Chase Sexton showed unwavering determination to win the Atlanta final against an incisive RJ Hampshire and a slightly inward Shane McElrath…
Chase Sexton’s victory last week put rider Geico Honda tied on points with championship leader Shane McElrath. The two men line up in Atlanta with the red plate and a tenfold desire to win… Chase Sexton already scores psychological points by winning in the trials, ahead of Shane and RJ Hampshire… Beautiful LCQ from Cedric Soubeyras who finished 3rd by having resisted the return of Jimmy Decotis.
Heats :
Jeremy Martin won the first heat ahead of Shane McElrath. The reds are definitely in good shape on the east coast! Note that Cedric Soubeyras finished 14th in this heat and must therefore go through the LCQ. In the second debate, Chase Sexton crossed the line with 4 big seconds ahead of RJ Hampshire …
Finale :
RJ Hamphire does the holeshot on his HVA, followed by Chase Sexton, Shane McElrath and Jeremy Martin. The long-awaited explanation between the two leaders did not take long, with Shane quickly passing Sexton only to be redoubled a U-turn later after the sand. Alas, this duel does not last and Chase takes down his rival to get back on RJ. The Geico driver put the pressure on but ran into veteran Hampshire for several laps. He ends up sending a big block-pass between the two rhythm section. An aggressive gesture, sent from far away, but perfectly mastered. We won’t see Chase again, he crosses the line with a comfortable lead over Hampshire.
Superb win for Chase Sexton in Atlanta @RacerX
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RJ Hampshire resisted the pressure to secure a nice second place in Atlanta
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Shane McElrath on his side missed his final. He fought before RJ for most of the final, before letting go. He certainly climbs on the podium, but took a moral blow this evening.
3rd in Atlanta, Shane McElrath took a little bit of morale @SwapMotoLive
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Note that Jeremy Martin, a moment able to pass McElrath, fell on a bale of straw moved by Hampshire. JMart has to go back to the era of mechanics to remove his rear fender and loses big points.
Evening to forget for Jérémy Martin @VitalMX
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For the reds, the second good news comes from Jo Shimoda, who snatches his first top 5 after blocking Marchbanks in the same turn where Chase Sexton had taken the advantage over Hampshire. Well done for the Japanese, ex-protégé of Yannig Kervella who is progressing race after race …
On the other hand, first top 5 for the Japanese Jo Shimoda @VitalMX
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Finally, Cédric Soubeyras, who had little time to breathe after the LCQ, finished 11th in the final.
With everyone waiting for a nice duel between Sexton and McElrath, tonight’s race therefore suggests a different scenario: The East Coast Championship looks set to be dominated by Sexton, while Hampshire may be able to take on the role. of the challenger against McElrzath less solid mentally …
Atlanta Event Ranking
General classification after Atlanta
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