After round one Austin Forkner said he passed the guy that everyone had been saying was his rival twice with no problem, insinuating that he was able to concentrate on his own race and focus on his own performance despite the pre-season hype of Lawrence and Forkner being title rivals.
However, after round two things were different. In his press release quote, Forkner admitted he made the hasty move on RJ Hampshire was because: “I knew I had to get going quick before the leader ran away from me.”
The leader was of course, Jett Lawrence, the guy who said he was living rent free in everyone’s head before the season! Forkner had dismissed the rivalry before round one and after round one but it is clear that the fact Jett was pulling away so quickly forced Forkner into panic mode at H2 and now the American is three points down on Jett who will be even more confident after his first ever supercross win!
Forkner also refused to take the blame for the crash with Hampshire saying it RJ who fell on him taking them both down saying: “when I caught back up to second place and took him high in a corner, he fell over on me taking us both down.”
Speed has never been a problem for Forkner but this is his fifth year in the class and after admitting he needed to win the title this year in what could be his last year in the 250 division, he has already made mistakes typical of seasons past and put the pressure on himself even more to overcome a seven point deficit in the championship to leader Christian Craig. But perhaps more importantly, he needs to stop the momentum of the Aussie Jett Lawrence after Forkner himself admitted Lawrence pulling away was the reason he rushed the move on Hampshire.
Tonight is huge for Forkner, he has brought the pressure on himself again with another mistake, he needs to close the points gap to Craig and he needs to beat Lawrence – can he get the job done at the third attempt in Houston?
Article: Jonathan McCready
Images: Octopi media