Page 72 - MPG26

DILAN SCHWARTZ
One of the few youngsters tough enough to race in, let alone qualify in, four different classes, Mr. Dilan Schwartz had a busy schedule in the mountainous landscape of Mammoth. In his preparations for this week, the California native and resident has had previous flashes of brilliance, getting podium finishes at Loretta’s and a few champi- onships in Texas that have helped establish his name amongst the Mini Sr. and Supermini starting lines.
The week started quickly on day one with Dilan in the Mini Sr. 1 class, bolting off the line in dominant fashion to lead the entire race by four- teen seconds and posting the fastest lap of 29 competitors. In the wake of a horrific start to moto two of the day, Schwartz crossed lap one in 35th and pulled off to post a DNF, eliminating his threat from day one for the class. For Mini Sr. 2, heat 1, Dilan came off strong rounding out the podium behind Max Miller and Jett Reynolds. Making quick work of Reynolds on lap two, though, Dilan got around and began to close the gap on Miller. Luckily enough for Max, Dilan ran out of time posting a 2nd place result, a mere half-a-second back. Turning around the fate of his dismal Sr. 1 moto two finish, Schwartz bounced back with a 2nd place start behind the lethal Carson Mumford. Running into a hiccup on lap three, Dilan dropped to 4th where he rode out the rest of the moto. Putting the misfortune in the rearview mirror, Supermini 1 took allowed Schwartz back into the top spot after battling back from a 3rd place start. Once moto two came, the field had upped the ante making the five laps a grueling race for Dilan, who was unable to mount a charge in 4th place, mustering a 3rd place ride. Through three classes, Schwartz held a 3rd and a 4th, as the Supermini 2 class bikes screamed on the starting line. Moto one happened to be Dilan’s worst start to this point, a 9th as the field began lap two. Using all the space he could, Dilan battled each lap to pick up a spot and finish 5th through the remaining four laps. Things got even better for him in moto two as Schwartz improved upon himself with a 3rd place start and a 2nd place finish, edging out Mumford on the final lap of the race for 3rd overall.
As the sun had set and, after a few blinks, began to rise again upon day two, Schwartz started just as he had on day one with a win in the Mini Sr. 1 heat race. Setting a blistering pace ahead of Max Miller in moto two, the #74x KTM was too much to handle leading every race in route to a 1st place finish and his first overall of the week. For Mini Sr. 2, heat 1, Schwartz didn’t start quite as clean coming across in 4th. Over the next few laps of the race, Dilan battled with Jett Reynolds and Max Miller, just as he had on day one, but struggled to no avail and finished where he started in 4th; a solid position in a stacked class.
72 MPG • JUNE 2016
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