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MAMMOTH
IMAGES / ANDY CAVAZOS
theGRIT
On day two, with an extremely successful day one over and done with, 50cc Open riders were called to the
gate where Johnson and Mahoney met again for third time. The two riders, as if the day one had never stopped, regained their positions up front from the start and again finished on the top two steps of the box, with Gabriel taking 2nd. Unable to savor the heat race due to it lacking the metal hardware every racer seeks, the two lined up for moto two and the final showdown. Now, although once
the gate dropped the same two riders found themselves in the same two positions, their appeared to be something different in Mahoney’s style. Whether it was a little more flair, a bit more calculated or just a tad more efficient, the #510 Cobra machine began to reel in Kade
for the first time in all four motos. Down five seconds at the halfway point, Gabriel kept it wide open pulling within a second of the leader, Johnson, by the time the checkers were waved, falling just short of victory but miles ahead of satisfaction. Creating an exemplary race to follow, Mahoney now knew the lines that were needed and looked to unveil their potency in his final class of the day. That’s right 7-9 65cc riders lined the starting gate, each youngster dreaming of supercross stardom. For some reason, though, Gabriel struggled on the starting line on the 65 and came out of heat one back in 11th. Battling with Chase Carr and Niko Munoz, a handful of riders began to trade places
in the madness of mid-moto moves. Reaching 9th but falling back to 10th on lap four was all the heat had for little Mahoney as he rode a strong race to finish inside the top ten straight into moto two. It was here that Gabriel would see his worst moto of the week in that he started outside the top twenty, unable to make the same charge he had on day one. He picked up four spots by reaching 18th on lap two, up to 17th a lap later and picking up 15th by the last lap, Mahoney wasn’t able to get the 65 inside the top ten but with his two 2nd place overalls in the 50cc open class, a 12th and 15th are the exact type of experience required when getting prepared to jump up a class. As the year’s events continue to arrive on the calendar, keep your eye on Gabriel and his 65, there’s some big things in the works.
words/BRENTECKERT
MPG DIGITAL / JUNE 2016
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