MT. PLEASANT, Mich. – Michigan’s own Broc Tickle dominated the Pro class final aboard his Suzuki RMZ 450 at the second annual Edge of Summer MX at Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort. The RCH Racing team rider pulled the holeshot in the main event and cruised to a thirteen-second victory over heralded veteran Mike Alessi, with arenacross star Jacob Hayes placing third.
With the victory at the second annual running of Edge of Summer MX, Tickle pocketed a cool $12K, while Alessi ($9K) and Hayes ($7K) also made out well in one of the richest one-off motocross events of the summer.
“Just to be here and hang out with my team and friends, do what we like to do and make some money,” said Tickle. “You can’t ask for much more than that. And I’d like to thank Soaring Eagle for putting on such an epic event to wrap up the summer’s racing season.”
Edge of Summer MX also marked the pro debut of amateur MX great Austin Forkner. The 16-year-old phenom lived up to his top amateur billing, racing to a second-place finish in his heat race (behind Tickle) and a solid fourth place in the main event. Said Forkner: “I didn’t come here expecting to do very well with all these fast racers lined up in the gate. But getting a second in the heat and fourth in the main … man, I’m happy.”
After winning the second Pro heat race, Tickle had the top gate pick for Saturday’s main event on the purpose-build SX/MX hybrid track. And there’d be no question on the start as Tickle yanked the holeshot against one of the better starters in the game (Alessi), with Ohio’s Levi Kilbarger in third. Hayes would make short work of Kilbarger to grab the third podium position on lap two, with Minnesota’s Jesse Wentland and Forkner also moving up into the top five.
As Tickle and Alessi separated from the rest of the Pro class pack, Tickle would crank off a 1:26.995 fast lap on lap four, putting 4.5 seconds between he and Alessi. And try as Alessi might, he would lose the battle in multiple areas of the track where Tickle had the entire field covered.
“Broc rode great and you’ve got to give him credit,” said Alessi. “I can’t complain.”
Through the midway point of the 12-lap Pro main event Tickle would run 6.7 second up on Alessi, thanks much to consistent speed through the whoops and rocker section, but also from putting in a virtual mistake-free ride.
With the podium spots virtually on lockdown through the remainder of the race, track announcer Tim Cotter (MX Sports) keyed the several thousand fans in attendance to the remaining payout positions. And the Michigan fans quickly threw their support behind veteran racer Nick Wey (DeWitt, Mich.), who rallied back from a fifteenth-place start (out of twenty riders) to place in the eighth and final payout position—earning a cool $1K for his efforts at Soaring Eagle on Saturday.
With one lap to go Forkner moved past Wentland and into fourth place, with Wentland holding on to fifth to round out the top five.
Second annual Edge of Summer MX Pro class main event results
- Broc Tickle
- Mike Alessi
- Jacob Hayes
- Austin Forkner
- Jesse Wentland
- Travis Sewell
- Gavin Faith
- Nick Wey
- Marshal Weltin
- Blake Savage
Event sponsors include: RCH Racing, Ram, Bel-Ray, Suzuki, Hart & Huntington, RedBud MX, Stevens Cycles, and Michigan CAT.
