race recap
MALCOLM STEWART - GRIT 251 450SX
June 4, 2024
GRIT-251 | 450 SX
June 4th, 2024 11:00 am
The Floridian had displayed incredible talent on a number of occasions throughout the 2024 SX series, proving that the veteran of the division still possessed an elite prowess on the motorcycle. And Malcolm Stewart (again) displayed world-renowned momentum in the various practicing stages of Saturday afternoon...combatting the slick terrain with incredible throttle control, and excelling through rhythm lanes without hesitation before entering into heat one of the 450cc classification. Once there, Malcolm's initial standing (of sixth) would quickly be improved upon while he overtook the fifth-place residency not long thereafter. He appeared to be on the right track, before the third lap was completed...but there, despite Stewart demonstrating a spectacular pace, he crashed and subsequently flew into a berm, at the end of the whoop section. He rebounded as quickly as possible, and strove for a qualifying position despite immense opponents all around him. There were only a few laps remaining, but he continued to claw his way forward despite Jett Lawrence and Justin Barcia running a phenomenal pace at the height of the field. Flowing through the last lap with confidence, Stewart's ambition eventually equated to a standing of ninth before exiting the raceway. Into the main event he soared, battling just inside the top-ten before passing both, Dylan Ferrandis and Dean Wilson in the opening segments of the moto. He was on a trajectory that couldn't be denied, racing from turn to turn at the height of his 450cc engine. His entrance speed into the whoops was incredible, and was unquestionably a standout tool in his arsenal as he began to diminish the gap between he and Jett Lawrence. The battle for sixth-place was on among the two opponents, with Stewart continuously rivaling the red-plate holder before embarking on the tenth lap. Once there, Lawrence appeared to relinquish the position which gave Stewart the opportunity to move forward...though Malcolm's speed had to be acknowledged, and certainly wasn't making it easy on the Australian athlete. From that point onward, Malcolm would do his best to catch the rear wheel of Justin Barcia who was a good bit ahead...but the number twenty-seven wanted to end the series on a high note. His talent level was evident, and couldn't be questioned - which was portrayed once more through the final lap of competition, and eventually led the number twenty-seven to sixth overall in the final standing.