Page 98 - ISSUE 40

LUKE RENZLAND
250 SX / 9TH
IMAGE / MPG WORDS / PINTOR DESIGN / WILSON
>> After a rough weekend in Toronto Renzland came to Daytona looking for redemption. The Traders Racing Yamaha rider qualified with a minute and fourteen second lap time placing him in 6th place for the gate pick in the heat race. 30 second board drops and the bikes shoot off the line into the first turn. Renzland gains momentum and storms to the front into 4th chasing down Harrison. Lap 2 and French native Ferrandis squeezes by Luke placing him in 5th. Pushing to gain back his lost position Wentland soars through the deep ruts and slick clay. Cianciarulo, trying to gain positions that he lost due to a poor holeshot comes crashing into Luke. Hanging tough, Renzland doesn’t let Cianciarulo push him out of the way. Cianciarulo stumbles and charges forward to take Luke’s 5th place. The Traders Racing Yamaha rider holds his line as he charges forward. Cian- ciarulo takes advantage of the triple triple and passes Luke on the inside. Renzland gets the checkered flag in 6th place. Main event and Luke is eleventh on the line, gate drops and Luke gets pushed back to 15th go- ing into turn number one. Renzland gains two positions by passing both Rodriguez and Wentland. Taking advantage of the tight turns at the Day- tona track Renzland makes pass after pass as he charges into 9th place. Luke tries to close the gap on Alex Martin as he also tries to speed away from Blue Buffalo Yamaha Rider Jerry Robin. Lap 8 and Luke makes the pass on Jerry. Charging hard and pushing his Traders Racing Yamaha as hard as he can, Luke gains 2 seconds on the Blue Buffalo Rider. Robin falls behind and Luke clears his way to earning ninth place as he crosses the finish line. This isn’t Luke’s best finish of the year, but it definitely is a 180 degree turn from last weekend. If Luke can continue this pattern we are sure to see more top ten finishes from him this season.
98 GRITMOTO • MARCH 12, 2017