MITCHELL OLDENBURG - GRIT 251 450SX

GRIT-251 | 450 SX

June 4th, 2024 11:00 am

Recently advancing to the 450SX full-time, Honda's Mitchell Oldenburg had flourished since rising to the premier division. His prowess was elite, and the veteran demeanor he carried was hard to ignore by the competition as he leapt onto the raceway for practice in Salt Lake City. There wasn't one area of the course where he struggled - which amplified the confidence of the number fifty-five as he garnered fifth on the first lap of competition. He quickly overtook Freddie Noren and acquired fourth, where it was then a matter of defending his position from Jason Anderson for as long as possible. The New Mexico resident was able to make his way by, along with Dylan Ferrandis as well before the eventual checkered flag was waved. However, he still had to be credited with a notable sixth-place score - which set the stage for the main event that followed. The MotoConcepts rider believed that his skillset could rival those at the top of the leaderboard, if strong opening sequences were engaged. Therefore after clicking into gear amid the transmission, his focus couldn't be deterred as he tried to combat the front-end raising off of the ground across the Utah start straight! Running in a position of tenth before making a pass on Dean Wilson on the fifth circuit (for ninth), Oldenburg seemed composed while scouring the track for the most optimal of pathways. Finding the berm(s)/cushion in the middle, and outsides of the track, his sweeping motion on the 450cc chassis appeared as if he'd ridden in the division for a multitude of years now. He was behind Dylan Ferrandis, and taking note of where the former champion was traveling - but he couldn't ignore the grittiness of Dean Wilson as the trio of Honda combatants sped past the halfway point. Scrubbing the subtle single before the "SX" triple, there were a number of occasions where Oldenburg would land from the large obstacle, pivot through the corner thereafter, and glance to his right to see the front numberplate of the Scottish rider...keeping the aspect of motivation lit within him, as the checkered flag became nearer. Many jump faces were beginning to become cupped and etched with ruts and square edges - but Oldenburg continued to launch incredible combinations of triples, even with the racing surface breaking down substantially. Through the last three laps, both Wilson and Nichols remained within a relatively close difference of his Honda machine...but Oldenburg was able to defend - capturing a brilliant ninth-place feat, as all concluded in Utah.

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