Page 28 - Issue_sixtyfive

JUSTIN HILL
250 SX / 1ST
IMAGE / KILPATRICK WORDS / HARNISHFEGER DESIGN / MOTOPLAYGROUND
>> Justin Hill’s 2018 campaign has gone drastically different than his championship winning season just a year ago. He joined the JGR Suzuki team in the offseason which was a surprise because it was a new program. JGR Suzuki had never fielded a 250 team before so they would have to work everything out as they went and that hurt Hill early in the year. He started the season with two sevenths and two tenths. He did not look close to the same level he was on last year but the more time he got with the team, the better he was getting. It was a long, technical process but he finally broke through with a great ride last weekend in Oakland taking home third place and nearly finished second. He looked like his old self again and he could not wait to capture that momentum and take it with him to San Diego.
Hill double-downed on showing everyone he is back and ready to compete for wins again right away in San Diego. He looked flawless in the qualifying practice sessions and he put down the fastest lap time of the class. He and his team certainly found their groove and they could not wait to get the racing started.
Hill jumped out to a quick start in his heat race. He began the race right behind Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull KTM’s Alex Martin in second. He did not waste any time behind him and made the pass for the lead on lap two and he never looked back. Hill would ride the rest of the heat race all alone up front and without a chal- lenge. With the fastest lap time in practice and a heat race win, he was only one main event win away from pulling off the trifecta for the evening.
The main event started just as well as the heat race did for Hill. He emerged from lap one in third and immediately started applying pressure to Joey Savatgy. Savatgy edged him out a week ago in Oakland so Hill made sure to make a move quick. On lap three, he’d do just that to position himself in second place. Cianciarulo, the race leader, was also fast all day and looked to be the man to beat up front. Hill struggled to catch him for several laps but around the halfway point, he finally started to chip away. Pretty soon Hill was right on Cianciarulo’s rear wheel. He saw an opening on lap thirteen and made the pass for the lead. Cianciarulo did not give it up easy and he fought back hard in the next few corners, really trying to squeeze back by but he came up empty handed. Hill had taken the lead for good and he ran away with it. He took the win and got his season back on track heading into the five-week break. This win was the “monkey off the back” for Hill and his team but unfortunately, the damage has already been done in the championship points standings and he has virtually no chance at going back-to-back. However, with the rough way his season began, this win and his resurgence the past few weeks has been incredible.
28 GRITMOTO • FEBRUARY 11, 2018