NICHOLAS ROMANO - GRIT 249 250SX

GRIT-249 | 250 SX

June 3rd, 2024 12:00 pm

Arriving at the newfound Philadelphia venue, Yamaha's Nick Romano was excited to compete on the sport's highest stage. The track layout, as well, was relatively new, too - with variables of turning jumps and off-set lanes coming into play at times, creating quite the puzzle for these athletes to try and solve as the afternoon hours progressed. Blasting through the sand and powering past the mechanic's area, his fortitude was evident as he stormed into heat one where a multitude of strong competitors awaited him. Doing his best to navigate through the inside(s) of various corners while trying not to drift too far wide, there were multiple facets (including before the whoops) where makeshift turning doubles were in-play so to speak...and he managed to conduct them with expertise. Soaring over the finish line, his aptitude when blazing across the straightaway thereafter was applaud-worthy...and kept him distancing his machine from that of Gage Linville who trailed. The two were in separable when rolling past the halfway point, and as he crested the "SX" triple on the final two occasions, Romano eventually made his way to an eventual standing of fifth. There was little time to waste before embarking on the main event, but once the battles had begun, he was solely focused on making his way to the front of the pack. He contemplated both, jumping and skimming the mogul pad -and would toggle between the two options through the first six minutes or so. But after the whoops had substantially deteriorated, the former (i.e. jumping) seemed to be the most efficient way...especially when hoping to heighten the gap over, Bryton Carroll and Marshal Weltin who both, trailed. The left-handed bend before the finish line was beginning to become trenched, with a treacherous rut on the inside...nearly looking his inner foot-peg while hoping to nullify the rear wheel spin upon exit. Though time and time again, with a valiant scrub atop the face, he executed the final sector of the track with fluidity...maintaining a pace that was equated to a (hopeful) top-ten standing. Three to go, two to go, and then the checkered flag appeared to wave in the distance. His gap over Linville (while pursuing Boespflug) seemed to be more than sufficient as he made his way to the final double - concluding the moto in tenth, after gaining a position from Pierce Brown's crash, in front of a lively Philadelphia crowd!

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