07:36Kind of keep focused.
07:37Joey was able to get around and he pulled away.
07:39As Justin goes up the inside, we'll have to talk to brother between races here.
07:44Tell him, hey.
07:45Sent him a friendly text.
07:47Yeah, we've got to represent Pokal a little bit better than this, but he'll be fine.
07:51Justin Cooper sent the fastest lap of the race, I see.
07:54So no surprise to see him surging forward on this final lap.
07:58That was a really impressive pass.
08:00Nice heat win for the man who won the main event last week in Arlington.
08:05Hunter Lawrence continues his winning streak.
08:11And we go back to that fight for the ninth and final position.
08:18Let's see if this is for a transfer.
08:20Let's see if Justin can get it powered down.
08:22Nope.
08:23He's going to go to Vince Friese.
08:25So Justin Hill, we'll see you in the last chance qualifier.
08:31And this guy, the championship leader.
08:34Mina, I'm going to go over here.
08:35Bye.
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