Page 78 - Issue34

SCOTT CHAMPION
250 SX / AZ
IMAGE / MPG WORDS / HARNISFEGER DESIGN / WILSON
>> Scott Champion’s 2017 campaign has been bogged down with a pair of finishes outside the top twenty. The Southern California product has been quick but just has not been able to get in rhythm when it matters the most. The tough, Glendale track did not gel too well with Champion as
he qualified way back in thirty-first position. Going into the night show he knew he would have some work to do to make some noise.
Champion suffered a dismal start in his heat race as he started way back in thirteenth place. The damage was already done by the time he got go- ing and he only finished in eleventh. He just did not look as comfortable as he usually does out on the track and needed a big turnaround in the LCQ. He went out and notched a third place start in the LCQ and main- tained it to the finish qualifying for the main event with the second to last gate pick.
He would match his heat race start in the main event emerging from the field in thirteenth place. He seemed to have finally made the proper ad- justments to the track and he would get by Marquier and the rookie Jon Jon Ames in the opening laps to prop himself up to eleventh. He stayed consistent from there on out knowing he easily had his best performance of the season and of the past few years. He would in fact finish in that eleventh spot marking his best finish since Santa Clara two years ago. Despite all the struggles early in the night, Champion persevered and ended up having a great night.
78 GRITMOTO • JANUARY 29, 2017