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DAVI MILLSAPS
450 SX / 5TH
IMAGE / LANNAN WORDS / KILPATRICK DESIGN / WILSON
>> Davi Millsaps was heading into the fourteenth round of the 2017 Monster Energy Supercross series looking to bounce back from an uncharacteristically bad weekend one week ago in St. Louis. The Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KTM rider finished outside of the top ten for only the second time this season in The Dome at America’s Center, putting him in the position for a comeback performance in the pacific northwest.
He showed some solid speed throughout timed practice as he ended up knocking
on the door of the top five with a seventh place qualifying position heading into the night show. Millsaps has had his starts dialed in most of the season as he seems
to always get out of the gate well on his KTM. Things were no different in his heat race as he found himself in second position behind Cooper Webb in the early stages of the moto, pestering the blue rear fender of the Yamaha. He wasn’t quite able to match the speed of the rookie, but Millsaps turned incredibly consistent laps in order to hold onto second place for the remainder of the race. There were multiple areas of the track where he was able to utilize his technical precision on the bike in order to make up time on his competitors, namely the demolished whoops sections before the finish line. Millsaps was able to replicate his start in the main event as he actually snagged the holeshot, but his drive through the opening rhythm section wasn’t ideal. He found himself in third position on the opening lap, but he quickly lost a battle to Cooper Webb and Malcolm Stewart as he dropped back down to fifth. A couple of laps later, Eli Tomac came through on his spirited ride towards the front of the pack and Millsaps dropped back to sixth position. Mookie made a mistake at the midway point of the race which allowed the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC rider to make up anoth- er position, but it was it risk again near the end of the race when Ryan Dungey made his way towards the front. It was a flashback to a couple of weeks ago in Detroit with the two KTM riders lapping in tandem, but the championship leader was eventually able to make the pass and Millsaps eventually finished in a strong fifth position.
22 GRITMOTO • APRIL 9, 2017