Page 84 - ISSUE _38

MIKE ALESSI
450 SX / 12TH
IMAGE / MPG WORDS / KUHLHOFF DESIGN / WILSON
>> Hilliard, Florida rider Mike Alessi was able to pull off a top ten finish last weekend in Minneapolis. Would the Smartop Motoconcepts Honda rider be able to end the night in Atlanta with another solid result? The number eight hundred machine lined up for the first 450 heat race of the night. Known for his pretty consistent holeshot talent, Alessi is a rider that many of us predict to be accelerating out of the first turn in the lead. Unfortunately, in a stacked heat, Mike was not able to get the start that he wanted and finished the heat race in seventh place; outside of the top four transfer spots. Alessi was headed to the Semis. The Floridian lined up for the second 450 Semi, hoping to bring the Hilliard heat. He was able to get off to a good start and found himself in second place, follow- ing Canard. Wilson was quickly putting the pressure on Alessi and was able to pass him, putting Alessi in a third place spot. Barcia then passes Alessi, pushing him into the fourth place position, where he spent the remainder of the moto. Staying within the top five transfer spots, Mike Alessi was heading to the Main Event. With track conditions evolving and passing becoming more and more challenging, the riders knew that get- ting a great start would make the night go by a little bit smoother. The red glow of the thirty-second countdown mirrored the deep red color of the Georgia clay, and the gate dropped. Alessi was off to a great start in sec- ond place behind Ryan Dungey for the first two laps. On lap three, Blake Baggett made a move putting Alessi in third place. With so many riders’ eyes on the prize, Mike Alessi found himself in seventh place. On lap sixteen, he fell back to eleventh place and by the end of the moto, Alessi found himself in twelfth place. I’m looking forward to Toronto, hopefully we see Mike Alessi back in the top ten.
84 GRITMOTO • FEBRUARY 26, 2017