2020 Mini O’s Amateur Coverage

With elder riders departing from the division after Loretta Lynn’s, many in the class saw an opportunity to capture the throne, before exiting the premises of the Gatorback Winter Olympic’s National. As one may have assumed, heat races would be the first events on the docket; getting the field “situated” before the runoff was enacted. Heat number one saw the likes of a Floridian resident firing on all cylinders. It was Casey Cochran, steadfast aboard the sixty-six machine, thriving at the pinnacle of the field, cutting through the SX circuit with astonishing style and charisma. Flowing through a few rollers just before the anthill, his foot-peg would nearly clip the hay bale(s) that set aside the track; as he was using every bit racecourse possible, to accrue time on the field behind him. Carter Malcolm, riding superbly, made the state of Colorado proud, running a one minute, six-second lap-time on multiple occasions. Landin Pepperd, would rummage his way through the field, clawing from outside the top five and into podium contention. Pressured by Conner Cook, Landin understood that any lapse of focus would result in a loss of position. Yet that positive reinforcement, provided a boost of anxious energy, keeping him housed in the third position while Cochran and Malcolm held strong upfront. Casey, then, would cross the line with enthusiasm, riding into the runoff with victory, while Malcolm and Pepperd finished second and third. For the second qualification bout, it was Thomas Wood blistering to an early lead and attempting to run away with the moto. Though Agustin Barreneche was just behind, nipping at his rear tread. The two would jump through the myriad of doubles and triples on the course, with Wood keeping his KTM machine planted on numerous insides around the circuit. Kade Johnson, as consistent as one would imagine, held strong in third as well. It would be Wood, Barreneche, and Kade Johnson tackling the podium as a unit, as the main event loomed in the distance. Once everyone was together, Thomas Wood would emerge as the first lap leader. Holding strong for two laps, a slight mistake would allow Carter Malcolm, along with Casey Cochran around. They were blistering down the mechanic’s area straightaway, jamming on both front and rear brake as they dove into the following left. Throughout the next few doubles and tabletop’s, Cochran could forecast an opportunistic pass to be made. He lurked in the shadows, seeing an opportunity to take on lap three, and never thinking twice about it. Cochran was brilliant in his sequencing after the fact, holding strong with poise and charisma as he sprinted to the finish line jump. Crowned yet again as champion, the top three of Cochran, Malcolm, and Abbott, were something of notoriety.