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THE FARM MAN...
Austin Forkner Sweeps
AMSOIL Arenacross Main
Events in Greensboro for
First Career Professional
Victory...
theGRIT
In the first 15-lap Arenacross Class Main Event, Team Babbitt’s/Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawa- saki’s Gavin Faith raced to the holeshot with Forkner and Rockstar Energy Drink Husqvarna Factory Racing presented by FMC and OTSFF
rider Kyle Regal in tow. Entering points leader Chris Blose put his Team Babbitt’s/Monster Energy/AMSOIL Kawasaki in fourth, just ahead of his Team Babbitt’s teammate Hayes. Faith and Forkner cemented themselves in the top two, but Regal and Blose battled for third, with Blose getting the upper hand on Lap 2.
Things appeared to be settling in until Faith crashed out of the lead on Lap 5, eventually remounting in sixth. That handed the lead to Forkner, ahead of Blose and Regal. On the ensuing lap the standings got shuffled again when Blose went down while running second. The points leader’s misfortune created an opportunity
for Hayes to pass Regal and jump from fourth to second. Blose reentered the race in 14th. Out front, Forkner was keeping a hard-charging Hayes at bay. Hayes kept the rookie within strik- ing distance but was unable to mount a serious charge. Forkner took the checkered flag just over a second ahead of Hayes, with TiLUBE/Tuf Racing Honda’s Jace Owen third, Regal fourth and Faith rebounding to finish fifth. Blose battled his way back to 11th.
Thanks to his first ever Main Event win, Forkner was tasked with selecting one of three cases to determine the inversion for the second Main Event. He chose the case with the number eight, meaning half of the 16-rider field would be inverted.
Photo: ShiftOne Photography
148 GRITMOTO • FEBRUARY.1.16
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