Page 22 - Issue34

BLAKE BAGGETT
450 SX / AZ
IMAGE / MPG WORDS / KILPATRICK DESIGN / WILSON
>> Blake Baggett kept it quiet over the off season as he got his deal with done with the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC team rather early on in the silly season proceedings. The former 250 outdoor champion has done the complete opposite thus far throughout the start of
the 2017 Monster Energy Supercross Championship as he’s been quite noisy on the new KTM. He seems to be adapting to the bike with relative ease, allowing him to push the lim- it more comfortably than he was able to on the Suzuki. Although his results haven’t reflect- ed the speed that he’s been able to harness through January so far, his qualifying time at Glendale was continued proof that he’s a real player for the podium positions this year if he can put it all together. Baggett set the fastest time of the day ahead of Cooper Webb in second place, about three tenths ahead of the premier class rookie. He rode the wave of confidence that he accumulated in qualifying practice down the massive start straight as he emerged from the pack just behind the leader, Justin Brayton. Baggett found himself
in a heated battle with his Rocky Mountain ATV/MC teammate, Davi Millsaps, over the first lap. The two of them battled side-by-side, but El Chupacabra was forced to forfeit the position in the gargantuan whoops section, relegating him to third place. Baggett rode a hard fought race from that point forward; he was able to force a hard move on Chad Reed over the finish line jump as he stole the inside line from the factory Yamaha rider, forcing him into a mistake. He continued his strong showing all the way to the checkered flag as he showcased intelligent race craft to hold off Ryan Dungey and Cole Seely, eventually finishing in third position. Baggett wasn’t able to replicate his start from the heat race, but he put himself in a decent enough position inside the top ten to contest for a result worthy of his qualifying. The Rocky Mountain ATV/MC rider made consistent moves throughout the early stages of the race, forcing his way past Josh Grant on the very first lap. He found himself tucked in behind Chad Reed in eighth place, but a crash by Malcolm Stew- art would then promote him to seventh. Baggett would have a fairly uneventful race from that point forward, mostly riding around by himself for the majority of the twenty minutes plus one. He attempted to track down Justin Brayton in the late stages of the race, but he simply ran out of time. Although his finish may be considered anticlimactic to some after his stellar qualifying, it was still his best result of the season and he’ll be looking to build upon it heading into Oakland.
22 GRITMOTO • JANUARY 29, 2017