race recap
DYLAN FERRANDIS - 224 450MX
June 19, 2023
DYLAN FERRANDIS | GRIT-224 | 450MX
Yamaha's Dylan Ferrandis was seeking to close the gap between he and Jett Lawrence, as the first three rounds of racing came to a conclusion. Ferrandis' resume would speak for itself in recent years, collecting a number of championships prior to returning to action for the 2023 AMA Pro Motocross Championship. The Frenchman was as versatile as ever and knew that he could contend for a prominent overall position after gathering a fourth-place final result for qualifying. This would lead to the gate drop for moto number one, where a disastrous first lap sequence would leave Ferrandis outside of the top-thirty at one point...prior to being acknowledged in twenty-first after the first full lap of action. He was relentless while trying to obtain clear vision and dry conditions on this muddy raceway; using the outer boundaries of the racetrack when necessary, to keep as much momentum as possible while seeking to climb into the top-ten. He would pass Aaron Plessinger before the tenth lap was over, spiking his confidence while looking to track-down that of Ty Masterpool; but the Kawasaki rider was riding extremely well. As the checkered flag waved in the distance, it would be Ferrandis who was just short of overtaking the number 81 rider...but he would inherit a position on behalf of Ken Roczen's fall in the final moments, where he climbed to sixth before exiting the raceway! His speed amongst drier conditions in the following moto was paramount, and would radiate from a starting position inside the top five where he immediately surged forward. He was crafty with his line selection, weaving across the track in an efficient, horizontal trajectory that had him avoiding the largest bumps on the racing surface while many others would pummel them. He would quickly pass both Jett Lawrence and Aaron Plessinger as the two riders would be tangled amongst one another's machines in the wooded area of the racetrack. And despite the red-plate holder making his way back around before the twenty-minute mark, Ferrandis would attempt to replicate the pace that was being displayed by the Australian rider. That would lead to him defending fourth place from Webb and Plessinger, while also reeling in Adam Cianciarulo with around three minutes left on the clock! The Yamaha of Ferrandis would be powerful enough to launch past "AC" in the final step-up before the wooded area of corners, generating third as they stormed to the latter moments of action. And when the checkered flag finally waved, it would be Ferrandis who'd done enough to be finalized in third for the second moto, and fourth overall on the day.