race recap
JEREMY MARTIN | GRIT-218 | 250SX
May 2, 2023 · Jeremy Martin
JEREMY MARTIN | GRIT-218 | SX 250
As engines revved throughout the perimeter(s) of NIssan Stadium, the fans of Nashville would flock to the racing venue early in the morning hours of the late April weekend. Many in attendance were eager to see riders like Jeremy Martin compete, as the ClubMX Yamaha rider had been advancing at a phenomenal rate in recent memory and looked to bring the same intensity to this race in the Southeastern United States. For practice, he would sprint through practice and comprise a multitude of laps together; mimicking a racing format that was to be unveiled later in the afternoon. His expertise over the dragon's back would be categorized as "poetry in motion," with his Yamaha 250F skipping atop the middle of the obstacle with the throttle revved to the highest degree. Only to leap down the backside while simultaneously upshifting before entering into the moguls…time and time again until heat racing action began. He was vigilant when speeding through lap number one of this qualification round, where he competed against the likes of Max Anstie and Jo Shimoda, with the Kawasaki rider charging from behind his rear wheel. A number of bikes would exit the sand section on the first lap, while spraying the specific grain(s) from the rear wheel; fighting for the inside line in the gradual right-hander that followed before soaking up speed on the "step-on" plateau, immediately thereafter. His mindset was envisioning a top-tier finish, but he couldn't help but acknowledge that of Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Shimoda who was constantly on the throttle in the background. This would be maintained for roughly two to three laps, until a definitive move on behalf of Martin was made in the elevated corner that preceded the sand section. His timing for the combination that followed would be imminent and nearly flawless, seeming to possess two to three miles per hour more of velocity when heading into the outside of the aforementioned right-hander. Hitting the last obstacle before bursting onto the straightaway, he would ultimately do enough to possess third prior to passing the checkered flag. His intensity (again) rose to the highest level as the field dashed into the opening corner, his rear wheel wedged into the soil at a slight angle while he weighed the outside foot-peg. The battle to reside within the top four was fierce, and with the track steadily beginning to deteriorate over the course of the first six laps, it would be imminent that he stayed focused on the task at hand. Jo Shimoda had passed him in the initial stages, with Haiden Deegan looking to do the same around the halfway point. Though the outdoor prowess of Martin was next level, the technicality of this Nashville SX circuit would provide a riddle of sorts, that was difficult for Jeremy to master. Regardless, Martin continued to accelerate; never giving up as he'd cemented his ClubMX Yamaha into sixth in the final stages, proving once again that his machine was more than capable at running atop the 250cc standings.