Page 116 - ISSUE32

BLAKE BAGGETT
450 SX / SD
IMAGE / MPG WORDS / ARMSTRONG DESIGN / WILSON
>> Many preseason rumors where going around about Blake Baggett being one of the fastest riders in the 450 class. As- sumptions as high as those don’t come just get dropped on someones lap they are deserved, so don’t count out the #4 just yet. The new RMATVMC KTM rider has had a long list of injuries since moving up to the 450 field so making it through the first few rounds safely could be his top priority. The night program started off terrible for the #4 rider as he launched
off the gate and flipped over backwards in his heat race. Baggett did start to ride the track again but eventually pulled off and rested up for the semi. The team and Blake got his bike back going to 100% for the semi and when the gate dropped this time he was near the front of the group. Shuf- fling around a few positions Elchupacabra found himself on the edge of a main event ticket or a ticket to the LCQ. Deter- mined to turn his night around Blake put his head down and made a late pass on Weimer for 4th. In the premature stages of the main event Blake was in a rough spot but rapidly made his way to into the top 10. A fourth of the way through the main event it when things started to unravel for Baggett as he made contact with Brayton and the two riders ended up battling for last place. By the time Blake got going again the race was to far gone and he could only muster 20th.
116 GRITMOTO • JANUARY 15, 2017