Page 36 - issue05mpg-Final

KATIE BENSON
Girls Sr. (12-16 yrs)
IMAGE / TENHAGEN WORDS / KUHLHOFF DESIGN / WILSON
>> After a second place finish in the Girls Sr. class last year in Lazy E Arena, Delaware native Katie Benson arrived in Oklahoma ready to prove herself against some intense competitors and leave with a win (or two) at this year’s Lucas Oil Junior Moto X. Sunrays were shining through the gaps in the arena walls, warming the riders up as they lined the starting gate. The thirty-second board went up, and the ladies were tearing up the Oklahoma dirt as they careened into the first corner. Jordan Jarvis, a rider who had been exceling all weekend and proving herself to be “the girl to beat”, was in the first place spot early in the moto with Katie Benson’s number 28 machine right behind her. But as we all know, in motocross, anything can happen in an instant. Jordan Jarvis went down on the second lap resulting in an unfortunate broken chain that sent her to the sidelines. It was now time for Katie Benson to stay calm, collected, and truly shine. She had to stay focused if she wanted this win. As soon as she found herself in the lead, Katie confidently threw down her fastest lap time with a 39.224 second lap. Throughout the entire moto, Benson stayed smooth and consistent through the evolving ruts and high stakes. Katie Ben- son was able to soar past the checkered flag with the W, followed by the num- ber 549 Kawasaki of Cami Samples in second and the number 63 Yamaha of Brianna Green in the third place spot. Katie also took home a win in the Girls Jr. class. With two wins under her belt, Junior Moto X was definitely a success for Miss Katie Benson. Hopefully we can see her carry this confidence with her for the rest of the race season!
36 MPGDIGITAL• MAY • 2017