Page 132 - Issue-35

JON AMES
250 SX / OKLAND
IMAGE / MPG WORDS / LANNAN DESIGN / WILSON
>> Jon Jon Ames is one of the new kids on the block from southern California. He is in the middle of a very impressive rookie season thus far. Although crashes and flat out bad luck have kept him from getting the results he wants, he has still managed to put his Yamaha in every Main Event this year. Jon Jon has qualified very well each weekend and there is no doubt he will achieve some impressive results by the end of the season. When practice began on Saturday morning in Oakland, the rain had stopped and Jon looked quick early on. By the time the bikes
hit the track for the second session, the rain began to fall again and the track was slick. Jon unfortunately took a spill off the side of the track and found himself covered in mud but he was determined to brush it off and keep his focus on the racing. When the gate dropped for 250 Heat 1, Jon did not get the start he wanted, but he began to slice and dice his way through the pack. He made it all the way up to 9th place with two laps
to go. Then, a hard charging Austin Fokner began to apply some pres- sure to Jon and he knew he had no choice but to pass the riders in front of him. With the help of Forkner’s pressure, Ames demanded the posi- tions and finished up a very impressive 8th place. When the Main Event started for Jon, he made the best of a terrible gate pick and was carefully treading through the chaos in the first couple sections. His precautions paid off as he was inside the top ten by lap two. The positions were
still being shuffled early on and Jon was doing everything he could to maintain his spot. Jon was then pushed around a little too much as he dropped to 15th position. By the time the checkered flag flew, Jon was happy with a 16th place and more importantly, his health, after such a carnage filled night in Oakland.
132 GRITMOTO • FEBRUARY 5, 2017