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CHASE SEXTON
250 SX / 8TH
IMAGE / KILPATRICK WORDS / ARMSTRONG DESIGN / MOTOPLAYGROUND
>> After a podium performance a week ago a lot of eyes where on the rookie to see if he could replicate what he did in Houston. In the first of three main events
of the night Chase came around the first turn in 6th. Chase fell on the opening lap and was now running in dead last. This first main event was the only 6 minutes long and with Chase in last on the first lap it was clear he wasn’t going to be able
to pull up a back to back podium finish. It took the Geico Honda rider half of the main event to just catch 21st rider Justin Hoeft. Sexton pushed to the end but could only salvage 15th. Sexton came out blazing in main event #2 as he grabbed the holeshot. Leading the race was short lived as he got moved back to 2nd by Shane McElrath. Just before the third lap the #40 had to surrender 2nd to the fast ap- proaching Joey Savatgy. Things started to then move quickly for the Geico Honda rider who then immediately dropped back to 4th by his teammate Craig. After the first set of whoops Chase tried to take the inside left hand corner that every rider was taking but sadly Chase made a slight error that pushed his front tire outside
of the rut and put him on the dirt. Fortunately for Chase he was able to keep his machine running and quickly remount only loosing two positions dropping him 6th. Sadly Chase made one more mistake in the final stages of the race dropping him back two more positions to 8th. This also left a freight train of riders hot on his trail. Chase was able to hold on to his 8th place by the checkered. After a night full of mistakes @_chasesexton seemed to have everything figured out by the third and final main event as he pulled another holeshot and began to check out from the rest of the field. Halfway through the race Sexton posted a 51.570 lap time which was fastest lap out of anyone in the race. One minutes + one lap remained when Joey Savatgy made his way passed Sexton for the lead. A corner late Joeys teammate Adam Cianciarulo made his by as well and Chase found himself in 3rd. There was a handful of riders on Chase’s heals but the rookie was able to get across the finish line in 3rd giving him 8th overall.
56 GRITMOTO • JANUARY 21, 2018