GRIT 301 — 250SX 2nd — Levi Kitchen

Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen was one of the most talented athletes on the roster. That notion couldn't be disregarded, and he was hoping to remain at the front of the field as the round of racing in Glendale, Arizona took place on Saturday. He knew that mistake-free riding would have to be established if he wanted to contend with top-tier adversaries — and his demeanor in practice was business-like, with little caution being shown as he swept through the Arizona course. The sand was a minimal means of deceleration, as he carved through the loamy terrain, nearly dragging the handlebar across the ground! By all means, was he on-point in every area, and he looked forward to the upcoming heat race. He was willing to push the envelope, and as the opening lap unraveled, he stormed through the circuit to collect a standing of fourth. He moved into third by lap three — where he leapt past Avery Long in the rhythm section after the finish line. Once into the bronze medal slot, he continued to pursue Maximus Vohland but was unable to overtake the Yamaha rider, ultimately claiming the runner-up accolade. After initially being located outside of the top-ten due to a bad start in the main event, Levi Kitchen put as much power into the ground as possible and immediately began to amass positions within single digit territory. Lap by lap, the talent of the Northwest native was being displayed. He tracked down opponents including Maximus Vohland, Ryder DiFrancesco, and his teammate Cameron McAdoo as the race neared its conclusion. His series of block-passes translated to a capturing of second-place — where he leapt into the sand via the inside pathway in the corner before the finish line, with just over a minute and a-half remaining on the clock! With the runner-up accolade now occupied, he would do his best to make a surge of sorts toward the rear wheel of Haiden Deegan. The run in totality by Kitchen was admirable — and translated to a well-respected second-place achievement being clinched at the checkered flag!