Page 60 - Issue_56

HENRY MILLER
450 MX / 12TH
IMAGE / LANNAN WORDS / MATTINGLY DESIGN / TILLS
>> The contour of the Washougal soil is some of the most deceiving on the entire circuit. From first glance, a gourmet dish of chocolate brownie had been doused into the ground, tilled with a box blade to the finest of dishes. Traction appearing to be in abundance, it’s quickly found that the cover of this book is a mere thin page, and the true core of the novel lies within the slick, snot-like surface of the gloss beneath. Henry Miller had his hands full with the disap- pearing lines all throughout practice, he knew it could be a rough day ahead
if he couldn’t get everything in unison. Spinning off the line for moto one, the field burst onto the scene, and he was within the chaos. Bikes sliding out, and cutting across ruts, had him jamming the front brake with dyer intention early on, as the pack began to storm away. Having to lug the bike a gear tall, his weight ratio on the outside footpeg was absurd, as he began to make lap after lap around the track. Pushing the pace behind, the 21st on lap one was a sign of pre-conceived disaster; but he never shied away, and kept pluggin away lap after lap. Swiftly moving the right end towards the banners under the Red Bull Arch, he knew if he could just stay in sync, that the result would come. Battling with the likes of former Loretta Lynn’s standout, Dylan Merriam, Miller would be just behind Dakota Alix at the stripe, coming home in 13th. That seemed to appear as the lucky number for the day, as the 16th off the launch pad wasn’t spectacular; especially in comparison to what he had proved of the start at Millville. Weaving in and out through every switch back, Miller would push, eventually making his way around Justin Hoeft, as it was a battle of the new 450 contender’s. With the shadows closing in, the vision began to grow more discouraging. He would hang on however, bringing the bike back to the 13th spot, all the while dipping below the 2:20 mark. He would end up twelfth overall.
60 GRITMOTO • JULY 31, 2017