Page 60 - ISSUE-47

MALCOLM STEWART
450 SX / 12TH
IMAGE / MPG WORDS / MATTINGLY DESIGN / WILSON
>> With the outdoors looming right around the corner, it’s easy for many to disregard the last round(s), in hopes of a new beginning that is awaiting in the middle of May. Many fall victim of not living in the moment, and always saying, “there’s another race tomorrow”, although they aren’t sure what tomorrow’s circumstances may bring. Malcolm Stewart isn’t one of those types of guys. He pushes until the absolute bitter end, and while body, mind, and bike may be broken, he will do everything in his power to get both he and machine across that finish line. Las Vegas was another episode, a platform to display his will power. Although most of the field had been indulging in outdoor efforts for the past few weeks or so, he wanted to get that oh so extra bit of time under these monstrous rhythm sections, grabbing a last bit of airtime before the speeds of summer were upon us. This Las Vegas track provided a bit of both however, and although at times he seemed to struggle in the opened surfaces of Sam Boyd Stadium, he piloted his way through both the practice ses- sions, and qualifying programs with solid finishes, propelling his way for his name to be on the final, 20 man roster as the stadium began to fill. It had all boiled down to this; he and his Suzuki; sure, solid heat race performances, and semi win’s were great, but they didn’t accrue for the final points standing and the hefty bonuses that come along with it. It was time to put up or shut up. Elbow to elbow, he battled through the first turn, down Monster Alley, and into the rhythm sections that followed. Blitzing the outsides of both consecutive whoop sections, the 450 would buck, yet his right hand would remain twisted. Reach-
ing for that oh so coveted top 5 finish that had loomed him for much of the year, it wasn’t seeming to go his way for the majority of the moto, as he found himself a little bit further back than what he’d honestly imagined. Yet he continued to push, battling near the top ten as the moto dwindled on. Tripling, and then on-off and over the table tops prior to the left hander to begin a new lap, his timing was good, but the pace the leaders were setting was just a tad bit better. Team manager’s looking on from the scorers tower, he knew the watchful eye was constantly upon him, so you could guarantee all of his effort was left on the field. And it was rewarded, creeping into the twelfth spot as the laps came to a close, and the final flag would wave, a mere two spots outside the top ten. Living to ride another day, he could hold his head high knowing he gave it all he had.
60 GRITMOTO • MAY 7, 2017