JASON ANDERSON - GRIT 230 450MX

JASON ANDERSON | GRIT-230 | 450MX

New Mexico's Jason Anderson would transform his style into technical maneuvering on the motorcycle, where he slid from berm to berm in the early morning hours of Saturday's practice sessions. The track had been heavily watered, with a clay-based soil becoming rather sloppy in sections where moisture was applied and settled; creating a muddy scenario, in which Anderson would thrive. His rear wheel would fight for traction while the chassis swapped from side to side when landing from various obstacles, but after retaining the fourth-place standing as all was said and done, he would look toward the moto's ahead with immense anticipation. Clicking into gear, the willingness to push the envelope on behalf of the number twenty-one machine was impressive; where he rode the far edges of the track (including before and after Henry Hill) and almost clipped countless track markers in order to find smooth portion(s) of the raceway! There was no stopping Anderson as he remained inside the top-five...but Jett Lawrence was a rider who couldn't be denied, as around ten minutes had transpired. Anderson's claim for fifth was applaud-worthy, but Lawrence's brilliant line in the rollers ahead of the finish-line was something that couldn't be denied...therefore the Honda rider would overtake fifth, pushing Anderson to sixth. Now with Dylan Ferrandis behind him, the New Mexico native would actually use the pursuit (by the French rider) as a means to accelerate even further forward...where Anderson would go on a tear, throughout the rest of the top-five! He could see that Jett Lawrence was gaining substantial ground on the likes of Justin Barcia and Adam Cianciarulo, and Anderson was strong enough to do much the same. Jason's speed was enough to definitively pass the New York native on the eleventh circuit, with a means of catching Adam Cianciarulo thereafter. And on the twelfth lap, that objective would be completed; along with, overtaking Aaron Plessinger when landing from "Henry Hill," with less than four minutes remaining on the clock, for second! This was unlike anything we had seen from Anderson in quite sometime, but the number twenty-one was proving his talent level(s) amongst elite competition...and as he ultimately resided second in the final standings, all upon the team would be excited to see the overall score in which Anderson could create. As the field assembled and then dispersed for the final afternoon moto, it was Anderson who stood sixth to initiate the contest - yet nearly through the halfway point, he would have to deal with a hard-charging Ty Masterpool who was relentless in his pursuit of a higher position! Jason wasn't going to let the younger rider around though, and proceeded to catch (and pass) Adam Cianciarulo on the ninth-lap with Aaron Plessinger being the next rider to overtake. However, the fight between Barcia and "AP" would be a means of propelling both riders forward, rather than hindering their overall velocities...which left Anderson in a position of fifth, seemingly by himself. And as the checkered flag was eventually thrown, Jason would counter the charge of the rest of the latter top-ten to acquire fifth, which was strong enough for an overall bronze medal!

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