race recap
CHASE SEXTON | GRIT-221 | 450MX
June 2, 2023 · Chase Sexton
CHASE SEXTON | GRIT-221 | 450MX
The Illinois native would be on an ascending trajectory after his storied 2023 Supercross Championship run, and possessed the utmost confidence as practice began on Saturday at Fox Raceway. He exhibited his usual characteristics of tremendous speed and style, until a devastating washout would send him flying into the face of an obstacle near the infield step-up! He was slow to get up, but was given the all clear immediately thereafter as he returned to the motorcycle and finished the remaining session. But there were no excuses on his behalf as he aligned amongst the rest of the field on the starting gate for moto number one, where he would do his best to nullify the momentum of teammate, Jett Lawrence. Yet Lawrence was able to get out front immediately, while Sexton was around the third place position and behind Dylan Ferrandis (and briefly, Cooper Webb). However he would pass Webb before the second lap was completed, although his stalling of momentum (behind the Yamaha rider) would keep him in the runner-up position until just before the completion of the seventh lap! By that point, Sexton was (roughly) ten-seconds down, and would be forced to gain as much ground as possible on Jett, as time continued to pass. Sexton was torn at this point, although Lawrence was riding phenomenally out front...as he could either attempt to make a charge and overcome his teammate (which could be risky) or, he could preserve his energy and remain at bay in second, for round number two. He chose the latter, and eventually was finalized in second before looking ahead to the following round of action. Once here, his start would be near the third place position again, though he quickly worked his away around the French rider with a pass before the double-triple rhythm lane (on the outside) and would then have his sights set on the Australian rider ahead. His pace was synonymous with the number eighteen, but Lawrence was able to keep the gap sustained (at roughly three-seconds) for the majority of the moto. Sexton could be seen bouncing up the steepest hill with his engine revving, using every ounce of RPM possible in order to cling to the rear wheel of his fellow Honda racer. But even as the fifteen, and twenty minute mark passed, the gap remained relatively the same...while they distanced themselves from everyone else in the field. The narrative was then set for the final laps of action, when Sexton would make a multitude of charges toward the number eighteen, but Jett couldn't seem to make a mistake! And even with the slight lapse of momentum Jett portrayed (on the steepest uphill, with two to go) Sexton would do much the same...leaving him just off the pace of the former 250cc standout, to claim second and a runner-up overall on the day!