Austin Forkner got to ride the Southwick track on press day and figure out the layout of the track. This was the first time that Austin got to experience the sand conditions at Southwick. Austin said that he knew he had to turn his fastest qualifying time in the first session because the track would get rougher and rougher as the day went on. Austin was able to turn his fastest time of 2:04.970 on his last lap of session one to secure the fastest time in group one. Austin said that when he first got on the track for the timed session the bike felt rigid and a little too stiff so with a little more then two minutes left in the session he went into the mechanics’ lane and softened the suspension up for one more attempt to improve on his 6th place time. Well, it worked, because Austin was the only 250 rider to get in the 2:04’s in the timed sessions.Photography by Rob Koy
In the second time practice Austin said he would treat it as practice session since he knew his time in the first round would hold up. Austin was just about four second slower on the rougher track in session two with a time of 2:08.924. The only rider faster then Austin in session two was his teammate Adam Cianciarulo. Austin would go into the first moto with the first gate pick.Photography by Rob Koy
Austin getting himself in the zone before the parade lap in moto one. Austin said that he came into the season with the goal of top ten finishes and has recently changed his goal to top five finishes for the rest of the season.Photography by Rob Koy
Going into the first turn Austin is starting to get pinched off by Jimmy Decotis and Shane McElrath. Austin said that his start was not bad in the first moto but he has learned after six rounds that there are many good starters in the pro 250 class. He said that in the amateur class that he would only have about three guys that he had to worry about off the starts; now he thinks there are at least ten good starters he has to contend with for the holeshot.Photography by Rob Koy
Austin got a top ten start in the first moto and quickly started to make passes to get into 6th place after the first lap. Austin then got into a battle with Mitchell Oldenburg that would last for about fourteen minutes where they went back and forth a couple times until Austin made the pass stick a little past the halfway point of the race. Austin was able to pull a little gap on Mitchell and settle into 5th place till the end of the moto. Here Austin takes the outside line around the left 90 degree turn on the top section of the track by the VIP tents. Most of the riders took this line to keep up the speed going into the long straight out of this turn.Photography by Rob Koy
Austin going outside on the turn before the first turn. The inside was good earlier in the day but the outside berm was better at the end of moto one and for the rest of the day.Photography by Rob Koy
Austin said that he went back to the original suspension settings for the second moto as he knew the track would be at its roughest in the second moto. Austin got a much better start in moto two and was in third place after the first lap. Austin said that the biggest thing he has learned in his rookie year so far was the intensity that the riders sprint with in the first half of the race. Austin said that he has been working on his sprint speed during the week with Robbie Reynard and that he has been able to practice at race speed with the other riders during the week. As an amateur he said that he would do his motos by himself with nobody to push him. Here Austin tries to stay low over the jump by the American Legion.Photography by Rob Koy
Austin sets up for the pass on Shane McElrath on lap two of the second moto for second place. Austin said that he wanted to see if he could keep the pace of Cooper Webb, who was in the lead, and see if he could catch him and make a pass.Photography by Rob Koy
Austin said that he wanted to send it for the first half of the second moto and pass Cooper Webb. He felt that he could match Cooper’s pace and he wanted to make a pass on him. Austin scrubbed it much lower over the single before the sweeper by the pits in an attempt to pass Cooper.Photography by Rob Koy
Austin lands hard off the single jump, but gets the inside line on Cooper up the hill before the sweeper. But Cooper had the preferred line and was able to hold off the charge from the rookie. Austin said that he wanted to see how long he could go at Copper’s pace, but said he knew he had to play it smart and not crash himself out of a podium.Photography by Rob Koy
Austin Forkner went 5-2 for 3rd overall at Southwick for his first pro overall podium. Austin now thinks he belongs up in the top five with these guys and his confidence is building every week to the point were he thinks he might be able to pull off a win before the end of the season. He said numerous times that he’s a top five guy and if he keeps learning how to sprint with the intensity at the beginning of the race and be smooth then his new goals will be met.Photography by Rob Koy
