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JEFFREY HERLINGS
450 MX / 1ST
IMAGE / LANNAN WORDS / MATTINGLY DESIGN / TILLS
>> Ladies and Gentleman, the final round has arrived. The last of the series, this is where the championship can be captured and a name engraved in the record books forever. The summer has been drawn out, the riders are fatigued, but they must push for one last swan song. It is here, in the rural Midwest, that a mere lucrative dream can be turned into reality, and a title can be given once and for all. Jeffrey Herlings knows what’s at stake here, if the odds are in his favor, he can be just as blistering as anyone on the track. And his riding style was mimicking that mentality. From press day on, he was blistering the colossal elevations changes, launching into the surrounding cornfields, disregarding the following corners. Never one to ride the brakes, his momentum never ceased, mentally riding an immense wave
of confidence as he came to the line for moto number one. It were as if a wick had been sparked by a small flame, and the bomb was awaiting the time for explosion, and POW! The metal rackets into the ground, and the field storms into turn one. Situating themselves out, he quickly worked his way into the lead, moving in front
of heavy hitters such as Eli Tomac and Blake Baggett. And although foreign to this land, the position he was in was oh so familiar, sprinting out to lead, checking out each lap by second after second. The number 784 was puzzling to many common fans, but they now knew, as he would cross the finish line, and take victory, claim- ing stake into U.S. soil. For the following moto, many were eager to see if Herling could repeat the performance. After a tangle up with Freddie Noren, the KTM pilot was truly forced to put his will to the test. Each lap, he was carving the field as if the competition were truly at a stand still, hitting each rut with optimum precision, and just the right amount of throttle control to send him out in an instant. The goal of a top ten was quickly forgotten, it was now a win. Moving into the top three, he quickly eyed Blake Baggett and made his way around on lap 14; and a slip-up by Musquin nearing the checkered flag, saw Herlings inherit the lead. It was unbelievable, the GP rider had come as a warm-up, and left victorious, leaving no questions unan- swered, and laying claim to the division.
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GRITMOTO • AUGUST 27, 2017