Page 58 - Issue_56

JUSTIN HOEFT
450 MX / 11TH
IMAGE / LANNAN WORDS / MATTINGLY DESIGN / TILLS
>> The event of Washougal can actually be viewed in synonymous fashion, with its surrounding landscape. Take the numerous Oak trees that tower over the property line. They have continued to grow, year after year, with proper ef- fort and adequate resources needed to survive and propel. The same can be said about riders such as Justin Hoeft. However, with one chop, storm, or what have you, that tree can be toppled, and slam into mother earth, and forced
to start the process all over; also, just as many have had to do on the AMA circuit. He’s seen both the high’s and lows of the sport, and he understands the woes that Washougal can bring; and coming into moto number one, he had a determination that was apparent to everyone in his camp. Bolting out of the launch pad, he quickly shifted into third and fourth gear before the bikes stormed into the opening bend. Bar banging in the following sequences, he had to resist the temptation of a heart rate spike, and continue to fight forward, although the sixth place early on was a bit of a head rush. A plaster of mud across his helmet snout, the chocolate soil was of no negativity when it came to disrupting his flow, skying through the Washington atmosphere. Hounding the pack in front the whole moto, he trailed riders such as Bogle and Bisceglia for quite sometime; the lucrative factory ride was just in front of him, acting as a dangling carrot. He would nip the entire time, scrubbing viciously over the Fly Banner Flyaway, landing trigger happy in the chop that followed. It didn’t matter, he would go on to finish just behind Matty B. in eleventh place. The second moto, the bike didn’t seem to fire as well through the launching area. Whatever wasn’t found with a quick sprint, was made-up for in a marathon-like effort, as he was jousting with Benny Bloss (although losing his reach advan- tage), and keeping the hotshoe of Henry Miller in his trail. It would pay off, as clocking his 2:21 laptime would be sufficient enough to hold on to the 14th place slot, for 11th overall.
58 GRITMOTO • JULY 31, 2017