Words and images courtesy TiLube Honda Racing
What a great weekend! Nashville was different in many ways, starting with an early 7:00 AM opening for FanFest that ensured everyone was ready to go. It was also quite hot for a Supercross race, with temperatures reaching 85 degrees, which dried out the track and made it hard-packed and slippery.
Ryder had a strong qualifying session, finishing P-22 and moving straight into the heat races. In Heat 1, he had the 10th gate pick. After a much-improved start, he was running in 12th when he got caught behind a crash. He fought back to finish 13th, which sent us to the LCQ.
In the LCQ, Ryder started around 6th and calmly worked his way into the final transfer spot, finishing 4th and securing our first Main Event of the year.
The team had a quick turnaround before the Main Event. After a quick bike check, fueling, and a jersey change, Ryder was back at the starting line. He secured another good start but unfortunately went down in the sand section on the first lap. Once he remounted, he put his head down and safely picked off riders to finish 16th overall for the night.
