Why the **** Would We Wanna Do a JLaw Doco?!

This story begins in a time when you used a telephone line and 56k modem to connect to the internet. I’d explain what that means, but let’s be real, the probability of anyone who doesn’t know reading an article on the internet is slimmer than the chances of Slaw Dog ever winning anything in life (which is extremely low). During this era, you’d somehow find and communicate with strangers via AOL Instant Messenger, and once you became good enough internet friends, you’d usually end up playing Motocross Madness 2 or Counterstrike together after school, on days you didn’t ride your dirtbike until nightfall anyways. 

There wasn’t YouTube. There wasn’t Vimeo. There wasn’t anyway to upload video content to the internet. But somehow (I still don’t really know how) I figured out how to upload .wmv files to a server, which allowed people to download videos from a site called Goat Kreations. I quickly established a hub for all things dirtbike videos, and because of that my Instant Messenger became quite popular amongst dirtbike film nerds, like me, across the United States. People that I never would’ve met otherwise became my best internet buds and truly ended up becoming life-long friends, all while spinning countless laps on Terminal Velocity. 

One of those people was Jason Lawerence. It must’ve been post Loretta’s in 2004, but he found me or I found him on AOL, because, believe it or not, Jason was shooting and editing some pretty epic videos back then, and of course they needed to land on Goat Kreations. He’d graced the pages of MotoPlayground and won a Loretta’s title that year, so his notoriety was already well in the works. Most memorable to me is his wit and sarcasm, coupled with some blunt honesty, that I’d never really encountered before, but between him and Jeff Mort, a New York contributor, I realized being an asshole was just their way of being friendly and accepting. Ironic really, because he’s still pretty much this way. 

From Lake Whitney 2005, to his Steel City pro debut alongside Ryan Villopoto, to the many years I pitted out of the Monster Energy rig at Pro Motocross, his 2008 championship, and then eventual disappearance from the sport, I feel like I was able to document a fair bit of the JLaw journey. I somehow managed to get him on a plane last month – for the second time since 2011 – to come to Washougal for the Fro400, but before that I think my last encounter with him was his Texas Roadhouse birthday party in 2014 after we shot a really fun video that day. While we stayed in contact for roughly a year after that, our acquaintance dithered in oblivion. 

So last year I roll into Loretta’s, and his long-time best friend and manager, Scott Sepkovic, told me Jason was flying in for a day. I didn’t believe it would happen, but lo and behold he resurfaced. I happened to be showing Gypsy aTales around the Ranch when I said hello for the first time in nearly a decade, and while I did briefly film the interaction, I knew JLaw wanted to be a fan for the day and, for the most part, I left the camera in the holster. Nonetheless, it was cool to see him at a dirtbike race again. Especially a dirtbike race that relit the fire in his eye. Soon thereafter Jason made his GNCC debut aboard a Phoenix Honda, and he truly surprised the world with his result. Was he back? Was he a new JLaw?! Would we see a resurgence that we’ve all hoped would transpire since 2009?!

After a seemingly tumultuous run with PHX where an Arenacross backed run came to a screeching halt, I figured we’d see Jason go back into shadow life. While I don’t know, nor have I asked, the story of what transpired, what is evident is Jason still saw the dream he wanted to chase. He got the help of HBI Auto, started training at various locations in Florida, and set his eyes on fun races and the notorious Loretta Lynn’s – quite the contrasting dynamics. A few days following his regional, where he qualified for the Ranch in 25+, he hit me up asking to come race on my team for the Fro400. This is where some honesty comes in. I was scared shitless to say yes, mainly because I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Based on 20 years of experience, I knew it was either going to be really good. Or really bad. 

Let’s just say it was a roller coaster. We started out really good. It got really bad. I mean like really bad. He was flipping me off during the race every lap bad. Then it got back to really damn good. Exactly as expected. 

What made my weekend though. On a cancelled race day, with pretty intense and muddy conditions, Jason asked if he could do some motos on my bike. And he meant it. He did three motos and ran the bike out of gas two of the three. The last he got a front flat which cut the moto short at 9 or 10 laps. Insanity, in my opinion, for someone who just wanted to do fun races this year. The dude was in Loretta’s mode. In the end, I realized LawDog still has an INSANE “competition switch” and just loves riding fucking dirtbikes. 

The next morning, I picked him up at 4am to take him to the airport, and two very tired old friends talked about the incredibly fun weekend and the opportunities that lie ahead. With a reluctant hug goodbye, I sent Jason back to Florida, with just a glimmer of hope something could transpire out of all of this. 

What could that be? In my opinion, something very powerful. The enigma that is Jason Lawrence, for all the wrong and right reasons, has a massive story to tell. A story that has the ability to inspire and change. I don’t want to get ahead of myself here, but my goals and hopes are much bigger than what we’re going to accomplish this week. Just as I told him, it’s his story and his alone to tell. Just like in 2003, I’ll be his platform, and whatever happens is what happens. I’m here to document and do the best I can; this whole thing could crash and burn or it could become the best resurrection story our sport has ever seen. 

I’ve had people question why the hell I give him the time of day. First and foremost, he’s my friend and if I can help him succeed in a new life, I’ll do everything I can be a constructive part of that. Secondly, he’s told me his ambitions, and I admire the shit out of what’s in his head, and I’m here for it 100%. Again, this is his story and I will let him voice that himself, if he so chooses. 

But the camera starts rolling today. Wish him luck. Wish me luck. And good luck to everyone chasing a dream this week at Loretta Lynn’s.