CHRISTIAN CRAIG

Undoubtedly categorized as one of the toughest competitors in all of the sport, Christian Craig would return to the racetrack once more for round ten of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship, seeking to battle among the highest tier of results within the 450MX division. He would mesh with the course rather well, and displayed remarkable lines atop the muddy canvas as the morning hours progressed. This carried into the first moto, after garnering a ninth-place gate choice. Craig immediately displayed remarkable aggression and proved that he was as legitimate as they come, among the elder racers of this two-wheeled championship. He sprinted into a third-place residency with a strong reaction time as gates crashed to the ground, and despite being passed by Chase Sexton shortly thereafter, his ability to sustain fourth was carried through three more circuits. Though a multitude of competitors were then approaching, and quickly, and both Eli Tomac and Jason Anderson would surpass him. The sixth position at that time, would be encompassed with battles including between he and Malcolm Stewart...where each teammate was aiming to strike in the latter stages of the moto as fatigue would be at its highest. Craig would continue to race ahead of Malcolm until the thirteenth circuit, when the athlete aboard the number twenty-seven machine would proceed forward with a few key line choices — deterring Craig to seventh. Though from that point onward, Christian accelerated to the finish line with the utmost intensity...finalized in seventh before preparing for the following round of competition. As the green flag then waved for the latter afternoon contest, the Husqvarna rider would be located around the tenth-place spot...while seeking to advance with urgency. He then passed two riders on the next circuit, including Colt Nichols and Phil Nicoletti...with Freddie Noren now trailing his rear wheel. In the left-handed corner that preceded Henry Hill, Craig’s sweeping line through the outside berm was incredible to see — and the momentum that was generated was sustained through the summit of the aforementioned iconic jump, and propelled him through the accompanying switchback section as well. This track seemed to reward those who could adopt a notable flow, and that’s exactly what the Californian did as traction became more scarce...using his West Coast roots as means to excel on the slick portions of the course. In the end, Craig would not only keep Noren at bay, but Broc Tickle and Eli Tomac as well — earning a position of eighth in the process, for sixth overall among a stacked division of opponents.