The final round of the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) Finals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was all about Jett Lawrence, the Team Honda HRC rider dominating with a 1-1 scorecard to claim the 450SMX title once again. Plus, Haiden Deegan repeated in the 250SMX category, wrapping up the title with second overall after going 1-2 on the night. Both riders were available to the media after the races for this Debrief feature.

450SMX

Image: Octopi Media.

Jett, talk us through what it means to you to grab yet another championship in your amazing career.

Obviously, it means a lot for the team and family. I think sitting that outdoor season out really stung, so I put in a lot to try and get back and do good in this. I think it also makes it more special that Hunter [Lawrence] and I went 1-2, but it’s a tough one. I want Hunter to do good too, that’s the one harsh thing about this sport. He got a good start and he was right there, I couldn’t make any mistakes. But, it’s awesome for the team and I feel like Dazzy [Lawrence] would be pretty happy about those results too.

This is the first time we’ve seen you really work through adversity, does that make the championship a little more gratifying overall?

Obviously, the injury wasn’t ideal, but I think it was almost needed. I’ve had a really lucky run with injuries, last time I had one was back in 2020 with my collarbone. So, I think it was a long time coming, honestly. I got lucky with it just being my thumb, it wasn’t a very painful crash.

And tying on points with Hunter, what was that like for you?

It was cool to battle with Hunter, he’s my brother and I want to see him do good, but once you get on the track, you click into a different person. Now that it’s set in but, I feel like a bit of an asshole, [laughs]. At least we can use the title that we’re robbing FELD for $1.5 million, [laughs].

Your move on [Eli] Tomac in the first moto, you got the run coming up out of the drag strip and into the scrub roller. Was that one of those instinctual passes, or did you know that you could make the move there?

I knew Eli was taking that outside, so coming up that time I was just hoping that he’d stay left so I could keep that line. I had a line in the sand on the third lap where I thought I could get him, but the next lap he took it. But, it was a little bit of both, I thought if I sent it I could maybe get close enough to get next to him, and I was able to make it happen that lap.

I feel like the narrative for the 450 class this year has been that people need to look at you and your brother and the technique that you both have as the sport levels up. This is probably the first time you’ve raced an Eli that is firing on all cylinders, so now that you’ve raced him and seen him at some of his best, are there things that you’ve picked up on?

I think the one thing we might look at is the paddle tires to see if that works, [laughs]. But, it’s hard, because obviously, both bikes handle so differently. There were things in the first race that I’d try and copy Eli with if I knew he was better in a section, but it didn’t necessarily work for my bike. So, it’s hard to try and mix our techniques together, because I feel like Hunter and I have now got our technique and style around our bike, so it’s really just hard to try and form yourself to copy what someone else is doing when you’re on a different bike.

We’re going to see this a lot more in the future with Hunter being in the 450 class. When you put your helmet on, do you see Hunter out there as your brother, or do you see him out there as another competitor?

It’s definitely difficult, because obviously we both love each other and have a really good relationship, and this sport is a very singular sport. So, when the helmet goes on you obviously have to focus on business, but you could say Hunter and I ride against each other very differently compared to the other people. Like, we don’t want to be anywhere near each other in case something happens or someone gets sketchy. We’re obviously comfortable next to each other because we know how we both ride. But yeah, it’s going to get difficult, there might be some quiet car rides home, but I think that’s more so from Dazzy ripping us about what we messed up. It’s going to be exciting. I think for me, if we’re first and second, we’re happy.

250SMX

Image: Octopi Media.

Haiden, with all the work that you, your team, and your family have put in, it must feel good to back it up and win this 250SMX title again.

Yeah defintiely, it’s super cool. Especially because I’m only 18, so to be a three-time champion – that’s a gnarly goal knocked off the list. I didn’t think I’d get to this position as fast as I did, but I have a good team and family around me.

Take us through that second moto, knowing that you were on your way to the championship. What was going through your mind?

I actually had a good start, but I let off a little too early and got pinched off. It was kind of my fault, but then I locked in and started making some passes and made my way up to about third, then Tom [Vialle] went down and I was in second. I tried to catch up to Pierce [Brown], but he was riding so good, so it wasn’t worth the risk. I saw four laps to go and I was like, ‘The championship sounds really nice’. I didn’t want to do anything stupid so I decided to ride it in.

What’s the plan now? Will you have a little rest or get back at it for supercross?

I’m going to take some time off. It’s a long season and I’ve been looking forward to some time off. So yeah, just chill for a couple of weeks, then lock back in and grind so I can win another championship.

You’re a two-time 250SMX champion and a Pro Motocross champion in only your second year, you alluded to earlier. Did you expect it to come so easily?

It definitely hasn’t come easy, but it’s to the point now where the hard part is the training during the week. That has kind of been my main focus, working as hard as I can so that these weekends are a whole lot easier than they should be. That’s kind of how I’ve felt this season, outdoors I felt like I’d show up to a race and the 35’s were easy. I wasn’t getting out of breath or anything, same with SMX. When there’s a championship and I want to go get it, I can pull out the dominant card and just go after that. All the hard work is during the week and the fun comes on the weekend.

One of those laps in race two you launched the wall jump in the motocross section, then you didn’t do it again. Run us through that.

Yeah, I got into second and I literally just sent it. I went as hard as I could for a lap to see if I could catch Pierce, and I closed a little bit, but I wasn’t doing it every lap. It wasn’t worth the risk, but yeah I just hit it wide open and jumped it nearly all the way to the berm, [laughs].