JASON ANDERSON | GRIT-214 | 450SX

JASON ANDERSON | GRIT-214 | SX 450

Hoping to rebound after last week's final result in Detroit, Jason Anderson would bring a no-nonsense approach to the line for qualification in Seattle. He knew that he could rekindle the success of 2022 with immense focus and determination of generating the strongest laps, and immediately began to synchronize the raceway of Seattle together with superb maneuvering of his Kawasaki 450. Floating over the finish-line double while the attacking the right-handed corner(s) that followed, his ability to stay in the optimal output of power seemed to translate into all areas; including the multiple triples that were to follow in the brief sector of forthcoming jumps. This led to a standing of third being his final result prior to moving into division two of heat racing, where he combatted Cooper Webb in the early going while hoping to enact as many stellar laps as possible before the halfway point. He would find an accelerated pathway just off the mid-line of the whoop section, which were beginning to deteriorate even at this point in the night show. Landing with power while descending from the "SX" triple, his four laps in second would be quickly ruffled by Honda's Chase Sexton who refused to settle into a "comfortable" pace of sorts. The back to back ninety degree corners were an opportunity for Sexton to bombard his way forward with a barrage of tactics, leading to Anderson hoping to nullify the advancement of the Honda competitor by tucking to the inside...but a near collision in the initial right-hander, would be amplified with an actual clashing of elbows in the corner that followed! Anderson appeared to briefly stall his momentum, losing a number of positions while falling to fifth on the leaderboard. Luckily the damage was nullified and Jason's ability to obtain the aforementioned position (of fifth) would be strong enough to transfer him directly to the finalé. He was then on the gate for the main event, where engines roared as he clicked into second gear. And from that point forward, there wasn't anything that could stand in his way from attacking the track as aggressively as possible. The field would funnel into a straight line of sorts, for the green flag, where Anderson resided around the top-six with a plethora of championship contenders just ahead. He was methodical throughout the moto, focusing on working his way through rhythm lanes (time and time again) with mistake free jumping, which was paramount on a track that was this deteriorated. He would battle with Justin Barcia and as the battle progressed he eventually descended to seventh, but knew that following the GasGas rider would be key in gaining more positions on the leaderboard. Nevertheless, this pace would have him excelling around his teammate (Adam Cianciarulo) which led to the halfway mark getting rather close in the main event narrative. However just around that time, it was Chase Sexton who'd crashed and gotten up just ahead of Barcia and the number twenty-one machine; where both sought to move around the hampered Honda rider. Though unable to make a pass on the Illinois native, Anderson's pace would promote him to a position where Ken Roczen could be overtaken (if a quick-witted pass) was open to be made. This led to the sixteenth circuit, where Jason's flow couldn't be denied by the German rider and Anderson would secure fourth with roughly seven laps remaining. Now established inside the top-five, Jason would hold strong just off of the podium, finishing behind Barcia and gaining a significant some of points prior to heading to his native Southwest United States in the coming weeks.

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