ADAM CIANCIARULO | GRIT-215 | 450SX

ADAM CIANCIARULO | GRIT-215 | SX 450

The amateur racing superstar, Kawasaki's Adam Cianciarulo, had steadily returned to form over the course of 2023. He'd accumulated incredible success until this stage in his career, though injuries had plagued the Floridian from what "could've been" in the series' leading up to the current SX tour...however "AC" had appeared hungry and adamant to log as much track-time as possible in the rounds that preceded Glendale, and would do much the same as action came to fruition in Arizona. He was one of the fastest riders throughout qualification, hovering near podium territory and in a competitive realm in comparison to Chase Sexton and Eli Tomac - which translated to the first moto of the main event trilogy as well. He leapt from the gate with a quick release of the clutch lever, doing everything possible to push his front fender into an optimal position to begin the moto. Riders immediately pushed into the split lane(d) section and darted through a multitude of pathways, with Adam's pace equating to a standing of seventh throughout the first few minutes of action. The wheel-spin was evident throughout all members of the field, especially as he seat-hopped the triple after the finish-line while alongside Colt Nichols. Minutes continued to transpire as Cianciarulo accelerated as hard as possible, choosing to dive into the rut that preceded the longest straightaway on the track (via the inside of the right-hander) all the while shifting through second and third gear and glancing over his left shoulder. He realized that the number forty-five (of Nichols) wasn't going to go away without a fight, yet he vowed to exhibit all of his effort in order to clench seventh when passing the checkered flag. And that's exactly what would occur, exiting the raceway with esteem prior to moving into the second endeavor. Honda's Chase Sexton, at that point, exploded out of the gate with a sense of vision and willpower that all in the field had to acknowledge - including Cianciarulo. The number nine remained steadfast in his approach to the gigantic triples on both right and left side(s) of the split lane section, running the wide line as he attempted to further his gap over KTM's Aaron Plessinger by a mere half second or more (after making a pass on the fifth circuit). The continuous process of laying a solid foundation would play into his hand as only four minutes remained on the clock; where Cianciarulo seemed to solidify his stake inside the top-seven. And in a veteran-like manner, the Floridian would adjust and adapt to the circuit en route to a seventh-place finish. The Triple Crown overall standing(s) would be determined by the latter outcome of the three-race ensemble, where Adam maintained an output of speed that would keep him near the proximity of Suzuki's Ken Roczen. He would hound the German rider but was unable to make a pass "stick" as advantageous lines eventually presented more risk than reward. Yet with excellent race-craft, the number-nine would prevail to arrive at the final stripe with seventh place in hand, for even moto scores across the board, to acquire a well deserved sixth overall.

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