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MITCHELL HARRISON
250 SX / 9TH
IMAGE / MPG WORDS / HARNISFEGER DESIGN / WILSON
>> Mitchell Harrison entered Las Vegas with the hopes of finishing out his season strong. The Star Racing Yamaha rider in the 250 East Coast division had a slow start to the year failing to finish in the top ten at the first four rounds. However, after his DNF in Day-
tona, he reeled of three straight top tens in a row with a eighth, sixth, and a seventh. He seemed to have finally found his groove and began to look more comfortable and aggres- sive. He started to put up some fights with the lead riders instead of instantly succumb- ing to their pass attempts. Harrison struggled a bit last week in East Rutherford with a thirteenth, ending his streak of top tens so he was hoping to bounce back in the Sin City. Harrison had the sixteenth fastest lap time between both the East and West Coasts. The west coast style track took some adjusting to but he geared up and was ready to compete in the night show. Harrison started fifth in the East Coast heat race. He looked to take advantage of the prime position and transfer straight through to the Shootout. He tried to stay glued to the rear end of Cameron McAdoo but Justin Hill would come through to split them up a few laps in. Harrison stayed determined and kept looking forward and it would pay off when he would finally pass McAdoo on the last lap to finish where he started in fifth place.
Harrison could not repeat his great start from the heat and would start buried in eighteenth in the East/West shootout. He put his head down and started charging his way forward putting it all on the line for the final race of the year. He gained a whopping seven posi- tions in three laps by slicing through the pack with ease. His charge stalled out a bit once he got in eleventh but he stayed with it. He passed Bowers for tenth midway through the race and gave Osborne a rough time near the end. Harrison battled hard with him but would eventually lose the position. He would be handed a spot back on the final by Sa- vatgy’s crash and would finish in ninth place. It was a stellar come from behind ride from the second-year rider moving through the top riders from each coast. He certainly ended the year on a positive note.
72 GRITMOTO • MAY 7, 2017