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Derek Drake
250 B
IMAGE / TENHAGEN WORDS / KILPATRICK DESIGN / WILSON
>> Derek Drake has made some serious waves throughout the early months of the 2017 racing season by putting in some stellar results in the spring nationals. He grabbed four titles at the GNC International Motocross Final at Oak Hill and accumulated bundles of momentum heading into the 2017 JS7 Freestone Spring Championship. The TLD Red
Bull KTM rider contested both 450 B and 250 B classes throughout the week of racing, and he came away with two titles as he swept both 250 classes with impressive results. The California native’s smooth, effortless style led him to a pair of victories in the opening 250 class motos. He got out to a holeshot in the 250 B Limited class and immediately laid down the law by setting the fastest lap time of the race, building a gap of almost fifteen seconds in the process. From that point forward, Drake continued to expand his lead over his competitors as he cruised through the rough, rutted track with ultimate precision. The #33 KTM rider eventually crested the finish line jump on the final lap with a humongous advantage of approximately twenty seconds ahead of second place, stamping his authority on the 250 B Limited class in the process. In the second moto, Drake found himself in a heated battle with his teammate and close rival, Pierce Brown. The TLD Red Bull KTM duo set sail from the early stages of the race as they disappeared into the distance, leaving a trail of dust for the rest of the field to follow. Drake rode with a balanced approach to the race as he let Brown push the pace at the front of the field, holding onto second position with one hand already fastened around the number one plate. He eventually crossed the finish line in second position and did enough with the pair of consistent finishes to snag the overall victory ahead of his teammate. In the 250 B Mod class, Drake kept it relatively flaw- less with a pair of moto victories. The gate dropped on the second heat race and the Cali- fornia native speared into the opening corner in a league of his own, claiming first place
in an instant. He took advantage of the clear track ahead of him and relied on his buttery smooth style to overcome the rough, choppy track. The conditions resembled that of his home state and the Californian mastered them with technical prowess as he stormed to a dominant victory of almost ten seconds. In the second moto, Drake was able to replicate his performance from the first race and best his teammate in a battle to the finish, leading the race from the gate drop to the checkered flag. It was another dominant performance for the young rider out of California in which he was able to wrap up his second overall victory of the week.
90 MPG • APRIL 2017