Page 16 - GRIT_75

CHRISTIAN CRAIG
450 SX / 4TH
IMAGE / LANNAN WORDS / MATTINGLY DESIGN / MOTOPLAYGROUND
>> If you turn to Sportscenter, or any particular show among a major sport network, you’re quick to nd the NBA Playoff’s, blasted all over the screen. It’s a major component of American sports as a whole, and one that really embodies the patriotic spirit of our fans. The story couldn’t be truer for the state of Utah, and the city of Salt Lake in particu- lar, as they’ve just advanced to the next round, defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder; and the buzz is electric here. There’s no shortage of electricity here, and Christian Craig loves it. He too has been following the series, and with a constant stream of Utah Jazz colors glowing around the stadium, he felt it was his duty to rise to the occasion. Sky-
ing over the triple, just in front of the start, he would seat-hop off the face, and swing the chassis to the right, to begin practice. The crowd could be heard cheering, even though his 450 roared like no other. He was methodical with his line choice, but made sure to hone in on the fundamentals; especially the dabbing of the foot, because of how notori- ously slick this track was becoming. With heat racing following shortly thereafter, he lined up his machine, and vaulted out of the whole with feverish intent. Fourth after lap one, there was an oxymoron so to speak, as he was in somewhat of a panic, but remaining calm. He couldn’t make moves or gain speed fast enough, as he looked to be a rabid, wild beast tearing up this treacherous layout. Coming into each particular bowl turn hot, there wasn’t any delay in his decision-making. Pulling from Barcia who’d crept up behind, he would go onto place fourth. The thirty-second board would go sideways, and he would be absolutely squeezed for room, going into turn number one. It was a sea of popcorn kernels shortly thereafter, with every rider hopping back and forth next to each other. Timing and scoring had him third once crossing the stripe, and looking to push forward. Blitzing the whoop section on the outside, he would proceed to rail the following berm, nearly clipping the tuff-blocks with his footpeg. The chassis would dance, but there wasn’t any hesitation of shutting the throttle down. Jousting with the likes of Tomac and Baggett, the two would ping their shrouds off of one other, like knights with shearing swords. Fight- ing hard, you could almost see the sweat dripping from his brow, as the lens of his goggle couldn’t quite soak up the intensity he was throwing down. He would push until the bitter end, with Justin Barcia again behind him in the closing moments. A solid ride, he would conclude the night with a fourth overall.
16 GRITMOTO • APRIL 29, 2018