HAIDEN DEEGAN GRIT-224 250MX

HAIDEN DEEGAN | GRIT-224 | 250MX

Though entering into his first professional race at the High Point circuit, Yamaha's Haiden Deegan instantly attacked the muddy racing surface in Pennsylvania in qualification; with numerous laps that had the fans applauding and cheering, en route to claiming the pole position! Deegan's momentum then translated into the first moto of the afternoon, where he was just behind RJ Hampshire and Jalek Swoll as the pair of Husqvarna teammates led the field around. His assembly of laps at the front of the field once again proved that he was of elite caliber, and as he passed Swoll (prior to completing the first full lap of competition), it was then a two-rider race at the front of the field between he and Hampshire. At first, it did seem as though Hampshire was going to pull away rather handily - until a series of mistakes would allow Deegan to close the gap significantly. It was then, on the eighth lap of competition when RJ had crashed slightly before the largest flyaway jump on the track; washing out in the middle of a valley, where Deegan would crest the roller beforehand and see the Husqvarna athlete on the ground just ahead. This ignited a sense of momentum in Deegan that couldn't be thwarted, and the Yamaha rider then took the lead without question...and would hold that honor until the last lap of competition! It seemed as though Haiden was able to withstand the pressure (from Hampshire) amid both lap traffic and a deteriorating course...until the veteran would storm to the inside (in the furthest left rut) when heading into the wooded area near the finish line. The two would nearly collide as they entered into the forthcoming uphill, but it was Hampshire who would do enough to edge the number 238 by the smallest of margins as the checkered flag waved! Finishing second, Deegan would have an accolade to be proud of when heading into the final moto of the afternoon. But Haiden's aspirations for an overall victory were thwarted rather quickly to begin the next outing, when he was stuck in the mud of corner number one and would be thrown off the bike! He would somehow manage to arrive at the conclusion of lap number one in eighteenth place, and was then able to reside in the top-ten by lap number five! Deegan was sensational when navigating through traffic, even pulling away from RJ Hampshire who attempted to pass him in the early going. He was relentless and the furthest from complacent as minutes passed, always continuing to move forward in the running order until the final flag was thrown. Eventually completing the second challenge of the day in sixth, his refusal to quit would lead to a well-deserved podium overall.

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