JUSTIN COOPER GRIT-229 250MX

JUSTIN COOPER | GRIT-229 | 250MX

Knowing that every point in this championship chase was crucial, Yamaha's Justin Cooper would view his home race of Unadilla as a means to close-in on the championship leaders if at all possible. Therefore as he sat aboard the starting grid for moto-one, his business-like demeanor was to be expected - and with an accompanying fourth-place position being presented immediately thereafter, there was little more that the supporting cast of Cooper could ask for as he instantly contended for lead. The battle between he and Haiden Deegan was fierce, initially, until the number thirty-two would place his Yamaha forward once and for all after only a few minutes of racing action had transpired. Levi Kitchen and Seth Hammaker were ahead of him, but Cooper remained stealth-like in the background while waiting for a mistake of sorts to arise. Through every rut on the Unadilla racing surface, Cooper was spectacular - pushing forward with excellent momentum while keeping his Yamaha engine within a prominent realm of power. All seemed to be well, until roughly twenty-one minutes remained on the race clock...when Vohland would fly to the inside of the corner just before the flyaway tabletop, and overtake Cooper once and for all to claim that of third. Now into fourth, Justin would have to acknowledge a hard-charging Australian (i.e. Hunter Lawrence), along with Jo Shimoda and Haiden Deegan...as a mistake on behalf of Cooper would derail his winning aspirations (to a then seventh-place standing) with just under ten minutes remaining on the clock. Cooper was discouraged, but not defeated - with an exceptional sense of speed still being embodied with the checkered flag nearing. Therefore in the closing moments, Cooper would return to as high as fifth, via misfortune on behalf of Haiden Deegan, and a pass on Seth Hammaker - giving him a well-respected final score, (of fifth), prior to heading into the second-moto. But the return of Cooper was spectacular in the second round, with an outstanding starting position being secured, just behind Ryder DiFrancesco. His pass on the Kawasaki rider was then finalized though on the second circuit, with an open raceway now at his disposal. Cooper flourished amid the cheers of his home-state crowd, sweeping from rut to rut, with his only bit of roost coming on behalf of lapped riders whom he'd eventually approach. For the rest of the fiteen-lap moto, Cooper's speed aboard the Yamaha allowed him to amplify his margin of gap to nearly seven-second(s) at one point; providing substantial breathing room over that of Hunter Lawrence and Justin Cooper, as the track became more difficult. And at the conclusion of it all, Cooper would roll across the finish-line with an immense feeling of accomplishment...keeping the gap between he and Hunter Lawrence at twenty-two points, after taking the moto win and securing third overall in the final standings.

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