The Rockstar Energy OTSFF Yamaha, in association with Rock River and CycleTrader, team entered the twelfth round of the 2017 AMSOIL Arenacross series with Chris Blose in the thick of the chase for the Ricky Carmichael Cup after a solid podium finish one week ago in Reno. The championship has moved into it’s critical stages with only a couple of rounds to go leading into this weekend’s gate drop at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California.
Blose established himself as one of the favorites heading into the night of racing as he laid down the second fastest qualifying time as a result of both sessions.
The Rockstar Energy OTSFF Yamaha, in association with Rock River and CycleTrader, rider lined up for the first AX class heat race in which he rocketed out of the gate to a sensational start. The raw power of his Yamaha carried him to the first corner with a clear advantage ahead of Jared Lesher and the remainder of the field, providing him with an advantage from the very first lap. Blose clicked off consistent laps on pace with his qualifying effort, eventually building himself a fairly comfortable gap ahead of his competitors, as he took the checkered flag in uncontested fashion.
Blose knew that it was incredibly crucial to grab the extra pair of points rewarded as a result of the RM ATV/MC Head 2 Head Challenge as the final round in Vegas nears ever closer. The Arizona native made quick work of Jeramy Taylor in the opening round of the head-to-head format, moving onto the next round against Travis Sewell. Blose disposed of the Team Babbitt’s rider and earned himself a spot in the finals against the defending series champion, Gavin Faith. The two of them put on an incredible show for the California crowd as they battled tooth and nail for the victory, but the the Rockstar Energy OTSFF Yamaha, in association with Rock River and CycleTrader, rider was able to force his way into the lead and make the pass stick before the finish line, therefore earning himself a crucial clump of points in the championship chase.
The main events kicked off in the Golden 1 Center and Blose immediately cemented himself at the front of the pack ahead of his two main rivals, Gavin Faith and Jace Owen. The Yamaha rider immediately laid down a scorching pace as he set the fastest lap of the race on the first flying lap in an attempt to separate himself from his pursuers. Faith found the speed to trail him as the leading duo left Owen back in a lonely third position. Blose made absolutely no mistakes throughout the entirety of the main event, making it impossible for Faith to show him a wheel at any point throughout the tight track. The two of them lapped within tenths of one another for the whole length of the fifteen laps, but Blose managed to hold the advantage all the way until the checkered flag as he took the first main event victory, subsequently making a statement in the championship. He was able to carry the momentum he gathered from the first main event directly into the second with the same intention in mind. Blose utilized the grunt of his Yamaha in order to secure the holeshot yet again, immediately laying down the fastest lap time of the race on the first flying lap. It was a carbon copy of the opening main event as the Arizona native held off the Team Babbitt’s Kawasaki rider of Gavin Faith in the early stages of the race. Blose pulled a slight gap in the opening stages of the moto, settling on a gap of just over one second. He was able to maintain the advantage until the final third of the race, subtly growing his lead upwards of two seconds at the checkered flag, stamping his authority on the championship with a dominant performance.
Chris Blose commented “Sacramento was good to me. The team and I have been working hard and it’s nice to see the hard work paying off. We swept the whole night which was good for us. We made up some points and have moved into second place in the championship. We’ve got to keep fighting for this title and we’re not backing down. I’m looking forward to the next two rounds, it should be a barn burner!”
Blose’s mechanic, Scott Donkersgoed, said “It’s crunch time where every point matters and we’re going to keep working hard and do our best to keep delivering on race day!”
The Rockstar Energy OTSFF Yamaha, in association with Rock River and CycleTrader, team had a weekend of ups and downs in Reno, Nevada, but solid finishes from Blose have kept their championship hopes alive as the 2017 AMSOIL Arenacross series winds down. The action heads to the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California as the chase for the Ricky Carmichael Cup really begins to heat up.
The Rockstar Energy OTSFF Yamaha, in association with Rock River and CycleTrader, team had a successful weekend in which they made some serious progress in the points chase. Blose will be looking to build off of his dominant performance as the series heads into a two week break in preparation for the penultimate round of the 2017 season in Denver, Colorado.
