Page 86 - ISSUE _38

VINCE FRIESE
450 SX / 13TH
IMAGE / MPG WORDS / KUHLHOFF DESIGN / WILSON
>> After a fifteenth place finish last weekend in Minneapolis, Show-me State native, Vince Friese was ready to come into Atlanta with hopes of better results. The Smartop Motoconcepts Honda Yoshimura rider found himself in a competitive second 450 heat race, but as soon as that gate dropped, Vince came out swinging. The number sixty-one machine had an excellent holeshot and things were looking solid. Blake Baggett soon passes Friese for the lead, followed by Josh Grant, putting Friese in the third place position. Unfortunately, the Dirty South got the best of Vince Friese. Even after saving a few close calls, Friese found himself on the ground. After picking himself back up, Friese ended the heat race in ninth place and he was headed to the Semis. 450 Semi two had some stiff competition lining up and Friese was just one of many riders who wanted one of those precious top five transfer spots. Lap one and Friese was sitting in seventh behind Kyle Chisholm in sixth and Brady Kiesel in fifth. Kiesel then fell back to seventh, putting Chisholm in fifth and Friese in sixth. With some close racing, Friese is able to pass Chisholm for fifth putting him into a transfer position. Vince Friese was headed to the Main Event. The Georgia Dome was quickly filling with race prediction buzz as the boys lined up for the action. The riders quickly shake away pre-moto jitters, put their heads down, and charge the second the gate flinches. Vince Friese was off to a good start in Atlanta, in seventh place off the gate and within the top ten for a majority of the moto. Vince lost a few positions towards the end of the race resulting in a thirteenth place finish, barely outside of the prestigious top ten. Hopefully in Toronto Friese can continue to get great starts and hold onto them.
86 GRITMOTO • FEBRUARY 26, 2017