ADAM CIANCIARULO GRIT-222 450MX

ADAM CIANCIARULO | GRIT-222 | 450MX

Cruising through the first few laps of untimed practice on Saturday, Kawasaki's Adam Cianciarulo seemed to possess a sense of self belief that was certain to translate to the moto's that followed. With the opening round of Fox Raceway now an afterthought, he seemed ready to focus on what was next while embarking on the hills of Northern California; where years of established professionals had excelled on the ground(s) of Hangtown before him. The history of the track was undeniable, and so too was the speed of the Floridanative as he launched down the largest hillsides on the course. Landing upon the rear wheel before compressing every spring on his Kawasaki450, there was a certain sense of aggression that he embodied that couldn't be denied when he attacked various entry points of corners around the Sacramento circuit. And those patterns carried into the first moto of action as well, where he unleashed the clutch as fast as possible when propelling from the newfound starting grate(s). The battle between he and former amateur rival Cooper Webbwas on, and there was little room for either opponent to sway as they bombard their way from atop the largest step-down on the layout. This would lead through the eight-minute mark (or so), when Adam seemed to engage into another realm of speed while attempting to track-down Honda's Jett Lawrencewho led. The formula for going fast on this Hangtown racecourse was to stay smooth amongst the countless array of braking bumps, particularly in the sections that were around the largest uphill roller section. His Kawasaki would attempt to subtly swap while pulling away from Freddie Noren was fading into the background, but the courageousness that Cianciarulo possessed was second-to-none as minutes continued to amount. Looking to his mechanic for cues on how much longer he had left in the moto, there was an opportunity to make a final charge toward the fourth-place position of Webb before the final bell would ring. Though unable to actualize a pass, his push would be recognized as he ultimately was finalized in fifthbefore embarking on moto two. Intensity would encompass the first few laps of the second moto, where Jett Lawrenceand Cooper Webbwould obtain the top two positions while looking to blitz away from the field. The speed of "AC9" though, was an attribute that couldn't be denied as he roared through the left-handed corner after the finish-line and into the opening turn on the racecourse as well. Styling over the flyaway tabletop time and time again, he would develop a flow that couldn't be toppled by Jose Butron who trailed. Cianciarulo seemed to be solidified in fifth, until the final laps of the moto when Aaron Plessinger's crash in the turn after the finish line would allow him to inherit one position further...pushing him to fourth as the checkered flag was waved, for a solid fifth place overall standing in Sacramento.

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