The engine of Suzuki’s Freddie Noren produced a similar thunder-type rumbling while scouring the course of Thunder Valley on Saturday; where he watched as lines were carved amongst the muddy soil composition in free practice. He couldn’t be mistaken however in the jumps leading to the finish line, where he perfectly timed a series of landings with an outpouring of throttle from the moment his wheels returned to the layout beneath them. And it was destined to carry into the first moto where timing and scoring would have him registered fourth as action was initiated. He was choosing his lines at will, with eye-opening aggression when descending down the first downhill on the racing surface; tucking his front-end into the furthest (but arguably the longest) inside rut on the far-side of the track with authority, keeping his inner leg hovering above the ground while he attempted to generate as much power from the Suzuki engine as possible. The largest flyaway jump on the track was a means to breathe, and subtly look behind him to see whom he was battling...and it was none other than Tyler Stepek who simply refused to let go of the gap that was initially created. Minutes would pass, and the rider from Maryland wasn’t going to go down without a fight; therefore it was almost as if Noren engaged into another gear in the portion of corners that proceeded the mechanic’s area (around the twenty-two minute mark), which was the final separator of sorts as the tandem dashed to the finish line. He was persistent enough to the final stripe to be established in tenth, which set the tone for a strong second moto as well. Jett Lawrence would look to break away from the field as the first few laps took place, but the staying power of Noren was admirable amongst the sea of lines that were entrenched from left to right on every facet of the raceway. The battle between he and Lorenzo Locurcio was one that many in the crowd would have to acknowledge, where Noren seemed to have the upper-edge in the straightaways and jump(s) leading to the finish line. He would nullify the thought washing the front-end or sliding out as the hard-packed nature of the Lakewood course would come to fruition, rolling on the throttle while feathering the clutch to keep the front wheel on the ground as traveled upon the hillside thereafter! It was his attrition amongst challenging conditions that was a catalyst of sorts for an eventual tenth-place final score, and despite being passed by Locurcio in the latter stages of action, it would be Noren who edged the Venezuelan rider in the overall standings — as he took ninth place on the final score sheet.