Page 46 - ISSUE _38

LUKE RENZLAND
250 SX / 6TH
IMAGE /MPG WORDS / MATTINGLY DESIGN / WILSON
>> Often resembled to that of a Phoenix, the city of Atlanta has been notoriously synchronized with that of the so-called “Dirty Bird”; soaring through the adversity the city faced. Destroyed as an act of a war by General Sherman, with only 400 building surviving, Atlanta truly rose from the rubble that was once cast, and solidified it self as the now capital. There’s a lot to be said about a rider who can do the same. Rise from the ashes, when they are seemingly left with nothing. Every competitor has a point of collapse, a tipping point, or a “straw” that can break the camel’s back so to speak. Luke Renzland has felt that, and remounted numerous of times. It his not his enemy that’s foe at times, it’s the battle within. Yet he continues to rise up; each and every time he chooses to set sail in select stadiums around the country, he wears his name on the back of his jersey with pride, a tenacious look underneath his hel- met. Atlanta acted as a territory he wanted to conquer, staking his flag on the top of the finish line, making it known that this was his land. You could not knock his effort; it was apparent, even from the casual fan, that the charge in which he surmounted was one that was applaud worthy. With the pack roaring through the opening rhythm lanes, Renzland was about midfield, knowing that he was sandwiched, he had to
be calculated. This event was about persistence, with the track being able to rip
you apart at any moment. Dicing it up with Peters, Noren, and other riders of high caliber, the Yamaha rider was aggressively attacking the Georgia track. Launching through the whoops each lap, the rhythmic hop resembling that of a Kangaroo, tim- ing sequences with utter precision. With each lap that passed he would continue to climb, quietly, as the battle would rumble ahead. After a 19th place qualifying effort, you couldn’t ask for a better bit of rebound, the number 50 feverishly charging at all points of the track. Swiping tearoff’s through the treacherous sands, scraping the ruts with metallic footpegs, any and every inch of track he could use, he would. The New Jersey native would push on, placing a spectacular sixth place by race end. An awesome effort, and looking to move forward with each passing round.
46 GRITMOTO • FEBRUARY 26, 2017