Page 46 - Issue_39

JOEY SAVATGY
250 SX / 6TH
IMAGE /MPG WORDS / KILPATRICK DESIGN / WILSON
>> Joey Savatgy came into the 250 East SX series as one of the pre-season favorites after barely missing out on the title last year to Cooper Webb by just one point. Obviously, Webb vacated to the premier class and Savatgy stepped into the position of being one of the winningest 250 riders in his class -- with victory comes expectation and statistics show that the Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider should be doing a lot of winning in 2017. He was able to pull off the victory during the first round of action in Minnesota, but a below average start last weekend in Atlanta put him at a disadvantage in the main event. Savatgy was able to claw his way back to a fourth place finish, but he wasn’t able to salvage the points lead and will have to line up north of the border without the red plate. The Georgia native stayed on pace throughout qualifying in the Rogers Centre as he laid down the third fastest lap time between both timed sessions, securing a good gate pick heading into the night of racing. Savatgy’s problems from the main event in Atlanta continued as the Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider got off to a mediocre start in the second 250 heat race. He sat in seventh position as he crossed the timing stripe for the first time, buried back in the last few transfer positions. Savatgy was leading his main championship rival and red plate holder, Zach Osborne, throughout the opening laps. He fiercely carved his way through the pack, feverishly making his way toward the front of the field. Savatgy sped past the rookie of Cameron McA- doo on the very first flying lap as he set his sights on Freddie Noren ahead of him. He made short work of the Honda rider, as well as the Yamaha of Mitchell Harrison, and benefited from an R.J. Hampshire mistake to move into third position behind his teammate, Adam Cianciarulo. Savatgy was closing in on Cianciarulo with only a couple laps to go, but his progress was stunted by a minor mistake that sent him back to fourth place behind Osborne. He showed impressive speed and a high level of intensity with the way he charged through the pack, ready to make amends for last weekend’s ride. Savatgy
got off to the flying start that he needed in the main event, tucked in behind the Star Racing Yamaha
of Dylan Ferrandis in second place. The two of them were entrenched in a fierce battle throughout
the opening laps; Savatgy leaped past Ferrandis in the long rhythm section, but he lost the spot in
the ensuing whoops section. A couple of laps later, he was finally able to make the pass stick through the same section and the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna of Zach Osborne followed him through. The
Pro Circuit Kawasaki held onto the lead for a couple of laps, but he made a mistake in the dragon’s back section before the finish line and cased the landing into the corner, which allowed Osborne up the inside and into the lead. From that point onward, Savatgy wasn’t quite able to match the pace of the leader, and he began to sink into a lonely second place. In the late stages of the race, he made a mistake in the same rhythm section where he made a pass for the lead and forfeited multiple positions and crucial championship points, eventually finishing the race in sixth. Savatgy will undoubtedly be looking to stand back on the top step of the podium and remount an attack on the points lead when the series heads to Daytona next weekend.
46 GRITMOTO • MARCH 5, 2017