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JEREMY MARTIN
250 MX / 4TH
IMAGE / KILPATRICK WORDS / ARMSTRONG DESIGN / TILLS
>> After winning back to back championships for YamaLube Yamaha Jeremy Martin was hoping to be rewarded with a factory ride in the 450 ranks. Sadly Yamaha only had the budget for one of their top two 250 riders (Cooper Webb or Jeremy Martin), Yamaha sid- ed with Webb and Jeremy went searching for a new home. Geico Honda made Jeremy a deal with a 450 option after a year on 250’s. Jeremy didn’t have the Supercross campaign he had hoped for although he did fill in for Ken Roczen at Daytona Supercross where he got a 2nd in the main event after nearly failing to make the main in the first place. Jeremy set his sights on winning another 250 motocross title but the series couldn’t have started off any worse as he scored a DNF in the very first race of the year at Hangtown. Since then Jeremy has shown signs of brilliance and undeniable speed. Sadly Jeremy has been struck with more bad luck then good and his hopes of winning the 2017 250 motocross title is dwindling. After two bad weekends at round 6 and 7 the #6 of Jeremy Martin was ready to bounce back at round 8 at his home track in Millville. Yet it was another week- end of bad luck and poor results for Jeremy. In race one the Geico rider nearly got the holeshot and was running in 3rd for most of the first lap. Suddenly the #6 started to drop off the pace of the riders and got pushed all the way to 7th. Eight minutes remained in moto 1 and it finally looked as Jeremy was getting into the groove. At the checkered flag Jeremy was 4th and hungry for more. Jeremy got another top five start in moto 2 and he seemed ready for battle. While battling for third Jeremy got bent out of shape and went off the track through the banners. Instead of joining the race where he went off track he decided to cut the track. To be clear he didn’t make up any ground on his competitors and he rejoined the track safely. A few sections later J.Mart tipped his bike over in a corner and dropped to 7th. Jeremy made another late moto push and got himself to 4th with a few laps remaining, he then had to withstand the pressure from his brother Alex. Jeremy couldn’t hold off his brother and had to settle for 5th. In the last five races Jeremy has not finshed better then 4th position, is J.Mart really the 4th fastest 250 rider in the AMA right now.
38 GRITMOTO • JULY 23, 2017