TY MASTERPOOL - GRIT 253 250SX

GRIT-253 | 250 SX

June 5th, 2024 3:30 pm

In one of the quickest team transitions in recent history, Kawasaki's Ty Masterpool would now register for the 250MX division - as of less than two weeks ago. His pre-season outlook was nothing of this sort, but the talented rider who now calls Texas, home, stepped-up to the challenge for the opening round of the series in Pala, California...and appeared a bit more acclimated to the motorcycle for this second portion of the championship at Hangtown Motocross Park. Though only able to acquire a seventeenth-place position for the opening sequence(s), Masterpool had then worked his way into tenth at the halfway mark. He was now on the hunt for a single digit position, and proceeded to scrub/style his way past Casey Cochran and Julien Beaumer before seeing Jo Shimoda when nearing the checkered flag. He knew the Honda rider was as talented as anyone in the field, but he (Masterpool) felt as if he could capitalize on the mistakes of the athlete out of Japan, in the most rutted portions of the raceway. With brilliant sweeping lines on this grooved race-track, Masterpool shifted into the height of third (and even fourth) gear at times when finding the furthest outside berms on the raceway...which eventually led to a sixth-place position being earned over the final jump, after passing Shimoda with minimal time remaining! The newly signed Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider would then excel from the line with authority in moto two - quickly obtaining second, while pursuing Haiden Deegan. Levi Kitchen was all over the rear wheel of the number twenty-nine, too, but Masterpool was riding with superb technique despite the immense pressure he was under. However, just before ten minutes of action were competed, Masterpool's outside line prior to the largest triple jump on the circuit...was a bit too wide, to not be taken advantage of. Levi would cut to the inside and leap over the obstacle with acceleration, pushing Ty to third in the running order. Shortly thereafter, KTM's Tom Vialle would make his way around, too -which slid Masterpool to fourth on the moto's leaderboard. With ten minutes to go, despite a courageous fight being put forth, Masterpool was overtaken by Hymas before one of the longest stretches of rollers on the circuit...with Ty then stationed in fifth (after being passed). But at that point, it seemed as if a bit of fatigue acted as a catalyst for Masterpool to be a bit overwhelmed with the amount of pressure from riders who trailed him - with subtle mistakes and a tad bit, of a slowed pace being presented by the athlete on the Pro Circuit machine. Nevertheless, he did everything possible to acquire the eventual eleventh-place position in which he was categorized - generating twenty-seven championship points in total, en route to an eighth overall on the day.

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