Page 76 - MPG22

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A concoction of pure, blitz-like assault, blended with a great start and open track can mean one thing, a spec-
tacular performance is about to be created. The aforementioned was a recipe for Smith at the beginning of moto one, as he came across the initial lap stripe in second. Back end dancing, feet off the pegs, none of it mattered if the right hand was still attached.
A mistake from Adam Cianciarulo allowed Smith to lead his first laps of professionalism; a scary, bone chilling feeling that every rider craves for when signing up for an event. Leading until the nineteen-minute mark, the savage like pressure from the number 37 finally overtook the Honda, and Smith slipped into second. With arms pumping, mental focus beginning to lapse, and breathing starting to sharpen, AC44 revved the Kawasaki directly into the ear drum of Smith. The pressure would force Smith to tap, and be placed into third with a majority of the race concluded. With Shane McElrath beginning to inch closer to his back door, Smith showed a glimpse of maturity and fended off the TLD KTM all the way to the checkered flag; taking a fourth in the moto and a smile to the semi. Wanting to reiterate that the first moto finish wasn’t a fluke, Smith began the second moto with guns blazing, coming across timing and scoring in fourth place position. With the pride of the gecko streaming on his machine, he inherited third after a Savatgy mishap, and looked to be a mainstay
on the podium. A charging Cooper Webb looked to ruin the party if he could however, and that he did as a four second swap pushed Jordon to the banners and back to fourth. The elbows began to drop, knee began to drag, and a charging Forkner then too made his way around; with the former champ pounding at his door, he knew he had to get it in gear. He would eventally drop to sixth, but manage a fourth overall. Finally, a solid score, he looks to build off of this as the series continues.
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