race recap
TOM VIALLE | GRIT-208 | 250SX
February 14, 2023 · Tom Vialle
TOM VIALLE | GRIT-208 | 250SX
Preparing for the second tenure of the East Coast championship, Tom Vialle would eye the round of racing in Florida with anticipation. Though Hunter Lawrence had won the opening round, many in the field felt as though there were a number of positions that were up for grabs prior to action beginning at Raymond James Stadium. The open-roof of the stadium would provide an abundance of sunlight for practice, where the track allowed for a replicable flow to be adopted by all in the division. Completing the seat-hopping sequences just after the finish-line, the whoop pad thereafter was a place for substantial time to be gained. He would excel here, and throughout the lanes that followed, emerging eighth before heat race action began. Precipitation was in the air and the track had now added another dimension that was unforeseen some hours before. He adapted though, and sprang to action as quickly as possible while the green flag waved. His style would migrate to the front of his KTM machine, hoping to keep his chest atop the bar-pad while he flat tracked his way through the corners just before (and after) the finish-line. Monitoring the gap between he and Michael Hicks, all the while remaining cognizant of the slippery surface ahead, the way he could delegate his energy amongst various tasks was phenomenal. The dragon's back had now become one of the most treacherous obstacles within the schematics of the course, but with a rhythm and hop amongst the specified rollers, he would clear the one-of-a-kind jump with ease. This would lead into the final fifty-seconds of action, where he seemed as though third-place would be garnered. He then clenched the position without an outright sense of speed, and stormed (figuratively) into the main event. The finalé was deemed, "survival of the fittest" with riders from all manufacturers fighting for every piece of dry (and smooth) racing canvas they could find. His vision was hampered, but that wasn't going to stop him from pressing forward. Nearly clipping tuff-blocks as he leapt into the sand section, the rear wheel of his KTM would be constantly propelling him as the section grew deeper, though a tip-over (just near Jordon Smith) would cause countless positions to be lost. He remounted as quickly as possible though, and began to attack both the raceway, and surrounding members of competition. The French rider would fall outside of the top-ten, but embodied grittiness that couldn't be forged, and would methodically weave through some of the best riders from around the world. Making a pass (as well) in the final moments, Vialle was able to work his way around Michael Mosiman; inheriting sixth after the white flag was thrown, and proving that his stamina was world-renowned!