Page 50 - ISSUE-81

JUSTIN HILL
450 MX / 7TH
IMAGE / LANNAN WORDS / MATTINGLY DESIGN / MOTOPLAYGROUND
>> There are many emotions running through a racer’s mind, in the aftermath of a race. Satisfaction, bitterness, or contentment can all play a signi cant role in an athlete’s mentality. Whether defeat or victory, almost always do many of the top racers on the tour have some level displeasure, as they feel the need for constant improvement. Justin Hill is no exception to the rule, as he feels the need to elevate and rise to the occasion, with every given op- portunity presented. And this weekend, the location of his platform would be that of Muddy Creek, in southeast Tennessee. You could tell he was a fan of this course, due to his riding style throughout the practice sessions. A charismatic ick, riding wheelies whenever possible; it was all part of the show, and creating a true spectacle while throwing down fast times. His antics didn’t cease once the gate fell however, as it was all he could do to maintain traction
on the gripper seat, while ying up the start straight. Scrubbing the nish line hard to the right, the grid placed him in fteenth on lap one. He would then maneuver this track with stealth like mentality, searching all throughout the shadows and furthest boundaries, while stalking his opponent to the best of his abilities. Fending off his foes with apparent aggression, he seemed to go into a bit of no man’s land for a bit, as he settled into a constant groove. Ripping down the mechanic’s area straight away, the cue from his mechanic told him to rip a short burst of speed, in order to try and pull away from Benny Bloss who sat behind. He would do so, and as the nal ag waved in the wind, his position would read eighth. The second round was well un- derway in the beginning of the afternoon, and as the pack clumped up to the inside of the left- hander, he would emerge seventh. The rear end of the bike was beginning to slide in the early laps of this one, so his style had to be toned down a notch or two. At times, he nearly mistook the hard-packed for a at rear tire, but continued to motor on regardless of what was beneath him. Around the halfway mark, a bit of company from Bloss would be within an immediate radius. Feeling the heat wave of the opposing motor, he began to escalate his pace, throwing down a few “hot” laps of his own in a dash to the checkered. Coming down the off-cambered down hill near the fence line on the last lap, he took a big sigh of relief, knowing that seventh place was his. Seventh overall would be written in the record books alongside his name.
50 GRITMOTO • JUNE 24, 2018