Two brothers from Landsborough are savouring winning seasons at the highest levels of professional motocross and one of them did it in perfect fashion.
Jett and Hunter Lawrence won the 450 class and 250 class titles respectively in the Pro Motocross Championship Series in the United States, becoming the first siblings to win the two top divisions.
Jett won every race on the schedule, capping his journey with victories at the two-race season-ending event at Indiana’s Ironman Raceway last weekend.
“(The perfect season) doesn’t feel real. Undefeated,” Jett said via his team, Honda Racing US.
“To all the people who doubted me, here we are now.
“Also, congrats to Hunter. No one deserved that (250) title more than him.”
Jett also took to social media, where he has more than half a million followers, to celebrate.
“What a dream rookie season on the 450,” he said.
“This dream was built from the ground up by Honda Racing US years ago.
“I am just honoured to pay back the belief they had in me from a young age.
“My fans, this wouldn’t feel the same without the energy you all bring every weekend. Love you guys.”
It was Honda Racing’s first series victory in the 450 class since 2004.
Jett, 20, won consecutive 250 championships before stepping up to the 450 class this season, when he became the eighth rookie to win the title.
He won 22 straight races to complete the fourth perfect season during the past 50 years in the premier class.
It put his name up there with Ricky Carmichael and James Stewart, two of the greatest racers in the sport’s history.
“It means the world to me to be up there with those two names,” he said.
“Those guys are legends in the sport and to even be in the same sentence as them is an honour.”
MX Sports Pro Racing president Davey Coombs lauded the youngster.
“The scary thing is he’s just getting started in the 450 and he’s only going to get better from here,” he said.
“He’s better at age 19 than even Ricky Carmichael or James Stewart were at this age, which is something I never thought I would say about anyone else in moto.
“I was fortunate enough to have a front-row seat all summer long to see this run at history by Jett and he’s earned it, every lap of every moto, week after week.
“And even as the pressure has built, he seems to be oblivious to it all.”
Jett grew up in Landsborough wanting to emulate his brother, as most little brothers tend to do.
Following the tyre tracks of Hunter, he proved to be an adept rider at an early age and by 11 had won his first junior world championship.
He continued to race in Europe until the brothers moved to the United States to test themselves against the best riders in the world.
Jett got his career off to an inauspicious start, breaking his collarbone in the third race of the Supercross 250cc season but he bounced back and embarked on a winning run that culminated with a slice of history last weekend.
Meanwhile, Hunter was relishing his own triumphant season, winning seven races along the way.
“Man, what a year,” he said via the team.
“Never say die, never give up. It’s unbelievable.”
The 24-year-old also took to Instagram to celebrate.
“A massive thank you to my team Honda Racing US for all their dedication and sacrifice, and thank you to all our partners who believed in us.
“What a year for Jett and myself.”
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