Page 22 - Issue-46

BLAKE BAGGETT
450 SX / 5TH
IMAGE / LANG WORDS / MATTINGLY DESIGN / WILSON
>> Metlife Insurance Company is one of the largest, most successful corporations in the entire world, having carriers throughout the United States and around the globe. The idea of insurance seems to comfort many of those so-called “normal “citizens who obtain the highest of policies for your common dental, auto, and home policies, among many others. And that’s the smart thing to do, as an ordinary member of society typically has all of the above, and rightfully so. But the idea of insurance in a not-so tangible sense, the thought of having a back-up plan in case of loss, mistake, or injury, isn’t something that registers well with riders such as Blake Baggett. Yes, to many actual insurance is a necessity, but the idea of having a back-up plan to
a professional Supercross athlete is almost absurd. You have to be all in to suc- ceed in this game, willing to bet on yourself, and be confident enough to get the job done yourself, taking matters into your own hands. He’s willing to do that. He puts the work in week after week with beyond adequate amounts of physical and men-
tal preparation, just so he knows that he’s ready, willing, and able, for any type of liability that presents itself on the racecourse. With no time to second-guess himself, the main event was upon him, after a solid heat race finish, giving him fourth gate pick for the big dance. Hovering just outside the top five in the opening laps, Blake was praying the track would continue to break down. As well all know, the rougher and more brutal the playing surface seems to become, the greater the California native begins to excel. With a forecast of outdoor conditions showing what was to come here in the next few weeks, Blake took advantage of this event in New Jersey, clicking off lap after lap. He sat sixth for quite sometime, fending off the likes of Chad Reed and Cole Seely. He was found riding the bike a gear tall, his foot riding the rear brake pedal as he would come into the bowl turns. Doing so to dampen the blow
of the suspension, and give the chassis a little bit of breathing room before exiting the corner. With Jason Anderson’s momentum pushing his way passed, he found himself in a battle with Iowa’s Justin Brayton, two opposite upbringings doing battle on the world’s biggest stage. The outdoor specialist would come out ahead, and as the laps began to come to an end, he would find a home in fifth place, capping off the east coast run with a solid finish.
22 GRITMOTO • APRIL 30, 2017