race recap
JERRY ROBIN GRIT-222 450MX
June 6, 2023 · Jerry Robin

JERRY ROBIN | GRIT-222 | 450MX
The track had been manicured to perfection as racers made their way onto the start straightaway Saturday morning, with fans gathering in thousands on the fence-line(s) to see some of the top athletes from around the world compete in the pro motocross outdoor championship. And when scanning the starting grid from left to right, it was hard not to notice the aura of Jerry Robinas he boldly engaged his ignition and revved his engine with authority prior to being cued for takeoff. In the laps that followed, he would combine a myriad of astounding lines over hills and valleys alike, to easily transfer into the main event(s) that followed with a strong gate choice. He would flow from corner to corner with ease, prior to embarking on the first moto of the afternoon; where he took the green flag in fourteenthand had his sights set on attacking the racetrack in the same manner as the front-runners of the 450cc division. Scrubbing his chassis to the right over the small tabletop(s) before the mechanic's area, he couldn't help but hear the engine of Ryan Surratt grow increasingly louder as he made his way to the final straightaway on the track. That sound couldn't be diminished, which led to a battle between the eighth and fourteenth minutes that was spectacular. There were numerous opportunities that the number seventy-seven of Surratt(behind him) thought to make a pass, but the resiliency of Robinwas a characteristic which couldn't be toppled as they continued to climb to the height(s) of fourth and fifth gear on this Northern California raceway. He would do his best to limit his mistakes as Kyle Chisholmcontinued to press forward in the latter stages as well, believing that his stamina was an unmistakable attribute that could carry him to the finish...and with his incredible longevity amid the heat, he would charge down the final straightaway of the moto to gather a position of tenth, respectively. Next to come would be the following round of racing, and as he conducted as man shifts as possible in the opening few straightaways, there was little he could to sway through the pack as opponents were bottled-up on the initial off-cambered switchback. But rather than becoming frustrated, he proceeded to engage in a methodical flow of peculiar line selection and thorough processing while within the first six laps of action - before building a significant lead on that of Surratt (again). There was ground to be gained over the infamous step-up/step-down sequence before the mechanic's area, and he would make sure to embody as much momentum as possible when charging into the final moments of the moto. He executed when it mattered most, and refused to give-in to the pressure that France's Romain Papehad amassed (after Robin had passed him earlier)...leading to ninth being obtained when the dust settled, all the while accruing eighth overall in the record book(s).