race recap
JUSTIN COOPER - GRIT 232 250SMX
September 11, 2023
JUSTIN COOPER | GRIT-232 | 250 SMX
Nearly claiming the 250MX outdoor championship just weeks ago, Yamaha's Justin Cooper was certainly considered a favorite for success as the inaugural running of the SMX series came to fruition. Justin had been a standout competitor in the 250cc class for years now, and wanted to conclude his tenure within the division on a high note with the 450cc series looming in the distance...therefore his means of diving into the swarm of riders that awaited him in the first corner was warranted, where he eventually corralled a position of fourth to begin the festivities. Holding strong before making a substantial mistake on the third lap (where he had descended to tenth) the amount of speed in which Cooper would showcase was evident and applaud worthy as he attempted to corral the standing he once had. By lap ten, he and Hunter Lawrence would find one another while battling for the eleventh-place standing; but eventually, the Australian was able to work his way around (definitively) with around three laps to go. Though the vision was hampered and the tires lacked traction amongst the slick raceway, Cooper remained steadfast in his pursuit of the checkered flag; where he crossed the line in twelfth before planning to rebound in the second moto. His starting placement of eleventh was amongst the chaos of the 250cc field in round-two, but Cooper managed to stay composed and fight into the top ten while nearing the halfway point. Leaping into the sand rollers and over the forthcoming single thereafter with the engine revved to its highest extent, he would explode into the finish line time and time again while tracking-down Pierce Brown and Seth Hammaker. The willingness to push amongst this extensive forty (plus) minutes of action (in total) would be well-respected as Cooper attempted to reel-in Haiden Deegan. But the rookie was riding spectacularly and managed to keep both he (Cooper) and Hunter Lawrence at bay as the final moments came to fruition. Cooper's fight for sixth would ultimately be won, keeping his biggest rival (Lawrence) behind him when flying amongst the final straightaway...and upon exiting the raceway with a sixth-place score, ninth overall was his in the record book. Justin's motivation to succeed in his final tenure of 250cc competition was obvious, and with the final two rounds of racing in 2023 on the horizon, there's no question that the New York native will come out swinging in the weeks ahead.