Lawrence and Deegan on the cusp of motocross' next big rivalry
Jett Lawrence and Haiden Deegan have not faced each other on the track, aren't even in the same class, yet they hold the keys to the future of motocross.
Lawrence, the former breakdancer-turned-racer, has overpowered the 450cc class since moving up two years ago. Deegan, son of a freestyle motocross icon, has been tearing it up in the 250cc class this year.
Their dominance puts them on a collision course for the type of rivalry not seen in the sport since a young James Stewart started chasing down Ricky Carmichael in the mid-2000s.
'They have not lined up against each other even once and yet fans are champing at the bit in anticipation of that, which could come next year,' MX Sports Pro Racing President Davey Coombs said.
The rivalry has yet to blossom, at least on the track, but Lawrence has already taken on a similar path to Carmichael, widely considered the greatest motocross racer of all-time, and Deegan filling the role of the gifted up-and-comer like Stewart.
Lawrence is part of a brother tandem that's risen to the top of the motocross world all the way from their native Australia, joining Hunter in becoming the first siblings to go 1-2 at any motocross championship in last year's SuperMotocross run.
Jett won three 250cc championships before bumping up to 450s and immediately started dominating that class.
The 21-year-old joined Carmichael (2002 and 2004), and Stewart (2008) as the only riders to win every race of a motocross season, finishing 22 for 22 after capping his rookie season with the 2023 SuperMotocross championship. He also completed what's now being called the Jett Sweep by becoming the first rookie to sweep the motocross and supercross titles.
Lawrence had his 2024 motocross season limited by a thumb injury, yet came back to win a second straight SuperMotocross title. A torn ACL suffered in February cost him 13 Supercross races, but he was back on the bike within four months and picked up where he left off, taking a 51-point lead over his brother heading into this weekend's race in Millville, Minnesota.
'He has a Jordan-esque quality in that he's so talented, we run out of ways to describe him,' Coombs said.
Deegan's father, Brian, was one of the most decorated athletes in X Games history, an innovator who became a name brand by founding the Metal Mulisha clothing line.
Haiden Deegan was naturally drawn to motocross, opting for the racing route over the freestyle path his father blazed. The 19-year-old has already won two 250cc titles and is on his way to a third, leading by 38 points heading into this weekend's FXR Spring Creek National.
'I feel like this year in this offseason, I made like huge gains on my speed, where now I can run a crazy speed comfortable,' Deegan told reporters last month. 'So now, I literally just kind of take my time. I'd rather be smarter, then that speed's more natural to me now.'
Lawrence and Deegan are in position to follow the tire tracks of Carmichael and Stewart, yet with differing styles.
Lawrence is dominating like Carmichael did, but doing it with the flair and air of Stewart. Deegan is the up-and-comer like Stewart was, yet his riding style is similar to the overpowering Carmichael.
The Carmichael-Stewart rivalry turned out to be short lived; Carmichael retired two years after Stewart made his 450 debut.
The Lawrence-Deegan rivalry is just now budding, putting them in position to push the rising popularity of motocross racing into a new stratosphere.
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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports
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