CHRISTIAN CRAIG

One of the most talented competitors in the 450MX division, was Husqvarna’s Christian Craig. The Californian was continuing to advance throughout the rankings of the premier division, and his versatility was evident as ruts began to develop throughout the morning practice sessions in Crawfordsville. Once gate(s) fell for the initial moto of the two-race sequence, Craig was able to race his way into tenth, but quickly moved into the ninth-place residency after trying to lessen the distance between he and Malcolm Stewart. Craig was as polished, and smooth through the moguls beneath the walking bridge, as any competitor for either class — wheel-tapping and hopping his way with perfect rhythm before scrubbing the subtle tabletops thereafter. Processes like these, where he embodied efficiency while avoiding bottoming-out from over-jumps and kickers alike, would lead to a standing of ninth being maintained for a significant portion of time. Though overtaken by Freddie Noren when nearing the three-quarter mark of the moto, Craig maintained composure and wouldn’t let the loss of position deter his mindset...and as the clock struck zero, and the final two laps were completed, it was Craig’s final standing of tenth that acted as a means of motivation for the race on the horizon. His steady output of speed was evident once more in the following round, where he had solidified his position in seventh after about five minutes of competition...with Phil Nicoletti trailing him, and Jason Anderson not too far ahead. Through the various hillsides of this Ironman circuit, Craig was flowing with the utmost style and technique — never hurried, or in a rush while he perfectly carved his way through the corners that followed. He was monitoring the hard-charge from that of Phil Nicoletti who trailed, knowing that the veteran wanted to put forth one last phenomenal effort, to conclude the 2024 MX season. Each minute that would pass, the attrition of the New York native would remain relevant and act as trait that Craig had to defend. Through the sweeping first corner, Craig would catch glimpses of the Yamaha rider as he dashed down the start straightaway...using the distance as a gauge to see whether he would have to escalate his pace, or not. As the race neared conclusion, the ability for Craig to remain in front of the number thirty-six machine would spark cheers from the crowd...retaining seventh as the dust settled in Indiana, for an admirable overall feat of eighth!