Team Twisted Tea/ H.E.P. Suzuki, presented by Progressive Insurance, reached the halfway point of the 2022 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross series this past Saturday, at the Southwick National, in Southwick, Massachusetts. You won't find another track like Southwick racing Pro motocross, and this sand track is unique to the series. The event was packed with fans cheering the riders on every lap. Brandon Hartranft leads the way for the team, finishing 16th overall. Marshall Weltin finished the day 20th overall.
Brandon Hartranft #41: Solid ending to the day for the 23-year-old. His best race came in the second moto. Brandon got a good start and ran consistently in 13th place, where he finished. The first moto, Hartranft struggled. He went down hard in the sand, killing his momentum. Despite the rough first moto, Brandon did not quit and pushed himself hard in moto two. He finished the day 16th overall, going 28-13 in the two motos.
"Not the best but not the worst day," said Brandon Hartranft. "I didn't ride too well the first moto. I crashed, took a bar to the ribs, and didn't score points. Moto 2 I started well and fought hard. I finished in 13th place. I'm not happy with the results lately, but it's part of the game. We are healthy, and I am happy. We are making progress every weekend, but these results are not what I'm looking for, so we will keep plugging away."
Marshal Weltin #285: Leaving it all on the track, Weltins' results didn't match his effort. Crashing three times in the first moto, Marshall did not quit and continued to push forward; he finished the first moto in 26th place. He was able to rebound in moto two and come away with 17th place for 20th overall.
"Pretty bummed overall on the day with how I road in general," said Marshal Weltin. "I had quite a bit of confidence coming into this round after last weekend. I fought everything all day. I think I was overriding, expecting just a little too much out of myself. In the first moto, I had three pretty big crashes, I didn't quit, and I think I finished in the 20s. It's a bummer to try that hard and not score any points. I came back in moto 2, I thought I got a decent start, but the whole field was in front of me. I charged my way into 17th. I finished 20th overall on the day. I struggled today to find my flow. I am really grateful to have the whole team behind me. Everyone worked hard all day. I have no complaints; I have to do better on the track."
"Strong finish for the team after a bumpy start to Southwick," said Team Manager Dustin Pipes. "We had both riders go down in the first moto, which is something you never want to see. The team didn't quit and rallied for the next race. Hartranft led the way for the team with 13th place in moto two, finishing 16th overall on the day. Brandon's crashes in the first moto set him back, and he could not get into a scoring position. He didn't give up, though, and got a better start, moto two putting a solid race together with 13th place. Unfortunately, Marshall's efforts didn't reflect in his results. After crashing three times, he finished 20th overall on the day his best race came moto two with a 17th place finish. I am proud of the effort and determination the riders and mechanics showed today. Both guys are going to rebound from this round. The whole team is looking forward to Springcreek."
Team Twisted Tea/H.E.P. Suzuki, Presented by Progressive Insurance, heads to Millville, Minnesota, for the SpringCreek National this Saturday. Practice/Qualifying gets underway at 8:00 AM PST, with the first race set to begin at 11:00 AM PST.