Image: Supplied.

Australian teenager Jett Lawrence, younger brother to Hunter, will make his Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross debut this weekend at Unadilla after coming off a strong campaign at Loretta Lynns’ 2019 AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship.

Lawrence turns 16 today, making him eligible to race in the pro ranks under a new ruling that allows amateur racers to contest up to three Pro Motocross rounds or score a total of 40 points while remaining as an amateur.

The Amsoil Factory Connection Honda rider came heartbreakingly close to capturing a title at Loretta’s last week, his hopes crushed in the 250 Pro Sport division when he suffered a mechanical malfunction, while in Open Pro Sport, he finished just shy of the top spot in second.

“I’m just ready for Unadilla,” Lawrence said in an interview with RacerX. “I can’t say what I can do – I was coming here thinking I was going to get a fifth place first moto – so I can’t say what I get now. I just have to see what comes to me, and if I get a good start, I get a good start. If I don’t, I don’t. I just have to ride 100 percent. I might not even qualify. I’m not sure!

“So basically we have all the papers filled out and all that stuff, so Wednesday we have to send the papers out so we can get signed up and that stuff. I wanted to do more the sand ones, like Southwick, RedBud, they’re more my style, but we have to wait until I’m 16 then to sign up.”

Jett’s older brother Hunter is currently sidelined with a collarbone injury, delaying the pair racing together at a pro level.