Competition Post: Kane Taylor
250SMX contender powers to second moto victory at Playoff 2.
Image: Octopi Media.
A setting change between the first and second moto at SMX Playoff 2 was the defining factor in Tom Vialle’s rapid turnaround in St. Louis, as the reigning 250SX East champion raced to a wire-to-wire win in race two.
The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider featured up front in moto one after claiming a top-three start, but proceeded to tumble down the order – as was also the case at Playoff 1 in Charlotte – to record a P10 finish.
A revised set-up after the opening race led to a substantial upturn in form for moto two, where the 24-year-old converted a fast start, which saw him greet the green flag first, to a convincing 3.7s victory over points-leader Jo Shimoda (Honda HRC Progressive).
“Second race of SMX is done, and I finished with a 10-1 scorecard for fifth overall,” recounted Vialle. “It really was a case of opposites with how I felt in each race – I was struggling for comfort in the first moto, and then the team made a lot of great changes for the second race, making the setup softer, and it was so much better for me.
“I felt a lot more comfortable, and I was able to ride a better second moto. I got a solid start, and I just rode well out front for the whole race, so that was nice. We’re fourth in points now, so we’ll do all that we can to win in Vegas.”
Vialle is fourth in the 250SMX SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) standings entering the Las Vegas Final this weekend, with triple points on offer as he sits 25 points in arrears of championship leader Shimoda.