Page 34 - APRIL_ISSUE_2017

Mikah Carpenter
51cc (7-8) Limited
IMAGE / TENHAGEN WORDS / KILPATRICK DESIGN / WILSON
>> Mikah Carpenter had an incredible week in Wortham, Texas for the 2017 JS7 Freestone Spring Championship. The Illinois native contested three separate classes and raced six motos, only finishing off the podium one time in the process. Carpenter grabbed third overall in the 51cc (6-7) Limited class, second overall in the 51cc (4-8) Limited class, and took
the title in the 51cc (7-8) Limited class to cap off an impressive week of results. Carpenter got out to a decent start in the first moto and found him- self in a battle for third position with Nate Hummel. The young rider out
of Illinois held firm in the final podium spot for the remainder of the race, keeping pace with the riders ahead of them but falling just short of an at- tack. Nonetheless, Carpenter put himself in a good position to fight for the overall in the second moto, and he did just that as he established him- self in first place by shooting down the start straight to an early lead. His Cobra machine kept him in a good position at the head of the field with Hummel on his rear fender this time instead of his front. The #710 grew his advantage on the second lap as he immediately turned up the pace, attempting to put a healthy gap between himself and his pursuers. The leading pair played a game of cat and mouse all the way until the final lap, but Carpenter showed the tenacity to maintain the lead with his personal best laptime of the race on the final time around the track. He crossed
the finish line in relative comfort with a lead of approximately two seconds ahead of his rival, earning himself the victory and the subsequent number one plate.
34 MPG • APRIL 2017