Page 96 - Issue34

CHRISTOPHE POURCEL
450 SX / AZ
IMAGE / MPG WORDS / MATTINGLY DESIGN / WILSON
>> Arizona is known for its rugged, hard-nosed mentality, trickling down from authorita- tive and political figures like Senator John McCain.
A political mainstay, the Government official was a P.O.W. during the Vietnam catas- trophe in the 70’s, enduring numerous bouts of torture and tactics that were beyond excruciating.
His vibe seems to translate to the people of Arizona, and Christophe is presenting an aura of ruggedness that embodies that of AZ’s own, as the series rolls into the Phoenix stadium; truly feeling something in the air.
It was apparent in practice, with the whoops already beginning to deteriorate, his back end would dance, but the brute 450 that lay beneath him would plow through the op- posing force and come out victorious in the following left-hander.
This battle that lay ahead, although not quite Vietnam, was going to be significant of its own, as the fine line between injury and victory was very rigid and acute; he knew his walk had to be fine if he wanted to make it out of the Cardinal stadium unscathed.
Gate drop, the field rumbles into turn one; a fog of smoke engulfs the stadium, the smell of VP filling the nostrils of all in attendance, the heart rates near red lining.
He had to stay composed, but with the flashing of the lights, the crowd roaring in his ear, it was all he could do to stay off the ground and focused on moving forward.
Battered with strawberries from skinning through the turns, his front end seemed to wash a tad in the slick right corner near the starting gate, and throughout the treacher- ous sands in the 360 degree turn prior to the over under.
A troublesome evening, he was fighting the machine more than being in synchroniza- tion; all in all, his efforts would be cumulated in the 18th percentile, and a feeling of despair loomed heading back to the semi.
96 GRITMOTO • JANUARY 29, 2017