Mitchell Harrison had his best ride of the season at the Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis. He took the holeshot in his heat race and went on to finish second. After a strong ride in the final, he crossed the checkered flag in eighth, taking his first top-ten of 2017. Last week’s podium finisher, Dylan Ferrandis, had a tough break, crashing in the heat race. Despite the crash, Ferrandis went on to finish in seventh-place in the final. Unfortunately, Colt Nichols missed this round due to injury.
Qualifying:
250 Practice 1 Group A:
Dylan Ferrandis: 6th, 48:680
Mitchell Harrison: 8th,49:169
250 Practice 2 Group A:
Dylan Ferrandis: 4th, 47:505
Mitchell Harrison: 7th, 48:070
Overall Best Qualifying times:
Dylan Ferrandis qualified fifth overall, with a best lap time of 47:505. Mitchell Harrison’s time of 48:070, place him seventh overall.
250 SX Heat 2:
The Yamalube Star Racing Yamahas were the first bikes out of the gate, with Mitchell Harrison leading the pack and Dylan Ferrandis in second. After selecting a wide line, Ferrandis lost two positions in the initial pack division. Going through the whoop section, the rider in front of Ferrandis crashed, causing Ferrandis to lose his rhythm. This resulted in Ferrandis mistiming the whoops and he went flying over the handlebars. Ferrandis returned to the race in fifteenth, but came through to secure himself a transfer spot, with an eighth-place finish. Meanwhile Harrison charged on up front. Towards the second half of the heat, he lost the lead, but finished solidly, in second.
250 SX Final:
Ferrandis was fifth going into the first turn, and Harrison was ninth. Harrison then advanced one more position on the first lap. Still shaken up from his earlier crash, Ferrandis dropped to seventh. Harrison then caught up to his teammate and passed him for seventh. Ferrandis did not back down and the two battled it out. Ferrandis ended up reclaiming the seventh-place spot. The two Yamalube Star Racing Yamahas kept their positions for the remainder of the race. Ferrandis crossed the finish line in seventh and Harrison, eighth.
Mitchell Harrison’s solid result gave him a boost in the points standings. He moves up six places, from eighteenth to twelfth. Dylan Ferrandis’ seventh place finish did not alter his Championship position, and he remains in fifth. The Yamalube Star Racing Yamaha team heads to Mitchell Harrison’s home State, Michigan, for the sixth Eastern Regional round, on March 25, 2017.
