Page 54 - ISSUE _38

FREDRIK NOREN
250 SX / 8TH
IMAGE /MPG WORDS / MATTINGLY DESIGN / WILSON
>> Atlanta has such a diverse set of feelings when the AMA Supercross series rolls in town. On one end of the spectrum, some of the best at- tendance, decibel levels, and overall scale of morale, is at many of the highest of the season. The fans in the southeast love the sport, and the amount of spectators that attend the event is phenomenal. On the other hand, ATL is notorious for theft and crime rates; and with motorcycles being a hot commodity, everyone on the grounds of the Georgia Dome was on heightened alert. But the sense of intensity doesn’t just stop in the pits; it was translated onto that oh so infamous red soil, that’s found in the peach state. Fredrik Noren was looking to do a little theft and rob- bery of his own; willing to lure his opponents into a trap, or conduct more of a stealth operation; sneaking up and pouncing at the last second. Wanting to grab a highly coveted spot at all costs. With the gate drop of the 250 main event, the green flag flickered like a luscious sack of dollar bills, and the checkered was the highest of bounties. He could smell the scent looming in the distance, and was doing everything in his willpower to claim it. With the field being as treacherous as it is, Noren’s ride was more impressive than ever; as he never got the opportunity to ride on these type of layouts in his native Sweden. Qualifying 12th, he had
good vibes all day long, really taking reigns of the outdoor elements this Atlanta track provided. A little bit of chop, hard packed, blue grooved ruts, and a rather deep sand section, although nothing that resembled the swamps of Lommel on his native GP tour. Noren would be a mainstay
of top-ten commonality in the main event, doing battle with the classes best. Fighting up to eight in the latter moments, he was pushing against absolutely huge names in the sport, such as Adam Cianciarulo. The end- ing sequence would place him in eighth place, nearing one of the best performances ever for the number 40.
54 GRITMOTO • FEBRUARY 26, 2017