race recap
LEVI KITCHEN - GRIT 233 250SMX
September 19, 2023 · Levi Kitchen

LEVI KITCHEN | GRIT-233 | 250 SMX
Proving yet again, that his talent was elite while competing in Charlotte last weekend, Yamaha's Levi Kitchen emphasized a game-plan of consistency while stationed in Illinois on Saturday. The speed and skillset of the Washington native was in a realm that many others couldn't fathom, and as the number forty-three proceeded to demolish the plethora of braking bumps and rollers that were cast onto the surface in practice, few could deny his bid for a top-ten overall as the green flag waved for the first moto. Racing with a means to gain as many points as possible, Kitchen would push his bodyweight to the rear of the machine when flying across the largest straight stretches of the Joliet facility. This would lead to a standing of ninth in the earliest moments while seeking to attack the rear wheel(s) of both Seth Hammaker and Jalek Swoll. Though the trek into the top-five (at that point) would be extremely difficult, there was little that could deter the Washington resident from claiming what he truly desired. He had scrubbed his way over the newfound wall jump (on the longest straightaway of the circuit) with a means of intensity and aggression, landing with authority time and time again before scrubbing his way over the double thereafter as well. This was a catalyst for gaining time on Jordon Smith and Kawasaki's Seth Hammaker as the clock continuously neared expiration...and as the final bell would ring for the moto-one sequence, it was Kitchen who garnered sixth overall prior to exiting the raceway. Everyone in the field seemed to be extremely competitive to begin the second moto of the evening, with countless block passes being executed in the (few) portions of tight-knit racetrack that were trenched throughout the infield. Yet Kitchen was cognizant enough to safeguard numerous insides, while always maintaining an offensive outlook...which led to a position of eleventh being sustained on lap two after beginning the trek in thirteenth. Though a costly mistake would leave him in twenty-first by the time lap three arose, and Kitchen was forced to rebound amongst the brightest lights in the Midwest...where he remained steadfast in garnering as much time on the competition as possible in what was left of the competitive window. Leaping over the finish-line double time and time again, Kitchen's ability to land on the throttle and power into the bend that followed would omit the charge(s) of adversaries who eventually trailed...and after returning to twelfth in the final standing(s), Levi's ultimate accumulation of points led him to eighth overall on the day, respectively.