Page 52 - Issue_72

JUSTIN HILL
250 SX / 9TH
IMAGE / KILPATRICK WORDS / PEPPERD DESIGN / MOTOPLAYGROUND
>> Achieving a top ten nish did not come easy for the racers this weekend at the Seattle Supercross round of AMA Monster Energy Supercross. Due to heavy rain the track was more muddy than Supercross riders have seen in over ten years. Some people were comparing this event to Daytona SX in 2008 where conditions were similarly rough, with deep mud pockets and ruts. Growing up in Yoncalla, Oregon, Justin had the advantage to be consistent in last weeks race because of his experi- ence training and racing in muddy conditions. During the course of the event multiple riders buried there bikes in the mud. Justin Hill, the returning 250SX West Coast Su- percross champion nished ninth overall. Justin is a rider for Auto Trader Yoshimura Suzuki Factory racing team. Justin has always shown extreme skill and natural talent in Supercross racing, achieving six 250SX class wins in total. First, the Suzuki rider quali ed twenty rst in practice, then in 250 class heat two Justin started 8th off of the gate and nished by taking the fth transfer position into the main. Hill’s com- petitors going into the main also included Aaron Plessinger and Mitchell Harrison. Right from the start in the main event the track conditions were some of the most dif cult than most these riders have ever faced which caused a pile up at the rst corner. Justin came into the second lap in fourteenth with a 1.6 second gap to KTM rider Mitchell Oldenburg. Towards the halfway mark, Hill fought his way to twelfth. In the last few laps Hill makes his nal pass on Yamaha rider Hayden Mellross secur- ing his spot in ninth for the night. Furthermore, although Justin wasn’t on the podium, his lap times were a few seconds off the top riders. His fastest lap being a 1.23 and the rest averaged out to 1.25.9. This proves Justin’s skill and determination even in such conditions. Justin’s current point standings in the 250SX West Coast Champi- onship is sixth behind points leader Aaron Plessinger. Justin Hill is a solid rider and has proven he can compete for the top spot in the races to come. In addition, his older brother Josh Hill is back from injury and competing in the 450SX Class.
52 GRITMOTO • APRIL 8, 2018