Page 84 - ISSUE 40

DAVI MILLSAPS
450 SX / 12TH
IMAGE / MPG WORDS / ECKERT DESIGN / WILSON
>> The #18 of Davi Millsaps has shown flashes of brilliance so far in 2017 but main event mistakes and bad starts have hurt his chances at fighting
for a win. For example, even though Davi missed round 8 in Atlanta due to
a practice crash, Davi hasn’t finished outside the top ten in the eight races he’s entered up to this point. but, he has only reached the top five once. Suiting up for Daytona and lined up on the inside gate for heat two, Davi got a strong jump before he ducked around the inside to come out of the first turn in 3rd place. Losing some steam around the following sweeper, Davi got swept back to 5th early on. Giving up a transfer spot, Davi only let it go for a second before the KTM rider regained 4th. Now, in a train of Orange bikes, Millsaps followed Dungey and Musquin for the entire six-lap race and held onto the 4th spot to avoid the semi’s and move straight into the main. Coming out of the gate mid-pack, Davi held onto 12th as the field settled in for the most brutal twenty laps of the season. Quickly, Davi moved into 10th around Vince Friese and held the spot until lap six, when point-leading Ryan Dungey diced his way past Millsaps, pushing Davi to 11th. With the pace growing in intensity, Millsaps was unable to move forward, losing spots to Josh Grant and Blake Baggett a few laps later. On lap ten, Millsaps dropped another spot to 14th as Barcia got around him. From there, the two latched on to each other, holding together as both riders passed Jake Weimer on lap 13, giving Millsaps 13th for the home stretch. Fortunately, an extremely late in the race mistake by Malcolm Stewart gave way for Davi to move into 12th but the clock ran out of time as the checkered flag flew. Unable to earn a top ten for the first time this season, Millsaps will look to bounce back next week in Indianapolis for round 11.
84 GRITMOTO • MARCH 12, 2017