race recap
SETH HAMMAKER - GRIT 242 250SX
May 18, 2024 · Seth Hammaker

GRIT-242 | 250 SX
Gradually reinforcing an already prolific professional resumé, Kawasaki's Seth Hammaker looked to the Daytona round of racing as a means to continue his pattern of excellency. The persistent effort of the Pennsylvanian had been portrayed via notable results in the 250cc East Coast SX Championship thus far...and as the green flag waved for qualification, Hammaker's whereabouts were constantly known by the entirety of the opposition. He navigated the adverse conditions of practice extremely well, and would return to his pit area with confidence before reassembling a game-plan for the heat race thereafter. Once there, the number forty-three excelled from the grate behind the metal bracket, and powered through the opening segments with a standing of fifth place. He was exceptional amongst the first two minutes of action, racing into the "SX" triple after the finish line, and corner thereafter as well, at what appeared to be a fourth-gear velocity...using every bit of momentum his engine could generate, before swooping to the middle of the corner thereafter in order to keep Henry Miller at bay. There was little room for error amongst this array of high-speed obstacles and eroding racing canvas...but Hammaker pushed the envelope to the furthest extent while speeding through circuits three and four. The opportunity to stay low in the clay based platform of obstacles after the start straightaway was an integral tool in his arsenal of tactics...and as it was mastered through the final two minutes of competition as well - which translated to passes being made on Coty Schock and Daxton Bennick, to garner third as engines ceased. For the finalé, Hammaker's opening standing (inside the top-three) was a platform to work from as the first there laps came to fruition. Cresting the tunnel-jump near the finish-line, Hammaker proceeded to advance through a multitude of lines to try and establish a solid pace to conclude each circuit. The gap between he and Haiden Deegan who trailed was minimal...but as a veteran of racing at the height of this particular sport, Hammaker had garnered enough experience to combat various deterrents. Speeding across the straightaway after the finish line, Hammaker seemed to maintain a prominent margin ahead of the Yamaha rider - while trying his best to reclaim the runner-up position, which was lost to Tom Vialle in the early going. As the halfway point came to pass...and with the track more challenging than ever, line selection was crucial. Over the multitude of plateaus before the beach sand, the Kawasaki of Hammaker was revving with all of its might to muster the necessary momentum which was needed to combat the depth of the outlying soil...and as he sprayed roost from his rear wheel, the margin between he and the number thirty-eight of Deegan would grow. All the while, he was lunging to try and overtake teammate Cameron McAdoo...who occupied the position ahead...but even as the checkered flag was thrown and the desired goal wasn't captured, Hammaker could still exit the race knowing he'd given it his all, for an extraordinary third overall accolade for the Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki team!