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HAYDEN MELLROSS
250 SX / 13TH
IMAGE / KILPATRICK WORDS / LANNAN DESIGN / MOTOPLAYGROUND
>> Hayden Mellross is a very successful motorcycle racer back in his home country of Australia. He is a very popular rider in the Australian Supercross se- ries. In 2016, Hayden nearly won the championship in his home series but after a heartbreaking championship loss due to bike issues, Hayden had to settle for the bridesmaid position. The young rider then decided to try his luck in the most prestigious series in the world, as he lined up against the best of the best for Monster Energy AMA Supercross. Hayden struggled at first but found his groove quickly. 2017 was an even better year for him as his season was littered with
top ten finishes here in the states. With the fruition of the 51Fifty Energy Drink Yamaha team a few years ago, Hayden then found a solid place to call home. This team has helped Hayden achieve his goals year after year and there is no question that he will continue to impress for many years. As the 2018 Season began in Anaheim, the young Australian was ready to pick up where he left off. Hayden looked strong aboard his blue machine and qualified well inside the top fifteen. The stage was set, and when the gate dropped for the first 250SX Heat, he was determined to start the season on a good note. Unfortunately, Hayden did not get the start he was looking for and was forced to ride smart for the first few sections. He was running just inside the top fifteen but was determined to move up. He put his head down and was doing everything he could to make up time on the leaders. His determination was paying off as lap after lap, Hayden found himself advancing positions. By the time the white flag waved, he was sitting in a very impressive 5th place. He continued this strong ride and was able to hold on to the position all the way to the end. Hayden was now ready for the big show but due to a poor gate pick, Hayden was not able to achieve the start he wanted in the Main Event. He was doing everything he could to avoid the crashes around him and was running twelfth place by the end of the second lap. He continued to keep his cool and cruised to a thirteenth finish in Angel Stadium.
80 GRITMOTO • JANUARY 8, 2018