MAX ANSTIE | GRIT-212 | 250SX

MAX ANSTIE | GRIT-212 | SX 250

The astounding platform of Lucas Oil Stadium would play host to racing on Saturday evening, where Max Anstie was on pace for a sensational top-five overall from the moment free practice began. Knowing what the track would turn into (i.e. from Press Day festivities), there was a slight sense of urgency on behalf of many riders to gain knowledge of the surface as quickly as possible. And with the sprint speed that was displayed on Anstie's behalf, there seemed to be an outright guarantee that he was well-equipped for the main event that followed. His Honda would thrive as he triple-tripled before the finish-line, hitting the exact combinations that red-plate holder Hunter Lawrence was conducting as practice neared conclusion. A feeling of being able-bodied and prepared would overtake him, and as he then clicked into second (gear) for his heat race exhibition, there was little that could divert him from obtaining first in the earliest of stages. Seat-hopping his way around the circuit on lap number one, he would then focus on soaking-up the suspension, rather than scrubbing, as ruts would force the motorcycle to stay on a straightened path. Up and over the far side (from the starting gate) step-on/step-off, he would land on the downside of the middle platform before rolling on the throttle and exiting into the forthcoming double. At that point (around lap three) there was little to cloud his confidence when soaring over the "SX" triple, seeing Hunter Lawrence just bike lengths behind him while trying to navigate his way through the myriad of balance beams (i.e. ruts) that were cast across the course. But Lawrence couldn't be denied, and would push past him in the aforementioned section as they neared a point with only three minutes remaining on the clock. Anstie was now second, until a red-flag was thrown; which ceased his momentum and allowed Nate Thrasher to now funnel in behind him as the race returned to action. The now, shortened sequence would cause the race to go by rather quickly, but all the while he remained in complete control of the motorcycle beneath him. Rounding the final lap in third (after being passed by Thrasher), he would be cemented here before taking on the finalé. Riders were rampant throughout the first thirty-seconds of action, with a few clipping the outer most tuff-blocks of turn number one before being forced to the outer concrete. His mantra of staying clean and consistent would have him prevailing over Cullin Park and Marshal Weltin who trailed, pushing him inside the top six in the opening stages of the moto. Landing from jumps with an intent of bursting forward, his motor would be red-lining as he descended from mid-air; using every bit of RPM possible while passing Chris Blose and hoping to surge even further forward. But Jeremy Martin would have other things to say, making a move on the Honda rider while Anstie lingered around the top-five. He would then follow both Martin and Haiden Deegan for quite sometime, until a mistake by the rookie had the Californinan into the tuff-blocks of the whoop section which granted Max fifth, just moments before the checkered flag.

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