What a night of Monster Energy Supercross racing it was in Foxborough for Phoenix Racing Honda rider Cullin Park. In what were wild weather conditions inside Gillette Stadium, Park powered his way to a second-place finish for the 250SX East round, with Profiled taking a deeper look into the 23-year-old’s performance.

They say mud is the great equalizer, and not to detract anything from Park’s Saturday night performance – however, the conditions opened a window for those opportune riders who were ready to capitalize on the moment.

An impressive second-place finish in the 250SX East main event after a calculated ride was a major milestone in the number 59’s career, who, just one year ago, described that he had reached rock bottom in his young professional career following a significant setback at the opener.

Image: Octopi Media.

“Last year, for me, right around this time, I hit rock bottom in both my career and off the track too. I was in a dark place,” mentioned Park post-race. “I had gotten hurt at round one last year and had nothing to show for myself. I almost didn’t have a ride lined up [for this year], but I ended up getting a late deal done.

“I have a small group of people around me, and really that’s all you need throughout the good times and the bad, and they helped pick me up when I was down. To reward them all with this finish honestly means the world, and on that last lap I just really didn’t want to screw it up!”

Though the podium finish in Foxborough is indeed the capstone achievement in his season to date, the results have otherwise been solid, given the lack of preparation time due to a late contract signing and a shortened pre-season on the motorcycle.

Image: Octopi Media.

Four of a possible six top 10s in a highly-competitive 250SX eastern division class and a fifth overall positioning in the championship following the weekend is a testament to his never-give-up attitude, with 16 points now separating him from the series lead.

As it relates to Saturday night’s round, surviving his way through the heat race, followed by a strong launch out of the gates, gave him the confidence needed to take it to the podium at the conclusion of the encounter.

“I ripped a start [in the main], and from that point I was like, ‘Dude I have a shot to win this thing.’ Then Chance [Hymas] blew past me, and I was like, ‘Okay, maybe I don’t have a shot at winning [laughs],’ so I just pushed there in second position.

Image: Octopi Media.

“My mechanic put on the board two to go, and I thought, ‘Dude, I’ve got this thing.’ I just needed to chill and make sure I didn’t crash, but all in all, I’m really stoked with this result. I’m not going to lie – I was gassed up at the end there. I was trying to blow the bike up once I crossed the finish… But no, this means so much to me and those around me, I can’t thank them all enough for the support.”

A podium finish can be all it takes to propel a rider to the next level in their career, and with a strong support group amongst your surroundings, the recipe for additional success is right there. For Park, the decision to not give in when he was at his lowest was exactly what was required to enjoy the success of this year and his maiden 250SX podium in Foxborough.