Words and images from MANLUK / ROCK RIVER / YAMAHA / manluk.com
To begin the AMA Pro Motocross Championship, the team at Manluk Rock River Racing would be eager to strive for top-tier results amongst elite competitors from around the world. With an assembly of athletes that consisted of two riders in the 450cc classification, and one racer in the 250cc division as well, the brand of Ya- maha riders were set to be represented in the highest regard as action began at Fox Raceway on Saturday.
The number seventy-eight of Grant Harlan would continue on his streak of securing excellent results, which was initially established during the re- cent Monster Energy Supercross Championship. Harlan’s ability to adapt to this new racing genre in Pala, California would be superb; which led to him residing eighteenth as times were finalized in qualification. However, he was set to rise through the rankings as moto’s progressed — where the Hawaiian native was found constantly striving for furthered position(s), after beginning the moto in tenth. He would battle from start to finish amongst this demanding outdoor contest, to clench ninth on the overall leaderboard before moving into round two. And for the second moto, Harlan’s initial placement of tenth would then eventually translate to sixth, by the time all was said and done! His resiliency and outright speed on this California course would be extraordinary, and would equate to one of the strongest overall finishes of his career thus far, via seventh overall in the final standings! residing inside the top-twenty. Lap after lap, the focus of Marsalisi never wavered as he sped through the countless ruts on the Fox Raceway course — to eventually reside eighteenth at the checkered flag. His next race of the afternoon, would again be a showcase of his true skillset amongst the top half of the field. Every position on the raceway would be earned with a tireless work ethic, and as racers eventually exited the course in California, Mar- salisi’s eighteenth in the following moto would lead to a well-respected eighteenth overall (as well) in the final box score.
For the 250MX class, the number 332 of Colton Eigenmann would strive to directly transfer to the main event(s) that followed, from his final qualification time. And the Yamaha rider was on the cusp of doing so, with a series of superb laps where he sped amongst corners and straightaways with absolute fearlessness on his Yamaha YZ250F. Eigenmann would showcase elite speed amongst a stacked division of riders, and will certainly be contending for remarkable finishes in the rounds to come in the AMA Pro Motocross Championship.
With the first round of action in the outdoor series now final- ized, those within the Manluk Rock River Racing assembly are excited to continue finding success amid the legendary Hangtown Raceway, next Saturday. They have proven that they possess all of the skills necessary to contend for the highest of accolades, and plan to continue on an ascending trajectory for the remainder of 2023.
