race recap
MAXIMUS VOHLAND GRIT-225 250MX
July 3, 2023 · Maximus Vohland
MAXIMUS VOHLAND | GRIT-225 | 250MX
Soaring through the Michigan skyline on press day, KTM's Maximus Vohland would display his fearless mentality time and time again while jumping over LaRocco's Leap; as he was one of the first 250cc riders to do so. But Vohland was far from a free-rider who liked to launch the largest of gaps, as the Californian would couple that particular skill with blistering corner speed that had him sprinting into the first moto of the afternoon. Maximus would manage to contend his way through the first lap with excellent speed, which translated to an eleventh after the first full lap of competition; but the trek to single digits was far from over, as he sped past the mechanic's area with self-belief that was almost tangible! Scrubbing his way down the largest of step-downs, he flew into the pro section on the outside of the initial left-hander, where he left third-gear wide open before barreling into the accompanying downhill(s)...and that was a pattern that was showcased throughout the course of the moto. He was nearly paralleled in speed to Yamaha's Justin Cooper, and despite the New York native working his way around, the momentum generated would be enough to keep Levi Kitchen, Jo Shimoda, and Tom Vialle at bay as he scrubbed the finish line tabletop one last time - to claim sixth overall in the running order. For moto number-two, the process would be much the same for KTM's Vohland, as he began the race near twelfth prior to methodically weaving upon the rutted course. His line in the corner before the rollers was stellar, where he would dash to the right (just before the apex) and miss the majority of braking bumps prior to twisting the throttle once more. And his aggression was something that couldn't be disregarded by the competition, especially he would steadily pull away from Jalek Swoll and newcomer Daxton Bennick. Pushing past the twenty-minute mark, and then the twenty-five minute mark (and so on), it was Vohland who eventually found a comfortable flow in the sixth-place standing once again; which was behind Jo Shimoda on this occasion...but with his first moto score eventually paired with his final position in this moto (which was, sixth) it would be Vohland's consistency that bested the Pro Circuit rider; giving him sixth overall on the day, for his residency in Michigan!