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250 B
THE MOTOPLAYGROUND RACE
at Ponca City
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BRANDEN WALTHER >>
With social media nowadays making the world clos- er than ever before, it’s hard for anyone to truly slip through the cracks and be considered a “sleeper.” However, coming into Ponca City, Branden Walther may not have been the most highly touted name on the roster (not to discredit him in the slightest.) But after his absolutely spectacular showing in the 250 B class, everyone in attendance left the premises knowing exactly who he was, and just how much talent the young man from Denton, Texas possess- es. Walther wanted to come out once the bell rang with his hands swinging, ready to take the counter punches on the chin, and outlast his opponents for the longevity of the moto. He took off the line with
a full head of steam, ripping a holeshot and into
the lead. Throwing down a one minute, fifty-seven second laptime to begin, he was truly thriving in this brownie like batter of soil composition. He would feel a bit of pressure early from well-known pilot, Dilan Schwartz. Schwartz would then edge him
out on lap three after a slight hiccup mid-circuit. He would remount, only to have another bobble on lap five. Remaining composed, regardless of the cir- cumstances, the number sixty-eight Yamaha would hang-on for fifth place; he’d been down before, but knew on this track, that he could claim a champion- ship run with a tad bit of luck on his side. Coming
to the line prepared, he gave a final fist bump to his mechanic and locked in. Envisioning himself ripping the start, his forecast came to fruition, where he burst out of the hole and out to a starching laptime. Never deviating from his original sprint-like pace, the faint sound of Kaed Kniffing behind him began to fade. Scrubbing everything in sight, his style was pristine, truly remaining sound with his technique through the breaking bumps that were beginning
to appear. Stretching out to an almost five second lead at one point, his crew began to clap and cheer from behind the fences. The white flag would come around, and the final lap would be one of anxious- ness and excitement. Yet he stayed in control, knowing that the win would be sewed up and in the bag. Crossing the line, he was ecstatic, once he’d found out his moto scores took the title. Walther
put a stamp on the division, and left the Ponca City National wanting more.
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