Frustration is mounting for reigning AFT Singles Champion Kolby Carlile as he unfortunately suffered another DNF during the 2018 American Flat Track season with a mechanical issue at the Peoria TT.
Carlile went into the weekend confident that he could return to the podium on his Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F. He put some hours on the practice bike during the week and felt like more time riding was exactly what he needed to take that top spot on the podium at Thunder Valley. Unfortunately, though, bad luck struck again on more than one occasion.
A mechanical in the second session of qualifying shook that confidence, but Carlile recovered in time for the Main Event. He got a great start from the second row and made his charge towards the front, but then more mechanical woes forced Carlile to retire from the race.
Amidst all the frustration, Carlile looks to put Peoria and the recent string of bad luck behind him and move forward at one of his favorite venues – the Springfield Short Track.
Kolby Carlile – AFT Singles #1:
“It was just a frustrating day for me. I put in a lot of work this week riding. I felt like it was going to carry into the weekend. In qualifying I felt really good, but then we had a little mechanical there. It was kind of in my head after that one. Then, in the Main Event, I got a good start and I probably passed six or eight people in the first corner. I came out from the second row in fourth place and I felt amazing.
“It turned out, though, that we had an issue going on with the clutch. Eventually in the race, after about halfway, the clutch completely went out and it spun me around backwards and I crashed. At the time, I thought it was my fault, but when I picked up the bike to finish the race, I realized it was the clutch that went out. So, it’s just frustrating. I’ve been putting in a lot of extra work, and I really expected a good result today. But I’m putting all of that behind me and looking ahead to Springfield.”
Catch the Peoria TT on NBCSN, September 1 at 3:00 p.m. ET.
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