Page 26 - Issue_63

JUSTIN BRAYTON
450 SX / 7TH
IMAGE / LANNAN WORDS / MATTINGLY DESIGN / MOTOPLAYGROUND
>> The Valley of the Sun, a city filled with salsas, spices, and blistering temperatures. Phoenix, the capital of Arizona, is a southwestern hub, bringing the likes of numerous nationalities together. These fans are absolutely filled with energy, replicated throughout the many different avenues of entertainment the city provides. That’s why both audi- ence and tour alike were stoked on the rebooking of this event for 2018. Some of the hottest, and most certainly fastest racing of the year has been provided at this venue
in season’s past, and Justin Brayton couldn’t wait to make his return. Banging through the gearbox in his practice sessions, there wasn’t much need for the stabbing of the clutch; it was simply letting the bike purr, and the tread dig in to this relatively hard soil. His air pressure would remain low, so the tire could sink in, and grab a bit more traction throughout these glass-like bowl turns. His setup would remain the same for the heat race, as his start allowed him to get into an optimal position throughout the duration of the event. Trimming each lap little by little, the splits of the course would accumulate in this short-sprint run. Every piece of this track would have to be glued together, creating the puzzle that would result in a miraculous first place finish; the reminiscent memories of a few years ago seemed to rare their head. As the main event began, he had options to choose from, and they needed to be made in decisive manner. Tripling on to the initial tabletop in the opening rhythm section? The middle or far side of the whoop section?
To attempt the lucrative quad before the finish line? They all had to be decided on in a lightning fast response, never once second-guessing himself. With Cooper Webb clos- ing in throughout the majority of the moto, he found the war to be throughout both his brain, and against his fellow 450 comrade. “Don’t look back, breathe;” was a statement that was engrained into his ideology for every obstacle he came across. This track was becoming trickier by the moment; the once miniscule depth of clay now wiped away, and it was though they were skating on thin ice. Not the ideal track condition, but neverthe- less, he would withstand the pressure as always, and salivate at the thought of the
final flag flying. Seventh across the last stripe of timing and scoring, he would go home, looking to redeem himself in weeks to come; he was willing to work in the days to come, ready for next weekend already.
26 GRITMOTO • JANUARY 28, 2018