JORDON SMITH

Traveling to the East Coast, would provide a myriad of variables for athletes in both divisions to have to conquer. However, regardless of what was going to be presented upon the High Point MX course, Jordon Smith appeared more than ready to combat. He was triumphant when making his charge onto the racetrack in the opening stages of qualifying, leaping from various takeoff jumps onto up-hill(ed) plateaus with fluidity...before diving into the corner(s) that followed with swift arcs that couldn’t be denied. The crowd within this Pennsylvania venue was next-level, and roared as racers from the opening moto plunged into the initial set of corners. Though every position was fought for among the first circuit, he appeared to reside around the eighteenth-place standing after showcasing remarkable vision. When rounding the corners that were proximal to the starting gate, his Yamaha engine would never subside with an absence of power. His transitions from standing to sitting (and vice versa) were “textbook” displays of how race-craft should be displayed...which enabled him to steadily lengthen the margin between he, Dilan Schwartz, and Nicholas Romano, after passing the competitors of lesser experience at the pro level. The three were rather paralleled on a similar trajectory for the largest portion(s) of the race, but as the checkered flag neared, the veteran out of North Carolina would distance his machine away from the adversary in a rather admirable showcase of speed and skill. Through the final three laps, fatigue had undoubtedly played into the narrative of nearly every racer on the track...but with an excellent display of attrition, Smith would garner a position of ninth. As the thirty-second board would go sideways for the following bout, all in the field were attempting to track-down front-runners like Tom Vialle and Ty Masterpool. Yet in the minutes thereafter. Smith would reside just outside of the top-fifteen while fighting through the areas of hard-packed/slightly blue-grooved terrain, that had now also been trenched deep ruts. In the corners leading to the finish-line, particularly near the wooded-area of the facility, these lines would span dozens, upon dozens of feet in length...acting as balance beams for each athlete to try and conquer while at the height of third-gear! He remained focused on each task as it presented itself, however, and managed to dismiss the presence of rookie Casey Cochran, who was attacking his rear wheel with only single digit(s) remaining on the clock, and had persistently pursued him throughout the moto! Through the white flag circuit, he managed to keep Cochran and ClubMX Yamaha’s Coty Schock at bay...for an admirable latter afternoon performance of tenth, to reside tenth overall in the final standings.