Page 10 - Issue_78

ALEX MARTIN
250 MX / 2ND
IMAGE / KILPATRICK WORDS / HARNISHFEGER DESIGN / MOTOPLAYGROUND
>> Alex Martin could not wait for this outdoor season to begin. He was sidelined early in the Supercross season with a wrist injury and despite healing well enough to race the last few rounds, he opted to go all in and prepare for a title run in the 250 outdoor series. Martin has been in the thick of the title ghts the past few years and truly wanted to better himself and become a main contender. He has been able to win motos and even overalls, but he wanted to take that next step. His outdoor season began last weekend at Hangtown and he ended up having a decent day. He struggled with a poor start in the rst moto but re- bounded with a strong third place nish in the second moto, good enough for fourth overall. A nice start to the year but he enters Glen Helen looking for not only a podium overall, but also to stand at the top step. The track in the morning qualifying practice sessions was soft and a bit muddy and that slowed Martin. He still quali ed well with the sixth fastest lap time, but he was nearly four seconds off the fastest time of the class. He remained undeterred knowing that come race time, the track would shape up and he would easily be able to nd his groove.
Martin got what he needed, in the form of a good start, when the gate dropped for moto number one. He rounded the rst lap in fourth and made quick work of Gage Schehr to take over third on the second lap. There he tried latching onto the two leaders, Aaron Plessinger and Zach Osborne. Martin was able to keep them close initially but as the moto wore on, the two riders ahead of him slowly distanced them- selves from him. Despite this, Martin was able to build up a gap of his own on the riders behind him. He basically rode much of this rst moto in a lonely third but would end up getting some company down the stretch. His brother, Jeremy Martin, and Justin Cooper would get close but not close enough and Alex Martin was able to nish third comfortably. He was happy with the podium but knew he had a little work to do to nd the pace of the leaders for moto two.
Martin bettered his start from moto one by nailing the holeshot in moto number two. He immediately took advantage by building a four second lead in the opening few laps. He looked primed to run away with it but unfortunately for him, rst moto winner, Plessinger, had made his way into second. Martin was left with little chance because almost as soon as Plessinger slotted in behind him, the lead had been vapor- ized. Martin tried fending him off but Plessinger railed right on by. Martin responded by locking down sec- ond place for a majority of the race before his little brother, Jeremy Martin, closed the gap on him. With a few laps to go, Jeremy was able to out muscle his older brother into a corner and strip the position away. This bumped Alex back to third and he would be able to easily take that spot to the nish line. His 3-3 moto scores would be enough to earn him a strong second overall on the day. He didn’t have the ashy win or moto he wanted but he stayed consistent and has now nished third in our last three motos.
10 GRITMOTO • MAY 27, 2018