CHASE SEXTON - GRIT 251 450SX

GRIT-251 | 450 SX

June 4th, 2024 11:00 am

Upon transitioning to the KTM brand, Illinois' Chase Sexton had experience various high's and low's throughout the 2024 season thus far. The adaptation to a new chassis, and overall program was difficult for anyone to undergo...but for a rider of Chase's caliber, the switch could be quite daunting. The process of trying to replicate his success of 2023 was difficult for any fan to imagine, but the true talent of Sexton managed to shine as practice in Salt Lake City, Utah came to fruition on Saturday. Navigating his way to the top of the leaderboard, he appeared to be flourishing in front of a packed crowed at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Sexton's runner-up position off of the start (to Justin Cooper) in the second heat race, was notable and a great place to work from. The Illinois rider was proficient and waited for an opportunity to make the move on the Yamaha rider...which would come with just under five minutes remaining on the clock, in the first turn of the racecourse. A brilliant cut underneath, and accompanying inside pathway thereafter was enough for Sexton to claim the first place position definitively - as he then planned to accelerate away from Honda's Hunter Lawrence, who had once battled him in the earliest stages of the moto. Though once into the front-running position, Sexton took advantage and flourished with an open raceway. Landing from the tunnel-tabletop jump with authority, he flew into the corners thereafter with technique that was hard to replicate. As the race progressed, so too would his lead...which eventually equated to a notable heat race victory prior to departing to the main event. The challenge of combatting the top in the division was undeniable, but Sexton soared forward with confidence as the green flag waved. His second-gear start would equate to a tremendous standing, where he quickly moved ahead of Justin Cooper and asserted his machine at the front of the field. He appeared effortless when down-siding the landings of obstacles, flowing with textbook-technique and appearing as if were in total control of where the chassis moved. Through the first quarter, his gap over Justin Cooper and Cooper Webb seemed established...though both Yamaha riders were riding superb when trying to chase him down. He monitored the margin of both combatants, and would "up" the pace as needed if either were to ever come close. However, neither of the tandem were able to infiltrate his immediate radius...leaving the athlete aboard the number one machine eventually victorious as he passed by the checkered flag!

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