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CHRISTIAN CRAIG
450 MX / 8TH
IMAGE / KILPATRICK WORDS / MATTINGLY DESIGN / TILLS
>> After captivating the field in his astonishing practice efforts, Christian Craig was reiterating the fact of why he’s been signed, and now moved to the 450 machine, representing Honda Motor Corporation. With a brief retirement stint years ago, he’s found a rejuvenated effort to compete at the highest level, and with instances such as these, it’s easy to see why the red brand has placed their faith in the number 48. For the first moto, a fifth place start saw him sand- wiched between the likes of Cole Seely and Cooper Webb. A fierce battle, nonetheless, at times the pack was going three wide in the series of hefty doubles around the track. However, he was still finding time to grace the skies of the New York hemisphere, with unbelievable whips, almost as if he were shooting for a magazine cover. It was astounding the way he could juggle both style and speed, yet remain at the forefront of the field. Hopping with his lanky stature, as the rain began to fall, his smooth, BMX foundation would come to light, never truly getting out of hand, yet still remaining solid in the top five. He would stay here, crossing the final flag in fifth place. With moto number two, came a sixth place start, but a detrimental lap number three where the pack behind began to overtake him. He had to regroup and reassess, taking mental note of riders such as Benny Bloss who were just ahead. He would target, pinpoint, and infiltrate, being methodical about his line choice through these swamps. The puddles, lined with monsters in the form of potholes and ruts, could reach up and drag him to mother earth; however, for the most part, he would remain relatively mistake free. His pace, although not as blistering as the first moto, was solid, staying just in front of Justin Bogle in the dwindling laps. Coming across the final time in ninth place, he knew he could improve next week on the eighth overall.
28 GRITMOTO • AUGUST 13, 2017