Page 48 - mpg-august

theGRIT
Jake Masterpool’s week didn’t get off to the best of starts as he experienced an awful first lap in the opening 250
B moto. He came across the finish line in 40th place with approximately 30 seconds lost on the leader; in a display of sheer heart and willpower, Masterpool managed to pass 18 riders on the first full lap. By the time the 7th
lap ended, he found himself knocking on the door of the top 5. Unfortunately, a DNF would see all of his hard work go to waste and he would lose the possibility of
an overall podium in the 250 class. His next two motos were nothing short of amazing though; he put himself
at a disadvantage off of the start, but he was able to
cut through the field with masterful precision and just like that he had worked his way from 11th to 3rd in the matter of a couple of laps. He couldn’t quite close the gap at the front to the Kawasaki duo of Jordan Bailey and Garrett Marchbanks, so he decided to bring it home for his first podium finish of the week on a 250. The
third moto was arguably the most impressive ride of the week, Masterpool got another mediocre start which set up a thriller with Mitchell Falk, Dylan Walsh, and Jordan Bailey. The Texan weaved his way through the field from 7th to 4th in the matter of a couple laps and all of the sudden there was a four way fight for the lead. A little
bit of bar banging up front allowed Masterpool to close right in and he blew the doors off of his competition with unexpected passes around the outside where the track was smooth and he was able to carry momentum. He immediately went to the front, setting the fastest lap time of the race, and took the checkered flag. In the 450 B class, Masterpool was quite frankly on another level than his competition. He was turning lap times approximately 5 seconds faster than his next closest rivals and he nailed his starts in every single moto, making things much easier on himself compared to his effort in the 250 class. The lanky, long-haired Texan’s riding style really suits the power delivery of the 450cc machine. He is able to roll his corners and keep the bike in a very torquey part of the power delivery, using the grumbly engine characteristics of the Yamaha to his advantage. The technical prowess that he put on display led him to three moto victories
and a smokey burnout on the podium as he took his first Loretta Lynn’s National Title in sweet style!
words/LAKEKILPATRICK
48 MPG • AUGUST 2016