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BROC TICKLE
450 SX / 10TH
IMAGE / KILPATRICK WORDS / WARNER DESIGN / MOTOPLAYGROUND
>> There are many people waiting, waiting for what you ask? For Broc Tickle. The veteran rider has shown time and time again over the years that he has the ability to put himself in the top ten and mix himself into a podium battle from time to time. However, with the changes made to Broc’s program in 2018 many expected we’d see Broc nally elevate himself to that next level. With support of Factory Redbull Ktm and top trainer Aldon Baker it seemed the missing pieces may nally have been found. Maybe we thought too highly? Broc’s running out time, he’s been a podium guy in the Outdoor Series, yet only managed a tenth in Daytona. Starting off the day Broc would qualify four seconds off the pace of the frontrunners in sixteenth. Now we know Broc has seen some outdoor success on the rougher tracks, so maybe as the night wore on we would see some improvement. Due to his qualifying position, Broc would be lined up far out- side from the rst turn. As the gate dropped he jumped off the gate well and coming into turn one looked on track for a good starting position. He most likely would have started around sixth-placed had he made an arch around the center of turn one, but he cut across turn one and tried to pivot ninety degrees and lost so much momentum he would be eleventh across the stripe. Smooth and steady as Broc usually does he moved his way through the pack all throughout the race reaching the checkers of Heat One in seventh. Starting far outside again in the Main Event Broc’s start was terrible coming around turn one in fteenth place. With the exception of being passed by point’s leader Jason Anderson and Eli Tomac who has the most race wins the season Broc moved forward every lap until lap six. While holding off Kyle Chisolm he would move forward
to pass Bloss on lap eleventh for the number ten spot where we would nish his night. Broc’s been written off plenty of times before, this is not unfamiliar to him. He is doing exactly what KTM has asked of him and that’s to race their bike and have solid nishes, but we all know Broc wants more. Maybe Justin Brayton’s Daytona win will spark some new re in Broc because age is just a number and Broc’s not out yet!
52 GRITMOTO • MARCH 11, 2018