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BLAKE BAGGETT
450 SX / 4TH
IMAGE / KILPATRICK WORDS / MATTINGLY DESIGN / MOTOPLAYGROUND
>> With the Boston Celtics being a mainstay in the area for numerous years, you’re quick to nd how many settled Irish immigrants, are in close proximity to the Gillette Stadium. Saturday, the pits could be seen lled with green, not only for Monster Energy AMA Su- percross, in respect to their logo, but in the luck of the Irish. Each fan that passed, wear- ing the primary color, could be seen giving Blake Baggett high ves and knuckle bumps, as he told them he could take all the luck he could get. But by watching him throughout practice, the fact of the matter came to be, that there wasn’t such thing as “luck” within
his game plan. It was a matter of preparation meeting opportunity, and with that, came
an applaud-worthy qualifying time, nearing the fty-two second mark. The heat race was a matter of staying calm, with the eld jammed up in the early going. He took an early lead, but would be quickly overtaken by Justin Barcia for lap two. Now sitting second, he looked to make moves, as lines were already beginning to be etched into this raceway. The slick base would slowly be chewed up, and the combinations like the double, triple set, following the start, would become more dif cult with each passing lap. Situated within spitting distance from Eli Tomac, the two would gauge each other. He looked to be faster on the backside of the track, really hitting the bowl turns before, and after the whoop section, with utter intensity. As the checkered ag would wave, he would come across the line third, relinquishing his early lead to stiff competition . Man oh man did he have to be ready upon the gate drop, for the main event, as this track had seen its better days. Ruts, divots, and potholes littered this raceway, from the moment the green ag waved. He would be positioned in fth in the early going. Blitzing the outside of the whoop section, his outside to outside combination, would work, as the potholes began to chew the main, middle line. With Vince Friese ahead, he would hound the Honda rider, but would also deal with pressure from Dean Wilson behind. He would eventually make his way around, trying his best to zoom in on the Husqvarna that sat in front of him. Plowing through the sand section, his vision began to be a bit rattled, with the smallest of grains seeping through the foam (due to lap traf c). And although he couldn’t make the move on the twenty-one, he would hang on to the fourth place ride, eager for the next round.
16 GRITMOTO • APRIL 22, 2018