With backing from a
number of his longtime sponsors, and a new 450 class teammate
that should give him a good look at what's in store following
the defense of his '08 WSX Lites title, Jason "JLaw"
Lawrence and his new Boost Mobile/ampm/Monster Energy/Troy
Racing team is ready to gate up and dump the clutch on the
2009 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship,
season beginning this Saturday in Anaheim, Calif.
Lawrence will be back on the same Yamaha YZ250F that he
captured the WSX title for his team and sponsors in Seattle
last April. And along with some new sponsors - namely ampm
retail outlets - Lawrence is looking forward to just stepping
up and racing, getting the job done on his title defense.
"It's all I've been thinking about the past five months -
defending my title," said Lawrence. "Everything I've
done, all the training, all the laps, all the time in the gym
- pretty much every day - has all been done so I'm prepared
for Anaheim 1. So if I lose the title it's not because I
wasn't prepared. And I'm cool with that."
Lawrence's actions, AMA probation and subsequent suspension
this past summer were well-documented in the MX industry. He's
got his critics, but also a legion of fans that are extremely
loyal - which is one of the main reasons that got the
21-year-old to snap out of his sophomoric funk and back into
the training and focus levels of one of the world's top
motocross racers.
"We convinced some pretty big sponsors to come on board
here and I understand its up to me not to blow things,"
he said. "And not just for me. I've got a team to think
about now."
Joining Lawrence on the Boost Mobile/ampm/Monster Energy/Troy
Racing team will be veteran SX class racer Nick Wey. A
highly-decorated amateur racer with multiple Loretta's titles,
a former Outdoor National 125cc winner (Millville, Minn., '99)
and consistent top five premier SX class overall finisher, Wey
will not only add some stability and guidance to the Boost
Mobile/ampm/Monster Energy/Troy Racing program, he'll also
give Lawrence a good perspective on the 450 class for when
Lawrence moves up in 2010.
"I'm for sure looking forward to getting back in the gate
on the YZs," said Wey, who rode Yamahas for three years
from 2001 to '03. "It's going to be a long season with as
many straight weekends of racing as we've ever seen. Being
consistent will be key in order to set yourself up to
challenge at then end, and that's the strategy I plan on
sticking to with the Boost Mobile/ampm/Monster Energy/Troy
Racing team."
Noteworthy: The former "Yamaha of Troy" title has
completely been dropped from the team name for 2009. The
official team name for Lawrence and Wey is Boost Mobile/ampm/Monster
Energy/Troy Racing.