Page 118 - ISSUE-47

JUSTIN STARLING
250 SX / 20TH
MAGE / MPG WORDS / LANNAN DESIGN / WILSON
>> Justin Starling has been on the rise in the pro division for many years now. His hard work is now starting to pay off as he has propelled his Husqvarna to some solid finishes so far this season. An 8th place at Oakland earlier this year proved that he has what it takes to run with the big boys. The privateer rider was ready to end the Supercross season on a good note and the stage was set to roll the dice in Vegas. Justin did his best when the Heat race began but would fall just short of qualifying position. He was going to
do his best to get into the toughest Main Event of the year and he was ready when the gate dropped for the Last Chance Qualifier. Justin did not neces- sarily get the jump he was looking for off the line but would tuck in to the very inside around the first corner. This worked great for Justin as he was inside the top eight as the first lap began. He began to make quick work of the other riders and was making passes. By the second lap he was in 5th position
and could see the 4th place rider in front of him. He put his head down and continued to reel in the rider that was holding the final transfer position. As they came back into the stadium, Justin held his Husqvarna wide open and was able to slide by and into qualifying position. He would go on to the Main. When this race began, Justin was forced to line up on the very outside and knew that a good start was highly unlikely. He cruised down the start straight doing his best to avoid the craziness in front of him. He made his way through the riders and began to find his groove. He settled into the 18th posi- tion for a while but would eventually fall back to 20th by the time the checkers flew for the final time in 2017 250 Supercross.
118 GRITMOTO • MAY 7, 2017