Image: Octopi Media.

Set up to secure his second 250MX title in as many years, Jett Lawrence is determined to get out of the gate better to start the four remaining Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship motos in 2022.

Lawrence easily owns the best average first-lap position in the 250MX class, has led the most laps by a margin of 44, and carries a 37-point lead into the season’s final two rounds.

The younger Lawrence brother was in the mix early in moto one at the recent Budds Creek round and ended the first lap in fourth, but a 12th-place start in the second moto left the 19-year-old feeling a need to improve.

The closest challenger to Lawrence’s average starting position of 3.7 through 10 rounds is Nicholas Romano at 6.0, but the Team Australia member for Motocross of Nations is looking for more.

“Qualifying went well, but my starts weren’t the greatest today, especially the second one,” Lawrence said. “I just got closed out. I definitely need to work on those because my starts have gone downhill since Washougal.”

In the preceding event at Unadilla, Lawrence translated first-lap spots of fifth and second into 7-2 moto scores, missing the overall podium with two crashes in moto one. He went 2-3 for third a week later at Budds Creek.

“My riding was really good, and the second moto I felt really good,” Jett continued. “I had some good lap times and felt really strong. It was the first time in a while that I had to push all the way to the end. The goalpost was RJ (Hampshire), but I wasn’t close enough to make any moves on the last lap. It’s good to be back on the podium.”

With perhaps stronger starts at Ironman and Fox Raceway, Lawrence will look to wrap up his second Pro Motocross title over the next two weekends, beginning August 27 in Indiana.