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KYLE PETERS
250 SX / 4TH
IMAGE / REEVES WORDS / MATTINGLY DESIGN / MOTOPLAYGROUND
>> With the air of spring finally rolling into town, the idea of green outfields and bats cracking into outer space, are ringing through the thoughts of thousands throughout the St. Louis area. The envi- sion a nice, crisp Saturday afternoon, filled with peaceful harmony, seventh-inning stretches, and all you can eat nacho’s, all the while taking in the sights and sounds of America’s pastime. Which, to the majority, sounds like a utopian time of relaxation. However, there are those that oppose, and choose something a bit more, adrenaline-filled. They are the fans of Supercross, looking to watch some of the top athletes in the world defy gravity at spectacular speeds, risking life and limb at every given mo- ment, to be crowned victorious. Kyle Peterstakes honor in being under that label, living his entire life through that identity, as one of the most daring riders in the world. Willing to attack leaps and bounds, all for the thought of being declared the best, is well worth the risk to his well-being. You could see this notion reiterated in practice, as he was one of the first to piece together the double, triple combination before the finish line; albeit with a hefty seat hop, all the while remaining calm and steady throughout his entire duration of flight. Upon landing, he would simply move on to the next task, never wincing in the slightest at the murmur of fear. He would roll into the heat race with the same attitude, darting for the inside hay bale in turn number one. In the first few laps, he could be found out in the lead, focus- ing in the foreground of his jersey in the wind. Osborne would close in, hopping through the whoops.
It was too much for him to withstand. Although a closed dome, a sense of calming breeze would overcome him, knowing that he was doing all in his power to capture optimum gate position; he would round the final bowl turn, in second place, where he would reside. The clock would strike twelve, so to speak, and it would be time for all of the chips to pushed to the center. The gate would fall for the main event, and the carrot would dangle at the green flag, to see who would lead the field. He would come across fifth place for lap number one, and hope to lay down his quickest times of the night. It would be tough, as the track had been chewed up and spit out; the perfectly symmetrical whoops of practice, now off-centered and wore down. The face of the triple, now combed out, and each bowl turn being riddled with ruts. He would persist, however, sprinting past the mechanic’s area each lap, nodding his head with what his partner in crime had to say. Around the halfway point, he would sit fifth, hoping to embody his true inner grit, and spark a run to the finish. With traffic beginning to jam, he wouldn’t fret, and at times, have to swerve left to right, in order to maintain his gap over Austin Forkner, after his crash. Luckily, he would remain relatively unharmed, and would come across the final stripe with a very respectable fourth place.
36 GRITMOTO • MARCH 18, 2018