Page 73 - GRID-4

Beauchamp picked up right where he left off at Road Atlanta as he put himself at the sharp end of the
field with the fifth fastest time in qualifying. The youngster out of Tennessee clocked a 1:44.240 on his way to the middle of the second row on the grid, but he was confident that his race pace would leave
him in a battle at the front of the field when the lights went out. In the first race, Beauchamp was able to get away with Benjamin Smith and Jackson Blackmon in the early stages. The three of them separated themselves from the rest of the field after only a couple of laps and it became a dogfight for the lead. Beauchamp battled tooth and nail with Smith for second position throughout the early laps while Blackmon remained fairly comfortable in the lead, but that didn’t last for long as the Tennessee native made his move on the seventh lap. The draft battle down the main straightaway was a spectacle to behold for the fans, providing some incredibly tight racing and countless lead changes in the second half of the race. Beauchamp put himself in prime position with only one lap to go, tucking in behind Smith
on the final lap. He was able to execute the slipstream to perfection and secure the victory -- his first of the season as well as his career. In the second race, the same trio began to break away from the field and Beauchamp, but the battle was short lived as Smith went down in turn two. The #77 machine found himself in a similar position to the first race behind Blackmon, but this time his rival began to open up an advantage at the front. Beauchamp did his best to stick with the South Carolina native,, but he pushed a little too hard and tucked the front end in turn four, forcing him out of the race.
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DRAIK BEAUCHAMP | KTM RC390 CUP
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