Page 74 - ISSUE_52

MITCHELL HARRISON
250 MX / 10TH
IMAGE / LANNAN WORDS / MATTINGLY DESIGN / TILLS
>> When traveling to the Southeast, many riders throughout the field are prepared for an abundance of humidity. A muck of vapor, coupled with boiling temperatures, can have most foreigners (from both other countries and other regions of the U.S.) dreading the trek to Tennessee. However Mitchell Harrison has been accustomed to this weather for quite some- time, training and racing throughout the region during his younger years, as well as claiming titles at the historic Loretta Lynn Ranch; he wanted
to duplicate his magic in Volunteer country yet again. Thirteenth across timing and scoring, he was surrounded by both elder statesmen, peers of his age, and the hottest rookies in the country. Struggling to breathe the snout of his helmet, he began to find his groove in the opening laps, sighing with relaxation as his lines began to flow. Weaving in and out
in the slight bend prior to the mechanic’s area, he was making moves
on riders such as Luke Renzland and Steven Clarke. His systolic blood pressure pumping feverishly as the checkered flag flew, he would scrub the finish line tabletop in tenth place, just ahead of Joey Savatgy. As the sun began to peak through the clouds, the track drying out, and the tire gauges climbing, he knew throttle control would be imminent. Fifteenth as the field caressed the white stripe for moto two, he trailed the likes of RJ Hampshire and Justin Hill. He was particularly fast in the downhill section after the gigantic uphill triple, the footpegs dragging up the face of the single, and the Yamaha leaping into the following right-hander. Ripping tearoff’s consecutively, he fought tooth and nail with teammate Dylan Fer- randis as the moto would continue on, but he would trail “Frenchie” just enough to claim a tenth yet again; securing the spot for the overall.
74 GRITMOTO • JUNE 25, 2017