Page 28 - GRIT-80

ALEX MARTIN
250 MX / 8TH
IMAGE / LANG WORDS / MATTINGLY DESIGN / MOTOPLAYGROUND
>> With a considerable chunk of the tour being completed already, there are those out there who unfortunately already doubt themselves. They feel that since they’re already in a bit of a de cit, that there’s simply no coming back, and the best has subsequently past. Not Alex Martin however, as although he’s encountered a few bumps in the road, he’s realized that the longer he can endure, the sweeter the victory in the end. Practice was the same, as
he had a few hefty mistakes, with a near stalling point at one time during the session, yet
he remained willing to put in a solid time, and by the checkered ag, a feeling of content- ment overwhelmed him. After a quick swig of the water bottle, and pat on the back from his mechanic, the rst moto would be underway and he would lunge for the white stripe to claim the holeshot. It wasn’t his, and in all reality, he would have a lot of work to do, after coming to a complete stop in the opening segments of raceway. Launching off the far tabletop on the outside lane of the track, he would soar through the air, looking at the crowd for a bit
of encouragement; he would gain it, seeing the fans with their enthusiasm and enormous amounts of passion. The suspension would slam into mother earth, and he would feel the ground shake beneath his pegs. In the meantime, Sean Cantrell would close in from behind, leaving the position to be up for grabs. Nearly coming together in the two-way switchback section, just after the left-hander, he wouldn’t bat an eye, keeping the waf e grip twisted to its fullest extent, leaving the younger rider in the dust. The white ag would come out, and he would sit thirteenth, but not content on settling; he would clock past Michael Mosiman on the last lap, and solidify twelfth for the race. Moto number two would begin shortly thereaf- ter, and both he and the gas-tank were lled to the brim with energy. Each lap would zap
a little bit from both levels however, and he would begin to encounter a tad bit of fatigue with passing moments. His attitude of never giving up wouldn’t fade however, and he would nd himself just near seventh position on lap seven. With a single digit overall seemingly at his grasp, he knew if he could just keep Ferrandis behind, the aspirations could become a reality. He was working in ascending fashion, until a washout over a downhill double caused a violent crash. Yet he would somehow remount, and continue to plug away. The header would begin to scorch red, and the pads and rotor of the back wheel would begin to squeal with blistering heat. The pressure would surmount, with both bike and body beginning to break down; but somehow, someway, he would manage, nding a way to bonsai over the nish line in fth place; with both moto scores tallied, he would nish eighth overall once all was said and done.
28 GRITMOTO • JUNE 17, 2018