Page 34 - MPG-AUGUST

THE USUAL SUSPECTS
DEREK DRAKE
Derek Drake got the monkey off his back and captured his first career Lo- retta Lynn Amateur National Motocross Championship last year, rising to the occasion in the 250 B Limited division. The Californian has collected a total
of six top five finishes throughout the other years that he’s raced in Hur- ricane Mills, but it seems as though his results have consistently improved as he graduated through the ranks. The Orange Brigade backed rider started the 2018 racing season in some seri- ously impressive form, winning both pro classes at his respective Loretta Lynn and Road to Mammoth qualifiers. Drake looked as though he was going to dominate the competition at the JS7 Freestone Spring Championship, domi- nating the opening 250 A moto, but a wicked crash sidelined him for the rest of the week. Nonetheless, he returned to racing action a couple of weekends later and took the victory in the Open Pro Sport division. It was no different
at the Midwest Regional Qualifier at Prairie City OHV, taking the overall
in Open Pro Sport and second in the 250 A division. Drake has proven that he’s tough to beat when it’s all clicking and he very well could be a two-time Loretta Lynn Amateur National Cham- pionship when the week of racing comes to a close.
TYSON JOHNSON
Tyson Johnson made a major breakthrough at the Loretta Lynn Amateur National Mo- tocross Championship in 2016, scoring the first top ten finishes of his career in the form of a tenth in Supermini 1 and a seventh place result in Supermini 2. The Californian wasn’t able to make a return to Hurricane Mills in 2017 due to an injury that kept him out of action, but he’s certainly one to watch this year in the B class. Unfortunately, he suffered a nasty injury last year at the Thor Winter Olympics that set him back for the 2018 season, but he made it back on the bike in time for the Area Qualifiers. Johnson contested his first major event of the sea- son at the JS7 Freestone Spring Champi- onship and displayed some serious speed right from the get-go, finishing both 250 B classes in sixth overall as well as fourth overall in the Schoolboy 2 division. The KTM rider attended the Northwest Ama- teur Regional at Horn Rapids Motorsports Complex in Washington and was easily one of the most impressive riders in the B class, winning 250 B and finishing third in the 250 B Limited division.
34 MPG • AUGUST • 2018