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aprile 13, 2022 - Suzuki Racing

Suzuki strong at St Louis Supercross

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SUZUKI STRONG AT ST LOUIS SUPERCROSS

Team Suzuki Press Office – April 12. 

Brandon Hartranft: Suzuki RM-Z450 – 9-8-9

Justin Bogle: Suzuki RM-Z450 – 17-9-8

Adam Enticknap: Suzuki RM-Z450 – 18-17-17

Derek Drake: Suzuki RM-Z250 – 22-9-7

Suzuki racers each had strong results at the weekend’s St. Louis Supercross, round 13 of the 2022 Monster Energy AMA/ FIM World Championship.

Twisted Tea Suzuki Presented by Progressive Insurance brought home two top 10 finishes from the Triple Crown format raced inside The Dome at America's Center. Brandon Hartranft continued to impress in the 450 class and earned a career-best eighth place overall finish aboard his Suzuki RM-Z450. Twisted Tea Suzuki teammate Justin Bogle also put his Suzuki RM-Z450 into the top 10 and Adam Enticknap returned to racing with a season-best finish. In the 250 East class, BarX/ Chaparral Suzuki's Derek Drake earned two top 10 race finishes with his Suzuki RM-Z250 in the event's unique three-race format. 

When the conditions got tougher, Hartranft even better. St. Louis is known for excellent dirt, but the track broke down and added to the challenge for all the riders on the track.

"I'm pretty happy with my riding and my whoop speed," said Hartranft. "In main event three, I actually started up in second place. Never done that before, so that was a different experience. I battled hard with my teammate and another rider. I have a lot of positives to take away from the race. I got eighth overall, which is my best 450 overall. It's just crazy; sometimes the day's not going well, but if you just keep your head down and don't quit, great outcomes can happen. I'm really looking forward to next weekend."

Bogle used a top 10 overall finish in St. Louis to climb up one position in the championship points standings. Bogle and his Suzuki RM-Z450 continue to improve as the season heads into the final four rounds of the 17-round series.

"In the first main event I got a decent start, but then I had a crash in the same corner a couple laps in a row," Bogle explained. "So, it was a rough beginning to the night. In the last race I got a bad start but rode well and ended up coming up to eighth. The last main was strong, and something to build off of. We're just trying to keep improving. I'm happy with the direction we’re headed in and to just keep working." 

Derek Drake has been one single finishing position away from a top 10 overall result for the past three 250 East races in a row. The young athlete recovered brilliantly from a problem in the first race to card top 10 finishes in the second and third races. 

"In the second main I had a great start and was running up front, but unfortunately it got red flagged," Drake said. "On the restart I didn’t have the greatest start but came back up to ninth. In the third main I had a little better start, made some quick passes, and ended up seventh. Those races definitely showed some steps in the right direction."

Sidelined for six weeks with an injury, Adam Enticknap was cleared to ride eight days prior to the St. Louis round. After only one week to prepare he returned to competition strong and fast.

"The second qualifying session ended up being slower than the first, which never happens, and I ended up qualifying 20th in the first session instead of top 18, so we went to the LCQ," Enticknap said. The Triple Crown qualifying format advances 22 riders into the night show's three races. "In the LCQ I got a decent start and was around ninth. I worked my way up and ended up third, so that was awesome. As the night program went on, I just had three solid races. I was pretty stoked on just making through all the motos clean, not getting any nicks, and moving on to Atlanta."

"It was great racing in St. Louis tonight," remarked Twisted Tea/ H.E.P. Motorsports/ Suzuki Presented by Progressive Insurance Team Manager Dustin Pipes. "All three riders had solid, consistent main events with the exception of Justin falling twice in the first one. But I liked the way he rebounded for a top 10 finish. The dirt was great, our bikes looked planted, and the fan support was awesome. We're looking forward to finishing out the season strong over the next month." 

Round 14 takes place early, with opening ceremonies starting at 2:30 PM EST next Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The event will run the first of two Dave Coombs Sr. East/ West Showdowns that match riders from both 250 coasts in one event.