Page 10 - GRIT-80

AUSTIN FORKNER
250 MX / 2ND
IMAGE / LANG WORDS / MATTINGLY DESIGN / MOTOPLAYGROUND
>> What truly is the “High Point” in one’s career? Is it simply just obtaining the adrenaline rush once aboard the motorcycle? Clearing a certain jump, or wowing the crowd with absurd antics on the raceway? Or is it more of a performance aspect, such as a win or champion- ship? For Austin Forkner it’s all of the above, but as he’s matured and gotten older, he’s de nitely leaned more towards the latter. Where as, it’s still fun to race and do what he loves, earning a highly touted championship after plugging away race after race (and receiving
a monetary bonus of course), is of most importance. And that would be earned, each time
he sat behind the launch pad. Immediately clicking into third gear up the start straight, he would dash inside and look to sprint out to a head start on the pack. Rounding the rst lap in sixth he did his best to throw out some very sleek laptimes, and gap the eld while he could. Launching over the triple table-top on the far side, he would dip and dodge through these peg dragging ruts, never once dabbing the foot. This track was awfully tight and choppy, with erratic turns every which way, and really hard to develop a ow; yet he continued to move forward. Moving into fourth, he saw Jeremy Martin just ahead, but couldn’t seem to make
the pass stick on the crafty veteran. Meanwhile, as the race dug into the latter laps, Justin Cooper would be placed directly in front of him. Searching all over this track, trying to be as creative as possible, the mastermind of the number thirty- ve couldn’t outwit the diligence of the rookie on the tour. All in all, by the end of the moto, he would go onto nish fourth. The second moto was then underway, and man was he on a mission. With both grips seemingly being glued to his hands, there was no way he was going to let either the bike or outstand- ing position of overall nish go. He could seemingly reach out and grab it, as he would join in a game of cat and mouse with Plessinger. He wouldn’t be able to grab ahold of the Yamaha steed out front, but would be quickly accompanied by a blue Frenchman from behind. It was all he could do to withstand the pressure from the number twenty-four of Ferrandis, and they would actually begin to real in Plessinger. With near wash-outs and crashes galore, they would enter the nal lap. The nal ag would wave off in the distance; it wasn’t a mirage, although the sun would blister the raceway. His nish of second place this moto would be enough, to solidify an undertaking of second overall.
10 GRITMOTO • JUNE 17, 2018