RYDER DIFRANCESCO - GRIT 232 250SMX

RYDER DIFRANCESCO | GRIT-232 | 250 SMX

The newcomer to the Supercross genre (and professional racing in general, to be honest) would be spectacular in Charlotte as racing was initiated for the SMX playoff's segment. Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki's Ryder DiFrancesco had shown at Ironman that his sprint speed was top notch, and aspired to leave a lasting impression on the industry once more as competition began in the Southeastern United States. For the initial moto of the afternoon, it was Ryder who occupied the fifth-place standing with athletes flying every which way upon the racetrack - which possessed a slippery base and deceiving soil that could spoil a riders aspirations to move forward at any second. Yet even amongst the conditions that lacked traction, Ryder was able to find a means to "gain ground" on his opponents who were ahead...taking advantages of the miscues of others, and passing his way into third by the time the third lap was over! With Tom Vialle and Jo Shimoda now behind his rear wheel, Ryder would storm past the mechanic's area with immense confidence and aggression before attacking the wall-jump that followed; spraying roost down the backside before tripling and leaping onto the plateau until around five laps remained. Yet at that point, he slowly (though still admirably) began to fade amongst the pressure from veterans around him...including Vialle and Shimoda along with Seth Hammaker and Austin Forkner. And as the checkered flag was thrown, Ryder's ability to occupy seventh would be a base to build from in the moto that followed. However few could have guessed the sense of staying power that Ryder displayed in the latter afternoon segment, where the Bakersfield native continuously proved that his stamina was adequate - and his ability to process the racetrack at top-tier speed(s) was on par with every other opponent within the 250SMX division! Defending podium honors from the likes of Jordon Smith, Haiden Deegan, and Justin Cooper, Ryder would never once falter amid mistakes while storming to the checkered flag. Amid the seventeen-lap quest, the Pro Circuit athleted showcased a multitude of astounding characteristics...and with a plentiful gap over Smith in the final stages, the third-place result in which he occupied would equate to a remarkable fourth overall in the record book(s)...giving him a sense of amplified confidence as the SMX playoff series moves forward in the weeks ahead.

More from GRIT