Page 128 - ISSUE _38

NICK SCHMIDT
450 SX / 19TH
IMAGE / MPG WORDS / COPELAND DESIGN / WILSON
>> Privateer Suzuki rider, Nick Schmidt, is becoming somewhat of a house hold name early on this season by qualifying for multiple main events already. The “Milestone Assassin” as he is known by his growing fan base, is coming off of a top 20 finish last weekend in Minneapolis and is looking to continue building upon his main event finishes this week- end in Atlanta. Based on his qualifying position, Nick would need to find some speed to make it into the main event, as he was only able to climb to 23rd in the timed qualifying sessions. He would only need to improve slightly but in Supercross, every millisecond is hard fought. A subpar start would leave Schmidt just outside of the top 5 in 8th position coming out of the first corner. He would need to push hard to stay in front of some
of the faster riders that were working up through the field behind him. He would eventually succumb to the pressure and finish the heat in 10th. This would mean that he was going to have to try to qualify for the main out of a semi. The semi started off a little better than the heat race as he started the semi in 6th, just one position out of a direct qualifying spot. He would battle hard with Cade Clason and move into the final qualifying spot where he would go on to finish. 5th place would net him a poor start- ing position for the main but still yet, he was on the gate. The gate pick would go on to hurt him in the main, coming across the holeshot line in 19th place, just behind title contender and last week’s 2nd place finisher Marvin Musquin. While Marvin was able to make moves, and climb inside of the top 5 by race end, Schmidt would finish exactly where he started the race, in 19th after battling with Weimer over 18th. Just making the main is an accomplishment for a privateer but Schmidt has proven that he belongs there. He will look to continue his streak of qualifying for mains, next weekend.
128 GRITMOTO • FEBRUARY 26, 2017