Bad luck keeps Rick Elzinga from achieving great results!
How Rick ended up in this American adventure we already told you. However, yesterday was the day! In a sweltering California, where temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius, Rick Elzinga made his AMA Motocross debut yesterday in the 250cc class.
The Dutchman from Zenderen was placed in Group B for the qualifications. That was no gift, because after all the work on the course (read: copious spraying against dust), it was Rick's group that were allowed, or rather had to, be the first on the track. Due to the heat and a drier course, the times in group A were a lot faster. Perhaps a big downer for the home front, but for the boys there, there was no panic. Because in the second session on a dry track, the KTM pilot achieved a good 2.10, qualifying himself in fourteenth. And this on a KTM SXF250, which still houses the standard engine block.
During the first moto Rick took a solid start. Elzinga, who rode 772 for the occasion, finished thirteenth after one lap and was able to hold his position for just over ten minutes. However, he then paid the price of the heat and had to find a slightly slower pace. To make matters worse, the heat began to build up pressure in his gas tank, causing the casing on top of the gas cap to loosen and fuel to spray out. Some of the gasoline got into the 19-year-old young man's mouth and face. With one lap to go, he couldn't do anything else to stop his race. This would have resulted in a nice sixteenth place…
Due to the leaden heat and the ingested racing fuel, Rick did not really feel well during their hour of rest. However, he was determined to get the start anyway and see how the race would go. Once again he started well in the top twenty with fifteenth place! He was fully competing for positions there, so he briefly moved up to thirteenth place and then dropped back to fourteenth place. After about 15 minutes of the match, Elzinga felt less well again. When he began vomiting and spitting into the helmet shortly afterwards, he sensibly steered inside. It is now time to recuperate and hydrate for a few days and on Thursday he will leave for Hangtown together with his friend and mechanic Robert Fobbe and the man who offers accommodation, motorcycle and loan car Brent Norman to participate in the last AMA National of the season. to dispute.
Text: Matthias Van Eeckhoven – Photo: Danny Relouw from Relouwmxpics
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