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JASON ANDERSON
450 SX / A-1
IMAGE / MPG WORDS / MATTINGLY DESIGN / WILSON
>> California, a state of palm trees, sea breeze, and a genuine feel- ing of laid back vibes. Territory where many dreams are created, and some of the world’s biggest stars have engraved their name in the likes of both sports and cinema. But on this particular weekend in January, the motocross industry rekindles a fire that has been merely ashes for months; the flame ignites, rises, and creates a wave of flame through the entire realm of motorsports. Jason Anderson hopes to be among the lead of this chatter; his name among the top of search engines, and message board chatter; and it all begins with the waving of the flag. Funneling into the first corner, Anderson was nestled between the biggest names in the sport; confidence never wavering, he looked to make moves early and assert himself as
an alpha male. With the elbow cocked, the torso leaning slightly to one side, and the infamous shirt tail flapping, Anderson had posi- tion of full throttle as the rear end of the Husqvarna danced through the Anaheim soil. He was turning a swapping of the rear shock into rhythmic sequencing as he would upshift heading into the sand sec- tion; using his knees as an extra set of absorbers, Anderson found himself flourishing in a section that many would drag the rear brake and check up. The extra charging would pay dividends, as each lap another faltering victim would come closer to his front end, eventual- ly overtaking the likes of Seely and Millsaps. All in all, his effort would be rewarded with a solid fourth place finish, after eventually passing Eli Tomac; he leaves the opening round with a hefty amount of points and a healthy mindset going into the next stop on the tour.
16 GRITMOTO • JANUARY 9, 2017