Page 46 - MPG-AUGUST

JESSE FLOCK
PONCA CITY OKLAHOMA
It’s hard to argue against Jesse Flock being the most impressive rider of the entire weekend at the 2017 Motoplayground Race at Ponca City. It was apparent throughout Thursday’s practice sessions that the Oklahoma native meant business on home soil, set- ting fast times on his 125 and his 250 no matter the track conditions. The EBR backed Yamaha rider was out for redemption after a broken collarbone sustained in his opening moto at Loretta Lynn’s sidelined him from competition, eager to prove that he has what it takes to compete at the front of the B class. He ended the weekend with five moto wins, a second place finish, and three titles
-- and he also left with a giant teddy bear for his efforts, because it’s The Motoplayground Race and that’s just how we do things. Flock was seemingly untouchable in the 125cc (12-16) B/C class, ringing out the EBR tuned engine across the entirety of the course. His corner speed was on another level compared to that of his competitors, allowing him to take relatively smooth outside lines as he ran away with both victories. In the first moto, Flock found himself in second place on the opening lap and quickly pushed his way past fellow Yamaha rider, Riley Allen. At that point, he took advantage of the clear track ahead and built a gap
of almost ten seconds ahead of his nearest competitor. The Oklahoma native made complete use of his EBR tuned power in the second moto, rocketing out to an early lead. He set his personal best lap time on the first flying lap and never looked back, calmly soaring to another moto win and the ensuing championship. It was more or less the same in the Schoolboy 1 class as Flock pulled the holeshot and set the fastest lap time in both motos, cementing himself as the cream of the crop with another title firmly in his grasp. The Yamaha rider continued his domination in the 250 B class, proving that a change in displacement was no issue for him. The opening heat race produced one of the most intense races of the entire weekend with Flock starting well outside the top five. He accidentally snagged a hay bail cover in his rear tire on the opening lap and carried it with him the rest of the race, but it didn’t bother him in the slightest as he stormed through the field, setting the fastest lap time on the penultimate lap. He made a pass for the lead just after the appearance of the white flag, slotting into a deep rut just ahead of Dilan Schwartz in order to take control of the overall heading into the final moto. The second 250 B race was the last race of the entire weekend and the track was littered from corner to corner with deep ruts, gnarly braking bumps, and harsh shadows. Flock didn’t get the start that he needed, but he used the conditions to his advantage and charged through the field, eventually claiming a second place finish in order to secure his third championship of the weekend. It was an incredibly comfortable performance for the Oklahoma native in front of the home crowd; he undoubtedly upped his stock in the B class heading into the final race of the season at Gatorback.
46 MPG • AUGUST • 2018