LEVI KITCHEN - GRIT 240 250SX

GRIT-240 | 250 SX

The Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider had been surging atop the leaderboard over the past few weeks, and strove to ascend to the top of the leaderboard once more while residing in Glendale, Arizona. With the layout being one of, if not "the" fastest track on the circuit, Kitchen would have to tap into his outdoor prowess as he launched across the stadium floor for practice. Undoubtedly a standout performer as times were eventually etched in the record book, Levi would shift into a superior mode of determination as the thirty-second board went sideways for his heat race. Upon drifting through the first corner and into the opening rhythm lane, he launched amongst the slightly diagonal jumping section with an urgency to break away from the field. But Carson Mumford had other plans, attempting to infiltrate the first place position on multiple occasions in the early going...though the prowess of Kitchen stayed calm under pressure. He would nail the combinations of the longest rhythm lanes, staying square and planted amongst the ruts as laps continually added-up in his favor. Though Mumford was still within (relative) sight, Kitchen had no problems while keeping reign of the field...leading every lap of the seven-circuit process, for an admirable heat race victory! For the finalé, the Washington native's ability to track through the first turn would equate to the first-place position...while yearning to out-pace that of his toughest competitors, including RJ Hampshire, and Jordon Smith. But the road to the podium wasn't easy, as Kitchen blitzed through both whoop sections amongst the first few minutes of action - only for Smith to infiltrate the lead position, after just a few laps had transpired, in the corner after the finish line! The counter maneuvers of Kitchen (shortly thereafter) were enough for him to temporarily regain the lead, only to lose it (again) in the same corner just one lap later! Though RJ Hampshire was the next to work his way by, with the Husqvarna rider moving ahead in the corner before the opening rhythm lane, which caused Kitchen to descend to third in the running order. Returning to second after Jordon Smith's crash (with just under ten minutes to go), Kitchen would then do everything possible to try and combat the speeds of Hampshire (who led). Though a close encounter (with Smith) would nearly take them both out, as the Yamaha rider leapt onto a plateau amongst a yellow flag situation...sending Jordon flying off track, while Levi remained upright. Yet even with the laps that were ahead, there was little that Kitchen could compose, that the native Floridian couldn't rival...leading to an eventual second-place finish being generated by the Kawasaki rider, all the while securing a solid sum of points.

More from GRIT