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MATT GOERKE
ARENACROSS
IMAGE / KILPATRICK WORDS / KILPATRICK DESIGN / WILSON
>> The Rockstar Energy / OTSFF / Yamaha rider of Matt Goerke took a bit of time to get back into the swing of things as he continued to improve every time he hit the track. The Florida native laid down the 11th fastest lap time in the AX class as he clicked the stopwatch at 21.62 seconds. Goerke got out to a solid start in his heat race, but he immediately forfeited a place to the Woodstock KTM of Daniel Herrlein. He was able to match the pace of the KTM rider from that point onward, but he wasn’t able to find his way back around be- fore the race’s end, having to settle for 4th place and come back
for revenge in the main event. Goerke had the misfortune of being matched up with the defending series champion in his first head-to- head race; he gave him a good run for his money, but it wasn’t quite enough as he failed to progress to the next round. The Yamaha rider showed the speed to run at the front throughout the entire night of racing, but it seemed as though he was content to take a podium in the opening round, thinking about the long run of the championship. He turned the fastest lap time in the first main event, but he gradu- ally lost 2nd position to the Babbit’s / Monster Energy / AMSOIL Kawasaki duo of Hayes and Faith. Goerke was able to create an opposite reaction in the second main event as he worked his way up to the podium after a 5th place start, forcing his way around Lamay and Herrlein in order to move himself into 3rd place in the race and the overall podium. Himself and the team are only going to get more comfortable out on the track, so keep an eye out for some blinding speed from the Florida native when the series heads up to Michigan next Saturday.
46 GRITMOTO • JANUARY 9, 2017