COLE THOMPSON | GRIT-219 | 250SX

COLE THOMPSON | GRIT-219 | SX 250

Idling along the start straightaway for practice, Canada's Cole Thompson would look at the raceway ahead of him from behind his goggle lens; scanning the surfaces for lines and envisioning he and his pristine Yamaha 250F acquiring a top-ten finish by the time all was said and done in Colorado. His path to the front would begin in practice, where his corner speed was next-level and would generate attention from even those who rivaled him. He would possess the entirety of his bike's RPM within the clutch lever of his left hand, feathering the machine when necessary in order to leap onto certain plateau's and over the largest double on the track (which was in place of the typical "SX" triple). This would lead to a notable qualification time being gathered, before entering into heat one where the action was fierce. Doing his best to skate around the first corner, the log-jam of riders that were amid the next two straightaways would allow Washington's Levi Kitchen to get away out front; but he wasn't one to become discouraged. With precision and a swift ability to weave through the pack, he would emerge near the top-ten in the earliest of moments; blasting atop the whoops and clipping each mogul with both tires before bombarding the next right-handed corner with unwavering momentum. The wall jump that followed was relatively fresh, but you could see substantial divots being etched into the takeoff as the race would progress. This would lead to roughly two and a half laps remaining, where numerous riders were aiming for his rear wheel; but the fortitude of the former Loretta Lynn's champion was an attribute that prevailed over the countering acts of the opposition. Eventually residing sixth, he would then look forward to the finalé, where the two divisions would merge together. The first lap of the main event would be rather chaotic, and full of riders deviating every which way. But he would stay on a straightened path, and avoiding making series mistakes (or taking unnecessary risks). Choosing to ride the mid-line throughout both ninety and one-eighty degree corners on the track, he was sound while not fading too far wide where Robbie Wageman could advance forward and push him into the outlying tuff-blocks. Though the attempts from the Suzuki rider were persistent and required his attention as they sped to the halfway point. But it was around the ninth minute of action where he seemed to "click into another gear" where his gigantic combinations of rhythm were kept intact, despite ruts marring the transitions and faces of takeoff's and landing(s). He could hear the crowd heighten with anticipation as the race grew closer to an end, and as flames went up for the eventual race winner (i.e. Florida's RJ Hampshire) he would follow shortly thereafter while accruing ninth in the overall record book, respectively.

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