CHASE SEXTON - GRIT 233 450SMX

CHASE SEXTON | GRIT-233 | 450 SMX

Following his win in Charlotte last weekend, Chase Sexton returned to his hometown area to compete in front of thousands of fans at the Chicagoland facility. Though being swept by Jett Lawrence in the outdoor championship, Sexton yearned to prove that he could topple the prowess of the Australian rider on a makeshift motocross course, for this second round of the SMX championship. His focus for qualification was imminent, and once lines had been game-planned for the main event(s) to follow, there was little that could stand in the way of the number twenty-three machine. Amongst the quarrel of turn number-one in the opening platform of competition, would Sexton garner a standing inside the top-three after feuding with Justin Barcia over second. The GasGas rider was rather difficult to get around, though luckily Sexton would evade any "close-calls" with the New York native prior to completing the first full lap and occupying the runner-up residency...behind none other than Jett Lawrence. Lawrence was proficient on this outdoor-style layout, and Sexton was doing all in his power to try and nullify the lead that his fellow Honda teammate was choreographing. However, steadily, the Australian rider would distance himself to a comfortable margin of gap. Sexton would be acknowledged for giving it his all in front of the home-town crowd, where he translated between abundant outputs of power and smooth transitions from corner to corner rather simultaneously...but throughout the entirety of the twenty-minute (plus) contest, it was the number twenty-three who was forced to reside behind his Honda comrade, to gather second-place for the first moto of action. The grassy area which was categorized as the start straightaway would be obliterated by his rear wheel as gate(s) fell for round two of racing, where Chase emerged near the pinnacle of the field with Lawrence, Roczen, and Phil Nicoletti in the cross-hairs. Passing the Yamaha rider while the German opponent was then next to be overtaken, there seemed to be little that Sexton could present while Ken simply put on a brilliant charge to try and nullify his gap, between he and Lawrence. Sexton was crisp with his line selection and throttle control as the track became slick, and seemed to have advantageous lines as the top-three distance themselves from the field. Yet, regardless of what the Illinois native could present on this fast-paced layout, it wasn't enough to match the output of either Suzuki or Honda adversary that was in front of him. Therefore when looking at the bigger picture, Sexton would be aware enough to collect as many points as possible (i.e. third in the standings), prior to crossing the finish-line at the checkered flag...collecting the bronze for the moto, and third overall, too.

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