Racing

Zach Osborne's Day At Thunder Valley Motocross | MX 2016

Zach Osborne went 4-6 for 4th overall at round 3.

June 7, 2016

Zach Osborne started his day at Thunder Valley by coming through the tunnel to line up for the first timed practice. Zach went out on the wet Lakewood track and turned a 2:15.493 on his 5th lap.Photography by Rob Koy

In the 2nd time practice Zach ran a 2:13.101 on his 3rd lap for the 12th gate pick in Moto 1. Here Zach takes a middle line heading down into the valley before the uphill triple.Photography by Rob Koy

Zach caught pulling a tear off as he comes back down the mountain at Thunder Valley. Sometimes those tear offs won’t leave your glove.Photography by Rob Koy

Zach taking the inside rut on the turn behind the first turn tower. The track started out wet in the morning then it started to dry in the first Moto’s and get crusty. The ruts were hard packed and not as deep as the riders are use to at Lakewood. Zach tried different lines on this turn as the day went on.Photography by Rob Koy

In the first Moto Zach lined up all the way to the inside gate, thinking that the inside would give him a better chance of a good start. Zach was able to hug the inside of turn one and come out with a 7th place start, By the 3rd lap he had passed his teammate Martin Davalos for 5th pace, then got by Jordon Smith on the 12th lap and finished 4th in the first Moto. Here Zach Hits the double going up the first hill after the 1st turn.Photography by Rob Koy

Zach takes the inside line to set up for the inside rut after this jump. Zach feels that he and the team have made steps in the right direction for the tracks out on the west coast with all the hard pack ruts they had to deal with.Photography by Rob Koy

Zach climbing the hills at Thunder Valley. The 250cc bikes loose about 25% of their power because of the 6,000 foot elevation.Photography by Rob Koy

For the 2nd Moto Zach lined up again in the inside gate, but halfway up the start straight he hooked someone’s jersey with his bars and almost went down. He recovered and came out in 14th place and began to charge his way through the pack. By the end of lap 12 Zach caught and passed a tired Cooper Webb for 7th Place. On the last lap Zach got by Shane McElrath for a 6th place finish. Zach takes an inside line close to the barrier.Photography by Rob Koy

Zach takes the main line in this section as the inside rut got too deep and the outside rut got pushed out to much. Zach went 4-6 for 4th overall on his Rockstar Energy Factory Husky at Thunder Valley. Zach commented that he can’t wait to go back east to the tracks he feels comfortable on, and beleaves in Colorado he should have been on the podium if it wasn’t for the start issue in the second moto.Photography by Rob Koy