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IMAGE/JACKEDWARDS
Jordon Smith kicked off the season in Hangtown with a career best second place finish and wanted to get back to that level this weekend at Glen Helen. The second year Geico man got
his day going with the fifteenth quickest time in qualifying. Slightly off where he’d like to be but Smith is a great starter and knew if he got one he would be able to run the pace of the leaders. Smith started moto one back in fourteenth place, a very unfamiliar position as we are so used to
seeing him up front early. He linked up with teammate Christian Craig to try and move through the pack but Craig would end up getting sketchy and inadvertently land on Smith. Smith was able to keep it upright but the same could not be said for Craig. It was a nasty altercation and despite not falling, it took its toll on Smith later in the race. The impact of the collision injured his back and he could not maintain the pace he needed and started dropping positions quickly. He eventually pulled out of the race to try and remount for the second moto. Smith immediately found himself in a better place to start that second moto. He crossed the holeshot stripe in second position but would allow Forkner and Nelson to sneak by up the first hill. From there he settled into the fourth place position and put in some good laps. He maintained his spot until about the midway point when the Yamaha boys, Alex Martin and Cooper Webb got around. Savatgy would make the pass shortly after and that marked the beginning of the end for Smith. His sore back from his collision in moto one caught up to him and he started fading quickly. He circulated for the remainder of the moto but ended up finishing in twenty-third. He officially tallied 36-23 moto scores. Not the second round the young gun was looking for.
words/SETHHARNISHFEGER
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