Page 114 - GM33

NICK SCHMIDT
450 SX / A2
IMAGE / MPG WORDS / KILPATRICK DESIGN / WILSON
>> Nick Schmidt earned the twenty-third fastest time as a result of both timed qualifying sessions, right on the cusp of the projected main event speed. The Washington native sped out of the gate to a decent top ten start just ahead
of the Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Josh Grant. Schmidt lost a couple posi- tions over the first few laps as the likes of Grant and Justin Brayton were able to find their way around the Suzuki rider. A couple of laps later, Schmidt found himself in twelfth position and would be forced to settle for a trip to
the semi. He was seeded into the first semi group where he pulled a solid start that stuck him right on the edge of the transfer positions. Schmidt would push hard after fellow Suzuki rider, Jake Weimer, but it would turn out that he was the one to be overtaken; Ryan Dungey snuck past on the second
lap during a charge towards the front of the field. Schmidt was subsequently relegated back to seventh place where he would finish the race, sending him to the LCQ. He didn’t do himself any favors off the start as he left a little bit of work to do during the five lap sprint. The position for the final transfer spot was a complete dog fight, but Schmidt managed to bark his way towards
the front after an eighth place start. The Milestone Assassin put a move on Cody Gilmore on the first flying lap, and then followed it up with a pass on the Spanish native of Joan Cros. Schmidt continued his rhythm by making another move on Dakota Tedder one lap later which ultimately put him in position to nab a spot in the main event. He pulled a mediocre start that put him just outside the top fifteen as he started his first full lap in seventeenth position. Schmidt found himself in a battle with the Smartop MotoConcept’s Honda of Justin Brayton and the Rockstar Husqvarna of Christophe Pourcel. Brayton was able to work his way past the Suzuki rider early in the race as was Broc Tickle only a couple laps later. Schmidt put in a solid performance throughout the rest of the race and rode consistent laps that brought him to a nineteenth place finish.
114 GRITMOTO • JANUARY 22, 2017