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JIMMY DECOTIS
250 SX / TEXAS
IMAGE / LANNAN WORDS / HARNISHFEGER DESIGN / WILSON
>> Jimmy Decotis has quietly produced quite a solid season for the Geico Honda squad. The rider hailing from the great state of Massachusetts has yet to place outside of the top ten in the series. He finally nailed his first top five last weekend in Oakland and was not too far off the lead pack throughout that race. It seems as if he is getting into a rhythm with the team and he wanted to keep those good vibes going as the West Coast series prepared to head into a long break after Arlington.
Decotis looked solid in qualifying practice by going out and setting the sixth fastest time. He looked to be right around where he’s been all season and was ready to shake it up in the races. Jimmy D got a horrible holeshot to open his day. He was buried deep in the field and outside of the top ten. Only the top nine riders transfer so he had to ride with a little sense of urgency.
It took him a few laps but he easily secured a transfer spot. He kept slicing and dicing until he ended up finishing in fifth place. He went back to the pits surely thinking he’ll need a much better start in the main event.
Decotis indeed got off to a much better start in the main. He crossed the stripe in fourth place and settled into a nice pace. He distanced himself from the rest of the field but lost touch with the top three. He was in a lonely fourth but he was well on his way to making it back to back season best finishes after also finishing fourth last weekend. He would actually get passed in the latter stages by a charging Aaron Plessinger but he would retake fourth when McElrath suffered a mechanical. It would end up being two straight fourth place finishes for Decotis and it seems as if he and his team are gelling heading into the long hiatus.
34 GRITMOTO • FEBRUARY 12, 2017