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RESULTS DONOT LIE
top five, fifth place finish in the 250 B round. However, it was on the 450 where he truly stood out, coming into his own on the num- ber 70 backed Yamaha. A third place would
contender for strong finishes, for many of the past years. Moving up through the amateur ranks with precision and adequate timing, he’s now found his way to the 450 machine,
where he feels most at home with an abundance of power around his athletic frame. His ability to grasp the motorcycle, directing where it wants to go, and letting the bike ride with efficiency, are things that truly separate him from the field. And after dismantling much of the competition
on a local level, he wanted to up the stakes, and race against stouter amounts
of foe. Therefore, he and crew, headed south to the 2018 Winter Olympics, at Gatorback Cycle Park. Tell- ing from the start, that he gelled with this Supercross layout, was an apparent matter in itself. Wheel- tapping, switching up lines, and timing rhythm sections
with perfect ingenuity, had him relishing at the top of the scoring sheet, when times were being monitored. He would carry the wave of momentum and confidence to the line for 450 B limited, where everyone on the gate was on a level playing field. No modifi- cations or extra boosts allowed, he wanted to see who could truly handle an equal ma-
be placed by his name once all was said and done for the 450 B main, but he still wanted to top all previous outings, with one final go in the 450 B Limited class. And man would he put his nose to the grindstone, starting with a thriving start and throttle response off of the grid. Shifting at just the right RPM, he would continue to click through the gearbox all around the circuit, seat-hopping every rhythm combination in sight. It would land him in the silver medal position, where he would hold, even through the treacherous final laps. Coming across the line, he was proud of himself, and rightfully so; as this finish, was the cherry on top, signaling a per- formance of four overall outings, and nothing worse than a sixth place across the results sheet. For the outdoor rounds, Simonson would come out swinging yet again, garner- ing ninth and tenth place finishes early. How- ever, it would all come to light with a third in 450 B, along with a second in 450 B limited, leaving his consistency levels at an all time high when departing the event.
JOSHUA STRICKLAND
If you’ve been attending any of the East Coast amateur motocross races in any recent time, you’ve most certainly seen
the number 23 Honda, tearing up tracks,
in particular, around the North Carolina region. Feasting on the likes of Mega Series, Southern All Star, and Loretta Lynn Region- als alike, Joshua Strickland has been a
chine, leaving it all to the rider. And man did he excel, riveting out to a strong showing for
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his heat race, where he would fight and dice every lap, walking away from the qualifica- tion sector with a third place finish. Putting him with a strong selection of gate choice, he darted out of the hole, and immediately found the presence of Frye and Simonson. He would pace them, never letting them get too far out ahead, all the while monitoring his own duties and keeping the machine upright. Never relying too much on the clutch to control the machine, he was letting the bike “pur” under him so to speak, lugging the mo- tor in an efficient third gear manner. It would work, as he drove the Honda home for the duration of the moto, coming across the line with a solid bronze medal outing. Stoked on his performance, he hopes to regenerate this effort for the entirety of 2019, knowing what he truly has in the tank as a competitor.
CORY ROGERS
Making the trek from Chester, Virginia, Cory Rogers ventured through the Southeastern United States, taking it all in with his family and crew around. Seemingly appearing as another family trip to many bystanders in which they would pass, no one on the out- side truly knew just what Cory was preparing for. A motorcycle race, of the highest mag- nitude, with all in the industry watching; it’s what he’d prepared for, for months. Mentally rehearsing, visualizing, and simulating all types of race-day scenarios, one’s in which he always ended with himself succeeding
in a champion like matter. And upon arrival to the facility, it
was though a déjà vu effect would overtake him. He realized that the moment was fi- nally here, and he could see himself taking the check- ered flag with an outstanding finish; and once practice would come along, it would just be a matter of time be- fore he could write the story himself. Contesting both 450 classes, his heat races were episodes of strong showing, finishing with both a fifth and ninth in his
classes respectively. But it was once the field would be meshed together, where he
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