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CHRIS HOWELL
250 SX / OKLAND
IMAGE / MPG WORDS / LANNAN DESIGN / WILSON
>> Chris Howell made a name for himself last year during the 2016 250 West Coast series. He put his Husky FC250 into nearly every Main Event and finished up 22nd overall in the points standings.
So far this season, Chris is struggling with the deeper field but is
still managing to go fast. Going into Oakland this weekend, Chris
was looking to qualify for his first Main Event of the year and was determined to get his season back on track. When practice began, He looked quick and navigated the Oakland ruts with precision. He qualified top twenty and was ready to get the day race started. Chris began 250 Heat 2 in a very unfavorable position. He came around the first lap in 19th and knew he had a lot of work to do if we wanted to get into qualifying position. Chris made some quick moves, as he was top 15 in just three laps. Riders began to fall in front of him, which handed him another few positions. He continued battling and pushed his self into a very commendable 9th place before the checkered flag which was good enough to qualify for the big show. Chris was ready to get his 2017 season back on track as the gate dropped for the 250 Main. He didn’t get the best start but managed to stay on two wheels through the first few laps where he was running just inside the top
15. Chris slid back a few positions as he got a few laps under his belt and knew it would be a long night on the rutted track. By the mid way point, Chris was running 19th and focusing on finishing the race healthy. Chris was handed 18th place by the time the checkered flag flew and was happy to escape with his health.
138 GRITMOTO • FEBRUARY 5, 2017