Aussie rider Hayden Mellross recovered from an early heat crash to finish 17th on the night in Anaheim.
By Hayden Gregory
Mellross lined up for the 51Fifty Energy Drink team in heat two and was caught up in a huge first turn pile up. The crash left the #72 with an injured hand and busted knuckles while his YZ250F required some reconstructive surgery. Chaos in the pits ensued as Hayden’s mechanics worked overtime preparing his bike in time for the LCQ.
As racing continued Mellross looked strong early starting well in the LCQ. Showing impressive speed through the whoops he was able to pass teammate Zach Bell to finish second, booking himself a ticket to the main event.
A poor gate pick hindered Mellross’ start in the main yet he toughed it out as the huge whoops took their toll on his swollen hand. Continually clocking off solid laps showed consistency for Mellross yet he would only manage to finish 17th for the night. Not one to make excuses the Aussie left the race unsatisfied with his performance, and determined to be better come Oakland.
“I’m not satisfied as I’ve set personal goals that I didn’t reach,” said Mellross. “I’m proud of my team for somehow putting together my bike before the LCQ; without them I’m not in the Main. At Oakland, I need to put in faster qualifier times early and that will help with better gate pics, better chances in the Heats and ultimately the Main.”
