Page 26 - ISSUE-47

BLAKE BAGGETT
450 SX / 7TH
IMAGE /MPG WORDS / ECKERT DESIGN / WILSON
>> Since Blake entered the premier class back in 2015, the former amateur phenom has seen the ups and downs of the stacked field. In his rookie 450 season, Blake adapted to the big bike with ease as he rode to a top five finish in both the indoor and outdoor seasons. During his sophomore campaign in 2016, though, Baggett’s results hit a wall and the #4 was off the grid. Returning in 2017, with a brand new bike and team, the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KTM rider has put in solid results all season to sit 7th in points heading into the finale in Vegas this past Saturday night. Lined up in heat one, Blake bolted from behind the gate to reach the first turn in the lead group. Trailing Millsaps and Wilson through the opening rhythm, it was officially on between the top three. The track was fast and the trio settled into a swift pace through the first half of the race. Still in 3rd, as the race crossed the halfway point, a mistake by Millsaps out front allowed the battle between Wilson and Blake to heat up. Slicing and dicing, Blake grabbed the upper hand with just over a minute to go and rode the rest of the race in the lead. Sipping on the same juice he did before the heat race, the main started abruptly for the #4 as the orange bike, again, jumped to the front quickly. Crossing the line first, Baggett’s holeshot quickly turned into 2nd place with the defending champ, Ryan Dungey, getting around him in the first rhythm section. Holding second behind Dungey, Baggett was riding strong until Eli Tomac took him high and pushed him to 4th behind Jason Anderson. Now sub- merged in the fire of the lead group, Blake was searching for water, struggling to keep the pace. Shortly into the next lap, a move by Josh Grant pushed Baggett back another position to 5th. A mistake by Grant would then hand the position back to Blake but the always dependable #22 of Chad Reed came ripping by at the same exact same time to keep Blake in 6th. Now in the home stretch, Blake lost his grasp on the top five and slid out while the train of riders rolled around the speedy Vegas Circuit, dropping him to 7th. With a bit of a gap on 8th, Blake took his bumps and bruises to the checkers and held onto 7th. The finish gained him a spot in the final point standings and with a 6th place overall, Baggett has returned to everyone’s radar and looks extremely strong heading into the out- doors; a place where Blake excels. Keep your eyes peeled for the #4 throughout the summer.
26 GRITMOTO • MAY 7, 2017