Page 108 - Issue34

CODY GILMORE
250 SX / AZ
IMAGE / MPG WORDS / KILPATRICK DESIGN / WILSON
>> This sport is like no other.
A motorsport, that has all the elements of the highest levels of stick and ball competition, all power-driven into one, well-oiled machine we know as Supercross.
Adrenaline combined with fast twitch mechanics; heart rate, coupled with blistering RPM’s; undeni- able speed paired with soaring through scales of air, its all captivated inside select stadiums across the country.
It takes a certain, modern-day gladiator to compete at this level. Someone that can take the idea of true fear, vulnerability, and intimidation, throw it into the rearview, and then be willing to lay it all on the line in front of thousands of people, just so they can continue to aspire and call themselves the true king of their craft.
McGrath, Carmichael, among the rest of the best, are those that Gilmore so eagerly yearned to be
when he was just a young boy watching the grace of the best on television. He saw the amount of effort displayed, the courage, and alleviation of timidness all in a nutshell; and now that he’s on his own path to success, he looks to rekindle that wild imagination from his youth, into a fruitful pro career that’s littered with race wins.
He’s done it thus far, year after year, providing fans and teams alike with an ROI that’s insurmountable. 2017 has been no different, each round, he’s in contention to battle amongst the top, and is always a threat for upper-echelon finishes to represent his brand and the companies that support him.
Jolting off the line, his name was amongst the head of the field, Tomac, Dungey, all swarming, fighting for that highly coveted number one ride.
His precision, lugging a gear tall in the berms that resembled a decay of limestone rather than the ruts of Southern California or the sands of Florida, allowed him to appear at times lethargic, but still moving at a pace that was tapping into his true potential.
Three-three-three, two-on-off and then triple, the sequences like hotcakes as the shock recoiled like a spring of a 22-gauge shotgun. His effort was definite, but after a series of mistakes, and tastes of the Phoenix soil, he was left in a stand still while the pack zoomed by.
Distraught after his huge mistake, he knew the race had seemingly passed by. It was in his best interest to throw in the towel, take it for what it was worth, and cross the stripe, leaving his best in the laps prior. A 22nd on the final tally sheet was nowhere close to what he had presented throughout the day, but he took what he was given, and was forced to move on to the rounds that lay ahead.
108 GRITMOTO • JANUARY 29, 2017