Page 138 - ISSUE _38

COLE THOMPSON
250 SX / 16TH
IMAGE / MPG WORDS / LANNAN DESIGN / WILSON
>> Cole Thompson is a well known name in the sport of Super- cross. This weekend in Atlanta, Cole makes his return to American racing after a very successful trip to the north where he clenched the Canadian MX2 championship last summer. He is a very fa- miliar top ten finisher in the Supercross series here and there is no doubt he will be looking to get back up there this season. Cole was eager to get his 250 East Coast Supercross series underway when the bikes hit the track in the Georgia Dome on Saturday. He looked to be at home on his KTM and was looking fast. He quali- fied inside the top 20 and was ready to drop the gate for the first time in 2017. Cole didn’t get the best jump as 250 Heat 1 began, but was able to hug the inside around the first corner to secure
a top ten position. He began to pick riders off and was knocking on the door of a top 5 position as they passed the halfway point. Cole was able to make a move quickly on the 5th place rider and took home the postion, punching his ticket to the big show. When the Main began, Cole was lined up to the far inside and did his best to hold his line going down the start straight. He was pinched off going into the first corner and was forced to take the slow and steady approach going into the rhythm section. He wasn’t in the an ideal postion going through the first section but knew he could improve. Just a few laps in, Cole had settled into 13th position. He would drop back a few more spots but was able to maintain his top fifteen position. Cole would ride a pretty quiet race and would eventually finish 16th in his first American race of the year.
138 GRITMOTO • FEBRUARY 26, 2017